A few onlookers nearby murmured, their eyes flicking toward Rose with clear judgment and disdain. The assumption was hanging in the air like smoke: the idea that Rose was a desperate woman clinging to a lifestyle she couldn't afford on her own.
Kelvin, who had been standing slightly to the side, froze. His face went pale, his eyes darting between Becky's smug expression and Rose's trembling shoulders.
"Becky, stop," he said, his voice strained. "That is enough."
"Why?" Becky challenged, turning on him, her voice light and biting. "I'm just asking a question, Kelvin. Look at them. They clearly don't belong in a boutique like this."
Rose finally found her voice, though it was low and shaking. She looked directly past Becky, her gaze fixed on Kelvin. She didn't look like a woman who need
