The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1596

There was a pause as she quietly pulled a few more bills from her wallet, slowly stacking them together until she had exactly a thousand.

“Three hundred isn’t enough? Surely this will do?”

Pandora tilted her chin up, coolly sizing Shirley up from head to toe. She could tell — Shirley’s entire outfit probably didn’t even cost three hundred.

“Your pastry was worth, what, a hundred at best? I’m paying you ten times that. What more are you after?”

The heavily made-up girl stepped forward, her lipstick a bright slash across her face, voice dripping with mockery. “Everyone knows what you’re like. You pinch pennies so hard you make them squeal. You probably turn one meal into two just to save money. A thousand bucks could feed you for two months, so who are you trying to impress with this holier-than-thou act?”

Pandora didn’t move, just held her pose and watched Shirley’s face, clearly amused by the whole thing.

The girl wasn’t done. She folded her arms and raised her voice. “Do you even know who you’re talking to? See those shoes? Do you know how much they cost? Pandora could’ve charged you for damages, but she didn’t. That’s what generosity looks like. So learn your place, and don’t pick fights with people out of your league. Got it?”

Her warning was sharp, the meaning clear.

Shirley just listened, silent, letting every sneer and insult roll right over her. She understood exactly what they meant.

Know your place. Stay away from Andrew.

Without a word, Shirley dropped the squashed pastry into a nearby trash can, then picked up the stack of cash.

She looked up at the two of them. Her voice was chilly, almost amused. “Wow, a thousand dollars. How terrifying.”

That wiped the smug looks off both their faces. Pandora’s smile faded. Her friend stared, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

Wasn’t Shirley supposed to be timid, the kind who’d never talk back?

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The girl’s tone was suddenly hard, her eyes glaring holes through Shirley.

Shirley glanced at Pandora, her words slow and icy. “A designer bag worth what, hundreds of thousands? Jewelry that probably costs more than my rent... sure, you’re really loaded. What a pity, though...”

Pandora glared, suddenly wary. “What are you getting at?”

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