Chapter 22 Tricks

Ellie took a deep breath, realizing she was totally overreacting. There weren't so many peach-colored traps.

It wouldn't even be her cousin falling for this stuff. Linda's way richer than her cousin and, oh yeah, she's single now too!

Thinking back to when she first thought Linda might be a scammer, Ellie felt a bit guilty. To shake off that guilt, she gave Isaac a slight nod and a friendly smile. "Hey."

Isaac noticed Ellie's change in attitude and discreetly shoved his hand into his pocket, gripping it tight to keep his excitement in check. Who wouldn't be pumped when their target finally dropped their guard and even made the first move to be friendly?

He lowered his gaze a bit, still looking a tad embarrassed, and returned her kindness. Then he said he needed to change his clothes, turned around, and headed past the counter towards the changing room.

The vibe got awkward real quick, like Isaac wasn't all that interested in getting to know Ellie. The three women exchanged glances, and when they saw Isaac had already walked past the counter, Allie jumped in. "Heh... Mr. Richardson's just like that. He's kinda shy, so don't mind him."

Allie's words had barely left her mouth when she smiled and added, "Yeah, Mr. Richardson's super shy, especially around pretty ladies..."

As she spoke, she winked at Ellie, and everyone burst into laughter. Ellie didn't really find it funny, but she played along and forced a smile.
"Heh... It's cool, I don't mind." Ellie knew exactly why he was acting that way.

At that moment, Allie turned to Ellie with a grin. "Ellie, have you noticed Mr. Richardson kinda looks like your husband?"

Ellie had clocked that the first time she saw him on the bus, but she still played dumb. "Really?"

"Yeah, but... I think Mr. Richardson's a bit more handsome than George! Hahaha—"

Was that so? But she thought George was more handsome. Sure, both guys were good-looking, and their profiles even resembled each other a bit. But George's features were sturdier, and he gave off this gentle, steady vibe that made you feel safe and comfy.

Mr. Richardson, on the other hand, maybe because he was a dance teacher, had more delicate features and a softer aura.

Of course, that was just her take. Different strokes for different folks. Everyone'd got their own taste.

Anyway, in her book, George was the more handsome one!

Just as she was mulling this over, Linda, sitting across from them, chimed in, "Allie, they say love is blind."

"What are you talking about?" Allie shot Linda a look. "Don't let Mr. Richardson hear that, or he might never come out of the dressing room!"

The three women burst into laughter again, but Ellie still couldn't fully join in. She knew Linda was just joking around, but it was hard to shake off the weight of her past suspicions.

Feeling like an outsider, Ellie fell silent for a moment before saying, "Sis, it's getting late, I should head back."

Her cousin smiled, hiding her true intentions, "It's not late at all, and you haven't seen anything yet."
Ellie knew her cousin was trying to get her to sign up for the card and help Mr. Richardson hit his sales target, but she wasn't having it.

So she replied casually, "I've seen everything. The place is nice, and the teachers seem great, but the fees are kinda steep. I need to think about it."

"Individual classes are pricey, but getting an annual card is worth it. It even includes dance outfits, which alone cost a few hundred bucks. And right now, there's a discount on the annual card. Don't miss out."

A single class cost $120, and even with the discount, the annual card still cost $8,800. Sure, it was more cost-effective, but it was still not cheap. Her monthly salary was only $8,000! In a small town like Ellie's, $8,800 was a big deal. She found it hard to swallow.

Plus, she wasn't interested at all; she was just worried her cousin might get scammed.

But Allie wasn't ready to give up. She knew not everyone could afford such expenses, but her cousin's family was doing alright. They had two houses and a car, and while her kindergarten salary wasn't high, her husband made good money!

Allie paused for a moment, then leaned closer to Ellie and asked in a seemingly soft voice, but loud enough for everyone to hear, "Ellie, be honest, are you afraid of spending too much and making George unhappy? If that's the case, it's fine. I can help you cover it for now."

Allie's words hit Ellie right in the weak spot. The moment her cousin said that, the air got real quiet. That's just how people were. The more they lacked something, the more they wanted to prove something.
George was rarely home, and one of the few ways Ellie could show off his kindness was through material stuff.

Ellie shot back, "Of course not. He gives me his salary card and never asks how I spend it."

"Is that so? Tell me then, how much does your husband make a month?"

"Well, his salary is alright," Ellie said with a hint of disdain. "He makes a little over $2000 a month. Plus, he gets travel allowances, performance bonuses, and year-end bonuses. On holidays, the company even sends gifts..."

As she was bragging about how well George was treated, how he never asked her for a single penny, and how he even helped with the laundry when she got home, she noticed Mr. Richardson had changed his clothes and come out. He didn't come over; he just sat at the counter. But she knew he could hear their conversation.

So when her cousin sighed and said how good her husband was to her, and why she was being so stingy with just a few thousand dollars, and maybe her husband would be happy to see her having some fun and enjoying herself, Ellie caved and signed up for the memership.

But after completing the process, she didn't stick around to watch others dance. She just said she was too tired and bid farewell to her cousin.

After leaving the dance class, she felt confused and frustrated. As soon as she stepped out of the building, a cool breeze hit her, instantly soothing her inexplicably heightened emotions while her heart ached.

Eight thousand eight hundred dollars... Had she been tricked? Was her dignity worth $8,800?