Chapter 13
Amelia glanced at Ivy’s smug expression and felt a pang of pity.
Ivy had turned into a brainwashed, baby obsessed trophy wife, parading her pregnancy as though it were her greatest achievement.
Ivy twirled the ring on her finger with a sugary smile. “You know, whether a man truly loves a woman comes down to whether he’s willing to spend money on her. Don’t you agree?”
Sharon stiffened. “Wow, you’ve really nailed the whole mistress playbook. Why not write a dissertation and let the world marvel at your genius?”
Ivy sneered. “How rude. Your jealousy won’t change the facts
Amelia, thoroughly disheartened, had no desire to keep arguing
Theo remained as unyielding and stingy as ever. Fighting with him fell like a waste of breath. Let’s just go. There’s no use wasting time on people Like them.”
“These two jerks will get what’s coming to them eventually. Sharon muttered angrily, too distracted to watch her step.
She bumped into a display case
THE
A sharp crack echoed through the store as a delicate jade bracelet shattered into pieces. Sharon froze, her face draining of color.
Ivy clasped her hands in mock horror. “Oh no, Sharont How could you be so clumsy‘ Breaking something this valuable? My heart’s breaking for you and your wallet? Her voice dripped with fake sympathy.
The two saleswomen stood in stunned silence, their faces pale.
When they recovered, they shot wary glances at Sharon and Amelia, as if anticipating an escape attempt.
“Miss, please come this way, one of them said, her tone firm.
Amelia and Sharon exchanged helpless looks, their hearts sinking
The rhythmic clatter of a calculator sounded ominous. The final tally was a staggering six–figure sum
Sharon knew there was no way she could afford to pay. Even half the amount was out of the question.
She and Amelia came from similar backgrounds–modest families, neither destitute nor wealthy. Such a large sum was simply impossible for them to produce.
When
faced with a crisis like this, every path seemed like a dead end.
Sharon’s eyes filled with tears, “What do we do? It was an accident. I didn’t even see in there!”
Theo smirked, his tone triumphant. “Amelia, this is nothing. All you have to do is how to the three times and publicly admit it was your infidelity that caused our divorce.
TII pay the bill Otherwise, Sharon’s going to end up with the police. Can you live with that?”
Every word was a dagger, sharp and merciless, aimed at breaking Amelia’s resolve.
Around them, the growing crowd whispered, their expressions full of disdain, amusement, and judgments
It was unbearable. The humiliation pressed down on her like a crushing weight.
For a fleeting moment, she considered surrendering.
She knew she could bow, admit defeat, end this torment once and for all. What was self–respect or dignity compared to this nightmare?
“Il pay.” A calm, steady voice sliced through the chaos, silencing the room.
Vince strode into the store, weaving through the crowd until he stood beside Amelia.
ht blue striped sweater and dark slacks, his tall, lean frame and sharp, clean features exuded a quiet confidence.
y in a light
Dressed casually
He looked every bit the composed, scholarly gentleman.
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9:27 AM
Chapter 13
Amelia glanced at his sharp profile, and something in her heart steadied. Her panic faded.
Ivy scoffed. “You” Pay for this? Careful what you say–it’s easy to talk big, but can you back it up?”
Vince’s calm demeanor didn’t waver as Ivy’s defiance filled the air.
With a steady, commanding presence, he gestured toward the display cases, sweeping his hand from left to right. “TIl take everything in this store Pack it all up and gift it to this lady”
His dark eyes briefly met Amelia’s, unwavering and resolute.
The crowd fell silent, their stunned gazes locked on him. Vince handed his card to the nearest sales associate with an air of finality.
Amelia froze, her mind grinding to a hal
Buying out an entire jewelry store wasn’t something anyone could claim lightly.
Yet, the sale associate, hesitant but clearly unwilling to doubt him, began to act on his words.
Moments later, one of the associates approached, bowing respectfully. “Mr. Hollow, we deeply apologize for offending this lady earlier. We’ll begin packing everything right away! Please, feel free to rest in the lounge while we prepare
At once, the store staff sprang into action, clearing out other customers and meticulously wrapping the jewelry
Vince and Amelia were ushered to a comfortable seating area, served drinks with deference as though they were royalty.
Ivy stood rooted in place, her expression frozen in shock
Theo, equally stunned, elenched his fists.
He had already disliked Vince, but this? This was too much.
He felt as though he were cursed.
