Chapter 15

Ignoring the stares around her, Hannah walked straight into the boutique next door.

The assistant there had seen everything and knew exactly how formidable this customer was. She didn't dare slack off for a second.

The moment Hannah stepped inside, she hurried over with a polished smile. "Welcome! How may I help you?"

Hannah looked around. The garments here seemed finer than those in the last shop, with more refined taste.

She picked one at random and tried it on. To her surprise, it fit as if it had been made for her.

The assistant's eyes widened as she watched Hannah wear it with such grace. "Madam, your figure is wonderful! This gown might have been tailored for you. You look like a famous model!"

Hannah only smiled faintly. She had always been confident in her figure and her looks. Otherwise, Lucas would never have pursued her so stubbornly and insisted on marrying her.

But when she looked back on it now, all she felt was bitterness. The sweetness was long gone, and only scars remained.

She pointed to several styles. "This one, this one, this one... and that one too. Find my sizes and wrap them all."

Her tone left no room for doubt.

The assistant was overjoyed. She hadn't expected such a decisive customer. "Madam, you truly want all of these?"

Hannah nodded.

The assistant's hands trembled with excitement as she tallied the total. A moment later she looked up, beaming. "Madam, that comes to the sum on this slip. Will you pay by card, or by crystal transfer?"

Hannah handed over her black card without hesitation. "The card."

The commission alone would be nearly twenty thousand crowns. The assistant accepted the card with both hands, finished the sale quickly, and returned the receipt and card.

In the neighboring shop, the assistant who had insulted Hannah had been watching in secret. Her face filled with resentment and regret.

She really is that rich! If I'd been kinder, every one of those sales would have been mine!

Only now did she see how foolish she had been.

Laden with bags, Hannah walked into a luxury boutique.

It was grand and lavish, and one glance told you everything in it was costly. It sold mainly handbags, and the shelves were lined with exquisite pieces.

They came from a famed house in the neighboring kingdom of Valmere, known for its fine design, rare materials and masterful craft. Throughout Eldermere, owning one of its bags was a symbol of status.

The moment Hannah stepped in, her eyes were drawn to a man of striking bearing and handsome looks.

He wore a bespoke suit by a master tailor, and everything about him spoke of wealth and rank. Two broad-shouldered guards stood behind him, along with an assistant in gold-rimmed glasses. Clearly he was no ordinary man.

As Hannah entered, he glanced up.

Her lovely, refined face, set off by her black dress, was full of grace.

A flicker of amazement crossed his eyes. He had passed the boutique earlier and seen her arguing with the assistant. He never imagined that, after changing, she would be such a stunning beauty.

Hannah noticed him watching her with open interest. Their eyes met, and a faint shock ran through her, as though she had been struck by lightning.

She told herself it was a coincidence and turned to the bags. She asked the nearest assistant, "Do you have any of the newest handbags?"

The assistant, sharp-eyed, noticed the price of Hannah's clothes at once. "Yes, Miss. Please follow me."

She led Hannah deeper into the shop.

Only after Hannah had vanished from sight did the man slowly turn his gaze away. A slight smile touched the corner of his lips.

"She really is an interesting woman..."

When Hannah had chosen all the bags and clothes she wanted, her stomach began to growl.

She used her crystal to call her guards and asked them to take the purchases to the carriage. Then she stopped at a restaurant and ordered a simple meal.

Once she had eaten her fill, she patted her stomach contentedly and glanced at the crystal on the table. It was almost nine in the evening.

She rose slowly and headed for the carriage yard.

In the carriage, she was silent for a while. Then she said to the guard in the driver's seat, "Let's drive around for a bit first."

She couldn't explain, even to herself, why she didn't want to go back to the Harrington house right away. Perhaps some deep part of her resisted going home.

When Edmund and Eleanor invited her, she had said she hoped to bring Lucas with her. But things change without warning. In less than a day, everything had turned upside down, and she felt lost.

Now she was trying to escape reality.

She sat quietly, looking out at the bustling streets of Eldermere, feeling completely adrift.

Then her gaze caught a lavishly decorated tavern by the roadside, alive with noise and light.

A thought leapt into her mind.

Yes. I want to drink.

I want to get thoroughly drunk.