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The sales associate kept her polite smile, though she looked utterly exasperated. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but at L’Améline, once an item is sold, you can only exchange it within two weeks. Without a purchase record to verify when you bought it, we can’t process a return or exchange. I apologize.”
“I’m telling the truth! You can inspect it yourselves!”
At that moment, I caught sight of Mabel and Caleb’s familiar silhouettes
at the counter.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but we don’t accept returns,” the sales associate repeated.
Mabel refused to give up.
I felt my mood sour. I didn’t want to shop anymore and turned to leave.
But then my eyes landed on the white silk camisole in her hands, and I froze.
Yesterday, while packing, I searched everywhere for that camisole and finally gave up, assuming it was lost. And now it was in Mabel’s hands?
A surge of anger shot through me.
As Mabel started arguing with the sales associate again, I cut her off coldly, “Are you deaf? They don’t accept returns. Whether what you’re holding is real or fake has nothing to do with it!”
Mabel stiffened.
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The sales staff looked at me like I was their savior.
Caleb’s expression was icy, as if he was about to scold me, but then he noticed Elliot standing beside me and hesitated.
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His gaze darkened, and his voice was laced with accusation. “Who’s he?”
I ignored him and reached out to take the camisole from Mabel’s hands. “Ms. Corbin, I lost a shirt exactly like this one. Care to explain how you ended up with it?”
Mabel’s composure visibly crumbled. Guilt was written all over her face. She opened her mouth, but only managed to swallow a few times, as if it was nearly impossible to get the words out.
Caleb’s face darkened even further, his eyes brimming with anger. “Brielle, are you accusing Mabel of stealing from you?”
With Caleb backing her up, Mabel immediately regained her bravado, her tone turning cold and defiant. “This was a gift from a friend. Caleb knows about it! Just because we have the same shirt doesn’t mean it’s yours.”
Just then, a soft chuckle came from beside me. Elliot looked at her with calm, clear eyes. “Didn’t you know that every piece from L’Améline is one
of a kind?”
The sales associate chimed in with a gentle smile, “Ma’am, we just authenticated this silk camisole–it’s genuine.”
Mabel turned ashen in an instant.
Caleb’s brows knit together as he turned to look at her. With a face like that, what more was there to say?
“I–I…” Tears began to spill down Mabel’s cheeks as she looked at Caleb, the picture of pitiful innocence.
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Elliot set his shopping bags on the glass counter and tapped it lightly with one hand. “Would you mind calling the police for us?”
His eyes were playful, and the sales associate blushed as she hurried to comply. “Of course, sir.”
“Caleb!” Mabel panicked. “Last time I was at your place, I got so drunk I threw up. After I showered, I didn’t have anything to wear, so I grabbed something new from her closet. I forgot to return it. She has so many clothes, I figured she wouldn’t even notice. I just didn’t bother mentioning it…‘
Caleb took a deep breath, his expression grim.
When he looked back at me, his tone softened, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he spoke hoarsely, “Brielle, I had no idea she took your shirt. Come on, you know I never pay attention to that stuff…”
As the sales associate dialed the police, Mabel, desperate, lunged forward and snatched the phone from her hands. “Mind your own business! We’ll settle this ourselves!”
As soon as she realized what she’d done, Caleb’s expression grew even darker. Disdain and annoyance flashed in his eyes, just like when he used to criticize me for being unmotivated.
My gaze was cold. “You can either pay me back for the shirt at full price, or you can deal with the police.”
Caleb didn’t hesitate. “She’ll pay you for it, Brielle. I’m sorry…”
He glanced at Elliot, and when he spoke again, his voice was much gentler. “Come home, okay? The past few nights without you have felt so strange.”
Elliot didn’t spare him a glance. Instead, he smiled at the sales associate
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who’d helped us, “My girlfriend’s been eyeing your new collection. Could you wrap up a few of those pieces for us?”
The sales associate’s face brightened instantly, and she hurried off to fetch the dresses.
A vein throbbed in Caleb’s forehead. “Girlfriend?”
He gave a bitter, almost incredulous smile. “Brielle, is this why you broke up with me? For him?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on his face.
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“Why else? He doesn’t have shady female friends or questionable buddies.
Besides that—
“Looks, background, talent–he’s got you beat in every category. Why would I stay with you? For your lack of money? For all the times you bailed on me? Or for the fact that you can’t spend on me, but won’t let me spend on myself either?”
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