Sophie understood immediately. Then Olivia glanced toward Eva. Sophie followed her daughter's gaze.
Eva was watching them. Her expression was calm, but there was a coldness in her eyes that made the warning unmistakable.
Sophie's expression changed instantly. She knew better than to provoke Eva Black in public.
The Black family was one of the most influential families in the city.
Eva was not only Jason's mother and a daughter-in-law of the powerful Black family, but she was also the daughter of a retired general from the prestigious Russo family.
Her position gave her a level of influence and respect that very few people in the city could challenge.
Sophie immediately softened her expression. She gave a small smile, pretending that her previous question had been nothing more than casual conversation.
"Well," she said lightly, "we're here to shop, not talk about old family matters."
Madison looked at her for a moment. She knew perfectly well that Sophie had deliberately brought up Anne's past.
But she decided not to respond. Instead, she turned toward Olivia.
Sophie quickly looked away.
"Let's go," she said, forcing a smile. "We can visit Anne's store later."
Before anyone could say anything else, she lightly took Olivia's arm and guided her toward another boutique.
But as they began walking toward the escalator, Olivia's eyes flickered with something unreadable. She had suggested the store for a reason.
She wanted to see Anne. She wanted to know what kind of life Anne had built after leaving the Williams family home.
More importantly, she wanted to see for herself how much Anne still mattered to the people around her. And after Jason's reaction earlier, Olivia had another question she desperately wanted answered.
If Anne really means nothing to Jason anymore...
Then why does he still react whenever her name is mentioned?
The four women continued exploring the mall. One store after another and one gown after another.
The assistants brought out beautiful dresses in different colors and styles, each one more expensive than the last.
Olivia looked at every dress carefully. But she rejected them all. "No."
She shook her head after looking at another gown. "I don't like it."
The assistant immediately took the dress away and presented another one. "How about this one, Miss? This is one of our newest designs."
Olivia glanced at it. "No. The design is too ordinary."
Another gown was brought out. She looked at it for a few seconds before shaking her head again. "Not this one either."
Madison watched quietly. She had noticed that Olivia seemed unusually difficult to please today. Normally, Olivia enjoyed shopping and would spend hours choosing clothes, but today, nothing seemed good enough.
After visiting several more stores, even Madison and Eva began to grow tired.
Sophie, too, was becoming impatient.
Olivia, however, continued looking around. Then, just as they were passing through the main corridor, she noticed a man in a formal suit walking past them.
He was accompanied by two employees and appeared to be supervising the mall staff.
Olivia immediately recognized him as the mall manager. "Excuse me."
The man stopped at once and turned toward her. "Yes, Miss?"
Olivia smiled politely. "Could you tell me where the 'Angel by Anne' store is?"
The manager's expression changed slightly when he heard the name. "Oh, that store is on the fifth floor."
His tone became noticeably more respectful. "It's one of the mall's most exclusive boutiques."
He glanced at the four women standing before him. It didn't take him long to understand why they were looking for the store. "The fifth floor is dedicated to high-end luxury brands," he explained. "The access is slightly different from the other floors."
"Different?" Madison asked curiously.
The manager nodded. "Yes, ma'am. The fifth floor has a more private entrance, mainly because most of the boutiques there cater to high-profile clients."
Madison looked surprised. She had visited Imperial City Mall many times, but she had never paid much attention to the fifth floor.
The manager turned toward one of the nearby employees. "Please escort these ladies to the fifth floor."
"Of course, sir." The assistant immediately approached them with a polite smile. "Please follow me." The four women followed her toward a private passageway.
As they walked, Madison looked around curiously. "Why is this floor separated from the others? Shouldn't every customer be able to access the entire mall?"
"Normally, yes, ma'am," the assistant explained politely. "But the fifth floor is different. The boutiques there carry extremely exclusive brands, and the mall provides a separate entrance for privacy and security."
Madison nodded slowly. "I see." Although she understood the explanation, she still looked intrigued.
What kind of stores are up there?
Even Eva glanced around with interest. The assistant stopped in front of a private elevator and pressed the button. The doors opened silently. "Please."
The women stepped inside. The assistant pressed the button for the fifth floor.
As the elevator began to rise, Olivia stood quietly in the corner. Her expression was calm. But her thoughts were anything but calm.
Why did the manager react like that when I mentioned Anne's store?
She had known that Anne was successful. She knew Anne had created her own clothing brand. She had even heard people talking about the growing popularity of the brand.
But somehow, she had never imagined that Anne's business would have this kind of position inside Imperial City Mall.
The elevator stopped. The doors slowly opened. The atmosphere immediately changed. The fifth floor was completely different from the rest of the mall. It was quiet and peaceful.
There were no crowds rushing from one store to another. No loud conversations. No children running through the corridors. The polished marble floors reflected the warm lights hanging from the ceiling, creating an elegant glow across the entire floor.
Enormous glass storefronts lined the corridor Designer clothing, Jewelry, Luxury cosmetics, and Expensive accessories.
Everything was arranged with extraordinary attention to detail. Even the air seemed different.
The entire floor gave the impression that it had been designed for people who were accustomed to privacy, wealth, and exclusivity.
Madison's eyes widened slightly. "This place is completely different."
The assistant smiled. "Yes, ma'am. Most of the stores on this floor operate by appointment or cater primarily to private clients."
Eva looked around quietly. Even she seemed impressed by the atmosphere.
Sophie remained silent. Olivia, however, stared straight ahead. She had expected Anne's store to be successful. But she had not expected this.
The assistant continued leading them down the corridor. Then, after a few moments, she stopped.
The four women followed her gaze. And there it was.
ANGEL BY ANNE