Chapter 31 Who Deserves It
Winnie’s POV
The moment my eyes followed the direction the sales associate pointed, everything around me seemed to fade into the background.
I saw her.
At first, I didn’t even recognize who she was. All I saw was a figure standing in the center of the boutique, dressed in white, surrounded by soft light that seemed to follow her wherever she stood.
The gown fit her perfectly.
The off-shoulder design revealed smooth, delicate collarbones, drawing attention most effortlessly. The fabric hugged her waist before flowing down into a mermaid hem that traced every curve of her body with quiet precision.
She looked taller than usual.
More elegant.
More refined.
There was a calm grace in the way she carried herself, something natural, something that could not be imitated.
For a brief second, I simply stared.
She was beautiful.
Not just beautiful. She was the kind of person who made others forget themselves for a moment.
And that alone made something inside me tighten.
Then she turned.
And the illusion shattered.
Selene.
It was her.
The same woman I had tried to push down again and again, the one who should have been standing beneath me, not above me.
Yet here she was.
Wearing that dress as if it belonged to her.
As if she deserved it.
The jealousy came fast and sharp, spreading through my chest like fire. My fingers curled slightly as I struggled to keep my expression under control.
Why her?
Why did she always manage to stand where I wanted to be?
I pointed at her without hesitation, my voice cutting through the silence of the boutique.
“I want this dress. Wrap it up for me.”
The sales associate froze, clearly startled by the force in my tone.
“But… the young lady earlier said she wanted to buy it,” she replied carefully, glancing between us.
I turned my gaze toward Selene, letting my disdain show openly.
“Did she pay for it?” I asked.
The associate hesitated.
“Not yet.”
That was enough.
“Then it’s not hers,” Yunice said immediately, stepping forward with her usual arrogance. Her voice carried clearly, filled with mockery. “Do you even know who she is? She’s the Ashford family’s heiress. If you offend her, you can forget about your job.”
I lifted my chin slightly, letting my presence speak for itself.
In Epicmon, my name carried weight.
The Ware Pack was not a name people ignored.
And I was Richmond’s granddaughter.
That alone was enough.
The sales associate’s face paled instantly. I didn’t need to hear her answer. I could already see her decision in the way her posture changed.
She turned toward Selene, her steps hesitant.
“Miss… someone else has purchased the gown you’re wearing. Could you please take it off?”
Selene smiled.
Not loudly. Not mockingly.
Just a calm, almost amused curve of her lips.
“Didn’t I already say I was buying it?” she replied.
The associate faltered, clearly unsure how to continue.
Before she could find the words, Yunice stepped forward again, her heels clicking against the floor.
“Winnie wants this dress,” she said sharply. “Take it off immediately.”
Selene didn’t move.
She simply looked at me, her gaze steady, almost indifferent.
“I saw this dress first,” she said calmly. “And I said I would buy it first. You understand ‘first come, first served,’ don’t you?”
Her tone was quiet.
But it carried.
Every person in the boutique heard it.
Yunice scoffed, clearly irritated.
“Do you even have the money for it?” she snapped. “Do you know how much this dress costs? You think you can afford something like this?”
Selene didn’t even bother looking at her.
“Whether I can afford it or not is none of your concern,” she said lightly.
Then she reached into her bag and pulled out a card.
Black.
Simple.
But unmistakable.
She handed it to the sales associate without hesitation.
“Charge it to this.”
My eyes locked onto the card instantly.
Something about it felt familiar.
The faint gold edge.
The subtle shine.
And then I remembered.
Lucian.
I had seen that card before.
The same type.
A global limited-edition card.
Something only a handful of people in the world could have.
Even my grandfather didn’t own one.
Which meant there was only one explanation.
Lucian had given it to her.
The thought hit me like a blow.
My chest tightened, something dark rising quickly inside me.
Why would he give her something like that?
Why would he trust her like that?
It didn’t make sense.
It shouldn’t have happened.
A sharp anger surged through me, almost uncontrollable.
Before I could stop myself, I reached out and grabbed the sales associate’s hand just as she was about to take the card.
“I’ll pay double,” I said, my voice firm and cold.
The words came easily.
Naturally.
Because I was not going to lose to her.
Not here.
Not like this.
\---
Selene’s POV
I crossed my arms slowly, watching her with quiet irritation.
She really had a way of appearing everywhere, turning even the simplest moment into something exhausting.
Even here.
Even now.
I raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Ms. Ashford,” I said calmly, “haven’t you heard of ‘first come, first served’? This dress is mine. No matter how much you offer, I’m not giving it to you.”
Her eyes darkened immediately, her composure slipping again.
“Do you even deserve to wear that dress?” she shot back.
“Exactly,” Yunice added, stepping forward again. “Such a beautiful dress is wasted on someone like her. This dress belongs to Winnie. She would look far better in it.”
I let out a quiet laugh.
The sound was soft, but it carried meaning.
My gaze shifted slowly, taking in Yunice’s outfit from head to toe.
“Well,” I said, my tone almost casual, “at least I can tell the difference between authentic pieces and cheap imitations.”
The words landed exactly where I wanted them to.
Winnie’s face changed instantly, her expression tightening as anger flashed across her features.
“You—”
She stopped herself, her breath uneven, struggling to maintain control.
Still, she forced herself to speak.
“Do you really think you have the right to mock me?” she said coldly. “Do you actually believe you’re Lucian’s fiancée? Mrs. Frostbane doesn’t even acknowledge you. And Lucian is only interested in you because you’re new to him.”
Her lips curled slightly.
“Do you think he would ever marry someone like you?”
Her words were meant to cut.
To provoke.
But they didn’t reach me the way she wanted.
“Selene,” Yunice said impatiently, stepping forward again, “Winnie has already decided. Be smart and take it off.”
Before I could respond, she reached out.
Her hand moved toward the dress.
Toward me.
Trying to grab it.
Trying to force it off.
For a brief second, everything inside me went still.
Then something snapped.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I said, my voice dropping, anger rising fast and sharp.
She didn’t stop.
Didn’t hesitate.
And that was her mistake.
In Bloodfang Pack, I had never been the one who stepped back.
I had been the one others avoided.
The one who decided where the line was drawn.
My hand moved instinctively.
I caught her wrist.
Firm.
Unyielding.
And then I pushed.
Not with full strength.
But enough.
The reaction was immediate.
A surge of Alpha power slipped through before I could fully suppress it.
Yunice’s body flew backward.
She stumbled, lost her balance, and crashed onto the floor several meters away.
The boutique fell silent.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Every gaze turned toward me.
And in that heavy, stunned silence—
Everyone is aware.