After all, Madison had spent years treating Olivia like her own daughter. Yet now, there was no hesitation in her defense of Anne.
Sophie remained quiet. The store gradually returned to its earlier atmosphere, but the uncomfortable moment lingered in the air. No one wanted to bring it up again.
***
Behind the Closed Door
Meanwhile, behind the closed doors of the private office, Anne sat quietly at her desk.
The noise from the store had faded into the background. A few reports were spread neatly across the desk in front of her. Anne picked up the first file and began reading.
Her expression was calm and focused. Secretary Megan placed a tablet beside her.
"These are the latest reports from the new collection, Miss Anne."
Anne nodded. "Thank you."
She opened the file and began reviewing the numbers.
Sales figures.
Customer feedback.
Production costs.
Upcoming orders.
Everything demanded her attention. For several minutes, Anne remained completely focused on her work. The calm professionalism she always carried returned to her face.
The conversation outside didn't matter. Sophie didn't matter. Olivia didn't matter. For the moment, there was only work.
Then—
Her phone vibrated.
Anne paused. She glanced at the screen. A message had arrived from an unknown number.
Her eyebrows knitted together slightly. She opened it.
We need to talk. It's about what happened three years ago.
Anne froze.
For the first time since entering the store, the calm expression on her face disappeared. Her eyes remained fixed on the screen. Three years ago.
Those words struck something deep inside her. She read the message again.
Before she could respond, another message appeared.
Don't trust everyone around you.
Anne's fingers tightened slightly around the phone. Her gaze slowly shifted toward the closed office door. Beyond it, she could faintly hear voices from the store.
Her mother.
Eva.
Sophie.
Olivia.
Clara.
Everyone was out there. Everyone was close. Yet suddenly, the office felt strangely isolated.
Anne looked back at the message. Whoever had sent it knew about the past.
But why?
And how much did they know?
More importantly...
What exactly were they trying to tell her? Anne immediately typed a reply.
Who are you?
She pressed send. For several seconds, nothing happened.
Anne waited for few seconds for the reply, but still nothing.
Then—
Her phone vibrated again.
Anne immediately looked down. Another message appeared.
Someone who knows what really happened to you.
Anne's eyes hardened, her breathing became slightly slower.
Three years ago. The accident. The memories she had spent so long trying not to revisit suddenly began pushing their way back into her mind.
Flashes. A feeling of helplessness. Fear. Pain.
And questions she had never been able to answer completely. Anne's hand slowly tightened around the phone.
What really happened to me?
She had always believed that the accident was something she had survived. Something painful from the past. Something she had tried to leave behind.
But now someone was telling her that she didn't know the truth. Anne stared at the screen for a long moment. Then her gaze darkened.
Whoever this person was, they knew something.
Something about the accident.
Something about her past.
Something that Anne herself apparently didn't know.
Outside the office, Clara was still laughing with Rose and Jenny. Their voices carried faintly through the closed door. They were completely unaware of what had just happened.
Unaware that, behind the door, Anne was staring at a message that had the power to reopen a chapter of her life she had believed was already closed.
Anne slowly locked her phone. But the words remained in her mind.
Someone who knows what really happened to you.
For the first time in three years, Anne wondered if the accident had ever truly been an accident at all.
Anne looked at the message one more time. Then she looked the phone and leaned back in her chair. Whatever happened three years...
Someone had just opened that door again.
***
Outside in the Store
As the four women continued looking at the gowns, the atmosphere in the store gradually returned to normal.
The earlier tension caused by Sophie's comments had faded, at least on the surface. Customers moved between the displays while employees quietly assisted them.
Near the seating area, Madison sat beside Olivia while Eva stood nearby, occasionally glancing around the store.
Sophie remained close to Olivia.
A newly hired staff member named Lily approached them with a tray of drinks. She was young and clearly nervous. It was her first day working at Angel by Anne, and she was trying desperately to make a good impression.
"Please enjoy some refreshments," Lily said politely.
She carefully served Sophie first.
"Thank you," Sophie replied.
Lily then moved toward Madison, who was sitting beside Olivia. She was about to hand the next glass to Madison when Sophie subtly stretched one of her legs out in front of Lily.
The movement was so small that nobody else noticed. Lily certainly didn't. Her foot suddenly caught against Sophie's leg.
"Oh!"
She stumbled. The glass slipped from her hand.
Before Lily could regain her balance, the drink splashed directly onto Olivia's dress.
The beautiful fabric was immediately covered by a large, wet stain.
For a moment, everyone froze. Then Olivia looked down. Her expression changed instantly.
"What the hell? Are you out of your mind?"
She immediately stood up. Madison quickly rose from her seat.
"Oh my God, Olivia! Are you okay?"
Olivia looked down at the front of her dress. The stain was impossible to ignore.
"I—I'm so sorry, ma'am!" Lily's face turned pale.
It was her first day.
Her first day and she had already ruined a customer's dress. She immediately bent slightly in apology. "I didn't mean to. It was an accident."
Lily looked down at the floor, trying to understand how she had lost her balance.
Then she noticed something. Sophie's leg. It was still positioned exactly where Lily had tripped.
Lily's eyes widened slightly. She looked at Sophie in confusion.
Sophie immediately realized that Lily had seen what she had done. Her expression changed for only a fraction of a second. Then she quickly pulled her leg back.
She stood up and hurried toward Olivia. "Olivia, darling, are you okay?"
Sophie placed a hand on her daughter's arm and pretended to inspect the stained dress with concern.
Olivia looked down at herself. "Do you know how much this dress costs?" she snapped at Lily.
Lily swallowed nervously.
"This was my favorite dress." Olivia's voice became more emotional. "Jason gave it to me!"
She emphasized Jason's name as though it made the situation even more serious.
Lily's face became even paler. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. It really was an accident."