Zara sat in a shoe repair shop, her chin in her hand, intently watching the cobbler work on her high heels. Her phone rang, and the screen showed Evander.
She quickly got up, walked outside the shop, and answered the call.
"Evander."
"Zara, where are you?"
"I... I'm at a coffee shop, drinking coffee!"
Zara was too embarrassed to tell him that when she ran to see the grandmother, the heel of her shoe broke after only a few steps. It was a shame to throw them away since the shoes were still quite new, so she decided to have them repaired so she could wear them again.
"Send me your location, and I'll come find you!"
"I have something to do later, so I have to go!"
Zara hung up in a hurry, afraid that she might say too much and that he would look down on her again if he found out.
On the other end of the phone, Evander frowned.
Zara walked back into the shop and sat down again. She saw the cobbler holding a small iron hammer, tapping the heel of her shoe. With the sound of "ding-ding-dong," her heart thumped along. She mumbled to herself, "Please repair it well. I'll have to rely on it to make a good impression in the future." Then she sighed and said to herself, "If I get that programmer job, I'll have a good income and I can buy some beautiful shoes!"
"Zara, let's go!" Evander suddenly pushed the door open and started to pull her away.
"Wait, it's almost done!" the cobbler called out.
Evander pulled out a hundred-dollar bill. "Keep the change!" he said, pulling Zara out of the shop.
"My shoes, my shoes, they're still wearable!" Zara called out to the shoe repair shop as he involuntarily dragged her away.
He ignored her. He pulled her to his car, opened the door, and said in a commanding tone, "Get in!"
"Where are we going?"
"You'll find out when we get there. Are you getting in or not?"
She suddenly remembered the last time he had forcefully put her in the car. If she didn't get in again, he would just do it by force, and she would be asking for trouble. So, she willingly got into the car.
The car door slammed shut with a "bang." He got in, stepped on the gas, and sped away.
The car stopped in a parking lot of a shopping district.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and said, "Get out!"
She stared at the shopping district with wide eyes, thinking that this was no place for someone like her. She ignored him and just sat there.
"Get out, didn't you hear me?"
"I'm not getting out. I'll just sit here and wait for you. Hurry up and buy whatever you need!" she mumbled, pouting.
"Are you trying to breach the contract?" He leaned his head close to her, glaring at her, and said through gritted teeth.
She was startled. She hadn't received the rest of her pay yet. For the sake of the money, she obediently got out of the car.
A knowing smile appeared on his face.
She said with an annoyed tone, "What's so funny? You only know how to bully a poor person like me!"
He secretly glanced at her. The way this girl got angry was truly adorable!
The two of them arrived at a brand-name shoe store.
Evander pointed to the sparkling, high-end shoes and said, "Pick whatever you want!"
Zara was so shocked that her eyes widened. "I can't afford such expensive shoes!" She turned to leave. "My shoes can be repaired and still be worn. I heard that the cobbler's skills are great, and he'll fix them to look just like new."
He forcibly pushed her back into a seat. Then he said to a saleswoman, "Have her try on some of the latest styles."
The saleswoman nodded and placed a few pairs of shoes in front of Zara.
Seeing that there was no way to escape, Zara obediently tried on one pair after another. Finally, a pair of red-soled, high-heeled leather shoes with a crimson red finish caught her eye. Her eyes lit up. She secretly checked the price: over two hundred thousand. "Oh my god," she thought, and cold sweat broke out in her palms from the guilt.
He saw her reaction.
"That's the one!" he said, pointing to the shoes on her feet. He then handed his card to the saleswoman. The saleswoman took it, swiped the card, and handed it back to him.
"Why are you buying me shoes? You have to give me a reason! Otherwise, I'll feel uneasy!" She blinked her long-lashed eyes and looked at him with confusion.
He was stunned. He couldn't help but reach out and touch her cheek. He smiled and said, "An extra bonus. Is that reason enough?" With that, he turned, picked up her old shoes, and threw them into a nearby trash can. She was stunned, and then she thought of her old shoes. She reached out to grab them, but he pulled her away.
He led her to a brand-name clothing store and ordered, "Pick out a few good outfits!"
As he was speaking, his phone rang. He took out his phone. "You pick something out first; I need to take this call!"
He walked quickly to a quiet corner.
Zara touched one fashionable and elegant garment after another. One cream-colored lace dress caught her eye. Just as she was about to take it out to try it on, a pair of hands snatched it first. She looked up and saw Lise.
"I saw this dress first. I'm going to try it on first!" Zara said.
Lise scoffed and smiled with disdain. She called out to the saleswoman, "No need to try it on. This is the one. Wrap it up for me!" The saleswoman, seeing a wealthy customer, quickly said with a smile, "We just got in a few new styles that I think would suit your temperament. Would you like to try them on?"
"Let me see them!" Lise said.
Zara stepped forward and blocked the saleswoman, saying solemnly, "You can't sell this dress to her. I saw it first!"
The saleswoman said awkwardly, "Even though you saw it first, she paid for it first! Why don't you pick something else? We have plenty of clothes in the store!"
"That's right, you should pick something else! Anyway, some people just love to browse clothing stores but never buy any clothes! To be honest, I feel sorry for them. They'd be better off sleeping at home instead of wandering around. They can't afford anything anyway, so they're just adding to their jealousy of the rich!"
Zara was already feeling uneasy in this high-end place. Now, hearing Lise's veiled mockery, she was filled with a surge of courage. She looked at her directly and said solemnly, "Some people, even if they wear the most gorgeous clothes in the world, can't show their elegance! I swear, I will be able to afford the clothes here one day. I'll buy the most expensive ones with my own hands!" After saying that, she walked out.
"You..." Lise stomped her foot.
"Honey, who made you angry?" A young man in a gray, tight-fitting T-shirt and loose jeans with sunglasses on came over and said to Lise.
The man's name was Devin. He was the owner of a tattoo shop. Lise was a regular customer, and after a few interactions, Devin fell in love with her. He had been pursuing her for more than half a year without success and swore he wouldn't marry anyone else. He would do anything for her!
Lise's eyes darted around, and she said to Devin, "I need you to take care of someone for me now. Will you do it?"
Devin looked at her with confusion.
Lise's gaze shifted toward Zara.
Devin followed Lise's gaze and immediately understood. He took out his phone and made a call. "Hey, buddy, help me take care of someone!"