"Mrs. Jessica, what a pleasant surprise. What brought you here?" The manager walked to the owner of the entire fashion line, but rather than even glancing at the manager, Jessica walked straight to Elara.
She held Elara’s hand as if wanting to check whether the person standing before her was even real.
"It’s you. I am not mistaken," Jessica said before she turned to look at Hannah.
"You knew about it?" She asked, her tone almost accusing.
Since Hannah was Gabriella’s childhood friend and Jessica was Daniel’s aunt, their families were closely related, and thus, Jessica looked at Hannah with suspicion.
"I found it a few minutes ago. If I hadn’t come here to pick up the dress for my model, I might not have. I can’t believe something this big has been going on." Hannah’s eyes turned dark.
Jessica looked at the man standing protectively behind Elara and finally realized who the girl Daniel called his wife was.
Honestly, she was even surprised to think Daniel was finally willing to move on after mourning Elara for so long.
But who would’ve thought that the guy hadn’t moved on; instead, Elara had returned from the dark.
"I don’t understand anything. You know what, you were here to shop, no? I’ll send you the latest collection, but you need to come with me." Jessica held Elara’s hand and was about to pull her away when Hannah grabbed the girl’s other hand.
"Where are you taking her? I saw her first. So technically, I should be allowed to talk to her first." Hannah tightened her hold on Elara’s hand, and the girl pursed her lips.
While all of this was happening, Sophia and her little group were cast aside like they were just side characters in Elara’s story who didn’t even matter.
The manager, who had earlier been siding with Sophia and her assistants, didn’t even know what to say. But one thing was clear to them.
This girl, Elara, who recently won the singer role for the Fallen Star drama, was no regular person, probably someone they shouldn’t have even had a trifle with.
"Umm, Miss Elara, the dresses that you requested are this way," the manager said, her attitude taking a 180-degree turn as she put on a big smile before looking at Elara.
Elara observed the manager for a brief moment, her gaze flickering to Sophia.
If it had been Elara from the previous time, she would’ve let the incident go, but not anymore. She wasn’t ready to let anyone disrespect her or put her in a position where she would have to prove herself.
Elara turned to Jessica with arched brows.
"I didn’t know this was your store. Your people... let’s just say, they don’t know how to talk to their customers," Elara smiled.
Jessica, who had been all smiles and arguing with Hannah about who should get the first chance to talk to Elara alone, paused and looked at the manager.
She immediately remembered the reason Daniel had called in the first place, and her expression turned cold.
"What’s happening here, Lily?" Jessica asked the manager.
"Ma’am, it’s my fault. I couldn’t recognise the potential—"
"Does that mean a person who isn’t from an influential family doesn’t deserve to shop here even if they have the money?" Elara asked.
The manager shook her head. However, Jessica wasn’t giving her a second chance.
She had always been strict with how to run her business, and the manager who was supposed to bring in more profit just disrespected a potential client, not to mention it was none other than Elara. Even if Jessica let it go, she knew Daniel would never.
And if he got angered, he might even take the business away from her hands and give it to a mere beggar rather than let her run it.
"You can get your salary for the month from HR. In fact, everyone present here could do so," Jessica said, her calm and unyielding eyes, daring everyone to say otherwise.
Sophia pressed her lips into a thin line. The more she watched the situation unfold before her, the more absurd it became.
Why were they treating Elara as if she were some kind of queen? Knowing her was one thing, but treating her like that was on an altogether different level.
Firing the manager and all the assistants just because they disrespected Elara? What the hell was this all about?
"No need to do that," Elara said.
Jessica opened her mouth to argue, but Elara shook her head, and the lady actually sighed dejectedly.
"Fine. Is there anyone really who can go against you?" Jessica said before she glared at Hannah.
"Let go of her."
"You let go of her."
The two ladies started again, and Elara sighed.
"Or you both can come and treat me to lunch, and I’ll explain everything to you." Elara blinked her eyes innocently when she saw how Daniel was starting to get annoyed.
"Hey, what did we miss?" Mason, who had selected a few outfits for himself, walked over to them, and Elara rolled her eyes.
"Let’s go," she said, and everyone left one by one, except Sophia and her group.
The manager heaved a sigh of relief and looked at Sophia with contempt.
Because of this lady’s useless drama, she was on the verge of losing her job.
"Maybe this is the difference between a fake classy lady and a real classy lady," the manager scoffed, turning and leaving.
The sales assistant, who had been sugarcoating their words earlier, treated Sophia like every other customer.
"You said she was a man stealer and a nobody who takes opportunities from others, but it looks like you were describing your daughter, Sophia," Arohi said.
"We almost got into trouble with the diamond merchant and Jessica Macros because of you. Maybe have a better understanding of people before commenting." Grace rolled her eyes.
"Right. If your daughter were really talented, Andrew wouldn’t be begging for that role," Arohi scoffed before she nodded at the other two. The trio left Sophia alone in the showroom, humiliated and helpless.
Sophia looked at the backs of the three women and screeched before pushing the rack of dresses on the side to the ground.
The sales assistants flinched, but the manager, who had returned to her senses, scowled from a distance.
"Tina, pack all the dresses and make a bill for Mrs. Sophia. Since she damaged the product, she shall pay for it," the manager said without remorse.
Sophia looked at Lily with wronged eyes.
The same set of people who used to worship her were now looking at her with contempt, and it was all because of that bitch Elara.