Don't Escape, My Contract Bride

Chapter 5 Shopping Spree

A knock at the door startled Raine out of her sleep.

She instinctively reached for the space beside her, sighing in relief when she found it empty.

It seemed Damien hadn't returned.

At first, she'd been terrified he might act like Malcolm and try something on her.

But, surprisingly, the man who was rumored to be even more ruthless than Malcolm was unexpectedly... gentlemanly.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a kind-faced maid stepped into the room.

"Miss, Mr. Voss is waiting for you downstairs," the maid said, setting a tray on the bedside table. "Here's your breakfast. Please eat before you go."

Raine blinked in surprise. Not just at the elegantly arranged meal but at the idea of Damien waiting for her downstairs.

"If you need anything, just let me know," the maid added before leaving.

Raine wasted no time diving into her breakfast. The food was so delicious she momentarily forgot about the man waiting.

It wasn't until she was ready to leave that she realized how much time had passed. When she saw the sleek black Maybach parked outside the hotel, her stomach flipped. She'd kept Damien waiting for forty minutes.

Raine approached the car nervously, her heart pounding. A bodyguard opened the door for her.

"I'm so sorry," she muttered as she slid into the seat, avoiding Damien's gaze.

"I didn't realize your appetite was that impressive," Damien said without opening his eyes, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Or... have you not eaten in days?"

Raine flushed, biting her lip. She knew he was annoyed, and frankly, she deserved it.

But at least he wasn't lashing out physically that was already a win in her book.

Seeing her uncharacteristic silence, Damien lost interest in teasing her.

He opened his eyes and said curtly, "Drive."

"Where are we going?" Raine asked, confused.

Damien didn't answer. The car pulled onto a bustling shopping street lined with high-end boutiques.

Raine's eyes widened at the sight of the luxurious stores.

These were places she couldn't even dream of entering.

As she got out of the car, she waited for Damien to join her, but he remained inside. Just as she turned to glance at him, the car window rolled down, and an elegant hand extended outward, holding a sleek black card.

"Pick something out," Damien said flatly.

He glanced at his watch. "You've got thirty minutes. Change out of that ugly outfit. If you're late, you can sleep here tonight."

Raine's lips twitched into a smirk. Spending the night in a high-end boutique? She wouldn't mind that at all.

Suppressing her excitement, she took the card and flashed him a rare compliment. "Thanks. You hand out credit cards like a pro. So cool."

Damien blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her unexpected praise.

By the time he recovered, Raine was already striding away, leaving him with a fleeting glimpse of her graceful silhouette.

Damien chuckled softly, his lips curving into a small, amused smile.

With the card in hand, Raine decided to indulge in some serious revenge shopping.

But as she stepped into one of the stores, still wearing her bargain-bin nightclub outfit, the staff's disdainful glances were impossible to miss.

Raine's eyes landed on a dress displayed on a mannequin. She walked over and instinctively reached out to touch the fabric.

"Don't touch that!" A sharp voice snapped through the air, and a hand slapped hers away.

Raine turned to see a saleswoman glaring at her, standing protectively beside the dress.

"This is haute couture," the woman sneered. "If you damage it, you'll be paying double the price."

The condescension in her tone was impossible to miss, but Raine ignored it and reached out to touch the dress again.

"Are you deaf?" the woman snapped, her voice rising. "Do you even know how much this costs? Look at yourself. You're dressed like trash!"

Raine's lips curved into a humorless smile.

"Oh, I'll pay. Don't worry."

Before the saleswoman could respond, Raine grabbed the dress and tossed it into her arms. "I'll take it," she said nonchalantly.

The woman's jaw dropped as her face twisted with indignation. "You."

"Call your manager," Raine interrupted, her tone calm but commanding. She turned on her heel and sauntered over to a nearby couch, sinking into it with ease.

The woman let out a huff, glaring at Raine. "We'll see how you explain this to the cops when you can't pay!" With a sharp pivot, she stormed off toward the back of the store.

Moments later, a sharply dressed man approached.

"Miss, I understand you wanted to see me?" he asked politely.

Raine pulled out Damien's black card and held it up, deliberately flashing it in the saleswoman's direction. "Yes," she said, her voice sweet but firm. "This card can buy everything in this store?"

As soon as the saleswoman spotted the black card in her hand, her face contorted, as if she'd just bitten into something rotten.

The manager's eyes widened as he examined the card, disbelief flashing across his face. "How do you have this card?" he asked, his voice tinged with awe.

"Is there a problem?" Raine asked innocently.

"Miss, this card belongs to Mr. Voss," he said carefully.

"Mr. Voss?!" the saleswoman, who had been hovering nearby, blurted out in shock.

"Yes," the manager said, turning toward her. "And in case you didn't know, this entire shopping district is owned by Mr. Voss."