Chapter 4

Sarah held the suspension notice out to me and ordered, "Sign it."

She tapped the page with one finger. Her voice was as cold as if she were dealing with any other routine form.

"You're suspended until you get your family situation under control. This is a workplace, not a place to sort out family drama."

As soon as Harry saw the notice, he shoved his phone right in my face. It was so close that I could see my own reflection on the screen.

My eyes were dead cold.

The comments flew by in a blur. Strings of "Serves her right!" and "Fire her!" flashed across the screen.

"Do you guys see this?" he said into the camera. "This is what happens when karma catches up with you!"

Mom finally climbed to her feet and brushed off her pants. A triumphant smirk tugged at her lips.

She reached for my handbag. She thought she could put an end to her performance for the day once she got hold of my money.

"Are you scared now? You're about to lose your job. Transfer your bonus to me while you still can."

I ignored both the suspension notice and her outstretched hand. Instead, I took a step back and looked past her at Selena.

The coat she was wearing was beyond saving. The tear across the back had ripped open further, exposing the white lining beneath. There were even a few blades of dried grass on it. Red wine stains and streaks of mud covered the hem as if they were stitched into the fabric.

"Are you sure you want to keep that coat?" I asked.

Selena blinked, clearly thrown off by the question. She glanced down at herself, then straightened her shoulders. "Madeline gave it to me. It's mine now. Are you telling me you want it back?"

As she turned around, the tear across the back of the coat spread wide open for everyone to see.

A collective gasp rippled through the lobby.

Even Sarah frowned. It seemed like she was finally beginning to realize there was more to this than she'd thought.

My eyes settled on a corner of a folded piece of paper sticking out of the inside pocket. "You might want to see what's in that pocket."

Selena followed my gaze and reached inside. She pulled out a neatly folded sheet of paper.

"What's this? Some stupid note? Is this supposed to scare me?"

She tried to sound dismissive, but she hesitated before she unfolded it.

It wasn't a brand tag or an ordinary receipt. It was a loan agreement for the coat, stamped in black by both the dry cleaner and the fashion house.

The edges still bore the dry cleaner's embossed marks, and the crisp fold showed that it had been pulled straight from the coat pocket.

The loan period, return conditions, and damage liability clauses were all printed in black and white.

Several of my coworkers instinctively stepped closer. Even Harry's grip on his phone faltered.

Selena's eyes dropped to the page, and her lips started to tremble.

"Cavell Couture Exhibition Garment Loan Agreement…" Her voice trailed off, the words catching in her throat.

Mom snatched the document out of her hands. "Let me see!"

Harry swung the camera toward it. The comments were still racing across the screen, but the lobby had fallen silent except for the hum of the air conditioner.

Sarah's expression faltered, too. She stared silently at the paper.

At the bottom of the page was a line in bold red ink.

"If this garment is not returned by the agreed-upon date or is damaged beyond repair, the wearer agrees to pay the full insured valuation of 180 thousand."

Mom's fingers tightened around the paper. She looked as though she couldn't quite make sense of the number. Her lips moved, but nothing came out of her mouth.

Selena turned pale. Every last trace of smugness vanished from her face. Even her fingers began to tremble.

Sarah's expression darkened by the second. She was about to snap her folder shut at any second.

The reception phone rang again, but no one answered it.

Harry instinctively lowered the camera, but it was too late. The bold red figure had already been captured on the livestream.

I stayed where I was. I didn't rush them, nor did I smile.

Mom opened her mouth, then closed it again. Selena's hand hung frozen in the air for two long seconds before she finally let go of the paper.

The chatter in the lobby died instantly. Even the flood of comments racing across the livestream suddenly felt distant.