Ariana shifted uncomfortably, hesitant to make the purchase, although she had wanted to punish Charles by spending a large sum on a gift.
After hearing the price, she felt she had gone a little too far.
Ariana was about to ask the staff to present some cheaper ones when giggles filled the store alongside clicking heels.
She turned in the direction of the doorway and was met with the sight of Sarah.
Next to her, her group of equally elite ladies in the city, they all clung miserably to Dalia just to get closer to Charles which resulted in their likewise disdain for Ariana.
In their eyes, Ariana was a greedy lowly mistress who stole Sarah's position.
Wanting to avoid any drama, Ariana tapped on Dalia to turn away but Sarah caught a glimpse of her wheelchair.
She hastily approached her and frowned. "Ariana Cole, what are you doing here?"
Dalia scowled at Sarah but held her tongue seeing Ariana smile lightly.
Ariana gently spoke, her hazel eyes fluttered with a tinge of boredom. "Shopping just like you."
Today, Ariana was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants with some white sneakers.
Her blonde hair was tied up in a tight ponytail and although she had no makeup on, she was flawlessly beautiful even in a wheelchair, she radiated an imposing aura which made Sarah more jealous.
Sarah June turned to her minions and folded her hands underneath her breasts confidently.
"I told you our dear Ariana has such exquisite taste, she just lacks the beauty to get a man of her own."
Her scornful words reached Ariana's ears but she didn't bat an eyelid, shrugging lazily, she turned to the attendant but was once again interrupted by Sarah's sickly sweet voice.
"Isn't that the newly released Qing Dynasty vase, I heard it's one of a kind and quite expensive."
"Char Char informed me he cut off all allowances to unnecessary budgets, how do you plan to afford it?" Sarah June asked, indirectly jabbing Ariana.
Seeing the opportunity to berate her, Sarah June's friends equally hurled violent jabs at Ariana.
"I heard you have to have a black card to purchase that."
"Does the cripple even have that much money?"
"No wonder she struggled so hard to take the Madam title from Senior Sarah."
Ariana turned to Dalia and calmly said. "Let's leave. We'll get a gift some other time."
Seeing this, Sarah's hostile face softened like a delicate white lotus. "Don't be too ashamed, you can tell me if you need some money to purchase it, I'm sure you didn't know it'd cost so much."
The staff members also joined in, whispering loud enough for their mocking words to reach Ariana.
"She doesn't even have enough money to purchase it and she asked to look."
"Was she planning to steal the jewelry?"
"She is such a disgrace to the Coles, Sister Sarah June is a better suit for the president's wife."
"She purchased so much jewelry with President Cole and didn't even swipe her card more than once yesterday."
"How do you expect a country bumpkin to know about expensive flower vases?"
Dalia frowned, feeling infuriated, she snapped. "Shut your useless mouths! Madam will purchase the vase, who told you she didn't want it?"
"We thought your store would have something better and more exquisite like the Chinese Jiqingyouyu Reticulated Vase but you just have this cheaper replacement."
Sarah's minions and the store's employees went silent feeling both embarrassed and amazed by Dalia's vast knowledge of flower vases.
Sarah June pondered for a while, and quickly added "I'm sure Ariana's maid is just trying to help her safe face, it's fine, my offer to help you with the pay still stands."
The retreating crowd found their feet on Sarah's side and began bickering again for Ariana's purchase.
The attendant clicked her tongue noisily and joined in. "Madam if what they're saying isn't true then can I have your card now?"
Ariana glanced up at Dalia's pleading eyes and a subtle mischievous smile played on her lips.
"I can see Sarah June has more interest, I'll be a good sister and let her go first."
Sarah June backed away in a daze, she hadn't expected Ariana to shift the table so fast.
She couldn't even purchase the flower vase since Charles refused to get her a black card stating it was too difficult to find and she had a bad spending habit.
Sarah fumbled for words and hastily croaked out. "I'd love to help out but I forgot my black card at home. If you do not have the money, go home now. We'll come back some other time and Charles will help out."
The biased crowd who knew of Sarah's shopping habit and nothing of Arianas believed the lie fawning over Sarah once again.
Ariana smirked lightly, she would've walked away from the situation but not wanting to disappoint Dalia.
Her long fair fingers pulled out a black card and handed it to the shocked attendant who swiped expecting it to decline for being fake.
Everybody's expression changed drastically as the machine printed out a long receipt verifying the transaction was successful.
Sarah June stared at her in disbelief, where could this bumpkin get her hands on a black card when Charles wouldn't even let her touch his own?
The shocked attendant quickly composed herself and packed up the order for Ariana placing it into a beautiful gift box.
She bowed her head respectfully, regretting her behavior now. She stammered "Thanks for purchasing from our store. Do you need any help with it, ma'am?"
Dalia flashed the mocking group who were still shocked with a victorious smile and pushed Ariana's wheelchair away after collecting the gift box and handing it to her, ignoring the fake attendant.
"Sarah I thought you said she didn't have any money?" A red-haired lady in Sarah's group whispered nervously, feeling embarrassed under the staff's haughty gaze.
The staff member hissed at the pathetic-looking ladies, most of them only visited the store to take pictures and pose with expensive vases and hardly ever bought any.
Sarah June who purchased occasionally was only due to Charles' involvement and Ariana had easily purchased a 30 million dollar vase as though it was a gift wrapper and she did it without the president's presence.
Feeling wronged, the staff murmured heartily and loudly.
"A spoiled mistress will always be different from a wife."
"Shameless bunch."
Sarah June's eyes filled with envy watching Ariana's retreating back, she turned to the group and forced a smile. "I'm sure she stole Char's black card.
"Come let's leave, I'll treat you to a meal."