hapter 23
Stephanie lounged in a high–end jewelry store, casually flipping through destay, as if time dufer mater
The saleswoman’s eyes darted in the designer bags weathered around her–each one from the user reclusive brands in the
mall
It didn’t take long for the woman to realize that Stephwie was no ormary shopper.
Her anitude alñted from pedite to overly sweet in an instant
Clearing her throat, she approached Stephanie. “Miss Giovanni, this piece just came in today. It’s the only one like it in Leng Harbor Would you like to try it on?”
Stephanie waved her hand dismissively. “Just pack it up”
The saleswoman practically beamed, eager to please. “Of course. And what about this one?
Stephanie barely looked up before lazily pointing. “Alright, that one, this one, and that one. Pack them all up too.
Each piece she pointed to was one of the priciest items in the store.
The saleswoman’s jaw nearly dropped, but she kept smiling. “Got it, Miss Giovanni. Anything else? I’ll wrap it all up for you.”
It was clear that Stephanie was about to drain the store’s entire inventory.
Two hours later, her total came to a jaw–dropping five million–mostly spent on jewelry and skincare products.
Just after her transaction, her credit card was frozen.
Chris called over, through someone else’s phone. When Stephanie picked up, his voice came through clear and sharp. “Are you shopping?”
“Yeah. Did you freeze my card?” Stephanie answered coolly, as if she didn’t care in the slightest.
Chris froze, his expression hardening.
Chris ground his teeth, struggling to stay calm. He knew if he didn’t freeze her card, she wouldn’t stop shopping.
“Do you have any idea how much you’ve spent?” His voice was tight, barely steady.
Stephanie shrugged, her tone light. “I haven’t really bought that much. How much did I spend?”
Technically, she wasn’t lying. She honestly didn’t think she’d bought that much.
But hearing her say it pushed Chris to the brink.
Hadn’t bought much? She’d spent over five million!
Chris let out a bitter laugh, his voice sharp with rage. “So if you didn’t buy much, how much would you spend? A billion?”
Stephanie’s response was shockingly nonchalant. “Do you think I’m spending too much? You said this was compensation for me. Now it seems like you’re not being very sincere.”
“Compensation?” Chris froze, taken aback.
Stephanie kept her voice sweet and innocent, like a child explaining why she broke something. “Isn’t it? You and I had a big fight, and I thought you felt guilty. I thought this card was your way of making it up to me.”
1/3
09:24 Mon, 3 Mar
Chapter 24
Chric head spun, his temper faring
A big high In his mind, she was the one who started all the drams
He snapped hack, his voice low hot seeding. “Are you serious Compensation? I go you rated as yet conabter the wedding”
stephane didn’t even hesitate with her response. “Wedding? Nia a char
Chris eyes widened in disbelief. “Then why are you spending my money?
Stephanie pouted, a teasing smile tugging in her lips. T’ve been your fanche for two years, and today’s the first time Eye spent your money. Now I regret not spending more
She wasn’t the type to just sit around. If she could make up for what the’d been missing out on for the past two years, she was going to do it and using Chris money seemed like the perfect solution.
Even though she hadn’t explicitly asked for it, now that Chris had given her the card, she thought, Why not enjoy at Why hold back! If she didn’t splurge a line, she’d be cheating herself.
Seeing Chris at a loss for words, his frustration palpable, she casually asked, “So, are you going to unblock the card or not?”
Chris, seething with frustration, felt his anger hit a boiling point.
He had called her to argue, but now she was nonchalantly asking about her card, as if she hadn’t just spent five million in two hours.
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Chris snapped, his voice low and sharp.
Stephanie chuckled lightly, the sound almost too sweet. “Why would I? That’s how you see me as a person? I just haven’t been this extravagant in a while. Can’t help myself.”
Chris scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “You talk like you’ve ever been extravagant before.”
He knew full well Stephanie hadn’t grown up surrounded by luxury, that this kind of lifestyle wasn’t one she was used to.
After a moment of silence, Chris gave up arguing. “Fine, let’s call this five million your compensation. Now that you’ve got it, it’s time to think about us–and about Allison.”
Without waiting for a response, he hung up.
As he set the phone down, a small, spiteful hope lingered in his mind. ‘If she’s experienced this kind of luxury today, she’ll definitely try to get me to unlock her card by agreeing to compromise.
Now, he just had to wait.
Stephanie walked into the office, arms full of shopping bags.
A few minutes later, several carts wheeled into the room, each one overflowing with high–end products…
Jennifer’s eyes nearly popped out. “Is it raining dollar bills today?”
Stephanie casually rolled one of the carts, loaded with luxury skincare sets, over to Jennifer. “This is for everyone. Consider it a little bonus.”
Jennifer stared at the carts, her jaw dropped.
2/3
Mon, 3 Mar
Chapter 23
Each of these skincare sets was worth thousands of dollars this wasn’t just a bomers, it was an absurdly generous one
Is this real Jennifer stuttered, almost too stunned to speak
Stephanie laughed at Jennifer’s reaction. She shrugged, unfazed. “Everyone gets one
The rest of the team froze, staring at the mountain of goods.
They had started as a small studio, but now, their employee benefits were more than a little over–the–top.
“Thank you, boss!” Jennifer shouted, her voice a mix of admiration and sympathy. There was a hint of pity in her voice now, seeing how effortlessly Stephanie spent money like it was nothing.
With twenty people in the studio, handing out these sets to everyone was no small expense.
But when Jennifer looked back at Stephanie’s face, she saw no sign of hesitation or discomfort.
Stephanie looked completely
hapter 23
Stephanie lounged in a high–end jewelry store, casually flipping through destay, as if time dufer mater
The saleswoman’s eyes darted in the designer bags weathered around her–each one from the user reclusive brands in the
mall
It didn’t take long for the woman to realize that Stephwie was no ormary shopper.
Her anitude alñted from pedite to overly sweet in an instant
Clearing her throat, she approached Stephanie. “Miss Giovanni, this piece just came in today. It’s the only one like it in Leng Harbor Would you like to try it on?”
Stephanie waved her hand dismissively. “Just pack it up”
The saleswoman practically beamed, eager to please. “Of course. And what about this one?
Stephanie barely looked up before lazily pointing. “Alright, that one, this one, and that one. Pack them all up too.
Each piece she pointed to was one of the priciest items in the store.
The saleswoman’s jaw nearly dropped, but she kept smiling. “Got it, Miss Giovanni. Anything else? I’ll wrap it all up for you.”
It was clear that Stephanie was about to drain the store’s entire inventory.
Two hours later, her total came to a jaw–dropping five million–mostly spent on jewelry and skincare products.
Just after her transaction, her credit card was frozen.
Chris called over, through someone else’s phone. When Stephanie picked up, his voice came through clear and sharp. “Are you shopping?”
“Yeah. Did you freeze my card?” Stephanie answered coolly, as if she didn’t care in the slightest.
Chris froze, his expression hardening.
Chris ground his teeth, struggling to stay calm. He knew if he didn’t freeze her card, she wouldn’t stop shopping.
“Do you have any idea how much you’ve spent?” His voice was tight, barely steady.
Stephanie shrugged, her tone light. “I haven’t really bought that much. How much did I spend?”
Technically, she wasn’t lying. She honestly didn’t think she’d bought that much.
But hearing her say it pushed Chris to the brink.
Hadn’t bought much? She’d spent over five million!
Chris let out a bitter laugh, his voice sharp with rage. “So if you didn’t buy much, how much would you spend? A billion?”
Stephanie’s response was shockingly nonchalant. “Do you think I’m spending too much? You said this was compensation for me. Now it seems like you’re not being very sincere.”
“Compensation?” Chris froze, taken aback.
Stephanie kept her voice sweet and innocent, like a child explaining why she broke something. “Isn’t it? You and I had a big fight, and I thought you felt guilty. I thought this card was your way of making it up to me.”
1/3
09:24 Mon, 3 Mar
Chapter 24
Chric head spun, his temper faring
A big high In his mind, she was the one who started all the drams
He snapped hack, his voice low hot seeding. “Are you serious Compensation? I go you rated as yet conabter the wedding”
stephane didn’t even hesitate with her response. “Wedding? Nia a char
Chris eyes widened in disbelief. “Then why are you spending my money?
Stephanie pouted, a teasing smile tugging in her lips. T’ve been your fanche for two years, and today’s the first time Eye spent your money. Now I regret not spending more
She wasn’t the type to just sit around. If she could make up for what the’d been missing out on for the past two years, she was going to do it and using Chris money seemed like the perfect solution.
Even though she hadn’t explicitly asked for it, now that Chris had given her the card, she thought, Why not enjoy at Why hold back! If she didn’t splurge a line, she’d be cheating herself.
Seeing Chris at a loss for words, his frustration palpable, she casually asked, “So, are you going to unblock the card or not?”
Chris, seething with frustration, felt his anger hit a boiling point.
He had called her to argue, but now she was nonchalantly asking about her card, as if she hadn’t just spent five million in two hours.
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Chris snapped, his voice low and sharp.
Stephanie chuckled lightly, the sound almost too sweet. “Why would I? That’s how you see me as a person? I just haven’t been this extravagant in a while. Can’t help myself.”
Chris scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “You talk like you’ve ever been extravagant before.”
He knew full well Stephanie hadn’t grown up surrounded by luxury, that this kind of lifestyle wasn’t one she was used to.
After a moment of silence, Chris gave up arguing. “Fine, let’s call this five million your compensation. Now that you’ve got it, it’s time to think about us–and about Allison.”
Without waiting for a response, he hung up.
As he set the phone down, a small, spiteful hope lingered in his mind. ‘If she’s experienced this kind of luxury today, she’ll definitely try to get me to unlock her card by agreeing to compromise.
Now, he just had to wait.
Stephanie walked into the office, arms full of shopping bags.
A few minutes later, several carts wheeled into the room, each one overflowing with high–end products…
Jennifer’s eyes nearly popped out. “Is it raining dollar bills today?”
Stephanie casually rolled one of the carts, loaded with luxury skincare sets, over to Jennifer. “This is for everyone. Consider it a little bonus.”
Jennifer stared at the carts, her jaw dropped.
2/3
Mon, 3 Mar
Chapter 23
Each of these skincare sets was worth thousands of dollars this wasn’t just a bomers, it was an absurdly generous one
Is this real Jennifer stuttered, almost too stunned to speak
Stephanie laughed at Jennifer’s reaction. She shrugged, unfazed. “Everyone gets one
The rest of the team froze, staring at the mountain of goods.
They had started as a small studio, bt now, their employee benefits were more than a little over–the–top.
“Thank you, boss!” Jennifer shouted, her voice a mix of admiration and sympathy. There was a hint of pity in her voice now, seeing how effortlessly Stephanie spent money like it was nothing.
With twenty people in the studio, handing out these sets to everyone was no small expense.
But when Jennifer looked back at Stephanie’s face, she saw no sign of hesitation or discomfort.
Stephanie looked completely unfazed, as if dropping this much cash was just another Tuesday for her.
Back in her office, Stephanie sank into the sofa, letting out a relaxed sigh as she enjoyed the rare quiet moment.
Her phone suddenly rang, flashing an international number.
There was no name, but the number itself made her stomach tighten. She recognized it instantly.
3/3
unfazed, as if dropping this much cash was just another Tuesday for her.
Back in her office, Stephanie sank into the sofa, letting out a relaxed sigh as she enjoyed the rare quiet moment.
Her phone suddenly rang, flashing an international number.
There was no name, but the number itself made her stomach tighten. She recognized it instantly.
3/3
