Chapter 311
Chapter 311:
Eleanino dismissed the retort with a scoff, her smirk deepening. “Sharp as your wit may be, Miss Clark, it won’t make such a dress any less expensive. If you’re not buying, perhaps you shouldn’t monopolize the sales associate’s time p>
Their verbal sparring continued unabated until Dorian, passing by the shop, overheard Eleanino’s biting words. He cast a quick glance at Valeria, who stood slightly stooped, her face obscured.
A pang of concern flickered across his face—was she feeling humiliated or distressed?
Dorian had always assumed she was Leonino’s girlfriend and had no intention of interfering. Yet, inexplicably, his feet seemed to take on a life of their own, propelling him into the boutique.
“Pack this up,” he began, reaching into his pocket. “I p>
Just as he reached for his card, Valeria raised her head and preempted him, presenting a black card.
Embossed with a distinctive emblem, it was the legendary unlimited black card. The sales associate, despite years in high-end retail, gasped at its rarity.
Eleanino’s eyes widened in shock as she recognized the card, her cheeks flushing with the sting of public embarrassment.
“Wait—this card can’t be real,” Eleanino stammered, her face burning. But her protest fell on deaf ears as the sales associate had already processed the purchase.
Eleanino wished fervently that the earth would just open up and take her away. The sales associate handed the card back to Valeria with utmost respect. She slid it back into her purse without giving Eleanino a second look, then turned to Dorian, her voice calm.
“Thank you for the gesture, but I’m merely selecting items for Helena. This card actually belongs to her mother—she instructed me to get whatever Helena might require p>
The card belonged to the renowned Harrison family—that explained its boundless limit.
Eleanino bit down on her frustration, words failing her in the moment. Beside her, Dorian shifted uncomfortably. While he was affluent, the Harrison family was in a league of their own, casting an imposing shadow.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺
Clearing his throat, Dorian pondered the relationship between Valeria and Leonino and said, “No thanks necessary. I just noticed that the person who should have been defending you was conspicuously absent—I felt compelled to intervene, even if it was stepping out of line p>
Valeria hesitated, a brief look of realization crossing her face as she understood that Dorian was referring to Leonino not being there to defend her.
Valeria was ready to set the record straight—there was nothing going on between her and Leonino. But before she could speak, Eleanino turned to Dorian and said, with a hint of playful frustration, “Dorian, we’ve known each other for years. And now, when I’m at odds with someone, you choose her side over mine p>
The casual, almost intimate way Eleanino said it made Valeria’s chest tighten. It was clear—Eleanino and Dorian shared a bond, while she felt like the outsider. That thought made Valeria hesitate.