Chapter 395

Audrey's voice turned razor-sharp as she pressed on. "These two have been conspiring together. That one even attempted to fabricate rumors, painting Vivian as Dominic's lover to stir up drama."

Adrian's gaze slid slowly toward Dominic, his calm stare carrying glacial intensity. Dominic felt an arctic chill slither down his spine.

He threw up his hands in frantic defense, words tumbling out unevenly. "Adrian, this is absurd! I have zero connection to her. My dealings with Vivian are completely professional. I only intervened because she was being mistreated!"

Adrian's expression remained unreadable, his voice steady with faint derision. "I'm aware."

Dominic exhaled in relief, even mustering a cocky grin. "I knew you'd recognize this nonsense. You know exactly what kind of man I—"

"She wouldn't look twice at you," Adrian cut in smoothly.

Dominic's words died in his throat. His face darkened as he glanced around, certain the others were stifling laughter at his expense.

Attempting to salvage his dignity, he muttered, "Adrian, really? In front of everyone? A little courtesy wouldn't kill you."

Audrey seized the moment, looping her arm possessively around Dominic's neck and twisting the knife. "You're truly delusional, aren't you? Adrian's merely stating facts. Choosing you was already an act of charity on my part. The bare minimum you could do is start acting like a proper gentleman."

Meanwhile, the sales associate cowering in the corner—who thought she'd dodged the worst—suddenly found herself exposed. Panicking, she rushed forward, pointing a shaking finger at her colleague being escorted out. "I swear it wasn't me! She masterminded this entire scheme! Mrs. Blackwood, you must believe me—I even warned her not to judge customers by appearances!"

Hearing this, the other associate whirled around mid-exit, spitting venom. "Oh shut your trap, you viper! You've been gunning for my position since day one! Let's review the security footage—show Mr. Blackwood your true colors!"

The boutique erupted as the women descended into a screeching match, their spat escalating into a full-blown spectacle. Both Vivian and Audrey instinctively retreated, as if avoiding shrapnel. The CEO's expression darkened like thunderclouds, his patience shattering. "Remove them immediately!" he barked at security. "Haven't we endured enough humiliation today?"

Within seconds, the guards hauled the shrieking women away. As blessed silence returned, the CEO turned to Vivian. "Mrs. Blackwood, please allow us to make reparations. Purchase any single item, and we'll include a complimentary gift valued up to one hundred thousand sterling."

The CEO had already connected the dots.

He knew Vivian's attention had been drawn to the store's crown jewel—an exquisite limited-edition pen rumored to have also caught Adrian's eye. Offering a hundred-thousand-sterling gift was negligible compared to salvaging this disaster.

Naturally, Vivian wasn't about to refuse such generosity. With a polished smile, she approached the display case. Her gaze landed on an ivory fountain pen with clean, understated lines. Unlike its bedazzled counterparts, it exuded quiet sophistication. She checked the price—thirty thousand sterling.

Perfect for Julian. A thirty-thousand-sterling pen, plus a hundred-thousand-sterling bonus. The irony amused her—today's humiliation had transformed into effortless profit. This windfall surpassed weeks of grueling work.