9. HIS PERSONAL MANNEQUIN

Emma inhaled slowly, trying to calm her nerves. She pinched the bridge of her nose and took two deep breaths, muttering through gritted teeth,

"The nerve of that man!"

She finally turned to examine the place they had stopped. She couldn't help but stare in awe; her jaw practically hit the floor. She blinked twice, convinced she had read the sign wrong.

*Just Trèndy.*

Emma let the name echo in her head. She had always assumed only actresses, influencers, and women who casually spent six months' salary on a handbag ever shopped here. She gulped and turned around to look for her so-called boss.

She spotted him standing at the entrance, his face set in a hard glare.

A frown settled on her forehead, but she told herself to get used to it. Dragging her feet, she moved toward him, keeping her eyes fixed on her shoes because she couldn't handle his icy stare any longer.

Things couldn't get any worse.

Inside, Emma looked around in amazement. Designer dresses, glittering heels, and expensive handbags filled every corner. In her mind, this was the kind of place ordinary people admired through the windows, praying their wallets wouldn't make eye contact with the price tags.

*Wait a minute,* Emma thought, glancing at Jerry. The store sold high-end women’s clothing, not men’s. What was he doing here?

He’d already picked out a black suit set, and now he seemed to be going for a second round of shopping.

She couldn't stop herself from glaring at him as he began using her as a human mannequin for sizing. After standing there for a couple of minutes being used as a hanger, she muttered under her breath, "Heartless man..."

Jerry stopped walking. "Did you say something?"

Her eyes widened. She straightened up and shook her head frantically. "I said... fearless man."

Jerry gave her a suspicious look, while she quickly shifted her gaze to literally anything that wasn't his face. *So his girlfriend is a nerd, too,* she thought, rolling her eyes as he handed her two more ties and a brown suit.

Emma paused in front of a dress and checked the price tag.

*$2,500.*

She blinked three times, chuckling to herself, but the number didn't change.

*Geez, that’s my rent for a year!* She quickly stepped away from the dress and scurried after Jerry.

She adjusted the mountain of suits in her arms, wondering who on earth had sent this man to her.

He didn't look like he was going to stop shopping anytime soon. Looking at the sizes of the clothes and shoes, she guessed his girlfriend must be tiny.

But when he stopped at the heels section and tossed a pair toward her, she caught them and realized, *Never mind, she’s tall.*

She wondered what kind of person would even wear these heels. They were impossibly high and thin—if she tried to walk in them, she’d break her neck instantly.

Jerry continued moving through the store’s various sections—heels, bags, jewelry; everything a wealthy woman could possibly want.

*So his girlfriend probably wears glasses, too. How cute, for someone dating a devil,* she thought, huffing quietly. He acted like he was going to pick one out, but then he turned and walked away.

Finally, she decided to ask the question bothering her. Putting on the best fake smile she could muster, she asked,

"Um, boss? Who are you shopping for?"

Jerry turned to her.

Her plastered-on smile made him cringe, and he took a step back, even though they weren't even close.

."It’s none of your business. Do what you’re asked to do and don’t talk."

"Sure," she muttered, the smile vanishing instantly as she scoffed.

Of course, he’d say that.

He was treating her like a mannequin.

She was a human being, not a stuffed doll he could just throw clothes at.

He’d just grunt "catch," and if she didn't, he’d glare at her like she’d committed a crime.

*What kind of life is this?* she thought, sniffling dramatically. Even the beauty of the store couldn't get rid of the dark thoughts in her head.

All she could think about now was how she could kick this guy off the planet; he was a unsafe for this earth !!!

Jerry finally stopped and looked at her. Her arms were overflowing with clothes. He stared at her for a long minute.

*Maybe he finally realized I’m carrying half the store,* Emma thought, a small smile returning to her face.

she watched him take a step closer like he wanted to help her with the clothes , her smile was short-lived when he tossed another white button-down shirt on top of the pile.

Emma stared at him with a dead expression.

She realized he was poking fun at her when she saw the faint, mocking smirk on his face before he cleared his throat and walked past her again.

*If he wanted an assistant, he could have asked for one, not hired a 'manager,'* she thought.

*Was I hired to manage his girlfriend’s wardrobe?*

Jerry picked up a dress, glanced at Emma for a split second, then silently put it back.

*His girlfriend must be skinnier,* she thought, narrowing her eyes.

She really wondered why she was being used as a measuring stick. She was pretty sure the former manager hadn't been given tasks like this.