CH 8
1270 Words
Mina Sue pointed towards Grace Howard. "Bring that one over for me to see."
The store manager hesitated, looking a bit troubled. "But, there's only one of those, and that lady is trying it on..."
Mina Sue smiled. "Do you think someone wearing shoes like that can afford it?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Grace's feet.
Though she had changed her clothes, her shoes remained the same—a pair of cheap canvas shoes, washed out and frayed at the edges, the kind no one would bother picking up off the street.
Not wanting to offend a VIP customer, the store manager reluctantly approached Grace, speaking softly. "Excuse me, miss, could you take off that dress? Another customer would like to try it on."
Grace was taken aback, then felt a bit embarrassed. "Oh? But I've already decided to buy it."
The store manager was also surprised and instinctively glanced again at Grace's shoes, gently hinting, "This dress is a limited edition and might be a bit pricey. You might want to consider similar styles that offer better value."
Grace understood what she meant and asked, "How much is this dress?"
The store manager replied, "For non-members, it's around two hundred thousand."
Grace Howard was so shocked she nearly twisted her ankle.
Two hundred thousand?!
Oh my gosh, she thought it would be at most a thousand!
"What about the other dresses?" she asked weakly.
The client manager explained, "The other dresses are around one hundred and twenty thousand, much cheaper."
Grace was speechless. Sure, it was cheaper, by eighty thousand!
But how was this different from a coupon that gives you a dollar off for every ten thousand spent? Did she look like she was short of eighty thousand?!
Mina Sue watched Grace's flushed face and became even more convinced that she was a clueless bumpkin who had wandered in. She said coldly, "I've always suggested putting a price list at the entrance to filter out low-quality people and avoid scaring off customers."
Grace had planned to take off the dress and make a run for it, but Mina's words pierced her heart like a needle.
She walked up to Mina and asked, "Excuse me, but how exactly am I low-quality? And what kind of quality does it show when you casually belittle others like that?"
Though poverty made her feel inferior, it didn't mean she had no dignity or could tolerate such blatant insults!
The store fell silent!
Mina frowned. Did this shabby woman actually dare to talk back to her?
She let out a cold laugh, her words even sharper, "If you can't afford it and still waste others' time and ruin their mood, what else could you be but low-quality? That dress is really unlucky to be tainted by someone like you. Remember to disinfect it before giving it to me; I don't want it dirty."
Grace Howard was trembling with anger. She turned to the sales assistant and said, "No need to disinfect it, just wrap it up for me. I'm buying it!"
Mina Sue ignored her and instructed the staff, "Bring that dress to me."
She wasn't particularly interested in the dress, not to the point of needing it. However, since Grace dared to challenge her, she was determined to get it today!
The staff felt that Grace was trying to save face, and although they sympathized with her situation, they had to make a living. They could only advise her to let Mina have the dress.
"Miss, it's best not to act on impulse. We'll give you some complimentary gifts later..."
Grace took a deep breath and slapped the card Ethan Hugh had given her into the sales assistant's hand. "Swipe it! After this dress, I'm going to keep shopping!"
When everyone saw the black card, they gasped!
Wasn't this the highest-tier "Gina Black"?!
Unlike the typical black card known abroad, this card not only has no spending limit but also grants the holder a VIP status that allows them to bypass identity checks. It's not just a symbol of wealth but also a testament to one's status and influence.
The criteria to apply for this card are extremely strict, and very few people possess it—rumor has it that you can count them on two hands.
Mina Sue's face darkened at first, but then she thought of something and laughed, "Where did you get this fake? It probably won't even work. If you're going to forge something, at least pick something easier. Faking a card like this, Gina Black, are you trying to announce to the world that you're an i***t?"
The other staff members believed Mina Sue's explanation. After all, the card was so rare that even Miss Mina Sue didn't have one. How could a girl wearing such shabby shoes possibly own it?
However, the store manager stammered, "Th-this one seems to be real..."
She had worked there longer than anyone else and had seen a few customers use this card, so she could recognize it.
Hearing this, Mina Sue couldn't sit still.
She jumped up and marched over to Grace Howard, snatching the card from her hand.
She intended to find something wrong with it and mock her mercilessly, but the more she examined it, the more her heart sank—it seemed genuine!
"Well, you've got some nerve! Why aren't you calling the police yet? How dare you steal something like this!" Mina Sue fumed, her anger barely contained.
"Who are you calling a thief?! This was given to me by my... my man!" Grace Howard was furious, almost letting a secret slip.
"Look in the mirror. Do you really think you're worthy of a man who can afford this card?"
"You!..."
Just as the two were about to pull each other's hair out, a woman's surprised voice interrupted them.
"Grace?"
Both turned around, stunned, and almost shouted at the same time.
"Mom?"
"Ma'am?"
It was Lila Wang.
She had been in another store looking at shoes when Mina Sue's maid rushed over to report that her daughter was in a confrontation, prompting her to hurry over.
Mina looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Mom, you know this person?"
"Of course I do. She's your Aunt Christine's daughter!"
"What?" Mina was shocked.
She was very close with Aunt Christine, sharing everything, yet she had no idea she had a daughter!
Lila knew Mina's personality well and understood that her daughter was likely at fault. Without asking for details, she apologized to Grace Howard, "I'm sorry, Mina has been spoiled by us since she was little. Please don't hold it against her."
Mina protested, "Mom!"
Grace Howard was as shocked as Mina Sue. She stared blankly at Mina, then at Mrs. Li. How could such a gentle and kind woman have such a sharp-tongued daughter?
"When the river floods the Dragon King's temple, it's all family. Don't be so stiff, just smile and let it go! You're about the same age, you could be great friends," Mrs. Li said, trying to smooth things over as she placed their hands together with a heartfelt smile.
Since her mom had spoken, Mina couldn't really keep targeting Grace. She could only watch helplessly as Grace actually swiped the card for that dress, her mind filled with questions.
The earlier threat to call the police was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. The Gina Black card was cloud-controlled and could be frozen at any time, so it was unlikely to be stolen. Even if it was, no one would dare use it.
How did this Grace Howard manage to get her hands on that card?
- Writer
