When His Poor Student Took My Rolls, I Snapped

I took the earliest flight back home and went straight to the Rolls-Royce dealership. The showroom buzzed with activity. Nearly every salesperson was gathered around a single customer, pouring coffee, offering bottled water, and catering to her every whim. I stood by the entrance for several minutes before anyone even acknowledged me. Finally, I stopped a salesperson passing by and forced myself to stay polite. "Hello. I'm Vivian Lindstrom, Mr. Hale's wife. I received a follow-up call earlier regarding the driving experience." The salesperson blinked in confusion. "You are Mrs. Hale? But Mrs. Hale already picked up her new car. She's in the VIP lounge discussing additional customization options with our manager." A cold feeling crept up my spine. "I'm the owner of that Rolls-Royce Phantom," I said slowly. The salesperson looked me over from head to toe, and his expression immediately turned dismissive. "Ma'am, the Phantom is a top-tier luxury model. Every owner goes through strict asset verification." He crossed his arms. "From the initial selection to the custom configuration, we dealt exclusively with Mr. Hale." Then, under his breath, he muttered, "Unbelievable. Someone's actually trying to run a scam in broad daylight." I stood there frozen. Since when had Marcus Hale become someone else's husband? At that moment, the VIP lounge doors slid open. Our eyes met across the showroom. Jade Morrow stepped out wearing the latest haute couture collection. The Hermès Birkin hanging from her arm was identical to the one my father had gifted me last year. Diamonds glittered at her throat and wrists. She looked every bit the pampered wife of a billionaire. But not long ago, Jade had been nothing more than the scholarship student Marcus sponsored through college. The sales staff spotted her immediately and rushed forward. "Mrs. Hale!" The salesperson who had just spoken to me practically bowed at the waist before turning back with an icy expression. "Ma'am, unauthorized visitors need to leave immediately. We're clearing the showroom for a VIP customer." His tone hardened. "If you refuse to cooperate, we'll have security escort you out." A flicker of panic crossed Jade's face. She hurried over and grabbed my arm with forced intimacy. "Vivian, what are you doing here?" she asked with an awkward smile. "It's been ages. We should catch up sometime." As she spoke, she tried steering me toward a secluded corner. Obviously, she was terrified I'd expose her in front of everyone. I jerked my arm free. Then I raised my voice so it carried through the entire showroom. "Jade, explain why you picked up the Rolls-Royce Phantom my father bought for me." I pointed at the Birkin hanging from her arm. "And that bag. Where exactly did you get it?" The entire showroom fell silent. Every head turned toward us. Jade's face drained of color before she quickly forced on a wounded expression. "Vivian, how can you say something like that?" Her voice trembled softly. "The car was a gift from my husband. It's proof of how much he loves me. The bag was also chosen personally by him." Then she looked at me with carefully staged concern. "You've been working too hard lately, haven't you? Hallucinations can be an early sign of depression..." The mood in the showroom shifted instantly. Whispers spread through the crowd. "She doesn't even look wealthy." "That Phantom cost over eighteen million after customization. She probably couldn't afford a tire." "She's bitter because her husband is poor, so now she's here making a scene." "What a lunatic."