Chapter 24 You lost your charm
Tonia’s look was condescending as usual, and this time she wasn’t alone, but Roger was unaffected, his gaze cold. “Back off,” he said, trying to walk past her, but the man she was with restricted him.
“Hey, Roger? What are you doing at a place like this? Your annual income will not be able to purchase anything here.”
Roger recognized him as Brad Cooper, a manager at one of his subsidiary companies. Brad was one of the managers on Roger’s kick-out list because of his arrogance.
Unlike the others, Roger had not fired him because he had only been with the company for a year. It seemed fair to give Brad a chance to improve himself, which Roger hoped had happened.
Brad's work ethics were on point, so for now, he was still useful to Roger. “Wait, is that RD Designs you are wearing?” Tonia chimed in, her gaze accusing.
RD Designs was known as the most expensive brand because it belonged to the Dawsons Group. Even something as insignificant as a pair of socks could cost over a thousand dollars.
Roger did not answer her question, shoving Brad a little harshly. The man almost fell as Roger elegantly ambled past them.
“So rude,” Brad muttered, dusting off his suit as if he had fallen into a shithole. Tonia caught a whiff of Roger’s expensive perfume, confusion brewing in her mind as Roger reached the dress he had been eyeing. “Wrap it up for me,” he told the attendant.
This was one of his designs, not meant to be sold because he had customized it for his wife. Therefore, he couldn't allow it to be on display and was relieved that his father had not accompanied him.
As the attendant began to wrap the dress, Tonia intervened. “Wait a minute, he can’t afford it. Who knows? Maybe a client gave him this outfit because this guy damn hobo.”
Roger had already had a long day, and this encounter was not worth his time. The tailored black suit he wore, with a matching black shirt and pants, exuded his trillionaire vibe, and he saw no reason to hide who he was anymore.
By this time tomorrow, his identity would be made public.
“Sir, is what she’s saying true?” the attendant asked, a little apprehensive as Roger glared at her. “Take this card and wrap it up for me.”
Upon looking at the card, she took a step back. In addition to having priority customers, some special VIPs had cards that granted them special privileges.
The card Roger handed her was customized for the Dawsons. “A platinum VIP…” she stammered, as Roger grew impatient.
“Is this how you waste customers' time?”
Pale-faced, she hurried to the POS machine to confirm the authenticity of the card, her hand shaking as the transaction went through. “Roger Daw…”
“Enough," Roger's cold voice cut through, snatching the card from her.
"What's going on? Should I call the cops? He must have stolen it," Tonia hinted, and Brad nodded. "Yes, call the cops. This guy was a clerk in my department for a month. Contract-based, if you know what I mean."
Roger was too preoccupied with thoughts of Karen, but the attendant was quickly wrapping the dress. "If you are really who the card says you are, then you shouldn't pay for the dress," she hinted, and Roger smiled a little.
"It will still come back to me.” Whether he pays or not, it's still his money, so why should he make things difficult for either of them?"
"Wait, did you not hear anything we said?" Tonia was getting infuriated by the way the attendant was polite to Roger, but the attendant feared for her life.
The Dawsons did not only rule the business world but also the mafia. "Ma'am, every customer is worth our time, and as you can see, he paid for his purchase."
"But he was stalking me," she argued, but realizing her words carried no more weight, she brought out her phone and began dialing 911. "Just wait until the cops get here."
“What is my crime, Tonia? There are CCTV footages everywhere, in case you haven’t noticed."
Freezing at his words, she faintly heard the operator's voice. "This is 911, what is your emergency?"
Quickly, she disconnected the call as Brad walked up to him, shoulders high. "Roger, Tonia told me you were into her. Is that your reason for dressing rich? I'll advise you to save whatever you have left because no avenues under the Dawsons will employ you. I will make sure of that."
Roger chuckled for the first time, addressing Brad by name. "Brad, I'll advise you to watch your back because you won't know what hit you."
Brad Cooper was annoyed at being addressed by his first name. Previously, Roger would address him respectfully, more like Mister Cooper.
"You talk so arrogantly because of your outfit, just a phone call and no company will employ you."
"I'd like to see you try, Brad," Roger shook his head as Tonia chimed in, "And stop stalking me. I will never marry a budding like you."
Unaffected by her words, he shrugged. "You know what, Tonia, you don't even know that you lost your charm. You are trash in my eyes and you two deserve each other."
He walked away as their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths in shock. When did Roger's tongue become so sharp?
“Don’t listen to him. He’s jealous because I never gave him a chance," Roger heard Tonia saying when he reached the door, at the same time his phone beeped.
The number wasn’t an official one, limited to just a few families and friends, so he quickly removed the phone from his suit pocket and read the message, a million emotions swimming through his mind.
‘I hate to sound desperate, but my finances are tight.’ Roger felt a strange sensation, wondering, could it be her?