“Um,” Abbott responded, his voice trailing off with uncertainty.
He had brought his car to the dealership for maintenance. While he had some errands to run, he had planned to drive it himself afterward.
As a regular customer, Abbott had purchased both his cross-country and coupe models from this car dealership. The manager treated him with great respect, recognizing his status as a regular and wealthy customer.
Dolores noticed a 7-seater business car that caught her eye. Its style, interior design, and most importantly, its safety and reliability features aligned perfectly with her requirements.
“Excuse me, is it possible to test-drive this car?” Dolores inquired.
Several salespeople sat on the sofa, engrossed in their phones or engaged in phone calls. Upon hearing Dolores’s question, a saleswoman responded with a cold tone, “No.”
“It seems we’re not here to buy a car but to buy frustration,” Terry whispered under his breath.
Dolores smiled helplessly, sharing his sentiment.
She wanted to spend her money, but the opportunity seemed to elude her. It was a rare occurrence for her.
“The keys to your car,” the manager said, handing them over. “It’s parked right in front of the door.”
Abbott took the keys and headed toward the door. However, he caught sight of a figure resembling Dolores in the reflection of the glass door. He turned around and saw Dolores engaged in conversation with Terry.
Wasn’t Terry the man who had harassed her the other day? How could they appear so close to each other today?
“I think we should leave and try another car dealership. There are plenty of other places selling this car,” Terry approached Dolores and whispered.
“I quite like this car,” Dolores expressed her fondness for the model.
From Abbott’s perspective, Terry’s actions seemed oddly intimate.
His brow furrowed.
He contemplated approaching them and pulling Terry away, but he hesitated. Instead, he took out his phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to Matthew.
Abbott had previously failed to grasp Matthew’s intentions, but now he knew for certain that Matthew truly cared deeply for Dolores. If he were to see her being so close with another man, would he become angry?
The more Abbott thought about it, the more excited he became.
It was a rare opportunity for him to have a good laugh at Matthew’s expense.
This was a chance. With that in mind, he pressed the send button.
And then, he added a sentence, “I’m at the 4S Store and I see Dolores buying a car with a man. Their actions seem quite intimate.”
After sending the message, Abbott walked out of the store with a mischievous smile, his fingers playing with the car keys.
Glancing back at Dolores and Terry, he smiled, anticipating Matthew’s reaction when he saw the photo.
He couldn’t wait to find out.
Abbott’s mood was upbeat as he got into his car, humming a tune. He pressed the button to start the car, but just as he was about to drive away, his phone rang.
He pulled it out and saw Matthew’s name on the screen.
“So fast,” he murmured, surprised that Matthew had called so quickly.
Abbott cleared his throat and answered the call, “Mr. Nelson.”
“Where are you?” Matthew’s voice carried a hint of anger.
Seeing Dolores behaving intimately with another man had stirred up an uncomfortable feeling within him.
“I’m at the Benz 4S Store,” Abbott replied honestly.
“Keep an eye on them for me,” Matthew instructed, ending the call abruptly.
Abbott let out a breath and looked at the phone that now displayed the call ended. “Is he angry?”
Putting his phone away, he realized that Dolores and Terry were making their way toward the exit. He quickly got out of his car and reentered through the left door, heading for the manager’s office.
The manager stood up promptly upon seeing Abbott and greeted him respectfully. “Is there a problem with your car?”
“No,” Abbott replied, extending his hand. “Come here.”
The manager hurried over to him.
“Do you see those two people outside?” Abbott pointed towards Dolores and Terry, visible through the office window.
The manager nodded. “Yes.”
“They were looking at the cars in your store earlier. I want you to make sure they stay in the store.”
Ah, the manager wondered why.
As their distance grew, Abbott’s expression turned cold. “What? Can’t you handle it?”
“I can,” the manager replied. Before becoming a sales manager, he had been an ordinary salesman, well aware of Abbott’s wealth and his position as Matthew’s subordinate. He couldn’t afford to offend someone of such stature.
The observant manager stepped out of the office and quickly caught up with Dolores and Terry.
“Hey, wait a minute,” the manager called out to them.
Hearing someone call after them, Dolores stopped in her tracks and turned around. She saw a man in a black suit, slightly overweight with a friendly smile on his face.
“Did you check out the cars at our dealership earlier?” the manager asked.
Dolores nodded, curious about his inquiry.
“Is there a car that catches your fancy?” the manager inquired.
“Yes,” Dolores replied honestly.
The manager let out a sigh of relief. If she had her eye on a particular car, he still had a chance to entice her back into the store. With a smile, he asked, “Have you purchased it then?”
“We want to buy it, but you guys don’t seem to want to sell,” Terry expressed his displeasure.
“Don’t say that. We’re in the business of selling cars. If you want to buy, why would we not want to sell?” The manager maintained his smile.
Despite his overweight and out-of-shape physique, his pleasant demeanor was pleasing to the ears.
“The salespeople in your store look down on us,” Terry pointed to himself and Dolores. “They assume we can’t afford to buy a car, so they refuse to assist us. When we ask for details, they simply ignore us. I used to believe in the saying that the customer is always right. But today, I realize it’s not true. Not all customers are treated like gods; it depends on their wealth. We’re not rich gods, so we’re undeserving of their service.”
Terry had been containing his anger, and now he seized the opportunity to vent it all.
“This is the first time I’ve encountered such a situation. I want to buy a car, but the car sellers don’t want to sell. It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?”
“Is that so?” The manager’s face darkened, expressing his dissatisfaction. “I will definitely give them a lesson later.”
However, he quickly regained his smile. “Tell me which car you’re fond of, and I will personally assist you. As the store manager, it’s my fault and responsibility that you’ve had a poor experience. If you successfully purchase a car at my store, I’ll give you the biggest discount.”
“Okay,” Dolores considered for a moment and felt that the manager’s attitude was genuinely sincere.
The manager accompanied Dolores, introducing the cars available in the store. “The cars in our store have impeccable quality and an excellent reputation. You can check online; we consistently achieve top sales each year.”
Dolores smiled.
As they reached the door, the manager gestured, “Please come in,” and called out to a saleswoman named Sarah, “Sarah, make two cups of coffee.”
Hearing the manager’s voice, the saleswoman who had been engrossed in her phone looked up and noticed the two shabbily dressed customers who had just returned. She frowned, wondering, “What is the manager up to?”
Another salesperson glanced up and took a quick look. “Perhaps the manager sees potential in them, thinking they might make a purchase.”
The salesperson had been engaged with a customer on the phone and naturally preferred to continue that conversation rather than assist new customers who appeared to have little means.
“Pfft, do they look like people who can afford a Benz?” the saleswoman scoffed, her lips twitching. “Maybe the manager is just being overly enthusiastic because he finds the woman attractive.”
“Please have a seat,” the manager helped pull out the chairs.
Sarah served the coffee.
“Now, which model has caught your interest?” the manager asked.
“That one,” Terry pointed to the business-type 7-seater car near the door.
“We offer a test-drive service, so you can give it a try. This car boasts exceptional safety features, with airbags for every seat. Other cars only have front airbags, but this one has both front and rear airbags. Furthermore, it has an automatic braking function. If the car loses control or the road is slippery, it will automatically engage the four-wheel lock to bring the vehicle to a stop.”
Terry’s eyes widened. “But your staff claimed there was no test-drive service.”