Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 522

As soon as Kayla and Ashley entered the Hermes boutique, they sprang into action, following their plan to pick out their favorite bags. They had their bodyguards take their selections to the car right away.

"Sis, Lucinda, we've made our choices. You two take your time. There's a café nearby, so Ashley and I are going to grab a coffee," Kayla announced.

Janice remained silent.

Lucinda smiled and replied, "Kayla, you and Ashley go ahead. Mom and I will browse a bit longer."

"Okay," Kayla said, pulling Ashley along as they left.

Once they were gone, Lucinda turned to the store manager with a flourish. "Wrap up all the bags in the store for me. I'll take them all!"

"Certainly!"

When it was time for Lucinda to pay, the manager mentioned, "Miss Lucinda, Kayla and Ashley's bags haven't been paid for yet. They said you'd handle it."

Lucinda's eyes sparkled as she replied, "I never agreed to pay for theirs."

"But they're not here now, Miss Lucinda. Perhaps you could cover it, and then they can reimburse you later?"

Hearing this, Janice understood what was happening. Her two sisters-in-law were envious that the family matriarch had given Lucy a black card. When Lucy refused to buy their dresses at the boutique, they resorted to this scheme, trying to force Lucinda into paying for them.

"I've seen shameless before, but this is a new low," Janice thought. "They aren't short on money, yet they stoop to such disgraceful antics."

Janice spoke up. "Our family finances are separate. There's no reason for a niece to pay her aunts' bills. Just keep a tab and we'll ensure they settle it."

Lucinda, as a niece, shouldn't have to deal with the fallout of refusing to pay, but Janice had no such concerns. As the eldest sister-in-law, everyone in Skywatch knew how Kayla and Ashley had disrespected her in the past. When she was going through tough times, they hadn't hesitated to take advantage of her. If she refused to pay for her sisters-in-law, no one would fault her.

Janice took the black card from Lucinda and handed it to the manager. "Charge it," she instructed.

The manager, seeing no opportunity to exploit Lucinda, took the card respectfully.

After the transaction, the manager quickly prepared the two ladies' bills and handed them to Janice to take back.

The store manager and staff then escorted the mother and daughter out with the utmost respect.

As they walked away, the manager sighed, "The winds at the Blue family seem to be shifting."

Lucinda's return brought Janice, the family matriarch, back into prominence, and she remained the most esteemed lady in all of Skywatch.

Kayla and Ashley's carefully constructed status, built over twenty years, was unraveling with Lucinda's return.

Lucinda and Janice found the two ladies at the café.

"Sis, Lucy," Kayla greeted them warmly. "Come, have a seat and a bite. We can shop more later."

Thinking her plan had succeeded, Kayla was in high spirits. She had picked out bags worth a small fortune, thinking she had scored a win over the matriarch.

As Lucinda and her mother sat down, they both declined coffee, opting for warm water instead, so as not to disrupt their afternoon rest.

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