As the salesgirl spoke with Dolores, she sized her up, taking note of the cheap dress she was wearing and the disposable hotel slippers on her feet. The hickeys left by Matthew from their intimate encounter the previous night were visible on Dolores’s skin. Sneering, the salesgirl remarked, “Miss, how much do you earn in a night? How many nights does it take for you to afford a set of clothes?”
Dolores was left speechless, her brows furrowing in displeasure. The salesgirl’s words had truly infuriated her. All she wanted was to buy a dress, yet she found herself face-to-face with this psychopathic individual. Taunting her by insinuating that she worked as a prostitute was beyond humiliating. However, Dolores refrained from cursing at the salesgirl, understanding that it would be impolite to do so.
“Release me immediately, or I will call the police!” Dolores said in a cold, commanding voice that sent shivers down the salesgirl’s spine.
The salesgirl was taken aback by Dolores’s sudden display of authority. She hadn’t expected someone she assumed was a prostitute to possess such an aura. However, she quickly regained her composure, believing that Dolores was simply putting on airs.
“Do you think I’ll be scared just because you threaten to call the police?” The salesgirl raised her head defiantly. “We’re in White City. As long as my cousin talks to Charles, the police will have to respect us. Enough with the nonsense, pay me the money or I won’t let you go!”
The salesgirl’s unreasonable behavior made dealing with her difficult. Anger coursed through Dolores’s body, causing her to tremble. She couldn’t fathom how such a brutal and unreasonable person existed in this world.
“Take out your money,” the salesgirl demanded, reaching for Dolores’s wallet. But before she could touch it, a bodyguard who had been standing outside finally sensed that something was wrong and rushed in, pushing the salesgirl away.
Boyce had hired a strong bodyguard, who used minimal force to push the salesgirl, causing her to fall to the ground. In an attempt to steady herself, she grabbed onto a row of hangers, sending the clothes tumbling to the floor.
Landing on her buttocks, the salesgirl winced in pain, glaring at the bodyguard who had intervened. “Who are you? How dare you cause trouble here? Do you want to die?” she threatened, quickly dialing her cousin’s number on her mobile phone. “Sister, come to the shop. Someone is causing trouble!”
The bodyguard furrowed his brow and also took out his mobile phone to inform Boyce that Dolores was in trouble. Boyce, feeling anxious, wondered if Sampson had resurfaced. He glanced at Matthew, who was occupied with his children at the claw machine. “Dolores is in trouble upstairs,” he informed Matthew.
Matthew turned to look at Boyce and replied.
“Could it be that Sampson couldn’t contain himself and showed up?” Boyce speculated.
Matthew effortlessly lifted his daughter with one arm and held his son’s hand as they entered the lift. Boyce quickly followed suit, accompanied by several bodyguards.
Once on the first floor, they spotted Dolores through the clothing shop’s glass window.
“Mummy is over there,” Simona pointed towards Dolores inside the shop.
“Yes,” Matthew acknowledged his daughter.
Boyce felt slightly bewildered by the situation, but his confusion dissipated upon entering the shop, which was in disarray.
“Mummy,” Samuel ran over and hugged Dolores’s leg, “Why did it take you so long to buy a dress? And what happened here?”
“I saw her pulling and tugging at Mom just now. She even tried to hit her, so I didn’t hold back when I pushed her, causing both her and the clothes to fall,” the bodyguard explained, shedding light on his abrupt entrance. He had witnessed the salesgirl attempting to snatch Dolores’s wallet from his vantage point outside the door, making it seem as though she was attacking Dolores.
Matthew’s expression turned cold and serious as he surveyed Dolores, asking if she was hurt.
Dolores shook her head and assured him she was fine.
The salesgirl began to feel that something was amiss. She couldn’t understand why so many people had descended upon the shop, nor did she comprehend the bodyguard’s reference to Dolores as “Missus.” However, she recognized that the most powerful person in White City was Charles, although she had never actually seen him.
Summoning her courage, she spoke impudently, “Don’t try to scare me. I’m telling all of you, I’m not afraid. You need to pay for the clothes you ruined by knocking them onto the floor.”
Dolores realized that the woman was unreasonable and chose not to engage further. She didn’t want to waste any more time with her. “Calculate how much the clothes cost. I will pay,” Dolores declared.
The salesgirl pouted, impolitely retorting, “I know you’re trying to intimidate me by bringing so many people here. The White family is the most influential in White City. Do you really think you’re important when you’re just a prostitute?”
Tension immediately filled the air. The bodyguards and Boyce turned their gaze to Matthew simultaneously. The salesgirl’s offensive words hung heavily, and they understood their implications.
Matthew’s eyes darkened, his anger barely contained as he demanded, “Repeat what you just said.”
Simona could sense her father’s fury and clung to him, burying her face in his chest, her breathing quickening with anxiety.
The salesgirl, trembling as she used her calculator, mustered her courage and stammered, “You… you all… don’t try to scare me. My cousin knows Mr. White. It’s best if you don’t mess with us.”
Dolores approached, holding her son, and extended her hand to shake Matthew’s. “Let it go,” she implored.
She didn’t want to deal with such a person.
Matthew lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes meeting Dolores’s. He recognized her as a reasonable woman, aware that the salesgirl was not someone to be trifled with. It seemed she had treated Dolores rudely in his absence.
He smiled faintly. “I reserve the right to stand up for my wife.”
His words conveyed that he couldn’t simply let the matter slide.
Did she deliberately show off her background?
His expression grew darker.
He instructed his subordinates to wreck the place, saying, “I don’t care who your cousin is. Call her here, and I’ll wait.”
With that, he forcefully pulled Dolores out of the store.
The few bodyguards swiftly entered the shop and started causing destruction. The salesgirl stood frozen at the checkout counter, screaming in fear.
Boyce raised an eyebrow, witnessing Matthew’s anger flare up over such an incident. However, he felt that the salesgirl truly deserved a lesson.
Calling Dolores a “prostitute” was unacceptable. Not only would it anger Matthew, but anyone would be furious if their spouse was insulted in such a way.
Dolores wanted to persuade Matthew that it was not necessary to resort to such actions, but Samuel tugged at her, preventing her from speaking to Matthew.
“Every action has consequences. If we don’t teach these kinds of people a lesson, more trouble will come their way in the future. She lacks proper behavior, so let’s show her.”
Matthew looked down at his son and reached out to touch his head, saying, “Good son.”
Samuel took a step back, evading Matthew’s touch. Matthew remained calm as he spoke to his son, “We shouldn’t bully others, even if we have power. However, we must ensure that we aren’t bullied ourselves. Sometimes we can tolerate bullying, but other times we shouldn’t. We don’t need to be lenient with those who repeatedly provoke us with their words.”
“He’s still young…”
“He’s my son.” Matthew interrupted Dolores. “This society is cruel. The weak become prey to the strong.”
In the future, he planned to pass the company down to Samuel. If he lacked the courage, others would take advantage of him.
When Samuel took over the company after graduating from university, many would disrespect him and cause trouble if he was too gentle.
He needed to become strong enough so that others would respect him in the company.
Matthew held the back of Samuel’s head and directed his attention towards the scene, asking, “Are you scared?”
After all, Samuel was just five years old. Looking at those tall men acting like thugs, wreaking havoc in the shop, he became a little apprehensive.
“You told me you were brave. How will you protect your mommy like this?”
“I didn’t say I’m scared!” Samuel raised his head to show his lack of fear.
At that moment, the salesgirl’s cousin entered the shop.
The entire store had been ravaged, with even a hole in the ceiling.
“Cousin, you’re finally here!” the salesgirl cried, stepping out of the crowd to approach her. “They’ve destroyed our shop.”
The woman, young and attractive, appeared slightly younger than the salesgirl. She wore a serious expression and asked, “Why did they do that?”
“She refused to pay for the clothes she bought, so she got people to wreck our shop. Cousin, don’t let them get away with it!” The salesgirl tearfully pointed at Dolores, voicing her grievances.
At that moment, the woman turned her gaze towards Dolores.