Chapter 37
Olivia smirked. "We're all customers here. Why should we leave? What makes Vivian so much better than us?"
The employee looked distressed. "Please don't make this difficult for me."
"I'm not making it difficult for you."
What would be the point in that?
But if there was one thing Olivia couldn't stand, it was people who kissed up and kicked down.
"Call your manager."
The employee froze.
A flicker of unease crossed her face, but Vivian chimed in, "Yes, call them. I want to see who the manager sides with—me or them. I'm a VIP customer here."
Less than five minutes later, the manager hurried over.
One look at the scene, and his heart sank.
Olivia didn't waste words. She pulled out a gleaming gold card and slapped it on the counter, raising an eyebrow at the manager.
"So you kick out your VIP customers now?"
The manager's eye twitched. "Of course not. There must be a misunderstanding. Please wait while I sort this out."
He turned to scold the employee.
"What were you thinking? You don't recognize a gold card holder? What did we teach you during training?"
"I—"
"That's enough. Save it." The manager turned to Olivia with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. This employee is new and isn't familiar with our customer protocols. If she's offended you, I sincerely apologize."
Gold card customers were their top-tier VIPs.
This wasn't just about spending power—the gold cards were kept exclusively by the owner. Anyone holding one was certainly the owner's friend.
No one dared offend someone connected to the owner.
Vivian frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? I've spent a fortune in your store and never received a gold card. How did she get one?"
The manager's face hardened. "Because gold cards are issued only by our owner."
Vivian was incredulous. "That's impossible! How could she have one? She must have stolen it from someone!"
Olivia rolled her eyes. "My fiancé gave it to me. Got a problem with that?"
Fiancé?
The manager snapped to attention. "May I ask, is your fiancé's last name Robinson?"
Olivia nodded.
"Well, this is quite the coincidence! You're practically family." The manager's entire demeanor shifted.
The owner's friend versus the owner's fiancée—those were two entirely different concepts.
Vivian was completely lost.
"What are you talking about? What's so special about the name Robinson? Call your owner out here. I'll tell him myself that my fiancé is friends with your owner too. I know him."
The manager's expression was pained.
"Miss, please stop making a scene. If you want to shop, you're welcome. But if you're here to cause trouble, we won't tolerate it. If you don't intend to make a purchase, I must ask you to leave."
"How dare you!"
Vivian had never been confronted like this before.
Her fury was reaching the boiling point.
"You know what? I'm calling your owner right now to have you fired!"
The manager replied coldly, "If you truly had our owner's number, you'd know that our owner's last name is Robinson."
Vivian's face changed. "Your owner is her fiancé? That's impossible! She must be lying!"
Olivia simply displayed the ring on her finger—a diamond the size of a small egg, almost blindingly brilliant.
The manager took one look but couldn't be completely certain.
He turned to the stunned employee beside him.
"Prepare a private room for Mrs. Robinson. Bring refreshments."
Vivian continued ranting, "You think a diamond ring will intimidate me? As if someone like you could be Mr. Robinson's fiancée! You didn't even think your lie through! Mr. Robinson would never look at someone like you!"
Aaron Robinson was Edward's friend—this much she knew. Though she'd never met Aaron, she frequently shopped at this store because of Edward.
For some woman to suddenly appear claiming to be Aaron's fiancée was absurd!
The manager had reached his limit. "This exact ring left our store just days ago. Mr. Robinson personally picked it up, saying it was for his fiancée."
Vivian was completely dumbfounded.
"That's impossible!"
Between the owner's fiancée and a customer, the manager knew exactly where his loyalties lay.
"Please leave."
Before Vivian could process what was happening, security escorted her out. She twisted her ankle in her high heels, making her exit particularly ungraceful.
The manager smiled. "Mrs. Robinson, please take whatever you like. Mr. Robinson instructed that if you visit, all expenses should be charged to his account."
"I see. You may go now."
Olivia waved dismissively, then grabbed Adeline and hurried out, looking thoroughly rattled.
"That was terrifying. Absolutely terrifying."
Adeline stared at her.
Olivia squirmed under her gaze. "Don't look at me like that. I'll tell you the truth. Remember, I went on that blind date my mom set up? I thought the guy was pretty handsome, and my mom keeps pressuring me, we decided to get engaged just to get our families off our backs."
"You had an engagement party without inviting me?"
Adeline was genuinely hurt.
This was her best friend's major life event, and she hadn't been included.
"You seemed so busy those days! Not having an engagement party was my idea. I didn't want a big fuss. Our parents just met, had dinner, and that was it. He gave me this ring, saying if we're playing the part, we should do it properly."
Olivia shook Adeline's arm pleadingly. "Don't be mad."
Adeline sighed.
"Getting engaged is such a big deal, and you did it so quietly. Isn't that a bit hasty?"
Olivia scratched her cheek. "We don't have feelings for each other. It was just to stop our parents from nagging about marriage. If everyone knew and then we broke up, how embarrassing would that be?"
How embarrassing.
Adeline shook her head resignedly. "Just make sure you know what you're doing."
Olivia smiled brightly. "Okay, okay, no more being upset. Let me take you to buy that aromatherapy stuff."
She drove while Adeline sat in the passenger seat. They headed to the aromatherapy studio where, with Olivia's help haggling, they purchased a fragrance at the lowest possible price.
Of course, "lowest" was relative to the other products in the store. By normal standards, it was still quite expensive.
Back in the car, Adeline said, "Thank you for your help today. Let me treat you to dinner."
"Deal! It's not often you open your wallet."
Olivia started the car.
Adeline stared at the box in her palm. The aromatherapy was inside, packaged beautifully, but her mind was conflicted.
She hadn't thought much when buying it.
Now she was having second thoughts. How would she give it to him?
Would he think she still had feelings for him?
Olivia suddenly said, "That aromatherapy isn't for you, is it?"
Adeline was startled.
"I remember you've always slept well. Lily never mentioned you having insomnia, though she did tell me you're often not home." Olivia casually watched the road. "Tell me the truth—who did you buy this for?"