"I hated the way my heart was beating fast just because he called me 'babe,'" I said to myself, which made me detest the feeling I'm harboring right now.
Well, maybe my heart is just racing on its own and not because of him. I kept on thinking until my thoughts were interrupted by a woman wearing a cream pencil skirt with a white shirt who greeted me, "Good morning, ma'am. My name is Elora. I will be your guide today, ma'am." I was deep in my thoughts; I didn't know when I stepped into the boutique.
A long, shining red halter-tight dress with an open bodice that was closed a little but with ties caught my attention. I went straight to take a look at it, and it was captivating and sexy.
"I will take this," I said to the lady.
"Okay, ma'am, I will get it packaged for you now," she said as she signaled someone to take the clothes, which they did.
A loud noise in the boutique caught my attention as a woman in her early to mid-twenties kept on shouting at one of the guides.
"I want to see every one of the brands that just arrived from Italy today," she said with a commanding tone.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the main dress has been bought," the guide said to her as she was shaking.
What the hell do you mean it has been bought? Do you even know who I am? I'm Astrid Whitmore. Does that name ring a bell in your head? She said to the guide as she kept on instilling fear in the poor guide, "My family is the second richest in the whole of this country. I get what I want when I want and how I want it. Now I would advise you to go to your superior and tell them to retrieve the brand back from the wretched person that bought it, or else I will bring down this boutique." She said as she flared furiously at the guide.
The guide had no other option than to scurry away to call her superior, who came running when they heard who was at the store again.
"Good day, ma'am," one of the men who followed the guide said with stiffness.
I want every single brand that just arrived from Italy now! She commanded while fiddling with her fingers.
"B-But it has been bought, ma'am, but the other brands are not yet bought," he said to her.
"I want everything, including the ones that have been bought," she said while glaring at the man.
The man gave a sign to one of his men as they came my way.
"Ma'am, we are sorry for the inconvenience, but we can't sell those brands to you," he said, hoping I won't object.
Third-person POV
One of the guards that escort me, knowing the situation won't go well since Astrid came into the boutique, went to the restroom and called Luciano to inform him about the situation in the boutique.
Alena's POV
"Of course you can take it," I said to the man in front of me, pleased that Luciano's plan to force me to buy those brands had failed.
"Thank you, ma'am," the man said as if he just won his own life back.
He turned to take his leave when everybody's attention turned to the boutique exit door.
"Luciano," Astrid called out as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Now if you know you don't want your boutique reputation to be destroyed all over this country, you know what to do," she said to the men who took the clothes. As she glared at me, happy she had already won with Luciano by her side, she was unstoppable.
"What the hell is happening here?" Luciano said in his dangerous yet commanding tone as his gaze shifted from the boutique managers to me and to Astrid.
Thinking Luciano was supporting her, which I wish he could, she said, "I came to buy the latest brands that just arrived from Italy and found out that thing already bought the dress,of which only three exist in the world," as she glared at me furiously.
"Luciano, do something. These people don't even know who my family or yours are; they are just disrespecting me," she said while pouting to make Luciano defend her for her.
"Luciano's glare cut through the managers, his fury evident.
"That lady over there came for the same dress Miss Astrid requested," the manager stammered, sweat trickling down his temple. "B-but don't worry, sir—it's already been taken care of."
"It has been settled," Luciano said as he went closer to the manager.
"Y-Yes, I-I-It has, sir," the manager stuttered.
"Package all the brands that came in yesterday now," he said to the man in front of him as he glared at him like a laser beam ready to shatter him into a million pieces.
The man hurried off while barking orders for his subordinates to start packing everything immediately
Astrid's lips curved in victory, only for the smile to falter as the truth of the moment dawned on her."
"Why is he coming closer? Can't he just act like I'm a stranger?" I fumed to myself as Luciano came closer to me, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body against mine, as he used his right hand to cup my face softly.
"What are you doing?" I said, muttered quietly but loud enough for him to hear me.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" he said as he cupped my face with his left hand, drawing the attention of every passerby and worker, Astrid among them, as confusion rippled through the crowd.
"I glanced at Astrid, her jaw clenched and eyes blazing, as if she could tear me apart right there."
"Do you know her?" Astrid asked with eyes hoping for a wrong answer.
"Yes, I do," Luc
iano answered without taking his eyes off me.
"She is my fiance," he said.