Chapter 38: The chaos at the shop (Part – 2)

Words : 1301 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 38: The chaos at the shop (Part – 2) "I-I..." The manager swallowed hard, struggling to form a response. "Dismiss those salesgirls immediately—they are unfit to work here," the voice commanded icily. "And that actress? She is permanently banned from the store. Do it now." The call ended abruptly, leaving the manager in stunned silence. His grip on the phone loosened as sheer panic gripped his chest. Slowly, he lifted his head, his gaze meeting Augustine’s unreadable expression. He bowed deeply, shaking visibly. "I... I am so sorry, sir," he stammered. "Please forgive my ignorance." The atmosphere inside the boutique shifted drastically. The salesgirls, who had been watching the situation unfold with arrogance just moments ago, now stood frozen in disbelief. Their gazes flickered between the manager and Augustine, struggling to process the sudden change. Even Anne was stunned, unable to process how a single phone call had turned the arrogant manager into a trembling wreck. Tania, however, did not have it. Her shrill voice cut through the air like a knife. "Why are you apologizing to him?" Her disbelief turned into rage. "Throw him out already." The red-haired salesgirl, still confused, hesitated before chiming in. "Sir, are you... mistaking him for someone else?" The manager’s patience snapped. His voice boomed through the store, making everyone flinch. "Shut up! Both of you, to my office. I’ll deal with you later." His glare hardened as he turned to the guards. "Escort this woman out. She has caused enough trouble here." Tania’s eyes widened in pure outrage. "What? You’re kicking me out?" she sputtered, her hands balling into fists. "Do you even know who I am?" But the manager’s expression remained firm, unmoved by her tantrum. "From now on, she is banned from entering this store," he declared with an ultimatum. Gasps filled the room. The two salesgirls exchanged bewildered glances. "Wait... isn’t she the boss’s wife?" the red-haired one whispered to her friend. "I have no idea," the other murmured back. "Everything is so confusing..." Meanwhile, the guards took deliberate steps toward Tania. She recoiled, her sharp eyes flashing with fury. "Don’t you dare touch me," she hissed, her gaze snapping back to the manager. "You have no idea what you’ve just done. You’re making the biggest mistake of your life. I swear, I’ll make you pay for this." "Ugh, just leave already," Audrey growled, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Your face is making me nauseous. I swear, I might actually puke." Tania’s entire body trembled with rage. She let out a furious huff. "You will regret this. Just wait." Sending one last glare toward Anne and Audrey, she stormed out of the store. The two salesgirls hurried away, vanishing like ghosts. The manager turned back to Augustine, his expression filled with guilt and remorse. "Sir, I sincerely apologize to you," he said, bowing deeply. "Rest assured, no one will disturb you again. Please... continue shopping as you wish." He quickly turned and scurried away. Anne’s eyes were filled with silent questions as she studied Augustine. She couldn’t shake the curiosity building inside her—who had made that call to the manager, causing such a dramatic change in his attitude? And more importantly, who was Augustine, really? Just as she was about to voice her thoughts, Audrey’s excited squeal suddenly broke the silence, pulling her out of her contemplation. "Wow, Anne," she gushed with admiration. "Your husband is full of surprises! That arrogant manager was practically groveling, and he even had Tania banned. That was incredible! How on earth did you pull that off?" Anne was just as perplexed as her friend. She looked up at Augustine, searching answers in his eyes. Her husband merely smiled. "I did nothing," he said smoothly. "Now that this matter is settled, let’s explore the shop." He tried to lighten the mood, changing the topic. Without waiting for her response, he led her toward the women’s clothing section. Anne hesitated, dragging her feet slightly. "I don’t need a dress right now." Audrey rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, come on, Anne! Your husband is ready to spoil you, and you’re actually hesitating?" She nudged her playfully. "Just pick a dress and enjoy being pampered for once." Augustine chuckled. "Don’t think about the price," he reassured her. "I have more than enough money to buy you anything you want. Just let me do this for you." Anne’s lips parted as if to protest again, but she caught the sincerity in his eyes. She sighed, finally giving in. "Okay. Let’s check the dresses." Augustine’s expression brightened. He gently guided her toward the elegant racks of designer gowns. Inside the manager’s room... The atmosphere was suffocating, thick with fear and regret. The manager and the two salesgirls knelt on the cold marble floor, their heads bowed, trembling under Gustave’s bone-chilling gaze. Two men in black suits stood nearby, their rigid postures and fiery glares exuding an overwhelming pressure. Their presence alone was enough to make the three on the floor break into cold sweats. "Is this how you treat customers?" Gustave’s voice was like a whip slicing through the tense silence. His piercing gaze made them shrink further. "Humiliating them in every possible way?" The red-haired salesgirl dared to raise her head, trying to justify her actions. "T-This shop is not for ordinary people. We were only advising them to go to stores within their budget. It was them who acted arrogantly. We never meant to humiliate anyone..." "Shut up, you fool!" the manager roared, his face flushed with fury. "Do you have any idea who they are? Because of your ignorance, we’ve offended someone we never should have." The woman flinched. Her lips parted, but no words came out. "That man—he is the boss, the one we’ve been waiting for. And the woman beside him... His wife." "What?" The red-haired woman’s face drained of color. She shook her head in disbelief. "That’s impossible! How could he be the boss? He looks so... ordinary. Are you sure you haven’t mistaken?" The manager clenched his fists, barely restraining his frustration. "Still talking nonsense?" He yanked something from his pocket and held it up for them to see—the sleek, jet-black credit card that Augustine had handed him. "Look at this. This is a global credit card with no spending limit. Do you know how many people in the world possess one? Only a select few. And our boss is one of them." The two salesgirls could only stare, trembling. The red-haired salesgirl sank lower as if the ground itself could swallow her whole. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision as regret clawed at her insides. Her arrogance had led her to humiliate the wrong person—the boss himself. The realization left her breathless with fear. The manager, his forehead damp with sweat, quickly stepped forward. With both hands, he presented the black card to Gustave. "I-I admit my mistakes," he stammered. "I should have been more careful from the start. But I can fix this. I’ll fire them right away. Please, just give me another chance." Gustave’s cold gaze never wavered. His expression remained impassive, the manager’s pleas meant nothing. "It’s too late for apologies. Your actions are inexcusable. You humiliated customers. This store’s reputation is built on excellence, and yet, because of your reckless behavior, you have tarnished it. Customers, whether they buy something or not, deserve to be treated with respect. People like you have no place here." With a sharp flick of his wrist, he signaled the guards. The guards strode forward and yanked them up by their arms. "P-please," the manager tried again. The salesgirls cried, their fear spilling into frantic pleas. "No, no! It was a misunderstanding. Please, don’t do this." Their cries fell on deaf ears. The guards began dragging them out the door.

Chapter 38: The chaos at the shop (Part – 2)

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