Chapter 157: An Argument in the Boutique
A weekend on Fifth Avenue.
Evelyn had specifically turned off her work phone for a rare moment of peace. She just wanted to spend a quiet weekend with Elias.
"Mommy, look! That shiny one looks like your eyes," Elias said, pointing his small finger at the window of the Tiffany flagship store.
It was a uniquely designed necklace. The center stone was an unheated Kashmir sapphire, a deep cornflower blue that shimmered under the spotlights. Small diamonds surrounded it like stars around a moon.
Evelyn stopped, her gaze lingering on that shade of blue. For the past four years, she had grown used to counting every penny and rushing to make a living. She had forgotten what it felt like to buy something just to please herself.
But today, looking at that blue, she wanted it. She wanted it as a reward for her rebirth.
"Let’s go inside," Evelyn said, pushing open the glass door.
The air conditioning was crisp, and the store smelled of expensive fragrance. A sales clerk wearing white gloves carefully took the necklace out.
"Ma'am, you have excellent taste. This is a limited edition for the season called 'Tears of the Deep Sea'."
Just as Evelyn reached for the necklace, a hand with bright red nail polish snatched the velvet tray away.
"I’ll take it," a sharp female voice said with blatant arrogance.
Evelyn turned to see a woman with heavy makeup and a mean expression. She was wearing Chanel haute couture and carrying a Himalayan Birkin bag. She looked at Evelyn’s casual trench coat as if she were looking at trash.
Valerie covered her mouth in an exaggerated gasp. "My God. How do people like this get into high-end places? It really lowers the tone."
Evelyn looked at her coldly, ignored the provocation, and turned back to the clerk. "First come, first served. Please wrap it up for me."
"First come, first served?" Valerie sneered, tapping her fingers on the marble counter. "The rule here is who can actually pay. Jewelry of this level isn't something a woman who can't even afford a decent dress should dream about."
The clerk stood awkwardly between them. Looking at Valerie's expensive outfit, she hesitated. "I'm sorry, Ma'am..."
"Swipe the card."
Evelyn pulled out a black card and handed it over. It was the main card she used for her studio's daily expenses. Her movements were clean and decisive.
Valerie froze. She clearly didn't expect Evelyn to possess a card of that caliber.
However, less than thirty seconds later, the clerk returned with a troubled look. She handed the card back to Evelyn and lowered her voice. "I am very sorry, Ma'am. The system shows your account has been temporarily frozen due to suspicious large-scale transfers."
Evelyn frowned. Damn it.
She remembered now. To handle the recent contract breaches with her partners, the studio's cash flow had fluctuated wildly. The bank’s risk department must have flagged it as a mistake.
"Hahaha!"
Valerie burst into a sharp laugh, drawing the attention of every customer in the store. "I knew it! Why are you pretending to be rich? Frozen? Is that black card stolen?"
Elias didn't understand everything, but he felt the woman's malice. He stepped in front of Evelyn. "Don't bully my mommy!"
"Get away, you little brat," Valerie said, backing away in disgust. She glanced at a corner of the counter and pointed at an oxidized, silver-plated bracelet that was years out of style.
"Wrap that one up." She threw a stack of cash onto the counter like she was giving alms to a beggar. "That's for you, Evelyn. It’s cheap and the color will fade, but it’s a perfect match for a single mother like you."
Evelyn’s hand tightened at her side. She had learned to endure, but that didn't mean she would let people trample her, especially in front of her child.
Just as she was about to throw the money back in Valerie’s face, a tall figure loomed over them, bringing a cold, powerful aura.
"Wrap them both," a deep, magnetic voice said.
Before Valerie could react, her hand was shoved off the counter by a strong force.
It was Ryan Lawrence. He was wearing a black trench coat. He looked like he had just stepped off a plane, but he still carried the overwhelming pressure of a man in power.
"Ryan?" Evelyn looked at him in surprise. "I thought you were in London..."
Ryan didn't answer. He gave her a long look filled with comfort, pain, and suppressed rage. He pulled out a black-gold card and handed it to the stunned clerk.
"No PIN."
"Yes... Yes, Mr. Lawrence!" The clerk’s attitude did a complete U-turn as she scrambled to take the card.
Ryan picked up the sapphire necklace and walked behind Evelyn. His warm fingers brushed the hair away from her neck. His touch was as gentle as if he were handling a fragile treasure as he fastened the necklace around her.
The cold gem pressed against her warm skin, making Evelyn shiver.
"Beautiful," Ryan whispered close to her ear. "Only this is worthy of you."
Then, he turned around and picked up the paper bag containing the cheap silver bracelet. Valerie’s face was deathly pale. All her insults were stuck in her throat. In front of the man who controlled half of New York’s business world, she was nothing.
"Mr... Mr. Lawrence..."
Thud.
Ryan tossed the paper bag at Valerie’s feet. "This matches your class better," he said. "Take it and get out of my sight."
The store went dead silent. Valerie shook, her face turning a dark red. It was a total humiliation, worse than being slapped, but she didn't even have the courage to talk back.
"Uncle!" Elias couldn't hold back anymore and jumped into Ryan’s arms, hugging his leg tightly. "You’re finally back! That bad lady was so mean!"
Ryan bent down and scooped Elias up with one arm. The ice on his face melted instantly. "I'm sorry, buddy. I'm late."
He pinched Elias’s cheek and looked at Evelyn, who was standing there in a daze, touching her necklace. "Did you miss me?"
Holding the child in one arm, Ryan naturally took Evelyn’s hand with his other. He interlaced their fingers, his warmth spreading through her palm.
Evelyn looked at his sharp profile and felt a complicated warmth she had never felt before. This time, she didn't pull away.
As the three of them walked out of the store, Valerie was left standing alone. The cheap bracelet lay at her feet as people whispered and laughed at her. She stared at their retreating backs with pure hatred.
"Just you wait!"