Chapter 21 Public Reckoning
The bystanders had had enough. Someone shouted, “How can you bully a kid like that?”
“Exactly!” another echoed.
The saleswoman argued back, “I wasn’t bullying her! She brought it on herself! Dressed like a pauper and claiming she’s waiting for her brother–how do we know she’s not a thief?”
A passerby jumped in to defend her. “Athief? She’s just a little kid! Besides, you’ve been mocking her for being poor this whole time. Don’t you have any decency?
“Who do you think you are, some hotshot just because you work retail
The saleswoman, flustered but defiant, jabbed a finger at Chloe. “Am I wrong? She does look poor; she doesn’t belong in a place like this!”
Chloe already had scrapes on her body, and now fresh blood seeped through her clothes,
But she bit back the pain and stared straight at her. “You insulted my brother first! I won’t let you talk about him like that. He brought me here to shop. He’s a good person!”
Marvin’s heart gave a dull thud; a flicker of emotion flashed through his eyes.
Just then, the mall manager happened to walk by. Spotting Marvin, he rushed over with a welcoming grin. “Marvin We would’ve rolled out the red carpet if you’d told us you were coming! And you didn’t even bring someone to assist you, why don’t I show you around?”
Marvin gave him a mild, unreadable glance but said nothing
Meanwhile, the saleswoman, emboldened, scoffed, “So what if 1 insulted your brother? Bet he’s broke too. Why should I show him any respect?”
A calm, youthful voice cut in at just the right moment. “Are you talking about me, miss–when you say “broke loser“?”
The air froze. Every head turned toward the voice.
Marvin was dressed in a crisp white shirt and perfectly tailored slacks, with spotless white shoes on his feet.
His features were striking–almond–shaped eyes with a lazy, feline charm. His tousled bangs fell messily across his forehead. He looked no older than ten, but his presence filled the room; he even stood taller than the manager beside him. Slowly, he walked up to the saleswoman.
Chloe’s eyes lit up. “Marvin!”
The woman’s face drained of color. She stared at him in shock.
Marvin knelt and scooped Chloe into his arms, inspecting the bruises on her body with care,
They overlapped with the scrapes she’d gotten earlier from delivering greeting cards. His expression darkened with anger. though his voice stayed soft. “Does it hurt?”
Chloe shook her head gently. “No, Marvin. I did making fun of you. Please don’t be mad, okay?”
protect you like I should have. No matter what I said, the saleswoman kept
Marvin tightened his grip on her hand, lifting his gaze to meet hers.
“I’m not mad,” he said. “You stood up for me. You were defending my dignity”
Then he slowly straightened up and turned to the now pale–faced saleswoman. “Is this store yours?”
Her face changed instantly; she waved her hands in panic. “No-”
“It’s not your store, then who gave you the right to act like some guard dog?” Marvin stepped closer. Just because you sell
fugh end goods, you think that makes you high–end What gives you the right to judge the customers
12:27 AM P P
Chapter 21 Public Reckoning
The woman’s breath hitched. She was speechless. Of course she recognized Marvin.
He was one of the most lavish clients they had ever seen.
Every time he visited, he dropped at least a few thousand dollars.
Finished
He never hesitated, always bought every new item in full collections. The staff constantly vied for his attention behind the scenes. But, why him?
Her smile twisted awkwardly into a grimace as she asked, without much hope. “You wouldn’t happen to be her brother…. would you?”
Marvin sneered. “Yeah, funny enough–I am her brother.
Gasps rang out all around.
One bystander burst into laughter, “Hahaha! Instant karma! Somebody was just calling that kid a pauper, and look–turns out she’s loadedr
“Life’s like a wheel–what goes around comes around! Don’t look down on poor kids! Hahahahaha!”
Feels like the ending of a feel–good drama! I’m living for this moment!”
A middle–aged woman pointed at the saleswoman. “Hey, just so you know–while you were gone, she was being super rude to your sister. Said all kinds of nasty things, right to her face.”
The saleswoman began stumbling backward, trying to explain. “It’s not what it looks like! Please don’t misunderstand! I made a mistake, that’s all–I thought she was someone else’s daughter, a girl who looks just like her, and that girl’s a known thief! I’m so sorry!”
Marvin narrowed his eyes with a hint of mockery. “Oh, really? But I heard you loud and clear–what you mocked was definitely my sister. Why lie?”
He took Chloe’s hand and walked past the saleswoman without another glance. “Manager, get rid of her. I don’t want to see her again.”
The mall manager nodded eagerly, then turned to the woman with a sharp expression. “You’re fired. Leave now!”
The woman’s face turned ghostly. She scrambled forward “Please, Marvin! I’m sorry–I have a mortgage to pay, life is really hard, okay? I’ll give you discounts! I’ll make it up to you myself, I promise! Please give me a chance!”
Marvin didn’t look back. It was as if he hadn’t even heard her.
She turned desperately to Chloe instead. “Sweetie, please help me! Say something to your brother for me, please!”
Send Gifts
