The silence in the boutique was thick and heavy, pressing down like the lid of a coffin. Murphy's fingers danced across the keys of her sleek laptop, the only sound in the unnerving stillness. Jim, meanwhile, was a portrait of sheer panic, beads of sweat slicking his brow. Despite his blustering denials moments ago, a cold dread had settled in his gut. He hadn't ordered any dress.
Murphy's sharp click as she closed the laptop punctuated the silence. "It seems the dress was indeed booked."
"Booked?" The word hung in the air, a collective gasp rippling through the onlookers.
"Yes, by Master James, the only son of the Felon family… You know him, right?" Murphy's gaze, sharp and assessing, landed squarely on Jim.
'James! The son of the second-strongest family in Valhalla!! So he ordered this dress, wait… I can use this to my advantage… And besides, I know James, we are friends.' A flicker of cunning ignited in Jim's eyes.
"Yes!" Jim exclaimed, his voice a little too loud, a little too eager. "Master James asked me to pick up this dress for him. He's heading to the auction and didn't want to be late!"
Murphy's perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched slightly. "You stated earlier that you booked this dress for your girlfriend. Now you claim James booked it. Do you take me for a fool?" Her tone remained level, dangerously so.
Not just Jim, but everyone present felt a chill crawl down their spines. The Boss's calm demeanor was legendary – the harbinger of an impending storm.
"Both of you," Murphy's voice cut through the tension, "give these two twenty slaps each and eject them from my store."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Her two hulking bodyguards nodded in unison, their eyes already fixed on Jim and Eris. But before they could take a single step, Jim's voice cracked through the air, laced with desperation.
"Don't come any closer!! I have the protection of Master James! And my little brother is a close friend of young master Adonis! Will you offend so many powerful families just for this… Bitch!!" He spat the last word, pointing a trembling finger at Advika.
SLAP!!!
The sound echoed through the stunned silence. Jim recoiled, his hand flying to his stinging cheek. He stared at Murphy, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"You… you actually slapped me?" he stammered.
"Do you think I am afraid of the three major families?" Murphy's voice was dangerously low, her eyes radiating a chilling intent.
Seeing the bodyguards advancing again, Eris clutched Jim's arm, her face a mask of exaggerated fear. "Love, I am scared." Her voice trembled theatrically.
"Don't worry," Jim said, trying to regain some semblance of his earlier bravado. "Nothing will happen. If I call James right now, she wouldn't dare say another word."
"You don't have to call him. I am his secretary."
Every head in the store swiveled towards the entrance. A young woman, elegant in a sapphire blue dress, glided into the room. Her long, raven hair cascaded down her back in glossy waves, and she carried a small, designer bag with an air of effortless grace and subtle arrogance.
'Here comes another one.' Christopher thought, his eyes flicking to his watch again.
"Miss Kirsty!!" Jim's sigh was a mixture of relief and triumph.
The black-haired beauty stopped before Murphy, offering a respectful nod. "Madam Murphy… Master James sent me here today for the custom-made dress, the Blood Flower, that he ordered. Could I have it packed and ready, please?" A polite smile played on her lips.
"As you can see," Murphy replied, gesturing towards Advika, "someone else is already wearing it."
The secretary's gaze turned to Advika, her smile vanishing, replaced by a distinct grimace. "I don't recognize her… So she isn't from any prominent family. Why doesn't she simply remove the dress and hand it over? I need to be going." Her stare at Advika was openly hostile.
Murphy considered Kirsty's words for a moment, then turned her attention to Advika. "Have you paid for it?"
"No," Advika replied, shaking her head slightly.
"Okay…" Murphy said slowly, her eyes still on Advika. "Do you like it?" After a brief pause, Advika nodded.
"Tell your master this," Murphy said, turning back to Kirsty. "If he truly desires this dress, he should bid for it. The highest bidder wins."
"....."
A collective gasp swept through the store. The Blood Flower was already a significant investment at 50,000 dollars, and Murphy's suggestion of a bidding war would undoubtedly inflate the price. A shrewd strategist, Murphy rarely took sides based on reputation alone. The strongest might prevail in Tamer's power dynamics, but in her store, the wealthiest held the ultimate sway.
'What a cunning snake… You know Advika likely doesn't possess such funds, yet you propose a bid. Are you attempting to draw out whoever is backing her?' Christopher mused, his eyes narrowed in contemplation.
Kirsty's mind raced. She pulled her phone from her bag and swiftly made a call, turning slightly away to maintain some privacy.
"Master James, there appears to be a situation here… The dress, the Blood Flower, the one you ordered has been… acquired by someone else. And Madam Murphy is requesting a bid." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "It seems the other party might also have connections, but I don't recognize her."
A brief pause.
"Is it Katherine, or Chloe?" James' voice echoed faintly from the other end.
"No… I would certainly recognize them. But I haven't encountered this lady before," Kirsty replied.
"Put the phone on speaker."
Kirsty nodded and tapped the speakerphone icon. James' voice now filled the tense atmosphere of the boutique.
"Madam Murphy… Is this truly necessary?"
"Yes," Murphy replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"Alright then… I will offer double the original price," James stated confidently.
"Double! Wow… Master James is indeed very generous," Eris exclaimed, turning to Advika with a saccharine smile. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Advika. It seems you simply don't have the financial means."
"Yes! Now take off the dress!!" Jim yelled triumphantly.
"Jim? Is that you?" James' voice held a note of mild surprise.
"Ah! Yes, Dude! It was me who caught her wearing the dress you ordered, but she was being so stubborn!"
"Don't worry, I will handle it… Don't fret, I will compensate you handsomely soon," James assured him from the phone.
"Thank you so much, Master James," Jim said, his face beaming. He turned to Advika, a smug look on his face. "Didn't you hear Master James!"
"Do not forget that I have yet to administer your punishment for lying to me," Murphy interjected, her voice a glacial chill that instantly silenced Jim's triumphant outburst.
She then turned her attention back to Advika. "Miss Advika, you ok?"
Advika nodded silently.
"Alright, Miss Advika," Murphy continued, her gaze unwavering. "Will you bid for the dress?"
'This girl is Christopher's friend, and she wouldn't have entered this store so confidently without someone influential backing her… And according to my initial inquiries, she comes from a rather insignificant family.' Murphy's sharp mind was already piecing together the puzzle.
'Which implies… someone brought her here.' Her eyes subtly scanned the room, but she couldn't locate Christopher, who was strategically positioned several meters behind Jim and Eris, his presence obscured by the gathered onlookers.
'Okay… I believe it is time to make my move.'
With a quiet resolve, Christopher finally straightened up and began to walk towards the small, tense group, his hands still casually tucked into his pockets.
'This will indeed be… interesting.'