Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Apparently, Mirabella had received the news the previous night but had kept it to herself!
Damn it!
Was she trying to score some brownie points with Grandma?
She didn’t even tell Serena.
She must be afraid of Serena stealing the spotlight!
Serena’s teeth were practically itching with irritation. She checked the opening hours of the nearby luxury shopping haven, which opened at 10 a.m. After gobbling down some breakfast and grabbing the credit card Martin had given her, she hurried out the door.
The Street was an upscale avenue that had developed more recently. It didn’t have the renown of the most luxury street in the world, but it boasted all the luxury brands one could wish for.
By the time Serena arrived, it was already 10:30 a.m. The first store to catch her eye was QY, a towering three-story fashion temple with an impressive facade that screamed high aesthetics and status.
Serena felt a pang of discomfort. Why should a brand founded by a mere teenager stand its ground on this street, shoulder to shoulder with the big international players?As she eyed the dazzling array of merchandise, she stepped inside, heels clicking assertively on the polished floor.
“Welcome to QY! All of us here are thrilled to see you. What can I assist you with today? My name is Jessie, your personal shopping assistant,’ Jessie greeted with a polite bow, at a forty-five-degree angle.
Hearing the arrival of a customer, the other sales associates also turned and bowed in Serena’s direction, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
But to Serena, this was nothing more than a ploy by QY to get customers to open their wallets—a far cry from sophistication.
She asked haughtily, “Where’s the most expensive section?”
At her words, a few of the other shoppers turned their gazes towards her.
Jessie replied with a smile, “Right this way, please. Our priciest collections are inside. There are three sections: women’s to the left, men’s to the right, and lifestyle in the center.”
Serena headed to the women’s section, her eyes lighting up at the sight of exquisite dresses, stunning heels, and uniquely designed handbags. She could hardly believe it and asked incredulously, “Were all of these designed by your in-house designers?”
“Every item here is the brainchild of our founder, Queen Abby. There’s no other hand in their creation,’
Jessie informed her.
“And QY specializes in uniqueness, with only one piece per design. Can your founder handle all that designing?” Serena’s tone was skeptical and even slightly disrespectful.
Jessie maintained a polite smile, “Our founder is incredibly gifted. Inspiration flows abundantly, so it’s not a problem.”“Are they really all her creations?” Doubt still lingered in Serena’s mind. Take Mirabella’s dual role as Melody and the miracle doctor, for instance. She had to compose music, heal the sick, study, and still found time to flit about in front of her.
Where did Mirabella find all the time?
“Yes, Jessie responded courteously, “all designs are indeed personally crafted by our founder, guaranteed authentic”
A mix of awe and envy seeped into Serena as her fingers grazed over one dress after another, each design striking a chord with her, making her itch to swipe the card and take them all home.
But then she remembered that these were Mirabella’s creations. Imagine Mirabella’s sneer if she saw Serena wearing them.
Reluctantly, Serena pulled her hand back, forcing herself to look away, to not buy.
Yet her feet seemed glued to the spot. She couldn’t even leave the women’s section. She kept telling herself it was just window-shopping, nothing more.
So, she continued to browse, but with each step, she regretted it. Damn it, why did everything have to look so appealing?
Not only were the clothes and shoes a treat for the eyes, but the jewelry and watches were outrageously stunning too.
If it weren’t for the fact that Mirabella was the designer behind these pieces, she would have swiped her card without a second thought!
“These are your priciest items?” Serena couldn’t hide her disdain as she looked away, her voice dripping with condescension. “It seems the talent of your founder doesn’t quite stack up to that of the designers at top-tier brands.”
“Our brand has ascended to the international top-tier, and the prime spot we occupy on the Street is a testament to our solid brand strength,’ Jessie responded with a gentle tone. “Not only that, but even some of the leading international designers have admitted to being outshone by our founder.
They’ve been on the news talking about wanting to apprentice under her, yet they lament never getting the chance.”
Ever since QY burst onto the scene, more than one designer had praised Queen Abby’s overflowing talent in front of the media, some even harboring dreams of studying under her, if only they could meet her.
“I grew up wearing nothing but top-tier brands, and I’m not particularly impressed by these designs,’
Serena said haughtily, drawing from her past experiences as she criticized, “Take this coat, for example. If it were designed by someone at Chanel, it would definitely be a tweed suit, which would better complement rich girls’ elegance.””If every designer copied Chanel’s style, then the world would be overrun with Chanels,’ Jessie retorted. “We’d never see the birth of new brands or styles.
QY aims to be different. Our founder’s designs are versatile—sweet or sassy, gentle or bold—suitable for a broad age range.”
“So, the real target audience for QY is people like you? Only those at the bottom can appreciate it, Serena scoffed dismissively. “You simply don’t understand the needs of the true elite. Enough talk.”
After having her say, Serena was ready to leave when she heard a voice call out, “Hold on.”
She turned to see a distinguished-looking lady in her forties, draped in high-end brands from head to toe, yet Serena couldn’t place her. “You are entitled to dislike any brand, but please refrain from being offensive.
Everyone deserves respect, and I think you owe this sales associate an apology.”
Serena couldn’t identify the woman and sneered cold-heartedly, “Who are you to her, her mother? Why are you sticking up for her?”
The lady seemed taken aback by such insolence, especially coming from someone so young. It was a lack of manners she hadn’t encountered before.
“And you’re not my mother, so why bother? Do you think we are all your children and have to listen to you?” Serena rolled her eyes and turned to leave, making a point to say as she stepped out, “Not only are the products unimpressive here, but so is the clientele!”
Jessie, the sales associate, had to bite her tongue in frustration. She had never encountered such an arrogantly rich girl, insulting her and dragging the entire QY brand and its customers through the mud.If it wasn’t for the store manager’s teachings to remain calm and consider the brand’s image at all times, she would have confronted the woman directly.
“What terrible manners that girl has! It’s true what they say, when something gets famous, it invites trouble,” the lady said indignantly, “Dressed in all those designer labels, you’d never guess her upbringing was so poor.”
“Mrs. Cooper, thank you for speaking up for me,’ Jessie said, expressing her gratitude politely. “I’m sorry it spoiled your mood, let me get you a cup of tea to calm your nerves.”
Unaware of whom she had just offended, Serena moved on to another luxury store catering to a more mature clientele. The styles here were tailored for the older generation, and many high-society ladies preferred to shop here.
Serena quickly took a liking to a brooch that suited her grandmother’s taste without compromising her status. The clincher was the free bracelet that came with the brooch. She planned to gift it to May, after all, May was her uncle’s favorite.
As she headed to the checkout, she caught a glimpse of a familiar person. It was the same distinguished lady from before!
She was browsing the same boutique!
Serena took a second look at her, realizing that the most valuable thing on her wasn’t the designer clothes or the jewelry—it was that Hermés bag on her arm. Clearly, she came from a well-off family.
Serena couldn’t help but wonder why someone like her would be such a busybody.
As the well-to-do lady examined a wristwatch, Serena whispered to the sales associate, “I want what she’s holding.”
The sales associate followed Serena’s gaze and frowned slightly, “That watch is a hot item in our store, and that’s the last piece we have.”
“Well, what are you waiting for? Wrap it up for me!”
“But.” the sales associate hesitated, “That lady saw it first”
“Did she say she’s buying it? She’s just looking. Who knows if she’ll even purchase it?” Serena put on an air of superiority, “If you’re not interested in making a sale, maybe I should find another associate who is.”
With such a commission on the line—who wouldn’t want it? It was the kind of sale that could match a month’s worth of work!
“I’ll go and talk to her.”
Soon enough, the sales associate secured the watch for Serena.Serena glanced at the lady with a smug look that seemed to say: That’s what you get for meddling in other people’s business!
The lady was taken aback. The girl’s family must be doing well. The watch was priced at thirty grand, and she didn’t hesitate to buy it.
However, the watch was bedecked with some gems and jewels, clearly not matching the taste or preferences of a girl her age.
Was this girl competing with her on purpose? Just because of their earlier encounter?
After that, anything the lady showed interest in, the girl would snatch away.
Initially, Florence simply thought the girl came from a wealthy family and could buy anything she fancied.
But then, she saw the girl pull out a familiar-looking gold card.
That card was an exclusive gold card from East Banner Bank, given to her son to encourage him to deposit his substantial cash into their private banking services. There was only one such card in all of Dawnstar!
Why did this girl have it?
Could it be?
Was this girl her son’s girlfriend?
He had a girlfriend?
When did this happen, and how did she not know about it?Lost in her thoughts, Florence was stunned, struggling to believe it.
Serena snatched quite a few items and, on her way out, she cast a mocking glance at Florence, “If you can’t afford it, don’t window shop. Picking and choosing like that, you’d think we were at a farmer’s market. You look like some old lady haggling over onions.”
Florence watched as Serena prepared to leave and quickly asked, “Is that gold card really yours?”
“What’s it to you?” Serena replied with a scowl.
“I recognize that card. There’s only one in all of Dawnstar, and it’s not yours.”
Hearing this, Serena gave the lady a second look, her features unfamiliar, then snapped, “None of your business!”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.