Vivian POV
Max drove into the left corner of a road that seemed not so crowded with people and pulled to a stop.
He brought out cell phone and dialed number “Frank, where are you? Trace my location right now and come down this instant” He ordered and cut off the line and immediately pushed the door open and came down to my side.
” Vivian, I would need you to go in there and wait” He said, pointing towards a luxury store at the end of the opposite road as he pulled open the car for me and I stepped down, my eyes filled with horror.
“What’s going on Max? Who are those people?” I couldn’t help but ask yet in the next fleeting seconds, Max pulled me by the hands and we walked over the road into the luxury store.
“Here” He said, bringing out a black card from his pockets and handed it over to me. “Pick whatever you want and make sure to while away time here, for hours maybe until I come back, you know the passcode”
“But Max_”
“Listen Vivian” He cut me off ” We’re being attacked right now and the least thing I want is for you to be there”
“But why? I can go with you” I disagreed worriedly but he shook his head.
“You don’t understand, if you’re there then it probably means we’ll both be dead before I can do anything. I can feel at peace knowing that you’re safe” He replied and I blinked. Did Max really say that? I felt nervousness heat up in my cheeks.
” You’ll come back?” I finally asked, resigning to his words and he smiled.
“Don’t you want me to? Don’t worry, I’m not dying yet” He smirked and with that, he turned and left. I shut my eyes closed and took in a long breath.
[“Oh God, please do not let anything to happen to him, I know Max is a bad person, he has done so many bad things both in the past, the present and the one he’s going to commit in the future, he has gone against you in so many ways but please protect him. At least if not for any reason, for the baby, no matter how much I try to hide it, the fact can’t be denied that Max is the father. Please help him be safe, in that way, we can be safe too”] I concluded in my heart with a prayer.
“Hello Miss, would you like to buy something?” A female voice broke me out of my thoughts and I became aware of surroundings.
“Umm…. Yes_ yes” I stuttered and the young raised her brows confusedly at me ” Umm.. Yeah, well I would like to get few things but I’ll be staying a bit longer because I’m very picky with things” I smiled and she nodded.
“Alright ma’am, what would you like to buy?” She questioned.
“Well… clothes, jewelries and a lot more than I can say, I’ll just see them first,” I flashed her an innocent smile.
“Okay this way ma’am, we’ll go to the clothes section first then the jewelries, is that okay with you?” She suggested, waiting for my answer as walked side by side.
“Yeah, it’s okay” I replied. We walked down a few roundabouts section of gowns and my eyes caught a short black knee length gown that had tiny silver stones attached to it. I walked down to it as it seemed to be the only gown in its closet.
“I like this, how much is it?” I asked the young sales girl beside me.
“Umm, ma’am, that gown is exclusive” She replied and i furrowed my brows at her.
What does she mean by exclusive? I didn’t understand one bit.
I turned towards her ” What do you mean?”
“Ma’am, I only meant that the dress was imported alone from France and as it stands now, it costs a million dollars and even so it’s been booked by someone” She said thoroughly.
How could a dress cost a million dollar? Was this how these rich peeps spend money?
“Miss, we could go to the other section over there, the gowns there are affordable” She pointed to another part of the store that also contained lots of gowns but my eyes was still stuck on the black gown in front of me; for no reason, I loved the gown despite the prize.
“You said, this gown has been booked right?” I asked and she nodded ” Yes Miss, it was booked by a lady and she would be coming today to take it, that’s why it’s exclusive “She briefed, attempting to move to the other section she suggested earlier.
“Wait” She narrowed her eyes at me. ” If its been booked by someone then why is it still displayed in the closet for sale?” I demanded, suspicion gnawing in my mind. I had become so engrossed and had forgotten about the main reason I even came here.
“We’ll Miss, we just kept it there in case”
“In case? In case of what exactly?”
“I’m sorry ma’am, but you can’t buy this gown, you should look for another”
“And what if I want to buy the gown?” This was the last straw of question that drew attention of few people that was there. There was stilled silence as it seemed I had said something that was out of the line.
The young girl’s eyes ran a scrutiny on me, from head to toe, perhaps weighing my worth.
” From what you wear Miss, I can tell what you worth and obviously, you can’t afford that gown, that is a limited edition” She replied. I gritted my teeth at her condescending words.
Do they know people’s worth by what they wear or something? Her attitude was obnoxiously terrible.
“Fine, I’ll buy the gown. Wrap it up” I declared, a sense of brevity enveloping me but in the next moment, she broke into laughter.
” What’s funny? I said I want to buy the gown?” I repeated, not liking the feeling of embarrassment she gave.
” Miss, I don’t even think your account balance is upto a million dollars let alone affording a gown like this” She added mockingly.
“Excuse you” I barked, feeling enraged by her words. ” Is that how treat the customers here? Are you in my purse or account to know how much I can afford?” I shot straight at her.
” Miss, please I wouldn’t like further trouble neither would I want to waste time on a baseless negotiation,”
“How is this a baseless negotiation? That I want to buy a gown?” My voice became louder, resonating in the whole store.
“What’s going on here” A corporate average woman walked towards us, by her side, was two people unmistakable to recognize.