Emma barely caught the words before the car came to an abrupt stop in front of a grand, lavish store. Startled, she leaned forward, her eyes widening as she took in the building's opulent design. "What is this place? Didn't you say we were going to try on our wedding dress?"
"This is it," Leon replied casually, stepping out of the car. Rounding the vehicle, he opened her door with practiced ease. "Let's go."
Emma stepped out, her gaze still fixed on the stunning shop. She couldn't help but marvel aloud, "I never thought a place like this existed…"
Leon's lips curved slightly at her reaction. "Go on in. I need to have a quick word with the valet," he said, nodding toward the uniformed valet attendant waiting nearby.
Emma walked into the shop, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. The glittering chandeliers and polished marble floors felt like something straight out of a fairytale, and for a moment, she forgot where she was.
Caught up in the magic of the place, she didn't notice someone walking straight toward her until it was too late. She stumbled back after bumping shoulders with a woman. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Emma said, flustered, bowing her head slightly.
The woman turned, looking her up and down with a sharp, disdainful gaze that could slice glass. She huffed and clung tighter to the arm of the man beside her, as if Emma's mere presence offended her. "Unbelievable," the woman muttered loud enough for Emma to hear. "We should go somewhere else. I didn't think a place like this would let just anyone walk in." She made a show of brushing her shoulder as if Emma had left dirt behind.
Emma blinked at the absurd display, fighting back a laugh. "Wow," she muttered under her breath. Then, tilting her head with a faint smile, she stepped forward. "Excuse me, Miss… but I'm curious. What kind of person do you think belongs here?"
The woman paused, her lips curling into a smirk as her gaze swept over Emma's casual t-shirt and jeans. "Absolutely not you," she said, raising an eyebrow, her tone dripping with condescension.
Emma's smile grew, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Interesting."
The woman looked Emma up and down with disdain. "Really? You think you can just stroll in here in a t-shirt and jeans?"
Emma raised an eyebrow, casually glancing down at her outfit. "What's the issue? I'm just here to try on a wedding dress, not to host a fashion show."
The woman scoffed, stepping closer. "Oh, sweetheart, this isn't some cheap store where you can just pick up a dress. This is for real people, not wannabes."
Emma shrugged, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Ah, I see. So, a high price tag makes you 'real'?" She let out a small laugh. "Good to know. I'll make sure to wear my most expensive rags next time."
The woman's eyes narrowed with growing anger. "You're a joke. People like you—low-class people—should stay out of places like this."
Emma tilted her head, her tone turning sharper. "Oh, I get it. You think you can buy respect with your designer clothes and your 'real' status, right? Tell me, does your wealth make you feel superior, or is it just your lack of self-esteem?"
The woman's face turned red with anger. "You don't know who you're talking to, do you?"
Emma smirked, her voice full of sarcasm. "Oh, I think I've got it figured out. You care more about labels than real value, huh? Got it." She leaned in a little closer, smiling. "But, you know what? Even with diamonds all over you, your cheap attitude still shows through."
The woman's humiliation reached a boiling point. Without a word, she slapped Emma sharply across the face. The room fell into stunned silence.
Just as the woman took a step back, ready for another jab, Emma glared and said, "One slap is enough to ruin you, girl. Hit me with another, and will your whole family be destroyed?"
The woman burst into laughter as she glanced at her fiancé. "Baby... she said she'll ruin my family." Then she turned her gaze back to Emma, her expression shifting. "Who do you think you are? I am Isabella Caldwell. Do you know who you're talking to? I don't think anyone dares to threaten me and get away with it."
Emma's hand gently touched her reddened cheek, feeling the sting but refusing to back down. She met Isabella's icy glare with one of her own. "Isabella Caldwell?" Emma repeated with a raised eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "I don't care what name you go by. You're still just a woman who thinks slapping others will make her better."
Isabella's eyes narrowed, her face flushing with further anger. "You—" She started, her voice trembling with fury.
Before she could say anything else, the sound of footsteps interrupted the tension in the air. Leon's voice rang out, sharp and unmistakable. "What's going on here?"
Isabella immediately froze, her gaze snapping to Leon. His tall frame filled the doorway, cutting off the light from the hall and exuding an aura that silenced the room.
Her fiancé, recognizing Leon instantly, took a step back, his confidence crumbling under Leon's cool and intimidating presence.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Leon Gray," Isabella began, her voice trembling as she struggled to maintain composure. "But this woman—" she gestured at Emma with an accusatory finger, "came out of nowhere, trying to slip into Château d'Amour Bridal. Who knows… she might even be here to steal something?" The word "steal" hung in the air, her tone hesitant as though testing the waters.
"Steal?" Leon's voice dropped a note, his sharp gaze locking onto Isabella. "Are you saying… She looks like someone who would steal?" A cold snicker followed his words, the faint edge of amusement doing little to mask the growing tension in his voice. His blood was beginning to simmer, though his expression remained composed.
Before Leon could say more, Emma turned to him quickly, pouting. "Baby..." she whined, stomping her foot loudly on the polished floor. She walked up to him, her face a mix of playful annoyance and mock hurt. "She slapped me," she said, sticking out her lips in an exaggerated way that, to Leon, looked unexpectedly cute.
Leon blinked, momentarily caught off guard, before a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Emma's over-the-top act was undeniably cringeworthy, but the playful glint in her eyes made it hard to look away.
He let out a slow breath, straightening his posture before turning to the couple. His voice dropped, sharp and commanding. "Who dared to slap my girl?!"