Joanne was about to leave the store when Sophia grabbed her wrist, pulling her back with a smirk.
"You can pretend all you want, but we both know you married that cripple out of desperation," Sophia sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "How does it feel to go from almost being Mrs. Monroe to being a caretaker for a man in a wheelchair?"
Joanne's blood boiled, but she refused to let Sophia get a reaction out of her.
Jason, standing beside Sophia, shifted uncomfortably. "Sophia, that's enough."
"Oh, don't pretend to care now," Joanne snapped at him before turning back to her half-sister. "You can say whatever you want, but the truth is, I still ended up in a better position than you."
Sophia scoffed. "Better? You're married to a disabled man."
Joanne smirked. "And yet, with all your scheming, you're still beneath me."
Sophia's face twisted in fury, and before she could retort, a deep voice interrupted.
"Mrs. King."
Joanne turned to see Keleb, Alexander's bodyguard, standing nearby. His sharp, calculating gaze locked onto Sophia and Jason, as if assessing whether they were a threat.
"Do you need me to step in?" Keleb asked, his tone professional but firm.
Joanne took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain composed. She wouldn't let Sophia think she had won.
"No," Joanne said coolly. "They're not worth it."
Then, without another word, she turned and walked out of the store.
Sophia crossed her arms, smirking triumphantly—until the doors swung open again.
A group of sharply dressed men entered, their presence exuding power. Without hesitation, they began buying everything Joanne had touched—the gowns, the shoes, the accessories—leaving nothing behind.
The sales associate, now treating them with the utmost respect, handed Sophia the bill for the dress she had in her hands.
"Apologies, Miss Baker, but all items in the store have just been purchased by Mr. King's people. If you wish to buy something, you'll need to wait for the next shipment."
Sophia's jaw dropped. "W-What?!"
Jason stiffened. Alexander King had been watching.