Chapter 102 Let's Help Each Other from Now On
"She's at Grand Era Mall. How the heck can't we find her?" Bella spun back to the car. "Hit up Samuel. Astor Corp's got some deals with Grand Era Mall. He's gotta know someone there. Get him to check it out."
The driver hopped back in and dialed Samuel right away.
Samuel hesitated for a sec, then agreed and hung up.
He never thought Bella would tail Katniss to Grand Era Mall.
Gripping his phone tight, Katniss's image kept popping up in his head.
Just then, Michael strolled out of the office. "Meeting time, let's roll."
"Got it." Snapping back to reality, he quickly sent a Facebook message to the Grand Era Mall manager while heading to the meeting room with his stuff.
Katniss greeted her first customer, a lady in her thirties prepping for a banquet in a couple of weeks, looking for a dress that wasn't too over-the-top.
"This one's cute. Can I try it on?" The lady picked out a sapphire blue dress.
"Sure thing," Katniss replied right away.
She grabbed the dress and noticed Cynthia and Brenda coming over. One tried to snatch the dress, and the other made a beeline for the customer.
"Ma'am, the fitting room's this way. Follow us."
Katniss quickly draped the dress over her arm, dodging Cynthia's grab, and blocked Brenda from leading the lady away. "You two stay up front and keep busy. I got this."
The tension was thick, but the lady didn't seem to notice and headed to the fitting room, part of the sitting area, after a brief pause.
Katniss followed the lady close behind, ignoring the sour looks from the other two. Once inside the sitting area, she shut the door.
Turning around, she handed the dress to the lady. "The fitting room's over there. This dress has a back zipper. Need any help, just holler."
The lady smiled, took the dress, and went into the fitting room, coming out shortly after.
Her taste was spot on; the dress was elegant and perfect for her age. She decided to order it in just five minutes.
Katniss took her measurements like a pro to custom-make the dress.
"A custom dress will take five to seven days. Can I add you on Facebook to let you know when it's ready?" Katniss asked.
After taking the measurements, she pulled out her phone and smiled. The lady quickly added her on Facebook, paid at the front desk, and left.
It was just a dress, not even that pricey, just over thirty grand. These solo customers were her main clientele. She wasn't about to fight Brenda and Cynthia for their regulars.
But seeing her stand her ground, Brenda and Cynthia thought she was playing dirty. Now she was turning small fries into big fish, and they were worried she'd steal their clients!
"It's just a cheap dress worth over thirty grand. We're just being nice colleagues. Don't be so ungrateful," Brenda sneered, stepping up to Katniss.
Katniss flashed a polite smile. "Oh, really? You're right. Let's help each other out from now on."
That was a clear warning to Brenda and Cynthia, letting them know she was onto their little games.
Brenda was left speechless and turned back to Cynthia.
In the grand scheme of things, they had way more resources than Katniss. If it came to a showdown, how much could she really take from them? Even if she snagged one client, it'd be a big hit for them!
"She's a tough cookie. Let's keep an eye on her and find another chance to put her in her place," Brenda muttered.
They huddled together, gossiping; but Katniss, used to workplace drama, didn't let it get to her.
With years of experience, Katniss knew how to dodge being taken advantage of.
After work, it was already 8:30 PM when she left Grand Era Mall.
The early winter night was freezing. She pulled her black coat tighter and noticed a black car pulling out of the parking lot.
It was Tyler's car. She glanced at it from the corner of her eye and turned to walk the other way, only to spot two people standing nearby.
Nicholas and Saskia, both looking frosty, got out of a car. Nicholas flicked his cigarette butt and said something to Saskia before heading her way.
Following Nicholas's gaze, Saskia saw Katniss, paused for a few seconds, then walked over.
"Mr. Kennedy, Miss Stuart." Katniss's hands, wrapped in her coat, were red from the cold. Her long hair blew across her face, and she quickly tucked it behind her ear.
"What are you doing here?" Nicholas turned around and noticed Saskia following, grumbling, "You go back yourself. I'm not giving you a ride."
Saskia ignored him, walked up to Katniss, and asked, "You don't work here, do you?"
Katniss glanced at the fancy mall beside her, then looked back at Saskia and nodded. "Yeah."
Whatever crossed her mind, Saskia suddenly laughed. "Interesting. Good luck. I'll keep your whereabouts a secret."
With that, she waved at Katniss, shot Nicholas a sidelong glance, and turned to leave.
"Do you know her?" Nicholas asked Katniss. "Why's she covering for you?"
Katniss gave a quick rundown about giving Saskia a ride home once. "And what does she mean by covering for me?"
Nicholas didn't dive into details and just pointed to his car. "Hop in, I'll give you a lift. It's on my way."
"No need, Mr. Kennedy. The bus is pretty convenient from here." Katniss smiled, trying to decline, and started to walk away.
But Nicholas stepped in her path. "Don't be so formal. The bus will take you at least two hours. I can get you home in one, and it's on my route."
With no way out, Katniss got in the car but sensibly took the back seat, letting Nicholas drive.
In a nearby car, Tyler watched her get into Nicholas's ride, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
'How does Katniss know Nicholas from the Kennedy family?' he wondered.
In the luxury car, now out of Tyler's sight, the heater was cranked up, finally warming Katniss's cold body.
"Your commute seems like a hassle," Nicholas said while driving. "Why not move closer?"
Katniss replied, "It is a bit far, but the bus is pretty convenient. I can manage; it's fine."
Rent around here was at least five or six grand. How much did she make in a month?
She couldn't swing it.
Nicholas glanced at her in the rearview mirror and said, "A friend of mine went abroad. His apartment is nearby, and he asked me to find someone trustworthy to look after it. He won't be back for a few years, and I thought of you. Think about it."
It seemed like a coincidence. Katniss couldn't help but glance at Nicholas twice, watching him drive with an air of nonchalance. It seemed legit.
"Thanks for thinking of me, Mr. Kennedy, but I still think living where I am is fine. You should find someone else." She didn't like owing favors, especially not to Nicholas.
Nicholas sighed. "It seems you don't consider me a friend at all, not even willing to help me with this. I owe that friend a huge favor and promised to find someone to look after the place. If you don't go, I'll have to move there myself, but it's too far from my home."
He sighed and complained the whole way, but Katniss stayed quiet.
When they arrived at Oakwood Hills, Nicholas stopped the car and rolled down the window, looking at her almost pleadingly. "Katniss, can you do me this favor?"
"I just think it's not appropriate since I don't know your friend," Katniss said.
"Knowing me is enough. Help me repay this favor. Take the morning off tomorrow, and I'll help you move." With that, Nicholas rolled up the window, not giving her a chance to argue, and drove off.
'Move?' The word made Katniss frown deeply. She went inside, changed her shoes, and grabbed a cup of instant noodles from the kitchen.
She'd been living off these for over a week and was sick of them. If moving meant real meals, it might be worth it.
After mulling it over, she shot Nicholas a Facebook message to confirm if they were really moving the next morning.
Nicholas replied with certainty: [Absolutely moving!]
Before Tristan got her this apartment, she lived in an old house in the suburbs, which cost only six hundred bucks a month.
Tristan had visited that house once but didn't even step inside. Shortly after, he got her this apartment.
She'd been there for almost two years and had grown used to it. Moving out felt a bit reluctant.
She didn't have much stuff, just a few sets of clothes and some personal items, all fitting into one suitcase.
While packing, she wondered if she should tell Tristan about the move.
Looking at the bright marriage certificate in her hand, she bit her lip, thought for a long time, then tossed the certificate into the suitcase and went to bed.
She didn't sleep a wink, maybe because of the move or because agreeing to move with Nicholas made her uneasy.
Before bed, she had asked Laura for half a day off, and the next morning, she got Laura's reply: [Okay.]
Nicholas, having gotten her leave approved, knocked on her door.
She ran to open the door and was stunned.
The tall, imposing figure behind Nicholas was none other than Tristan.
He looked like he hadn't rested well, with red veins in his eyes and a cold, irritable expression.
"Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Forbes," Katniss greeted.
She was a bit flustered. Were these two big shots really here to help her move?
Nicholas walked in first, his eyes scanning the apartment and landing on the small suitcase by the entrance.
"Is this all your luggage?" His tone was incredulous. He had even called a moving company with a box truck.
Katniss nodded. "I have work uniforms, a couple of changes of clothes and shoes, and personal items. That's enough. I'm just going to house-sit temporarily, not live there forever. No need to bring more."
Her voice was soft, aware that Tristan's gaze was fixed on her, as if trying to see through her.
"To think I even called Mr. Forbes over, completely unnecessary. Now I have to cancel the moving company," Nicholas said, pulling out his phone to make a call as he left the apartment.
The apartment was left with just Katniss and Tristan, standing at the door, staring at each other.
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