Chapter 46

Mira’s POV

For a moment, I couldn’t hear anything. Not Zara. Not the manager. Not even my own thoughts.

I just stared at the papers in my hands, the words blurring together because my brain refused to catch up with what Alejandro had just done.

“You bought it?” I repeated, my voice quieter than I intended.

Alejandro didn’t look amused. He didn’t look like he thought this was dramatic or exaggerated. He just looked calm.

“Yes baby.”

He just responded like buying an entire fashion store was the same as picking up coffee on his way to work.

I let out a small, disbelieving laugh, shaking my head as I looked back down at the documents again. “Alejandro, this is insane.”

“Probably,” he said easily. “But it’s yours now.”

Mine. The word hit differently.

Before I could even begin to process that, Zara stepped forward, snatching one of the papers from my hand and scanning it quickly before letting out a loud, dramatic gasp.

“Oh my God,” she breathed, turning slowly toward the staff. “Do you people understand what just happened or do I need to explain it in slow motion?”

No one answered. No one even moved.

Zara’s grin widened. “You tried to kick us out of a store that now belongs to her.” She pointed at me like I was a trophy. “That’s embarrassing. Like I would actually resign.”

The manager looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

The woman from earlier had gone completely pale, her confidence stripped down to nothing, her eyes darting between me and Alejandro like she couldn’t decide which one to be more afraid of.

“And you,” Zara added, turning to the rich girl, who suddenly looked far less impressive than she did five minutes ago. “Talking about ‘do you know who I am?’” She let out a mocking laugh. “Clearly not important enough.”

“Zara,” I murmured, though there was no real weight behind it.

She ignored me completely.

“This is the best day of my life,” she whispered, clutching my arm. “I’m never being humble again.”

I huffed out a breath, still trying to ground myself in reality, still trying to understand how we had gone from being accused of stealing to this.

And then the doors opened again. It was the police.

I almost forgot about that part.

The officers stepped inside, their presence cutting through whatever was left of the tension. One of them started speaking to the manager, asking questions, trying to piece together what had happened.

Alejandro didn’t wait.

He moved forward, his entire demeanor shifting into something colder.

“Officers,” he said smoothly, drawing their attention immediately. “There’s been a misunderstanding.”

I watched as he spoke to them, his voice low but firm, explaining just enough while leaving no room for doubt about where he stood. And more importantly, who he stood with.

The energy in the room shifted again.

The same employees who had been so confident earlier now looked uneasy, their earlier accusations hanging in the air like something they couldn’t take back.

One of the officers turned toward the manager, his expression tightening slightly as Alejandro finished speaking.

“I see,” he said.

And just like that, the direction of everything changed.

“What—what is this?” the manager stammered, her composure finally cracking. “We were just doing our jobs.”

“By humiliating paying customers?” the officer cut in.

“They weren’t”

“They are now,” Zara chimed in helpfully.

I almost laughed.

The woman from earlier started shaking her head rapidly. “This is ridiculous. We didn’t do anything wrong.”

But her voice didn’t carry the same weight anymore.

Not when the authority in the room had shifted.

Not when Alejandro was standing right there, watching.

Within minutes, things escalated in a way I hadn’t expected.

Questions turned into statements. Statements turned into consequences.

And before I fully processed what was happening, the very people who had told us to leave were being escorted out instead.

The irony of it wasn’t lost on me.

Zara leaned closer to me, her voice low. “Oh, this is poetic.”

I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around it all as Alejandro stepped aside with the officers, continuing the conversation more privately.

“Well,” Zara said, clapping her hands once as she looked around. “Since we own the place now…”

I raised a brow. “We?”

She waved a hand. “Details. Minor details. The point is—” she grabbed my arm, pulling me toward another section of the store. “We are not leaving without at least trying everything on.”

Despite everything, a laugh slipped out of me.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“And you love me,” she shot back instantly.

We moved through the store again, but this time, everything felt different.

We picked out dresses without second guessing. Tried things on without worrying about who was watching. Laughed louder than we probably should have.

For a while, it almost felt normal again. Until my eyes landed on a certain woman.

She was standing near the entrance, partially turned away, talking to one of the remaining staff members.

Something about her felt  familiar.

My steps slowed.

Zara kept talking, completely unaware, holding up another dress and asking for my opinion, but her voice faded into the background as my focus locked onto the girl again.

And then she turned slightly.

My stomach dropped.

No.

No, no, no.

It couldn’t be.

Memories from the club I had buried, locked away, shoved into a part of my mind I refused to revisit came rushing back all at once.

“Mira?” Zara’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Are you okay?”

I blinked, forcing myself to look away. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

But I wasn’t. Why the hell was she here?

A cold panic started creeping up my spine.

I turned slightly, trying to position myself so she wouldn’t notice me, so I could just  leave without this turning into something else.

Without Alejandro finding out.

Because he didn’t know about my sinful past and I didn’t know what would happen if he did.

“Let’s go,” I said quickly, grabbing Zara’s arm.

“What? Now?” she frowned. “But I’m not done.”

“Zara,” I said more firmly.

Something in my tone must have clicked because she didn’t argue again. She just nodded, confused but trusting me enough not to question it.

By the time Alejandro rejoined us, everything with the police seemed settled.

“Ready?” he asked, his gaze moving between us.

I nodded quickly. “Yes.”

He guided us toward the exit, his hand resting lightly against my lower back as we walked out together.

I kept my head down and kept my pace steady.

But then, I collided with someone.

The impact was light, but enough to make the girl’s bag slip from her shoulder, its contents spilling onto the floor.

“I’m so sorry,” I said quickly, already bending down to help gather her things.

“It’s fine,” she replied.

My hands stilled for half a second after hearing her voice.

Slowly, I looked up and there she was.

Her eyes met mine, recognition flickering instantly.

A slow, knowing smile spread across her lips as she leaned in slightly, just enough for only me to hear.

“Does he really know who you are?”