Chapter 314
Summer’s POV
Victoria’s smile faltered slightly as I suggested including my friends in her generous offer. I could practically see the calculations running behind her eyes as she tried to figure out how to backpedal without looking bad.
Ruby stepped forward, her face a picture of innocent excitement. “Yeah, Victoria! We’re all here together! She gestured between herself and Scarlett with exaggerated enthusiasm.
Scarlett, picking up the game instantly, clasped her hands together. Victoria, that’s so generous of you! Thank you so much!”
Victoria’s face tightened almost imperceptibly before relaxing into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Of course! Any friends of Summer’s are friends of mine.”
She turned to Ruby, her gaze sliding over Ruby’s practical outfit with barely disguised disdain. “Ruby, I see you haven’t changed much over the years. Your style is so… unique!”
The condescension in her voice was unmistakable, but Ruby just grinned, completely unperturbed. “Exactly! That’s why I need the great Victoria Taylor to rescue my wardrobe!” She spread her arms wide. ‘Work your magic, fashion guru!”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing as Victoria’s eye twitched. She clearly hadn’t expected Ruby to roll with the insult so easily. For someone who made her living manipulating emotions on camera, Victoria was surprisingly easy to read when thrown off–script.
Nancy Stark stepped forward, her designer handbag swinging from the crook of her arm. “Well, since Victoria has offered, please go ahead and choose something you like.” Her voice carried that particular upper–class tone that managed to sound both polite and dismissive at once. “After all, as the face of Diana, these clothes are practically nothing to us.”
Victoria preened at Nancy’s words, shooting me a smug look. I wanted to roll my eyes but kept my expression pleasantly neutral.
A saleswoman appeared at Victoria’s elbow, practically vibrating with excitement. “Ms. Taylor! What an honor to have you in our store today. Have you found anything you’d like to try on? I’d be happy to bring it to the VIP fitting room for you!”
“I’d like to see the newest collection first,” Victoria replied, clearly enjoying the attention.
“Of course, Ms. Taylor! The latest pieces are right this way.” The saleswoman gestured toward a separate area of the store, completely ignoring me, Ruby, and Scarlett as if we were invisible.
Victoria shot me a triumphant glance over her shoulder. “Summer, don’t just stand there! Come sit down, or maybe you’d like to browse? See anything you like? Feel free to try something on!”
Her voice dripped with false generosity, the subtext clear: Look at me, the celebrity, the important one who belongs here.
“Sure!” I replied with a bright smile, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me annoyed.
I turned to Ruby and Scarlett, gesturing toward the opposite side of the store. “Let’s check out those pieces over there.”
Once we were safely out of earshot, Ruby exploded in a furious whisper.
What the actual fuck Summer? Who does she think she is?” She glared across the store at Victoria, who was holding court a the salespeople. “She’s just a freaking spokesperson for Diana! You’re literally married to the owner of the damn brand!”
1 grabbed Ruby’s arm before she could say anything else. “Ruby, keep it down!”
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Chapter 314
“Why did you pull me away? Ruby demanded, still fuming. “Did you see her acting like she owns the place? Like she’s the goddamn boss lady of Diana? And what with her offering to give clothes to a those stuffy women? Does she think the store just hands her free stuff whenever she wants!
I couldn’t help but smile at Ruby’s indignation on my behalf, “Don’t worry. She can’t actually give them anything.”
“What do you mean?” Ruby asked, momentarily distracted from her rant.
‘Let’s just focus on finding you something nice,” I replied, turning to a rack of beautifully tailored blazers. “How about this?” I held up a deep burgundy piece with subtle gold hardware.
“Scarlett, what do you think? Would this look good on Ruby?” asked holding the blazer up against Ruby’s frame.
Scarlett tilted her head, assessing. ‘It’s perfect. It’s still got that edgy vibe Ruby loves, but with a touch of sophistication. What do you think, Buby?”
Ruby looked skeptical. “How is this anything like what I usually wear Diana is all about that polished Upper East Side look. I’m
more…”
“Just try it on,” I insisted, already searching for the right size.
Despite her protests, I could see Ruby’s eyes lingering on the blazer, her fingers cautiously feeling the quality of the fabric.
After gathering a few more pieces, I approached a different saleswoman. “Excuse me, could we get these items in a fitting room, please?”
The woman glanced at the clothes in my arms, then back at me, her expression cooling. “I’m sorry, those particular pieces aren’t for
sale.”
I blinked, taken aback. “Excuse me?”
“They’re not for sale,” she repeated, more firmly this time.
“Why not?” I asked, genuinely confused.
The saleswoman’s lips thinned with impatience. “They’re just not. Why do you have so many questions?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is this really how Diana treats its customers?”
Before the saleswoman could respond, Victoria materialized beside us, eyeing the burgundy blazer in my hands.
“Summer! What have you found? Let me see,” she cooed, reaching for the clothes.
Her eyes widened slightly as she examined the blazer. “Oh, Summer, I’m so sorry. I’ve already reserved this exact piece. I’m planning to give it to-
“Wait a second, Ruby cut in, her reporter instincts flaring. “That sales lady just told us these weren’t for sale. But you’re saying you’ve reserved it?” She turned to Victoria with mock innocence. “I thought you were going to treat us to anything we wanted? Or was that offer not actually real?”
