Cayden immediately barked out orders. “I want to see your manager.”
One of the shopping assistants then scurried into the office to fetch the manager.
Very quickly, a man hurried out from the office.
Upon seeing Cayden there, the manager recoiled in shock before humbly asking, “Mr. Moore, what brings you to our tiny establishment? If there's anything you need, I'll have it sent for immediately.”
Cayden said nothing in return. Immediately, he opened his leather wallet, where an assortment of gold cards was kept.
Cayden randomly fished one out and handed it to the manager. “Good. I want everything you have.”
Cecelia's eyes twitched as she wished she could give Cayden a round of applause.
Dang. The boss is so cool!
His overwhelming generosity and desire to protect the weak is one thing, but he's utterly merciless in dealing with this arrogant bully!
“Well, this is simply delightful. Everything here is yours to do with as you see fit!” said the manager happily, his eyes wide with excitement.
Immediately, the manager disappeared with the card to handle the final transaction.
The shopping assistants were rendered speechless.
Nicole merely stood in one corner, seething. Why does Avery deserve Cayden's adoration?
On the one hand, she was extremely jealous. On the other hand, Nicole was also determined to marry Cayden. After all, such a rich and handsome man was hard to come by.
However, Maria had enough of this situation.
Although Cayden was handsome and appeared rich and powerful, he was clearly biased toward the woman Maria despised. Whatever initial affection she had for him just went out the window.
“Hey, I don't care who you are, but you should mind your own business! This woman possibly stole a necklace of mine! Are you trying to protect a thief? My diamond necklace was custom-made! It's worth a fortune!” hissed Maria.
She had not been home in many years. As such, her social circle consisted of other rich socialites, most of whom were not among the upper echelons of high society. Naturally, she did not know how rich Cayden was or who he was. She was the type not even to bother reading financial news.
She assumed Cayden was merely a good-looking man who appeared to have money.
Holding back her anger, Maria pointed right at Avery, saying, “Regardless, I want to conduct a search! If she's innocent, why would she object to this?”
“What if your necklace isn't with me?” asked Avery, her face showing nothing but calmness. She had a clear conscience.
“Then I'll apologize publicly and pay you for the mental aggravation I've caused!” retorted Maria confidently.
“Okay. Search me then.” Avery nonchalantly extended her arms, daring the other woman to approach her.
Maria smiled gleefully and came forward, wanting to reach into Avery's pockets.
However, Cayden's large hand caught hold of Maria's wrist, tightening his grip as a warning. “Hang on. Who permitted you to conduct a search?”
The staff looked at each other and shrunk back, not daring to say a word.
Anyone who could afford to spend money here was undoubtedly the wealthy elites. They were not people who could be so easily offended. As such, the staff could only stand back and watch, their eyes wide as saucers.
A trace of impatient coldness flashed in Cayden's eyes, which made Maria tremble. However, she managed to put on a brave front, saying, “Sir, please unhand me, or I will call the police! We'll let the police deal with this!”
After saying this, Maria pulled out her phone with her free hand, intending to call emergency services.
However, Cayden snatched away her phone and hurled it violently to the ground.
Cayden was so strong that Maria's phone was shattered to bits upon impact. Maria watched helplessly as her brand-new phone landed on the ground. She stared with her mouth hanging wide, unable to fathom what had just happened. Who is this brute? What happened to the gentle, soft-spoken man from earlier?
“How much did that phone cost? I'll reimburse you. However, nobody touches my partner! I dare you to lay a single finger on her!” said Cayden ruthlessly.
Maria was so startled that she dared not make any sudden movements.
Cayden then ushered Avery toward the exit. Before leaving, he turned to Cecelia and said, “I'll leave the rest to you.”
Cecilia hurriedly nodded. “I appreciate your trust in me, Mr. Moore. I'll have this sorted out before you know it.”
Cecelia could not believe her luck. Cayden now remembered who she was and treated her like his right-hand man. This made Cecelia feel very honored.
As it turned out, Avery was her lucky star after all. As long as Avery was around, Cecelia's status was elevated. She soon started daydreaming about the day she could match up to Xavier Dartsley in terms of importance.
Avery followed Cayden outside, her fingers held in Cayden's hand. His grasp was warm, which made her feel very safe. She sighed in relief shortly after. Avery never realized that a simple shopping trip could turn out to be so dramatic. All she wanted to do was buy a dress!
The whole situation was a whirlwind that happened too abruptly.
“Cayden, you bought so many expensive things. I don't think it's worth all the trouble,” whined Avery. Such extravagant spending made her feel quite uncomfortable.
As Avery let herself be shuffled toward the exit, she noticed that he had gone quiet. “I think I...”
Cayden noticed that Avery was wearing heels, so he slowed down his tempo. A slight frown could be seen on his handsome face as he said, “You needn't think such things for my sake. That was merely chump change.”
“Okay. I won't speak of it anymore.” Avery was well aware of Cayden's disposition and his wealth.
What he could spend with a snap of his fingers was not something Avery could ever dream of having, even if she worked for an entire lifetime. To Cayden, however, this was like a drop in the ocean.
“We have a banquet to attend tonight. Old Mr. Lambert is turning seventy. There will be many dignitaries present, but you needn't worry. Just stick close to me,” said Cayden while gently caressing Avery's long locks.
“Old Mr. Lambert? Wasn't he the one who had very high demands over the design?” asked Avery.
“That's right. However, don't you worry,” said Cayden soothingly. “Old Mr. Lambert may seem quite uptight and serious, but he's a just man. He's not going to make trouble for you when I'm around.”
Avery nodded and tightened her grip on his arm.
With Cayden by her side, she truly had nothing to fear.
Back in the store, Maria glanced angrily at her shattered phone, now rendered completely useless. This did nothing to keep her rage from boiling over as she yelled, “Who the heck was that uncouth man?”
Nicole noticed Maria's frazzled expression and pondered over how silly this woman could be. She haughtily walked past Maria, and left the premises.
In a rage, Maria stamped her foot and sat down on the floor, stubbornly refusing to leave. “I lost a necklace in your shop today, and I will have an answer. Otherwise, I'm not leaving!”
What she lost wasn't a trinket but a priceless necklace worth millions.
If it was missing, she was going to get a very sound scolding when she got home.
Cecelia gave Maria a pointed look. With a sigh, she signaled to the staff to alert security. Very soon, Maria and her companions were hauled out of the store.
The whole situation was a whirlwind that happened too abruptly.
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