Chapter 170
It was Frederick.
He had actually come.
Cici's face drained of color, her knees nearly buckling beneath her. This woman really did know Frederick?
The blood also drained from Ariana's face in an instant. She never imagined Frederick would personally show up because of one phone call from Beatrice.
Frederick's gaze landed on Beatrice. He walked up to her, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, and asked flatly, "Which one?"
The executives and mall managers behind him hardly dared to breathe. They were shrewd people. The fact that Frederick had interrupted a high-level executive meeting to rush over after receiving a phone call spoke volumes without any explanation needed.
"Mr. Stuart, what brings you here?" Ariana forced herself to appear composed, approaching him with a fragile smile. "This is all a misunderstanding. I was just joking with Ms. Nguyen. She likes this bag too, and since she's Ms. Jennings's friend, I'd naturally let her have it."
Her words were carefully calculated—shifting blame away from herself while clarifying it was Beatrice's friend who wanted the bag, not Beatrice herself.
"Joking?" Hilary, who had been silent until now, couldn't hold back anymore. She laughed coldly, "You weren't joking when you were throwing your weight around and having the staff treat us poorly. That's quite the joke, Ms. Keller."
Ariana's expression soured as she looked tearfully toward Frederick, as if terribly wronged.
Frederick didn't spare her even a glance.
He turned to the mall's general manager behind him and instructed, "Pull up the security footage from here."
The general manager didn't dare delay and immediately ordered the store manager to take care of it. Soon, the store manager returned with a tablet. The footage clearly showed everything—Cici's borrowed arrogance, Elsie's anger, and Ariana's calculated posturing.
Frederick watched for only a few moments before losing interest. He turned to the trembling store manager. "Ms. Nguyen is a Diamond member who, according to policy, has priority purchasing rights for new items. Your employee not only ignored this policy but was also disrespectful, creating an extremely poor customer experience. Is this Hermès' standard of service?"
The store manager broke into a cold sweat, bowing repeatedly. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Stuart. This is our failure. I—"
Frederick tilted his chin toward Cici, who now looked ashen. "Galaxy Plaza doesn't employ staff who lack basic decency."
Though delivered casually, his words effectively ended Cici's career in the entire industry.
"Mr. Stuart, I was wrong! I was truly wrong!" Cici cried, trying to approach him to beg forgiveness, but security guards swiftly removed her.
Next, Frederick glanced at Ariana. That glance was so detached, as if looking at a complete stranger. Ariana's heart sank completely. He had clearly accepted her before—why was his gaze so cold now?
Frederick turned back to Beatrice and pointed to the pink bag. "Is it this one?"
Before Beatrice could answer, Elsie eagerly nodded. "Yes, yes, yes! That's the one!"
"Wrap it up," Frederick told the store manager. "Send the bill to my office."
Beatrice felt an unexpected lump in her throat. She hadn't done this for a bag, or even to prove a point. She just wanted to know who Frederick would side with—her or Ariana.
"Never mind," Beatrice said softly.
Her words stopped the bustling store manager in his tracks.
"Now that I look at it properly, the color is too gaudy and the style is outdated. It doesn't suit me."
Her words were like a soft knife, precisely stabbing into Ariana's heart. Ariana's face turned completely pale. Beatrice had called the bag gaudy and outdated, saying it didn't suit her. What did that make Ariana, who had just been fighting for it so desperately, even invoking Frederick's name? Wasn't she, by extension, also gaudy and outdated, even less deserving?
Frederick's eyes rested heavily on Beatrice. After a few seconds, the faintest hint of a smile touched his lips. He understood. Her temper was showing again.
"You're right. You have excellent taste," he nodded in agreement, then turned to the store manager. "Wrap up everything else except for this one."
The air froze. Elsie's mouth formed a perfect "O." Ariana stood rigid, unable to believe her ears.
The store manager and executives were momentarily stunned before their faces lit up with wild joy. This wasn't just one bag—it was the entire store!
"Yes, Mr. Stuart! Right away!" The store manager practically danced as she directed all the staff into action.
In an instant, the entire Hermès boutique plunged into a sweet, frenzied bustle. And that rejected pink diamond-patterned bag sat lonely in the display case, like an enormous joke.
Beatrice was dumbfounded too. She had only wanted to spite Ariana—how had this turned into a shopping spree?
"Frederick, what are you doing? I don't have that kind of money!" She tugged at his sleeve, lowering her voice.
Frederick looked down at her, amusement in his eyes. "Didn't you say that one doesn't suit you?"
"I—" Beatrice was left speechless.
"So, should the bill be charged to your account or mine?"
She already owed Frederick so much money, she couldn't afford more...
Suddenly, he chuckled softly and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Don't worry. Consider it a gift from me to my wife."
His warm breath tickled her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Beatrice suddenly remembered his solid embrace from the night before, and her cheeks instantly flushed.
"Bea, don't be polite with him!" Elsie finally recovered from her shock and grabbed Beatrice's arm. "He has more money than he can spend. We're just doing him a favor by helping him spend it!"
Hilary, unusually supportive, added, "I've certainly seen something new today."
Watching the shopping bags pile into a small mountain, Beatrice felt a headache coming on. This wasn't a gift—it was a burden.
Finally, these "spoils of war" were transported in batches to the VIP lounge on Galaxy Plaza's top floor.
As soon as they entered, Elsie dove into the mountain of shopping bags, rolling around in bliss. "Oh my God, we've struck gold! Bea, you're my lucky charm!"
Looking at the room full of items, Beatrice felt only agitation. "Take whatever you like," she said irritably.
"Really?" Elsie's eyes lit up.
"I mean it." Beatrice sat on the couch farthest from the pile, massaging her temples.
"Then I won't hold back!" Elsie cheered, enthusiastically beginning her "treasure hunt."
Hilary, though not as dramatic, also walked over curiously and opened one of the boxes. "Wow! This alligator skin color is perfect!"
"Wow! This must be from the runway collection! You can't even buy this anywhere!"
Elsie's exclamations came one after another. Suddenly, her movements stopped as she stared at a white dust bag in her hands, as if under a spell.
"Hilary, pinch me quick. I must be dreaming," her voice trembled.
"What is it?" Hilary moved closer.