Chapter 19 That Dress Doesn't Suit You
Susanna gazed up at him, taken aback. Was he out of his mind today? He usually only trusted the Abbott family.
She pursed her lips and said, "No, we came to the mall to shop. Ms. Abbott barged in, tried to take what we wanted to buy but couldn't pay for it, and then tried to have security kick us out. Is this how the Abbott family treats guests?"
"Susanna, shut up! What nonsense are you spouting?" Elaine's voice wavered, her confidence shaken.
Susanna pointed to the security camera above. "You don't believe me? Check the footage. It doesn't lie."
Elaine's voice cracked with panic. "Aaron, I'm doing this for the mall. Susanna doesn't fit in here. She's not able to afford anything—"
"Apologize!" Aaron cut her off, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Susanna looked at him, stunned.
Elaine, on the other hand, was overjoyed, casting a smug glance at Susanna. "Did you hear that?"
Aaron frowned. "Elaine, didn't you understand? I told you to apologize to the customer!"
"She's not a customer!" Elaine snapped, feeling like apologizing to Susanna was worse than death.
Aaron's lips thinned. "As a member of the Abbott family, don't you realize your actions are damaging our reputation? If you don't apologize, you'll be banned from every Abbott Group mall. Security, escort her out!"
Aaron's firm resolve didn't leave Elaine any space to dispute. As the security guards closed in, Elaine realized Aaron meant business. The thought of becoming a social pariah haunted her; her reputation was on the line. With a begrudging defeat, she intercepted the guards and made her way towards Susanna, her eyes ablaze with fury. "I... I apologize!"
Susanna raised an eyebrow, cautiously glancing at Aaron. Was he protecting her for the sake of the Abbott Group's reputation, or was there another reason?
Aviana, however, didn't overthink it. She immediately took a stand. "Is that what you call an apology?"
Elaine almost broke her perfectly manicured nails in frustration; they were pushing her to her limit.
Aaron's gaze was icy. "The apology only counts if the customer forgives you."
Elaine bit her lip, struggling internally, but eventually lowered her head further. "I'm sorry."
Aviana still wasn't satisfied. "How about this? If Ms. Abbott serves us today, we'll forgive her."
Elaine was about to protest but was silenced by Aaron's cold stare. She had no choice but to stand there.
Without hesitation, Aaron agreed to Aviana's request. "To show our sincerity, I'll supervise her."
Susanna was puzzled and wary. "Aaron, are you sure about that? Aren't you usually busy with work? Why are you here supervising today?"
Aviana, on the other hand, felt much better. Aaron might be annoying, but he had principles in business. "Susanna, don't worry about him. Let's go try on those dresses we were looking at earlier."
Back at the store, Susanna stood in front of the evening gowns, silent. The idea of trying on outfits with Aaron present made her uneasy. Sensing Susanna's discomfort, Aviana stepped in to comfort her.
"Susanna, what's there to be afraid of? We're customers. But Susanna, do you know someone from the Abbott family?" Aviana asked as she assumed that Elaine had clearly targeted Susanna earlier.
Susanna's breath hitched. Had Aviana figured something out? She tried to stay calm and answered in a low voice, "I used to work as a caregiver for the Abbott family. I took care of Maria, so I know them."
"Is that so? Don't worry. You're not working for the Abbott family anymore. We're customers now, so let's act like it."
Aviana nudged Susanna into the fitting room. Susanna glanced at the dress in her grasp and let out a sigh. Moments later, the salesgirl, previously stunned by a slap, entered the room. "Let me assist you with that."
"Thanks," Susanna offered.
The salesgirl squated in front of her. "I should be thanking you for standing up for me earlier."
The two girls exchanged a knowing glance, understanding each other perfectly.
Shortly after, Susanna emerged in the dress, her hair skillfully crafted into a chic bun with wisps of loose strands accentuating her features, creating a vibrant and playful aura.
Standing before the grand mirror, she observed her reflection with a mix of awe and delight. The dress truly was stunning. As she turned around, her gaze met Aaron's intense blue eyes. Feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks, she hastily redirected her attention to Aviana. "What do you think?" she inquired.
Aviana's eyes gleamed with a touch of astonishment. "It looks amazing! Susanna, you've got a fantastic figure and impeccable taste. Seriously, you could rock anything," she exclaimed.
Elaine couldn't help but roll her eyes discreetly, convinced the dress was far from flattering. However, she wisely kept her thoughts to herself, well aware of Aaron's protective nature towards Susanna.
Aaron, standing nearby, observed Susanna in the dress with a subtle furrow in his brow. While he appreciated the well-tailored fit accentuating her curves, the daring backless design seemed to give him pause. "Where are you thinking of sporting this ensemble?" he inquired.
Why was Susanna buying an evening gown out of the blue?
Aviana answered for Susanna, "She's wearing it to an awards ceremony, of course."
Aaron remembered the finalist list. Susanna had indeed made it to the finals, which surprised him. When Maria had fought for Susanna's spot, he hadn't believed she could make it this far. His gaze softened, a glimmer of surprise shining through. "Congratulations," he said.
Susanna's expression remained neutral. "Thanks."
Aaron then added. "But this dress isn't suitable for you."
"Why not? I think it's fine," Susanna retorted.
"The back is too exposed," Aaron pointed out.
Susanna was speechless. "That's the design. The back is supposed to be exposed."
Aviana looked at the dress and agreed with Aaron. "It is a bit revealing. Let's look at some others."
'If Susanna's brothers were to see her in this dress, they definitely wouldn't let her wear it. It's better to find something more conservative,' Aviana thought to herself.
Susanna was then pushed by Aviana and Aaron to try on several more dresses. However, each one was either too revealing or simply unattractive, and Aaron sent her back to the fitting room to try on the next one. Every time Susanna emerged from the fitting room, she immediately met Aaron's scrutinizing gaze, as if she were trying on the dresses just for him.
Two hours later, not a single dress had met Susanna's approval. She was drained. Aviana, too, looked visibly worn out and turned to the salesgirl, her tone tinged with exhaustion, "Got any other styles?"
The salesgirl behind them managed a strained smile. It wasn't just their store; it seemed that every high-end brand and designer dress in the mall had been dismissed by Aaron. They were at a loss.
Just when things were getting awkward, another salesgirl came over with a dress, claiming it was a new piece from a high-end designer brand, Lindwell, and it was the only one.
Susanna shook her head at the introduction. Regular luxury dresses cost tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars. A one-of-a-kind Lindwell dress would be even more expensive. She hadn't worked so hard to spend her prize money on a dress she'd only wear once. With a firm resolve, she linked arms with Aviana and made her way to the exit, determined to forgo any further dress trials.
