Trash pickers

As we journeyed towards who knows where, I was looking out of the window, admiring the streets. I noticed the driver kept stealing glances at me. At first, I thought it was natural or perhaps he was looking at the back of the car. But at the red traffic light, he was staring at me more keenly.

I took the initiative to ask him first, "Sorry, you keep looking at me. Is something wrong, or do I have anything on my face?"

The chauffeur quickly got hold of himself. "Oh, I am sorry, Mrs. Clinton. I didn't mean anything... I was just curious..."

I squeezed my face in interest. "Curious about what?"

"Yes, I am very curious and surprised." The traffic light changed, so he faced the road and continued his bickering. "Before you appeared, Mrs. Clinton, our President had never been touched by any lady before. He had never even worked with a woman before. Our old madam recommended many beautiful and wealthy ladies, but he didn't choose any of them."

"Oh, really?" I asked in shock.

How can someone as handsome and with such high potential as he be single for a very long time and even reject rich ladies?

The chauffeur sighed and continued. "Perhaps you don't know that our President has a woman-touch allergy."

"Woman-touch allergy?"

"Yes, he never touched women because he detests them. Besides our old madam, our President doesn't touch any woman. He chose to stay single."

"But why? How did he show an allergic reaction if he was touched by any woman?"

"Well, I don't know much about that. I just know that he gets rashes and pimples all over his body. But I heard that no doctor was able to treat him. That's why I was shocked when I found out that you're married to him."

I was too shocked to process the news. How can there be such a disease in this life? Is that why he was hellbent on marrying me? Because he didn't have any reactions towards me? He had kissed me before, hugged me, and I had even touched his body before.

As if reading my mind, the chauffeur spoke up. "Our President seems not to be allergic to you."

I mumbled and looked outside the window. But how did he know that Enzo wasn't allergic towards me? The more I pondered this, the more I wanted to know about Enzo Clinton.

The driver finally pulled into a stop in front of a shopping mall. I looked up and saw the sign: "CLINTON'S MALL, HOME OF FORMAL AND TRADITIONAL WEARS."

I looked at the chauffeur who had come out of the car to open the door for me. "Why are we here?"

"The President says you should shop for clothes and anything else you might need. He also asks me to hand this to you. It's a platinum credit card. You can use it however you like."

"Is he monetarily insane? I don't need it. It's alright, I really don't need it."

I never had the habit of spending a man's money. I didn't want to know if this man was my husband in name or for real. While I was dating Gaston Veriland, I wasn't in the habit of collecting things from him either.

The chauffeur shifted uneasily. "Mrs. Clinton, the President will punish me if I don't carry out his instructions properly," he pleaded.

Seeing how bothered he was, I accepted it after some hesitation. But I didn't intend to use it. I planned to return it to Enzo later. I didn't plan on getting indebted to him after my brother's surgery because I would be divorcing him soon.

As I stepped out of the car and entered the mall, I was shocked to see who was standing there. I froze. I wasn't prepared for this.

A few people welcomed me when I arrived. They were the senior employees of the mall. They stood around me politely, waiting for my order. The whole building was full of luxury items.

And then, I saw my formidable enemy standing opposite a mirror. "Gaston dear, do I look good in this dress?"

I looked as she turned around slowly while admiring herself. The young couple stood before the full-length mirror of a fitting room. One was my ex-fiancé, and the other was my cousin.

“Wow, you look astonishing, darling," Gaston said. He reached out to pat her head. “My love looks good in anything.”

All the salesgirls nearby looked on in envy as he addressed her as “Love” so affectionately. I felt my heart tremble as I heard this. I once loved Gaston too and once heard him say those words to me.

But now, it's to my cousin! The jealous salesgirls around added, “I wish someone could love me like Gaston loves Miss Judy. They really are a match made in heaven.”

Judy's smile got even more radiant as she heard this. She had been very popular lately because she was dating Gaston Veriland, an actor.

Judy was also a fashion designer like me, but she had graduated and worked for big brands like Ashlux and Dior.

She turned around and looked at Gaston sweetly. “Gaston dear, look how good they are at talking. Now I'll feel bad if I don't buy this dress.”

“We're just speaking the truth. Miss Judy is a recognized beauty in the entertainment circle. She could pass for an actress. We even have some of the clothes she designed in our store,” one of the employees said sweetly.

Gaston must have felt his heart swell with pride as he listened to her.

Judy was indeed very pretty. Moreover, she was a popular celebrity. Everyone would be proud to take her out and about. Her family wasn't doing well anymore.

But Judy herself was doing great in the fashion circle. She had the most expensive models wear her designs, and celebrities were her customers.

He nodded sweetly. “Then let's buy it.” Gaston saw the envious looks of the employees and decided to ride on it. “Look around a bit more. If you see more pieces that catch your eye, we can settle the tab altogether later. Let people know that you're a very caring fashion designer who wears others' designs.”

“Wah.” Judy was very happy to hear that. She tiptoed and gave him a peck on the lips. “That's why I love you, baby, thank goodness that unlucky sister of mine is out of our lives!"

With his expression, I know Gaston felt angered by the way Judy talked about me but I decided to ignore it. As they were about to continue, they caught me staring at them the same way I did when I heard about Judy's pregnancy.

“Alice?” He seemed a bit stunned. “What are you doing here?”

I sniffed hard and calmed myself. I wasn't going to let them pick on me today. "You don't want to see me again. Don't I have the right to come to the mall?" I said, surprised at how Gaston reacted.

Seeing the way Gaston kept his eyes on me without even blinking, Judy's expression darkened.

I was in a blue t-shirt, pale yellow three-quarter skirt, and a pair of white shoes, with my hair styled in a unicorn fashion—two buns in the front and free-flowing at the back.

Although I was simply dressed, my exquisite look was still rather eye-catching.

Judy's jealousy thickened.

"This shameless Alice, was she out to seduce Gaston again?" She shot forward.

“Hey big sister, what are you doing here? Or did you come to look at designs so you can use them for practice?” Judy said as she stood in front of Gaston as if to shield him and eyed me as if I was a dangerous enemy.

I found her actions ridiculous, even funny.

It seemed like every third party who became the “main lead” would forget that they were the thieves. Judy was the same.

Seeing this annoying couple before me, I suddenly felt like talking. I wore dark sunglasses that I had picked from the store as part of what I was buying. "Sorry, I don't talk to trash pickers!" I swept my glance past the two of them expressionlessly and turned to leave.

“Big Sister!”

Judy called out to me and asked with feigned curiosity, “Did you need to put all your frustrations on me because you never got any contracts? Since you're here to get clothes, why are you leaving without buying anything?”

Before I could reply, she continued her pretense and acted as if she'd just come to a realization. “Oh, I remember now. There aren't many clothes in your small clothing store, so you come to buy clothes so that you can hang them out and say you designed them. And your brother Kyle is still seeking treatment in the hospital, and you've got to pay for his expenses.”

Hearing what Judy said, the employees started eyeing me with disdain. No wonder I was dressed so simply. They saw me as just a poor girl who steals others' designs and calls them hers.

And as they heard Judy call me “big sister,” they despised me even more. I looked at my cousin with a cold gaze. I removed the glasses and threw them at Judy.

"Dispose of them! Since you know how to pick up trash and things that I don't need!" I said this while referring to Gaston they are both the trash but Gaston is the real trash!