Chapter 129
Lucinda withdrew her hand and glanced down at the red scratches on her wrist left by Sabrina's nails. She wiped them with the back of her hand and turned around.
"Gaia."
Gaia stood by the door, still frozen in shock. When she heard Lucinda call her name, she snapped back to attention.
"Take that coat. If the size doesn't fit, have the store adjust it. Put it on my account."
She paused, looking down at Sabrina, who was slumped against the counter. She was silent for two seconds.
Then she pulled out her phone, scrolled to Dahlia's number, and pressed the call button. She turned on the speaker.
After two rings, the call connected.
"Lucinda?" Dahlia's voice came through. "Why are you suddenly calling me? I thought you were still mad at me. Mommy's right here. Do you want to talk to her—"
"Dahlia." Lucinda cut her off, her voice colder than ever before.
The other end went quiet for a moment.
"Sabrina is standing next to me." Lucinda's tone was unhurried, but it made the person on the other end breathe faster. "She says you told her I'm a homewrecker who seduced your fiancé and stole your parents. Explain."
The store fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Sabrina leaned against the counter, clutching her throat, gasping for air. Tears still streaked her face, but her eyes were locked on the phone in Lucinda's hand. Her pupils contracted slightly.
The other end was silent for a few seconds.
Then Dahlia's voice came through, softer than before but still gentle, carrying just the right amount of grievance. "Lucinda, let me explain… Sabrina must have misunderstood. I never said those things about you. I was just chatting with her and mentioned some things about the family… Maybe she misinterpreted."
Sabrina's eyes widened.
Her lips trembled. She wanted to say something, but Lucinda's gaze silenced her.
Dahlia continued, her voice growing even more tender. "You're the Douglas family's biological daughter, the precious child Mom and Dad searched for for twenty years. Reginald is your fiancé. The engagement was arranged between the two families long ago. It's set in stone. How could I possibly say you stole my fiancé? Sabrina must have heard wrong."
She paused, her voice dropping even lower, tinged with a sob. "Lucinda, if you're upset, I apologize. It's my fault. I shouldn't have mentioned family matters to Sabrina and caused this misunderstanding. Don't blame Sabrina. She was just looking out for me. That's why she said those things…"
Lucinda listened to Dahlia's voice, sweet as honey, on the other end. Her mouth curved slightly. "Are you finished?"
The other end went quiet for a moment.
"Lucinda—"
Lucinda didn't wait for her to finish. Her finger pressed the end-call button.
The store fell silent again.
Sabrina leaned against the counter. Her face went from white to ashen.
She'd heard it loud and clear.
Dahlia had said Lucinda was the Douglas family's biological daughter.
The Douglas family.
The wealthiest family in the country.
The woman she'd just insulted was a Douglas family heiress.
And Reginald was her fiancé.
Not Dahlia's.
From the very beginning, Dahlia had been lying to her.
Sabrina's mind buzzed like a thousand bees were swarming inside it.
She thought back to the expression on Dahlia's face when she'd told her those things—red-rimmed eyes, a choked voice, saying her sister had stolen her fiancé, saying she'd spent twenty years in that house only to end up with nothing.
At the time, Sabrina had been heartbroken. She'd held Dahlia's hand and promised to help her get revenge.
Now, looking back, those tears, that choked voice—it had all been an act.
"Ms. Gonzaga." Lucinda's voice drifted down from above, flat and indifferent. "Do I still need to get lost?"
Sabrina's face flushed crimson. Her lips trembled for a long time before she squeezed out a sentence. "I… I didn't know you were from the Douglas family… Dahlia didn't tell me…"
"So what?" Lucinda's tone didn't waver. "Not knowing who I am means you can insult people at will? Put your hands on them? Tell them to get lost?"
Sabrina opened her mouth. No words came out.
The two women beside her had gone completely silent, shrinking into the corner, wishing they could disappear into the wall.
Lucinda turned and walked to the counter. She glanced at the sales associate.
The glance was faint, but the associate inexplicably felt a chill run down her spine.
Lucinda reached out and handed over a card.
The associate took it and looked at it.
This was an internal company card. When she'd first started working at this store, the manager had trained her on it. This card was held by only one person in the entire world.
The founder of this high-end women's fashion chain.
The associate's eyes went wide. She never would have imagined that the legendary, mysterious boss was standing right in front of her!
If the others in the store found out she'd met the boss and witnessed such a spectacle, they'd be jealous out of their minds!
Her mouth fell open slightly. She instinctively straightened up, hands at her sides. Her posture shifted from flustered to respectful.
"These customers are finished browsing. See them out." Lucinda's voice was flat.
The associate immediately nodded and turned to Sabrina and the two women, her voice polite. "Ladies, please."
Sabrina's face was completely ruined.
She straightened up from the counter, adjusted her disheveled collar, lifted her chin again, and forced a strained smile. "Lucinda, you're a Douglas family heiress today, and I really can't afford to offend you. But don't you think you're going too far? I just misunderstood you, and you're going to kick me out? This store is open for business. It's not your family's. Are you using the Douglas family's influence to bully people like this?"
She paused, her voice rising several notches, carrying a self-righteous indignation. "The Gonzaga family has always had business ties with the Douglas family. My dad has worked with your dad for years. Dahlia and I grew up together. If Dahlia were here, she would never treat me like this. She'd explain things properly, clear up the misunderstanding, and we'd still be friends. But you? You're kicking me out without a word."
She shook her head, a strained smile still on her lips. "Is this the tolerance of a Douglas family heiress? Then again, you grew up outside the family. You really are different from Dahlia. Dahlia has manners. She understands propriety. She knows what to do in what situations. You, on the other hand…"
She didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.
Lucinda looked at her. Her mouth curved slightly. "I'm kicking you out because I want to. I don't need to rely on anyone's influence."
Her finger tapped the counter again, this time with more force.
The associate immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and spoke quietly.
In less than a minute, two security guards in black uniforms appeared at the store entrance.
"Ladies, please leave."
The guards' voices carried no emotion.