chapter 7
1030 Words
ANGELA
I only stopped by the boutique to pick up a dress Zara had on hold for me. That’s it. In and out. Ten minutes, tops.
The phone buzzed in my hand just as I parked outside Hartley Towers
Zara: Hey babe. Can you do me a favor?
Me: What’s up?
Zara: Pick up the dress I left at Luxe Edge. It’s ready. And while you’re at it, check in with the Mall Stars. Tell them i said HI. Just a quick round. Love youuuu 💖
Me: Will do . Love you tooooo💖
I rolled my eyes with a grin. That was Zara. Always adding an errand with a kiss. But I didn’t mind. A little walk through the boutique was usually calming. Besides, I hadn’t seen the sales team in weeks.
Luxe Edge was located on the lower floor of the newly refurbished Hartley Towers, a luxury plaza housing high-end designers, elite jewelers, and gourmet cafés. Nestled in the city’s uptown district, it felt like stepping into another world. And that world suited me—sleek, opulent, organized.
But that day? Not so much.
From the moment I stepped inside, the air vibrated with tension. A cluster of customers had gathered near the Summer '25 runway capsule display, whispering and half-heartedly pretending to shop. Their attention, however, was laser-focused on one thing: an argument.
I knew that voice.
“Back off, I saw it first!”
Lena.
I closed my eyes and sighed.
Following the noise, I weaved through the crowd. The scene was predictably chaotic. Lena, in full fury mode, stood toe-to-toe with another woman. In her arms was a lavender silk dress and a crystal-studded pair of heels—items she was currently tugging at with an equally determined, clearly fed-up stranger.
“I had it first!” Lena snapped.
“You snatched it from my hands,” the woman replied calmly, voice tight with irritation. “I was already holding the heels.”
“Oh, please,” Lena scoffed. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
The woman folded her arms, looking unimpressed. “Someone who’s about to make a scene over shoes.”
“I’m Lena Parker. My boyfriend is Mason William. His family has investments in this very building. I could buy out this store if I wanted. Don’t test me.”
Someone in the crowd gasped. I pushed forward.
“Lena,” I said, stepping in. My voice was calm, but beneath it boiled frustration.
Her eyes widened when she saw me. “Angela! Tell her this is mine. I had it first.”
“No, you didn’t,” the woman interjected. “You came over, shoved me aside, and yanked the heels out of my hand.”
“It was barely a nudge,” Lena snapped.
I looked at the poor sales associate stuck in the middle. “Can you check if there’s another pair in the back, maybe a different size?”
The associate nodded gratefully and darted away.
Lena’s expression darkened. “You’re siding with her?”
“I’m diffusing a situation before we end up in an influencer gossip column,” I said dryly. “This isn’t the time, Lena.”
“God, Angela,” she said, throwing her hands up. “You always act like you’re so much better. Just because you run a business and Dad praises you doesn’t mean you’re the queen of this place.”
“Lena—”
“No! You think I don’t see how you look at me? Like I’m some child playing dress-up.”
My patience cracked. “You’re acting like one. You embarrassed yourself—and me. Over shoes.”
“They’re designer!”
“And replaceable. Your dignity, however, isn’t.”
Her face flushed with rage. “At least I don’t pretend to be perfect. You think you’re so wise, so composed. But your fiancé was mine first, remember?”
A silence fell.
It was like the room stopped breathing.
I clenched my jaw. “Yes. And now he cheats on you, too. So I guess we’re both not winning.”
Lena’s face turned a ghostly shade of pale. The other woman blinked in surprise. A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Lena dropped the shoes as if they burned. “You can have them. I’ll get better ones. Mason spoils me. At least he doesn’t leave me for someone boring.”
“Sure,” I replied. “You keep telling yourself that.”
She turned on her heels and stormed out, her heels echoing dramatically against the floor.
The stranger let out a long breath. “Well… that was something.”
“You okay?” I asked, finally collecting Zara’s dress from the counter.
“Yeah. She’s got claws though.”
I smirked. “That’s Lena. Always fighting to prove she matters.”
“Well, thank you for stepping in,” she said.
“Anytime.”
She held out a hand. “I’m Ava.”
“Angela.”
Her expression flickered with recognition. “Angela Parker?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“I’ve heard your name before. Your boutique—FireStitch—is doing really well. You’re shaking up the old fashion guard.”
A soft laugh escaped me. “Trying to.”
She smiled, eyes gleaming. “Well, allow me to say thank you properly. I’m part of the sponsor committee for the Fashion Forward gala. We’re sending out private invitations this week. Consider this your official welcome.”
My eyes widened. “Wait........seriously?”
Ava winked. “Absolutely. Someone like you? You belong there.”
For the first time that day, the tightness in my chest loosened. “Thank you, Ava. That means a lot.”
“You earned it. And hey—maybe next time, we can shop in peace.”
I laughed. “Now that would be revolutionary.”
As she turned and walked off, I watched her go, a strange flicker of gratitude warming my skin. From chaos came clarity. And maybe, just maybe, new beginnings.
In the middle of a luxury mall, amidst fashion disasters and family tension, I’d made a powerful ally and maybe, just maybe, a future friend.
- Writer
