Chapter 7: The dress

The tension in the room swelled like a gathering storm. 

Anaïs stood rooted in place, her hands tightening on the emerald gown as the accusatory glare of the attendant and other staff bore into her. 

"This is ridiculous," Anaïs said with burning indignation. She felt humiliated.

Before the attendant could respond, the room door swung open, and two high-profile-looking figures entered. 

Sheryl Dominic, a statuesque model with a strong reputation for drama and gossip as much as beauty, walked in with her boyfriend, Anderson Omar.

Sheryl’s blonde hair was perfectly coiffed and her diamond-studded sunglasses made her seem larger than life, while Anderson’s chiseled jaw and bored expression screamed celebrity accessory.

"Excuse me," Sheryl announced loudly, removing her sunglasses with a dramatic flare "I believe a very special dress was reserved for me."

The attendant’s attitude changed instantly. Gone was the haughty tone she’d used with Anaïs, replaced with a flattering tone. "Oh, Miss Sheryl! Yes, of course, we have been awaiting your arrival."

Sheryl swept her eyes over the store like a mighty queen surveying her kingdom, but they stopped abruptly as they landed on Anaïs holding a gorgeous emerald-green gown. Her perfectly arched brows furrowed.

"That dress in her hands," Sheryl murmured, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Isn't that the most recent emerald limited collection that I requested?"

Anaïs blinked, startled. "This dress? I was just admiring it, but surely I didn't see any reservation tag on it”.

The attendant stepped in, giving Anaïs a scornful glare before smiling towards Sheryl.

"Miss Sheryl, this is the limited-edition gown we set aside for you. I’m terribly sorry for the misunderstanding."

Sheryl looked at Anaïs, sizing her up.

“How low has this grand boutique fallen that you now allow peasants to bring their filth in here?” she said.

This was more than Anaïs could take.

She was not privileged, at least not yet, but she was no pushover.

"Oh, but this peasant here, now, has this beautiful dress contaminated with her filth, and she won't be letting go of it anytime soon”, Anaïs replied calmly.

Sheryl let out a theatrical laugh, her ruby-red lips curling into a smirk. 

"Oh, dear, that is not just a dress. It is the dress. The crown jewel of this season’s collection and it was designed for someone with… class and presence." Her eyes flicked over Anaïs, assessing her with barely concealed disdain.

Anderson, who had been silent until now, leaned against a nearby display case, his arms crossed. 

A typical playboy. 

"Look beautiful, if it’s reserved, let’s not waste time arguing. Just hand it over. I can compensate you some other way”, he said grinning mischievously

Anaïs glared at him. "No thank you "

Sheryl's patience was now wearing thin as she stepped closer, her heels clicking ominously on the polished floor. "Do you even know who I am?”

"I know you’re making a big deal out of a dress," Anaïs replied, refusing to back down.

Gasps rippled through the staff and a few customers who had stopped to watch the unfolding drama.

"How dare you!" Sheryl snapped. "I came here just for that beautiful gown and it's for my role model, Lilith Amaruq, the crowned queen of the modeling world herself. And now, some… nobody thinks she can have it."

Anaïs’ grip on the gown tightened, her pulse pounding in her ears. She didn’t know what frustrated her more, Sheryl’s entitled attitude or the attendant's scornful glare.

The attendant stepped forward, her voice flattery and a little shaky. 

"Miss Sheryl, I assure you, we’ll take care of this immediately." She turned to Anaïs with a glare. "Please hand over the dress."

Anaïs opened her mouth to retort, but before she could say anything, the boutique’s door opened again, and Cael walked in, his presence instantly commanding attention. 

How does he always do that? Anaïs thought. 

He brought her here. Hopefully, he doesn't throw her under the bus. These wealthy ones can be unpredictable.

His eyes scanned the room, taking in the tense standoff.

"What’s going on here?" he asked, his voice calm but dangerously low.

The attendant scurried toward him, her nervousness apparent. "Mr. Moraine, there has been a slight misunderstanding. This young woman—" she gestured at Anaïs as though she were a common thief, "—claims to be your acquaintance and still dares to insist on keeping a dress that was reserved for Miss Sheryl."

Cael’s gaze shifted to Anaïs, who met his eyes with a mixture of frustration and defiance. Then his attention moved to Sheryl, who had stepped forward with a flirtatious smile.

"Cael Moraine," she purred, extending her hand. "I’ve heard so much about you, the King of the entertainment industry. I’m Sheryl…"

Cael ignored her hand, his eyes flicking back to the attendant.

“How dare you!” he said his voice still low 

The attendant paled, her confidence evaporating. “I…I thought she might have…"

"You thought what?” he questioned, stepping closer, his gaze boring into the woman. "

The attendant stammered, her bravado crumbling down under his scrutinizing gaze.

"Apologize," Cael demanded.

"I…I’m sorry," the attendant said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Not to me, apologize to her," Cael said, gesturing toward Anaïs.

The attendant turned to Anaïs, her face flushed. "I’m sorry," she said quickly.

Anaïs said nothing.

She never thought he would bother to make so much fuss about the situation just for her.

“And what's with that title?” She thought. “King of the entertainment industry?”

She never imagined he was anything that significant, wealth Yes but it seems Cael is more influential than she might have imagined 

Cael turned his gaze to the gown in Anaïs's arm.

“Is that the dress you want?”.

Anaïs didn't care about the dress, she only admired how beautiful it was. She definitely couldn't afford it but she wasn't ready to let Sheryl have her way after the humiliation.

“Yes!”.

“Then we are buying it”, Cael said.

Sheryl’s smile faltered, replaced by a look of incredulity. "You can’t be serious. That’s a one-of-a-kind piece. It belongs to someone who can truly showcase it."

"And she will," Cael said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He turned to the attendant. "Ring it up. Now."

The attendant hesitated, clearly torn between Sheryl’s celebrity status and Cael’s commanding presence. But one look at Cael’s steely expression made her decision for her. She hurried to process the purchase.

Sheryl’s face twisted in anger. "You can’t do this! I came here for that dress!"

She turned to her boyfriend, “Baby, do something,” but Anderson was no fool. A playboy, Yes, but not a fool. 

He was aware of Cael’s reputation and he wasn't ready to risk it.

One call was all that Cael needed to destroy his business. He was that powerful.

Anaïs, who had been silently observing the exchange, felt a surge of gratitude and something else she couldn’t quite name. Cael’s unwavering defense of her left her momentarily speechless.

The attendant returned, carefully bagging the gown and handing it to Anaïs. "Thank you for your purchase," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't bear the shame.

Cael turned to Anaïs, his expression softening slightly. "Ready to go?"

She nodded, clutching the bag as though it were a lifeline.

As they walked toward the exit, Sheryl called out, her voice dripping with venom. "This isn’t over, Anaïs  You’ll regret this."

Cael didn’t even glance back. "Let her try," he murmured under his breath as he held the door open for Anaïs.

***

Back in the car, Anaïs felt a mixture of anger, uncertainty, and relief. She stared at the gown in her lap. 

"Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice low.

Cael glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to the road. "Do what?"

"Why did you stand up for me like that," she said, turning to face him. "I didn't think...", her voice trailed.

He smirked, though his eyes remained on the road. "No one gets to treat you like that when you are with me."

Anaïs was caught off guard by his words as they hung in the air, heavy with meaning. For a moment, Anaïs thought she saw something in his eyes…concern, maybe even care. But it soon vanished just as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual guarded demeanor.

"Besides," he added, his tone lighter, "I wasn’t about to let that overinflated ego of hers win."

Anaïs couldn’t help but laugh, the tension finally breaking. For the first time in days, she felt a sliver of ease around him.

“This should help if you truly would ever get to become a model. It's a cutthroat industry. Tomorrow is the award ceremony and you will definitely get to meet her again.” He said. “Be careful; she is a drama queen.”

As they drove back to the mansion, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a far more complicated story.

And he was right. She certainly would meet Sheryl and this so-called queen of the modeling world tomorrow.