Rebecca’s POV
63
Elizabeth’s face turned an alarming shade of red as she stared at me, her perfectly manicured hand clutching her designer purse so tightly I thought the leather might tear. The VIP room had fallen completely silent, her friends no longer laughing.
Steve hovered nearby, his expression a mixture of shock and unease. His eyes darted between us, hands fidgeting with his tie. It was clear he was torn between enforcing store policy and appeasing a powerful werewolf.
“Ms. Collins,” he said, his voice strained, “I apologize for any misunderstanding. Perhaps we could-”
“There’s no misunderstanding,” I interrupted, my voice steadier than I felt. “The champagne stains on both the shoes
and the dress are quite visible.”
Elizabeth’s jaw clenched as she fished out a platinum credit card from her purse. “I’ll remember this,” she said, teeth gritted as she thrust the card at Steve. “You have no idea who you’ve just made an enemy of.”
Steve took her card, his hands slightly trembling. “Ms. Collins, we at Silver Collections value your patronage. I’m very sorry about this unfortunate incident…”
Elizabeth ignored him, her ice–blue eyes locked on me. “This bill isn’t the end,” she said as she aggressively signed the receipt. “It’s just the beginning. You’ll pay for this humiliation.”
As she and her friends gathered their belongings to leave, Elizabeth deliberately bumped my shoulder hard enough to make me stumble backward. The pain shot through my collarbone, but I bit my lip to avoid showing any reaction.
“Watch your back, human,” she whispered, her breath hot against my ear. “Your days of Dominic’s protection are
numbered.”
“Oh my God!” Emma rushed over the moment Elizabeth and her entourage disappeared through the front doors, her eyes wide with excitement. “You did it! That was $8,750 in sales! Do you know that’s almost my entire monthly sales
total?”
I managed a weak smile, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins making my hands tremble slightly. “Honestly, I can hardly believe it myself.”
“The commission on this sale alone will cover your rent for the month,” Emma continued, practically bouncing. “And you’ve already exceeded your weekly sales target! Steve can’t possibly complain now.”
I nodded, trying to share in her enthusiasm, but Elizabeth’s parting words kept echoing in my mind.
“Rebecca? Are you okay?” Emma asked, noticing my smile fading.
“Yeah,” I lied, pushing away thoughts of Dominic and Elizabeth. My throat felt dry as I spoke. “Just processing what
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12:08 Mon, Sep 22
Chapter 59
happened.”
:
63
During my break, I sat alone in the employee lounge, staring at Dominic’s number on my phone screen. My thumb hovered over the call button, but I couldn’t bring myself to press it. I chewed on my lower lip, tapping the screen
nervously.
Elizabeth’s words kept repeating in my mind: “Poor Dominic has been so distracted lately. It’s a good thing I’ve been there to comfort him.”
Was she telling the truth? Had Dominic been spending time with her? The thought created a hollow ache in my
chest that I had no right to feel. Our arrangement wasn’t about exclusivity or love. It was a business deal with
benefits.
Still, the idea of him with Elizabeth made me feel physically ill. A wave of nausea rolled through my stomach.
I locked my phone and put it away. If Dominic wanted to talk to me, he would call. I wouldn’t chase after him, especially not after how we’d left things. Besides, he was probably still angry about the hospital incident with
William.
No, I would handle this situation myself. I’d stood up to Elizabeth Collins and survived. That was something to be proud of.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. I straightened displays, assisted a few customers, and tried to ignore the daggers Vanessa was shooting my way from across the store. Every time I looked up, I caught her narrowed eyes watching me, her lips pressed into a thin line. Clearly, she was furious about the massive commission I’d earned from Elizabeth’s purchase.
As closing time approached, Emma passed by my counter and leaned in close. “Steve’s been watching you all afternoon,” she whispered, her warm breath tickling my ear. “And he doesn’t look happy. I think he’s waiting for all
the customers to leave.”
I glanced toward the manager’s office, catching Steve’s gaze before he quickly looked away. My stomach knotted with
apprehension, acid climbing up my throat.
The last customer finally left, and Vanessa locked the front door with a decisive click that echoed through the quiet store. As she walked past me, her eyes flashed with a mixture of surprise and contempt, I could tell she was wondering how a human had stood up to someone like Elizabeth Collins.
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