Chapter 120 Welcome-Home Dinner
The boutique had been silent from the moment Amelia, Belle, and Anna stepped inside. No one dared speak; the air was taut with the kind of tension that made every word a risk. The sales staff kept their eyes down, afraid of saying the wrong thing.
Then the receptionist spoke - and the quiet shattered.
Elite VIP.
The word hung in the air like a gunshot. Every sales associate sucked in a sharp breath. Even Anna's eyes widened in disbelief.
Elite VIP? She knew exactly what that meant. Months ago, Anna had asked one of The Thorn Birds' senior staff how much one had to spend to earn that elusive title. The answer had been curt: Elite VIP status wasn't about cumulative spending - it was a personal invitation from Rosie herself.
Elite VIPs held absolute purchasing priority for every item in the store. Even Rosie's unreleased, limited-edition designs - pieces that never saw the public - were reserved for them. In Asteria City, there were only two: Ellison, the creative director at Crystal, and Sophie, CEO of the Bailin Group.
Anna had understood their status. Ellison was rumored to be one of Rosie's closest friends, and Sophie had the wealth, influence, and network to match. But Amelia? A girl from the countryside? How could she possibly know someone like Rosie?
And then there was the balance. Thirty million dollars. Surely the receptionist had misread the number. It was absurd.
Everyone stood frozen, their shock filling the space. Amelia, however, remained perfectly composed.
She remembered the day she'd opened the account - on a whim, while arranging Elite VIP cards for Ellison and Sophie. She'd added her own name, deposited a sum without thinking much about it. Until this moment, she'd forgotten the money was even there.
She lifted her gaze to the receptionist. "Now... I can take the things I purchased, right?"
"Of course, Ms. Martinez." The woman nodded so quickly it was almost a bow, moving at once to pack Amelia's selections. Compared to Anna's Tier 4 VIP, Amelia's Elite VIP status was untouchable. For a store clerk, she was the kind of client you didn't just serve - you revered.
"Charge my card directly," Amelia said. "And I need you to bring me something."
Her tone was calm, almost casual. "The Thornbird's Rose Rings. They should be stored here. Please bring them to me."
The name alone made the store manager appear from the back, his face tight with restraint. "Miss, those rings are one of Ms. Simmons' most treasured designs. They're considered the crown jewel of our collection. The price is... twenty million dollars."
"I know." Amelia's voice was light, unhurried. "There's thirty million on the card. Just deduct it. And wrap them beautifully - I'm giving them as a gift."
The receptionist blinked, stunned. No hesitation. No second glance. Amelia spent more in a sentence than most clients did in a lifetime.
The manager steadied himself before disappearing into the vault. He returned cradling a velvet case as if it were a relic, personally overseeing the packaging before handing it to Amelia with both hands.
She accepted the rings, gathered the other dozen shopping bags with Belle, and offered a polite "Thank you" before walking out. Not once did she look back at Anna.
Now the boutique was left with only Anna and her driver. Anna sat rigid on the sofa, her chest rising and falling sharply. Words refused to come. She had planned to humiliate Amelia in public. Instead, she had been stripped of her own dignity. Not only had she failed to steal Amelia's purchases, but her membership tier was lower than Amelia's.
Anna had been proud since childhood, her ego never pierced in public. Today was a first. She couldn't lash out - not while representing The Williams Group. So she clenched her teeth, rose, and left.
In the car, her phone chimed. Rachel's name lit the screen.
[Anna, our school's anniversary festival is coming up. Kelly, Grace, and I want to open a Goddess Cafe.]
[We were wondering if you're free next Wednesday. We'd love for you to join us and cosplay as one of the cafe servers.]
Anna's temper, already frayed by Amelia, snapped tighter. Was Rachel out of her mind? She was the CEO of The Williams Group, not some high schooler playing dress-up in a coffee shop.
She was about to type a sharp refusal when more messages appeared.
[It's because the festival will have a popularity contest between teams.]
[Amelia invited Zander, Tobias, and two other boys from her class to run a Pretty Boy Cafe. That's when I thought of this idea.]
[Anna, I really don't want to lose to Amelia. She's already pushed me out of my place at home. I don't want her stepping on me at school too.]
[You're gorgeous and wildly popular in Asteria City. If you came, we'd draw a huge crowd. Please... help me.]
Amelia's name made Anna inhale sharply. The thought hit instantly - this was her chance. The perfect way to reclaim the face she'd lost today.
She typed back one word: [Sure.]
If she showed up at Prestige High School, every boy on campus would flock to her. Amelia's team wouldn't stand a chance.
Meanwhile, at the Martinez Mansion...
Amelia pushed open the door, arms full of shopping bags. The house was dark, unnervingly so, as if no one was home. She set the bags down, reaching for the light switch - when a sudden pop from a party cannon made her jump.
The lights flared on.
"Welcome home!"
Ryan's voice was smooth, warm, and unmistakably charming. Amelia looked up to see him standing there, eyes curved in a smile. The kind of face that could stop breathing - handsome to the point of distraction, with a hint of mischief in his gaze and a smile edged with affection.
Behind him stood Kevin, tall and steady, and Chris, cool and reserved yet softened somehow in the moment.
A birthday cone hat was placed on Amelia's head before she could react. Tobias, adjusting the hat, muttered, "Why'd you take so long? We've been waiting forever."
She glanced over to see Zander wearing an identical pink party hat, staring at her without expression. Behind him, the dining table was covered with dishes of every kind, and in the center stood a towering six-layer cake so perfect it looked like it belonged in a magazine.
Ryan stepped forward like a storybook prince, bowing slightly as he took her hand. His lips brushed the back of it in a gentle kiss.
"Your five brothers are finally all here," he said, his voice low and rich. "This is a welcome dinner... long overdue."
Amelia drew in a breath. All five of them were watching her, each gaze intense in its own way.
Ryan's smile deepened. "Welcome home, Amelia."