When Her Death Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel) novel Chapter 2008

“All right, all right, no need to say more,” the store owner cut in. “Let me take a look at the clothes first.”

He glanced at Eloise with open disdain. “Honestly, if it weren't for Ms. Smith, we wouldn't even bother accommodating a guest like you.”

Eloise felt more humiliated than ever before. She nodded quickly. “Right. Thanks. I appreciate it.”

She deeply regretted what had happened the day before. Why did I insist on competing with Cecilia for those clothes? Wouldn't it have been wiser to just let her buy them, especially something so expensive?

The store owner examined each piece carefully, then picked out a few. “Ms. Escobar, all of our clothes are custom-made. The fabrics and craftsmanship are top-tier. And as you probably know, luxury items like these are usually worn only once.”

He paused for a moment. “You wore these at home, didn't you?”

Eloise's face froze. She had worn them. The dresses were so expensive that she couldn't resist trying them on the moment she got home. She'd even taken photos and posted them to her social media.

“I didn't,” Eloise lied. “I'm planning to return them all. Why would I wear them?”

The store owner could tell she wasn't being honest. He pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, then held it up. “This is your post, right? Someone took a screenshot and shared it on Twitter. I happened to come across it today.”

Eloise's face turned ghost-white. She had nothing left to say.

The store owner sighed. “I was willing to take back the clothes. After all, Ms. Smith did mention the matter, and we wanted to show her some courtesy. But you shouldn't have shown them off on a public platform. These are exclusive pieces. You've already worn them and put them out there for everyone to see. If we take them back now, who's going to buy them? It would hurt our brand's reputation. We just can't take that risk.”

And if that was the case, then returning the clothes really wasn't an option.

Luxury fashion is usually limited edition, sometimes even one-of-a-kind. If the store accepted the return, its reputation would take a hit. And if they didn't resell the items, it would be a massive financial loss.

“In my opinion, Eloise had it coming. She's broke and still acts like she's better than everyone,” Charlotte said.

Cecilia couldn't help but comment. “She's had it easier than I ever since we were little. Now that I'm doing well, she's clearly jealous. But what really surprises me is how she still acts like she's on top, even when she's clearly broke.”

“Yeah,” Charlotte said. “There's no turning back for her now. I wonder what she's planning to do next.”