The saleswoman’s smile didn’t crack, but keeping it in place clearly took some effort. The cheapest item in the boutique cost well over a thousand dollars, and years in luxury retail had taught her one important rule: never judge a customer by his clothes.
She had also seen this exact situation play out more times than she could count. The customers would ask to see something expensive, laugh when they heard the price, claim they were only browsing, and leave.
"Of course, gentlemen. Please have a seat while I bring them out."
Her name tag read JESSICA. She disappeared through a curtain at the back of the boutique while Adrian lowered himself into one of the leather chairs, suddenly wondering just how ridiculous he looked sitting in a store like this.
Jacob dropped into the chair beside him.
"See? I told you to leave the shopping to me. By the time we’re finished, your date will be so distracted she won’t even remember her own name."
"It’s not that kind of date. Chloe isn’t that kind of girl."
Jacob slowly turned toward him.
"So her name is Chloe."
Adrian closed his eyes.
"Forget I said that."
"Nope." Jacob’s grin widened. "That’s going in the vault."
Adrian shook his head, but he couldn’t help smiling. Jacob was probably right to tease him.
Chloe was the quietest person in the building and probably one of the kindest. In the middle of the worst year of his life, she’d simply crossed the hall with a container of homemade meatloaf and never once asked what was wrong.
She hadn’t wanted anything from him. She’d just noticed he was struggling and decided to help. For the first time in months, that small gesture had made Adrian feel as though his life wasn’t a complete disaster from beginning to end.
Jessica returned carrying two garment bags. She laid them across a nearby display table and unzipped them one at a time, revealing two beautifully tailored suits, one charcoal and the other midnight blue.
"These are from our newest collection."
Jacob reached out and ran his thumb along the lapel.
"How much are they..." He paused glancing at the label. "Jessica?"
"Eight thousand five hundred dollars each," Jessica replied. "Seventeen thousand for both."
There was the slightest twitch at the corner of her mouth. Jacob noticed it and immediately misunderstood.
’She’s smiling because I said her name. Still got it.’
Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out his black bank card.
"We’ll take both."
Jessica accepted it with a professional smile and inserted it into the payment terminal. She’d seen this part countless times.
The card would decline. The customer would laugh awkwardly. Then would come the excuses.
[Payment Approved.]
Jessica blinked. She looked at the screen again. Then at Adrian. Then at his worn jacket.
Her expression changed almost imperceptibly.
"Thank you very much, sir," she said, and this time the respect in her voice was genuine. "I’ll have those packaged for you."
"We’re not finished."
Jessica paused.
"I’ll need some casual clothes too. A few formal outfits. Basically, anything you’d wear yourself if money wasn’t an issue."
He thought for a second.
"And a handbag. A good one. It’s a gift."
"Right away, sir."
Twenty minutes later, one clothing rack had become two.
Then three.
Jacob eventually decided the shoes needed his personal attention as well.
By the time they finished, the total had reached twenty-seven thousand dollars. The second payment went through just as smoothly as the first.
Jessica finally stopped trying to hide her surprise. These weren’t two men pretending to be wealthy. They actually had the money.
While the staff packed the purchases, she gathered enough courage to approach Jacob.
"Um..." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don’t think I caught your name. And I was wondering if maybe you’d like to hang out sometime."
Adrian immediately turned toward the wall. His shoulders began shaking.
"Sure," Jacob replied.
His voice carried the unmistakable confidence of a man who had been waiting his entire life for someone to ask him that question.
He pulled out his phone.
"Do you use Linkchat? Or Chirp?"
"Linkchat."
They exchanged contacts.
Jessica was still smiling when the two men finally left the boutique, their arms loaded with bags. Jacob looked at the mountain of purchases.
"We’re going to need a bigger trunk."
The moment they were far enough away that Jessica couldn’t hear them, Jacob leaned toward Adrian.
"I told you she was into me."
"She was into the twenty-seven thousand dollars."
"That too."
Jacob shrugged.
"Doesn’t mean it isn’t real."
Adrian glanced at him.
For once, Jacob had said something surprisingly wise. He decided not to tell him.
They continued down the corridor and stopped at a high-end watch boutique. Behind the glass displays, gold, platinum, and diamond-studded timepieces rested on velvet cushions beneath carefully positioned lights.
The cases glittered like a jeweler’s dream.
A sharply dressed salesman noticed the mountain of designer bags in their hands and immediately straightened.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. How may I assist you?"
Adrian looked over the displays.
He recognized almost none of the brands.
There were watches worth more than some houses, and he couldn’t tell which ones were actually good.
He pointed toward the cases.
"Bring me your two most expensive."
Jacob leaned closer.
"Bro, have you considered choosing something you actually like?"
"If I can’t tell the difference," Adrian replied, "the most expensive one is the safest bet."
Jacob stared at him for a moment.
"At that rate, you’re going to bankrupt yourself."
Adrian ignored him.
The salesman disappeared into the back and returned less than a minute later carrying a black velvet tray.
Two watches from Patek Philippe rested inside.
Their polished cases caught the light like tiny suns.
"These are from our newest collection," the salesman explained. "Just over twenty thousand dollars each."
Adrian reached toward the tray. Then a voice behind him made him stop.
"Adrian?" He froze. "Adrian Vale?"
He knew that voice before he even turned around.
It still carried the same practiced sweetness he’d remembered, soft and pleasant on the surface, with something sharp underneath.
Like a knife wrapped in a napkin.