The high-end mall exuded an air of wealth, its polished floors and glittering displays a shrine to opulence.
Charlotte, draped in a luxurious mink coat and perched on towering heels, radiated the aura of a woman who knew her worth. Beside her, Miranda wore a simple sweater and jeans, her understated look betraying none of her elevated status.
Charlotte gasped dramatically, her manicured finger tracing circles on the fabric of Miranda’s casual hoodie. “Darling, we’re shopping, and you show up in… athletic wear?”
Miranda swirled the coffee cup in her hand lazily. “Spare me. I’m knee-deep in the third revision of my designs-”
Before she could finish, Charlotte grabbed her wrist, the diamonds on her nails catching the sunlight. “You have two choices: walk into that fitting room yourself, or I’ll have security carry you in.”
Miranda raised an eyebrow. “Have you lost it? Why so hyper?”
Charlotte leaned in close, her perfume enveloping Miranda as she whispered, “Oh, it gets better. Your ex-husband…” She drew out the words teasingly. “… just took the bait.”
“Speak plainly.”
“Remember that revenge plan I crafted for you?” Charlotte twirled her engagement ring-a massive diamond worthy of a close-up shot-her red lips curving into a wicked smile. “Phase one… complete.”
Miranda nodded, her expression unreadable.
The two women strolled into a boutique, where Charlotte casually flipped through racks of designer clothes. Without looking up, she tossed a comment over her shoulder. “He agreed to partner with my company.”
Miranda barely had time to arch an eyebrow-
“Snatch!”
A crimson-tipped hand darted in, yanking a dress from Charlotte’s fingers.
“Hey! That’s mine-”
Miranda turned, her voice dropping to an icy chill. “Vivienne? What are you doing here?”
Charlotte turned as well, smiling coolly. “So, you’re Vivienne.”
Vivienne held up the dress, a smug smile on her face. “First come, first serve. You want it? Try taking it from me.”
Charlotte chuckled, her tone laced with mockery. “Let me guess… First, you went after a married man, and now you’re grabbing clothes out of people’s hands? Is there anything you don’t steal?”
Vivienne’s ears flushed crimson, but she took a deep breath and retorted with a sneer. “Spare me. As if either of you could compete with me.”
“Oh?” Charlotte’s voice dripped with feigned curiosity. “Sounds like you’ve closed a big deal. Made a lot of money?”
Vivienne lifted her chin, her eyes sparkling with pride. “You’ll find out soon enough. My fiance, Broad, just landed a partnership with Sora Group.”
She paused, savoring their reactions before delivering the final blow. “And as a shareholder in his company, I’ll be seeing some very generous dividends.”
Miranda and Charlotte exchanged a glance, their eyes glinting with unspoken amusement. They knew Broad’s so-called partnership was destined to collapse. But for now, they chose to let Vivienne bask in her delusion.
Charlotte’s interest was piqued. She leaned in, feigning concern. “Oh, but the deal’s just starting, right? No money in the bank yet-it’s a bit early to celebrate, isn’t it?”
Vivienne smirked triumphantly. “Let me save you the suspense. The client is very impressed with Broad. You’re going to be so disappointed when this works out.”
Charlotte couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Impressed? Anyone who’s impressed with Broad has to be blind.”
The jab hit its mark, mocking both Broad’s competence and Vivienne’s judgment.
Vivienne’s face flushed with anger. “Enough!” she snapped, her voice rising. Her fiery gaze turned to Miranda. “Miranda, your friend’s as insufferable as you are. Face it-you’re both just jealous.”
Without a word, Miranda reached out and plucked the dress from Vivienne’s hands.
“Miranda! How dare you-”
Vivienne’s voice climbed several octaves, drawing the attention of nearby shoppers.
Miranda didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, she flipped over the price tag of the dress: $98, 000.
A smirk curved on Miranda’s lips as she flicked the tag lightly. “Darling, with all that money you’re making, I’m shocked to see you shopping in the clearance section.”
Vivienne’s voice shot up again. “At least I can afford it! Unlike someone who can’t even buy a scarf without a man footing the bill.”
She stepped closer, her perfume thick and cloying as she hissed, “Need me to remind you? You’re nothing but Broad’s discarded-trash.”
Slap!
The sharp sound reverberated through the store.
“You-how dare you?” Vivienne stared in shock, her hand flying to her stinging cheek.
Charlotte’s voice was cold and unyielding. “You deserved that. Don’t mess with my friends.”
“You… You’ll regret this!” Vivienne sputtered, her voice shaking with rage. But outnumbered and humiliated, she had no choice but to storm off, clutching her bag as she fled.
Charlotte watched her retreat with a satisfied smirk. Turning to Miranda, she asked, “Feeling better now, darling?”
“Perfect,” Miranda replied, her smile genuine for the first time that day.
Charlotte’s lips curled into a mischievous grin. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re going to feel even better later.”
With that, she pulled out her phone and dialed Simba.
“It’s time,” she said smoothly. “Bring the net in.”
Simba’s voice on the other end was calm and deferential. “Understood.”
Hanging up, Charlotte settled into a plush chair beside Miranda. The boutique’s staff had already prepared champagne and delicate pastries for them.
Charlotte raised her glass, clinking it lightly against Miranda’s. “Just wait,” she said with a glint in her eye. “For Vivienne and Broad, the real despair is yet to come.”