Chapter 39

Chapter 39
Anna carefully selected two elegant dresses, checking the price tags with a hint of guilt. "These are lovely, but I don't know if I need more," she said, hesitating.
Reyna raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, come on, Anna! We're not here to be frugal. We're on a mission to waste Fernandez's money!"
Anna nodded awkwardly and began grabbing more dresses, adding eight to her collection. "I know, I know... I just can't help thinking about what if he asks for the money back."
Reyna chuckled, piling over fifty dresses onto her own rack. "Don't worry, Anna! This is his hard-earned money, after all. I'm just helping him redistribute his wealth. Besides, think of all the poor designers who need our support."
When Anna wasn't looking, Reyna slyly added five more dresses to Anna's collection, smiling to herself. "He'll never miss it," she thought.
The staff approached them, beaming. "Ladies, are you ready to proceed to our exquisite shoe collection? We have stilettos, heels, and more to complement your stunning dresses."
Anna looked exhausted, but Reyna's enthusiasm was contagious. "Let's go, Anna! We can't miss the shoes! Imagine the look on Fernandez's face when he sees the bill!"
As they entered the shoe section, Anna's eyes widened in awe. Rows upon rows of sleek stilettos, elegant heels, and stylish flats stretched before them. "Reyna, I don't know if I can try on all these... my feet are already killing me."
Reyna grinned mischievously. "Don't worry, Anna! We'll take them all! After all, it's not our money. Besides, think of the shoe closet we can fill!"
Anna laughed, despite herself. "You're impossible, Reyna."
Reyna winked. "That's why you love me, Anna. Now, let's get shopping.""
As the manager departed, a timid staff member, Laila, approached them, bowing deeply. "I'm Laila, ma'am. I'll be attending to you today. We have an exquisite collection of shoes."
Anna's eyes locked onto Laila's, and she smiled knowingly. "Laila, we meet again."
Reyna's eyes sparkled with malice. "Ah, Laila! Fancy seeing you here. You're still trying to make a name for yourself, I see."
Laila's face turned green with envy, her eyes welling up with tears. "Y-yes, ma'am."
Reyna's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Oh, look at you, Laila. You're actually working in a shopping mall. How the mighty have fallen."
Anna watched the exchange, a mixture of emotions on her face.
Reyna continued, her voice rising. "And look at your uniform! It's shorter than the others. Trying to get attention, Laila? Pathetic."
Laila's face burned with shame and anger, but she remained silent.
Reyna picked a shoe and tossed it at Laila's feet. "Pick it up and wear it for Anna. Now."
Anna hesitated, but Reyna insisted, her voice sugary sweet. "Oh, come now, Anna. It's part of their policy. Customer is always right."
Laila's eyes flashed with anger, but she knew better than to retort. She slowly picked up the shoe and approached Anna, her hands trembling.
Reyna's grin grew wider. "Ah, Laila, you're not even worthy of polishing our shoes. You're just a lowly servant."
Laila's face contorted in humiliation, her eyes brimming with tears. She knew she had to endure this torture, no matter how degrading.
Laila's eyes blazed with anger, her voice venomous. "If i hadn't snatched Jason away from you, you wouldn't have met a rich man like Mr. Fernandez! You ruined my life, Anna! You think you're so perfect with your wealth and your mansion, but you're just a heartless gold-digger!"
The shopping mall patrons gasped, their eyes wide with shock. They stared at Laila in disgust, their whispers spreading like wildfire.
"Did she really just say that?"
"How shameless can you get?"
"I can't believe the nerve of this girl!"
The crowd began to protest, their voices growing louder. "We won't shop here if she stays! Send her away!"
Reyna's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Oh, Laila, you really know how to make an impression. But I think you've made a big mistake. You're just jealous of Anna's success."
Anna's face was red with anger, her voice trembling. "How dare you, Laila! You have no right to speak to me like that! I'm trying to move on with my life, and you're still stuck in the past."
Just then, the supervisor of the mall arrived, his face stern. "What's going on here? I could hear the commotion from across the mall."
Reyna smiled sweetly. "This staff member has been rude and insolent. I demand she be fired immediately. She's clearly not fit to work in a respectable establishment like this."
The supervisor's eyes widened as he took in the scene. "Laila, is this true? Have you been insulting our customers?"
Laila's face twisted in a snarl. "I don't care! I hate her! She thinks she's so much better than me, but she's just a fake!"
The supervisor's face turned red with anger. "Laila, that's it. You're fired. Please leave the premises immediately. And don't come back."
As Laila was escorted away, the crowd jeered, their voices echoing through the mall. "Shameless! Gold-digger! Get out!"
Fernandez sat at the head of the conference table, his eyes fixed on the image of Anna in the shopping mall on his tablet. He had clearly warned her not to wear such revealing dresses, and yet... He scowled, his mind consumed by thoughts of Anna and Reyna's antics.
Mr. Thompson, his personal assistant, stood by the door, aware that Fernandez wasn't listening to the meeting. He had seen the image on the tablet and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
The board members droned on, discussing the project, but Fernandez wasn't paying attention. His private investigator's updates were more interesting, detailing Anna and Reyna's shopping spree and Laila's outburst.
One of the board members, Mr. Johnson, interrupted Fernandez's thoughts. "Mr. Antonio, what do you think about the project? Shall we proceed with the plan?"
Fernandez glared at Mr. Johnson, his eyes flashing with anger. "No, I don't think so. It's rubbish. I want a new plan, and I want it by evening. This is unacceptable."
The room fell silent, the board members exchanging nervous glances. Mr. Thompson sighed inwardly, knowing that Fernandez's mood was about to get worse.
Fernandez stood, his chair scraping against the floor. "I'm leaving. Get me a good plan, or get out."
He stormed out of the room, leaving the stunned board members behind. Mr. Thompson followed, trying to keep up with Fernandez's long strides.
As they left the conference room, Fernandez's phone buzzed with another debit alert. He growled, his anger boiling over. "Thompson, find out what's going on with these transactions. Now."