Once everything was set, Lina exited the store.
"Thank you for your patronage!"
Almost every store attendant quickly bowed at her departure, which only made her face burn. No matter how many times Lina was recognized, she still couldn't get used to it. Perhaps if she had grown up in the spotlight all her life, Lina wouldn't even bat an eye. But her grandfather, Lawrence, had kept her hidden for all these years.
"Oh my, isn't this Director Lina?"
Lina froze, worried that'd be met with a conflict. She slowly turned on her heels and was surprised at who it was. She didn't know if she should be happy or wary to see him, especially when she knew he was working for either Mia or Kaden.
"Mr. Leur," Lina greeted her long-time client.
"You're up and walking again? What a miraculous recovery," Mr. Leur stated, taking a long and good look at her. His voice, as usual, was filled with a playfulness that made Lina raise a brow.
"Everyone is calling it a miracle," Lina muttered whilst glancing around their surroundings.
They were standing outside of the jewelry store in broad daylight. Lina often made it a point to keep clientele relationships business-like. She rarely met people outside of the gallery, unless it was to discuss business, or the customer was unavailable to come to the gallery.
"Well, I'm just glad to see you. It means I can finally start commissioning from you again," Mr. Leur happily said.
"You can stop pretending," Lina mused. "I know who runs the club where my brother Milo was nearly drugged."
"Do you really?" Mr. Leur responded in the same merry-go-lucky voice. He took a step closer, for the distance between them saddened him a bit.
"If it's not Kaden, it's Mia, isn't it?" Lina returned.
"You know so many people," Mr. Leur wisely dodged with soft laughter. "And for the record, Director, I was never pretending. I genuinely care for you."
The conversation was quickly going south. Lina leaned against the glass railing of the mall. She peered over it and wondered how many stories it'd be if she shoved him off of it. Her gaze swept to the jewelry store where people were seemingly chatting, but she saw their brief peeking.
"Do you really?" Lina repeated his words, but in a monotone voice. She was dubious of his intentions.
Mr. Leur warmly chuckled. On a different occasion, he could charm a woman's pants off with the behavior. He had seen many falls for his charms—even the most upright women like the Director.
"You are a charming woman, Director, a man would be a fool to not cherish and care for you," Mr. Leur continued.
Lina wondered if Mr. Leur was sent by Mia today to further test her. She said nothing to his flirtation. Instead, she took a curious glance at the other stores near their vicinity. In the distance, she could see two attendants talking swiftly with a woman.
Upon closer inspection, Lina thought she recognized someone. Immediately, she straightened up.
"And if the relationship between you and the Chairman doesn't work out, I'm just a few phone calls away," Mr. Leur jokes. He saw her get ready to leave. Instantly, he began to approach her.
"My husband would probably shoot you dead before you pick up that phone," Lina responded in an equally amused tone.
"Ah, so Chairman DeHaven is the lucky man. It's no wonder our dear Mademoiselle is so interested in you."
Mademoiselle? Was Mr. Leur referring to Mia? Lina hadn't realized she slipped out the word 'husband' with so much ease, it made him pause. In fact, she often forgot what his first name was.
Before Lina could respond, a shrill filled the air.
"Don't you know who I am?!"
Lina paused at the familiar scream. She turned her head in time to see a pair of troubled store attendants. They were attempting to calm down a woman that made Lina's blood chill.
Evelyn—her mother.
"I wonder who that rowdy little thing is," Mr. Leur murmured whilst stepping up to her.
Lina was distracted by the scene of her mother. She hadn't seen Evelyn in over five years, but so much hate changed. Her mother seemed to have gained weight, with a healthy glow to her cheeks, but her eyes were gaunt and fierce.
"Madam, please—"
"How dare you refuse my service? What gives you the right?!"
Lina cringed at how loud the conversation was. They were three stores down, but she heard their discussion loud as day. Evelyn was embarrassing herself in public.
"Do you want to know the truth?" One of the store attendants finally said, growing impatient with this woman. They had been instructed by their manager to never let her step foot in here.
"Of course! How dare a lowly servant like you—"
"You have been banned from every store in this mall for your behavior and indecency towards the staff. Please leave! You're making a scene for yourself."
Lina should've come to her mother's defense. But all these years of taunting and humiliation… Lina couldn't find it in herself to move an inch forward. She remembered her mother's comments. All the snide remarks about not eating, all of the disgusted expressions whenever Lina lifted a fork to her mouth, and endless taunts worse than the middle school bullying that she experienced…
Lina couldn't stomach the idea of defending her mother. The woman had sold her off to Everett like a pawn for marriage. Never once did Evelyn consider Lina's opinions and feelings. Evelyn was a sorry excuse of a mother.
"W-why… I'd never… You!" Evelyn was baffled by the treatment, her face growing red. She was embarrassed in front of all of her peers, her cheeks beginning to burn.
"Isn't that—"
"If you ever need an art piece from me, Mr. Leur," Lina interrupted him. "You know where to find me."
Before Mr. Leur could continue, Lina sharply turned on her heels and walked off. She knew things would be harder if she stepped in. It wasn't Lina's place to defend a mother that couldn't learn to love her.
With that thought in mind, Lina left the mall, with a single destination in mind—the Yang second Mansion.
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