Chapter 6
The next time Javier and I met was outside the Civil Affairs Bureau. It was the end of our first cooling–off period for divorce and we had both come to sign the papers.
With a new booklet in hand, I got into my car and left.
Javier got into his car too, with Danielle sitting in the passenger seat, her face glowing with happiness, her eyes filled with smiles.
Afterward, I traveled abroad, visiting several countries. Upon returning, I received a WhatsApp text from Danielle. She sent me a picture of her marriage certificate.
Her social media was filled with posts about her lavish lifestyle. There were photos of her visiting high–end boutiques and attending elite social gatherings, as if she had fully assimilated into that world.
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Meanwhile, I followed my family’s arrangement and went on a blind date with Hugo Amberson, the head of a luxury footwear and handbag family. He was single and divorced, with a young child.
“Miss Sommerset, you’ve traveled to many countries. Which one is your favorite?” Hugo asked me, he dressed in a tailored suit, his hair neatly slicked back, had deep- set features with a slight foreign air.
I answered him, “Hmm… I think I like them all! Adults don’t need to choose. I love them all.” I laughed as I swallowed a bite of steak.
Hugo seemed momentarily taken aback, a trace of amusement flickering in his eyes and said, “Miss Sommerset, you’re quite straightforward. I wonder if, after dinner, you’d be willing to accompany me to the mall?”
I was surprised by his suggestion. In my mind, heirs of powerful families, especially someone like him, were typically very
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reserved. Yet, he was inviting me to go shopping with him?
As it turned out, Hugo knew his way
around a mall. He shared some little-
known facts about shopping with me and surprisingly, after an hour of walking around, I didn’t feel tired at all.
While we were browsing the first floor, an argument broke out in a nearby handbag
store.
“What are you doing?” someone yelled. “I’m your VIP member. Is this how you treat people?” The person angrily arguing with the shop staff was none other than Danielle.
She was dressed head–to–toe in designer brands but was causing a scene over a handbag.
“Miss Crimson, it’s not that we don’t want to sell it to you. The bag has already been reserved by someone else and we can’t give it to you.” The saleswoman was practically
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Chapter 61
begging her.
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But Danielle remained stubborn, maintaining her haughty attitude. I almost didn’t recognize her after a few months.
“Please, I beg you. Let it go. I need this job to support my mother and brother.” The saleswoman knelt down, pleading with Danielle.
This scene startled the onlookers and they quickly began recording the situation on their phones. It wasn’t until the manager arrived to disperse the crowd that Javier appeared.
He looked much more worn–out than the last time I’d seen him.
“Danielle, do you really need to make a scene over this bag?” he said wearily.
Danielle’s face turned sour, but she eventually returned the bag with a cold expression and said, “Javier, it’s not just about the bag. At the last party, they all made fun of me. They called me a country
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bumpkin who knows nothing. It was
humiliating.”
Danielle whined as she clung to Javier’s arm. I could see his frustration and exhaustion clearly.
“Miss Sommerset, shall we go inside?” Hugo made a gesture of invitation and I walked over and bumped into them.
“You… Mandy Sommerset?”
“Mandy, you’re back?” They both spoke at the same time.
I smiled and nodded, then followed Hugo into the LX bag store. He said, “Miss Sommerset, this is the latest bag. I thought you might like it, so I had the store reserve it for you. But after what just happened, if you don’t like it, we can choose another.”
The bag Hugo had reserved for me was the same one Danielle had been arguing over. I smiled and accepted it without hesitation.
As we left the store, Javier and Danielle
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were still standing at the entrance. When they saw me, their expressions changed.
Danielle’s eyes were filled with resentment and anger, while Javier’s gaze was more complex, a mix of longing and nostalgia.
But I had no desire to analyze their emotions because Hugo commanded all of my attention. With him around, it was hard to focus on anything else.
He drove me home and before leaving, he turned to me with a smile and said, “Miss Sommerset, or may I call you Mandy? I’m not sure how you feel about me, but I have a very good impression of you. I hope we can meet again soon.”
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