As soon as Clara saw her, the humiliation she passed through on her wedding day flowed through her mind. It was so bad and now, she had to see this bitch for a second time.
There was no way she was letting her go scot free.
"Is she the important customer you were talking about?" Ariel asked and the manager nervously nodded. "Wow, what a world we live in? So, even trash can book an entire shop."
Her comment immediately ignited a flame in Clara and she stumped towards her.
"You're doing it again. You're calling me trash? How dare you?"
"What? Can't I call trash trash? Or would you rather I call you dirt?"
"You... " Clara raised her hand, going for the first strike.
Seeing her raised hand, Ariel reminisced on the countless times she hit her in the past. The beloved daughter of the Albert family made it her routine to leave at least three bruises on her sister's body on a daily basis.
She grew scared of her and as if that fear was starting to haunt her once more, Ariel shuddered at the thought of being hit.
Luckily, White stopped Clara's hand.
"How dare you stop me?" Clara barked and Ariel regained herself.
'I can't believe I got scared just now.' She shoved her fingers through her hair. "I'm so pissed."
"You, pissed? I should be the one pissed. I'm going to get you for all that you did." She turned to the girls behind her. "Get her for me."
The girls rushed towards Ariel who suddenly started laughing, causing them to halt.
"Haha, you can't fight your own battle so you ask your minions to do it for you? How pitiful?"
"If you're so bold, order him to let me go." Clara spat out hatefully.
"Why? I'm not the one who ordered him to stop you though." She took a step towards her. "He had to do it because my sweet hubby couldn't stand to let me get hurt by insects."
Clara's head flared and she raised her other hand. This time, Ariel caught her hand and flung her aside, White let go at that same moment and she landed on the floor.
"Hm, it seems that one hospital visit didn't cut out for ya. I guess you'll be visiting again but sorry, I didn't carry any cash with me today." Ariel mocked and stepped closer. "By the way, weren't you in your honeymoon faze? What are you doing out here with your minions? Did your husband leave you to spend time with some side chick?" She asked and laughed really hard.
But that laughter soon subsided and she glared down at Clara.
"I guess trash and trash really do belong together." She stared and laughed once more. "Let's go, White. I need to wash my eyes of this pitiful thing." She laughed as they walked away.
Clara, fueled by anger, couldn't control her breathing and she screamed.
"That bitch!" She yelled and Ariel turned around to face her while walking backwards.
"That's right, I'm a bitch." She shoved her hands in her coat pocket. "But you can't win against this bitch. Deal with it." She took out her hands from her coat pocket and showed her middle fingers. "Keep this." She laughed and turned to continue walking.
Clara watched her as she left and her blood kept boiling.
"That crazy bitch. I hate her so much. Who is she?" She screamed.
"Don't worry Clara." One of her friends said. "I recorded everything. We can upload this to the internet and ruin her image."
"Good. Very good. Let's see how long she can keep her head high when the whole world starts scorning her."
The manager, wanting to get on Raymond Stein's good book, reported this to him.
"Alright, you did a good thing." He said. "Keep me updated on the rumors that come in and out of your boutique."
"Yes sir. I will do a good job."
"Sure you will." With that, he cut the call. Raymond did not act on the video that was later released.
He saw it as a good thing. Ariel's name as a tyrant would spread even further and he didn't even have to do anything.
"Should I recommend her to being an actress once all this is done?" He wondered and paused. He wanted to watch the video but that would have to wait till he finished his business.
Raymond got back from his business trip and found Ariel in the living room watching the video from the boutique accident on a tablet.
"Wow, I was so good here." She commended herself.
"How many times has she watched it?" He asked and White, who welcomed him at the door, answered,
"Six times yesterday and two times today."
"Is she so obsessed with herself?" Raymond muttered.
"I believe she enjoyed the parts where she rendered her opponent speechless." White responded and Raymond nodded.
Ariel was so engrossed watching the video that she did not realize Raymond had returned and was standing behind her, watching it together with her.
She started playing the video again and got to the part where she froze up because she remembered bad things.
"I can't believe I got scared." She muttered.
"It didn't show." Raymond said, startling her and she immediately turned to see him.
"You... You're back." She said, trying to arrange herself. She was so startled that her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Raymond simply looked at her with his hands folded and she felt uncomfortable.
'Do I look weird?' She wondered.
'This is the real Ariel.' Raymond thought to himself.
Sometimes, seeing Ariel act the way he told her to, he almost fails to recognize which is actually her.
'I shouldn't confuse myself with useless things.' He massaged his nose bridge. For some reason, unnecessary and little things seem to be worrying him.
'Really, did I do something wrong?' Ariel couldn't keep her gaze on him and she couldn't help but worry as his silence was becoming frightening.
"Ariel," he began and she looked up. "... scars don't heal just because we want them to."
"Scars don't... " She quickly caught on to what he meant and looked at the tablet. She nodded.
"Keep that in mind."
"Yes, sir." She said in a low voice and lowered her head.
He walked towards her, patted her hair and asked,
"Now, have you had dinner yet?"