Chapter 58: The Fine Art of Aggressive Shopping
The scent of freshly brewed espresso and artisanal pastries still lingered pleasantly as April and Samuel stepped out of the high-end bistro.
They ate to their fill in a classy manner, so now they were refreshed, and refueled, carrying a combined total of wealth that could comfortably fund a small nation’s military budget.
April was in an exceptionally dangerous mood. In a good way, that is.
The luxury sedan glided away from the exclusive breakfast bistro and April leaned back once again into the leather seat, feeling lighter now that a solid meal was taken care of.
"Samuel," April called out, adjusting her posture. "What’s the time right now?"
Samuel flicked his eyes to the dashboard clock before catching her gaze in the rearview mirror. "It is exactly 9:34 AM, Miss April."
April hummed softly, a wave of relief washing over her. 9:34 AM.
Alexander’s boardroom business hadn’t compromised their schedule that much after all. Since she had told Samuel yesterday that they would begin the movement at noon today, they still had plenty of time to clear out the shops before the delivery trucks needed to roll.
"Well, it’s a perfect schedule," April said, a sharp, satisfied glint appearing in her eyes. "We’ll start the movement now. Do you have a specific address for furniture shopping?"
"I do, Miss April," Samuel replied, smoothly navigating a sweeping turn. "We are currently heading to the Aurelia Design Pavilion at the north end of the district."
April tilted her head, tapping her fingers against her armrest. "Is it a good place to spend money?"
Samuel paused. His hands remained steady on the steering wheel, but he looked over the rearview mirror and briefly closed his eyes in a moment of stoic deliberation.
"It is indeed so, Miss April," he answered, opening his eyes to focus back on the road. "The pavilion caters exclusively to elite clients. However, because of that, I will call the delivery fleet I have personally arranged for this movement. It is better to have our own trusted transport ready so that your... ’abilities’ are not frowned upon, since there will be a lot of people present at the showroom."
"And where will the delivery fleet drop off my goods?" She asked and he gave a flawless response.
"They will deliver them to Mr. Reed’s Transit warehouse, Miss. They will be ready for collection there."
April’s lips curved into a warm, businesslike smile—one that carried genuine appreciation without being overly soft or cold. "You’re always so reliable. Thank you, Samuel."
"It is my duty, Miss April," he responded seamlessly.
April leaned back again. And to think this capable mind and flawless work force would’ve been destroyed because of a girl named Mei. She could never let that happen.
Ten minutes later, the sedan pulled into the private, gated courtyard of the Aurelia Design Pavilion.
The warehouse was an architectural marvel of glass and matte-black steel. The moment April walked through the heavy glass doors which opened by themselves, the cool, climate-controlled air washed over her, carrying the distinct, intoxicating scent of premium Italian leather, polished mahogany, and sheer wealth.
She took in a deep breath of that luxury air but did not make it obvious before exhaling. Samuel had definitely brought her to the right place.
An impeccably dressed sales associate, wearing a tailored blazer and a sharp, practiced smile, immediately glided toward them.
"Welcome to Aurelia, Madame. I am Julianna. Are we looking for anything in particular today, or perhaps scheduling a consultation for an estate?"
They do consultation for estates here too? April thought, amazed. It’s like they have everything, but priorities. Priorities. Don’t get carried away yet.
"No consultation," April said, her voice smooth and entirely casual as her eyes began roaming the vast showroom floor. "I’ll just look around and point at what I want. You can follow behind with a tablet and keep score."
Julianna blinked, her professional smile faltering for a fraction of a second. April was dressed comfortably, but there was an unmistakable aura of supreme, unbothered arrogance radiating off her. The towering, stone-faced man in glasses standing a half-step behind her like her literal shadow made it very clear that this wasn’t a window-shopper.
This woman was ready to throw in gold.
"Of course," Julianna recovered quickly, tapping her digital stylus pen against her tablet. "Please, take your time."
April didn’t waste a single moment. She marched straight toward the living room exhibits. Her eyes locked onto a massive, modular sectional couch wrapped in an incredibly plush, deep emerald-green velvet. It looked like a cloud designed for royalty.
Without a care for corporate decorum, April walked right up to it and dropped herself directly onto the cushions. She sank into the velvet, letting out a soft, appreciative hum as the premium foam molded perfectly to her posture.
"Oh, this is coming with me," April muttered, bouncing slightly to test the spring tension. "The structural framing is solid oak, right?"
"Ah... yes, Madame," Julianna stammered, hurriedly typing on her tablet. "Imported from Europe. The emerald velvet is a limited—"
"I’ll take three of them," April cut her off, already rolling off the couch and marching toward the master bedroom section. "One in emerald, two in matte black. Add twenty of those oversized down-feather pillows too."
Julianna’s eyes widened slightly. Three? A single one cost more than forty-five thousand dollars... And she wanted three?
Before the sales associate could process the math, April had already penetrated deep into the bedding gallery.
In the center of the showroom stood an absolute monster of a bed—a custom, California-king-sized masterpiece featuring an intricate, hand-carved obsidian headboard and layers of Egyptian cotton that looked thick enough to block a bullet.
April glanced left, then right. Julianna was busy logging the sectionals, and Samuel was scanning the area out of pure habit.
Taking advantage of the brief window, April boldly threw herself horizontally across the massive luxury bed. She sprawled out completely, her arms and legs star-fished across the sheets, letting out a deep sigh of profound satisfaction. When the world goes to hell, I am going to sleep like a baby on top of this baby.
"Madame!" Julianna gasped softly, turning around just in time to see April casually sitting up from the display, smoothing down her jacket without a hint of shame.
"Tell me more about this bed." April asked, completely unfazed as she slid off the bed.
