Chapter 15

Just as Valerie was about to address him, Damian stopped her with a sharp look. She hesitated for a moment and quickly changed her tone, addressing him respectfully, "Mr. Munoz, it's truly an honor to have you in our store. Please let me know if there's anything you need." The crowd watched in disbelief as Valerie treated Damian with such deference. They wondered what kind of background he had to make even the manager treat him with such respect. Damian's cold gaze swept over Margot, the one who had been rude earlier. His voice was calm but carried weight. "I brought my wife here to buy a wedding dress, but because I'm dressed simply, your staff member assumes I'm here to cause trouble. Since when has your store started treating people with such shallow judgment?" At his words, Valerie's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. Though their boutique was a high-end brand, it was a subsidiary of Munoz Group. There was no way she would dare offend Damian. "You're fired. Go to the finance department and collect your paycheck for this month," Valerie said decisively to Margot. Margot's face turned ghostly pale. Faye, who was watching from the sidelines, couldn't stand it any longer. To her, Damian was just a lowly male escort. She wondered why everyone was making such a big deal over him. "Are you serious? These two are nobodies. She's a country bumpkin, and he's just a male escort from some sleazy nightclub. This is a luxury boutique—they don't belong here. They should've been kicked out from the start." Faye's voice grew sharp as she pointed at Virgil and said, "Do you know who he is? He's the scion of the Valdez family. The Valdez family of Phoypolis! Don't you know who you're dealing with?" Virgil straightened his posture, curious to see what kind of man Zelda had chosen. He wondered what Damian was truly capable of. However, Valerie's expression grew even grimmer as she listened to Faye's insults toward Damian. Compared to the Munoz family, the Valdez family was insignificant. If Damian wanted, he could crush them without breaking a sweat. Valerie noticed Damian's subtle glance earlier, which signaled he didn't want to reveal his identity. Hence, she remained silent and said coldly, "You're not welcome here. Please leave." Faye's face turned red with anger. The store was the most prestigious bridal shop in Phoypolis. She came here today specifically to order her wedding dress, and now, she was being told to leave. Her face immediately showed a flash of restrained anger. "Are you out of your mind? This is Virgil, the scion of the Valdez family. How dare you kick us out? Do you even want to keep doing business in Phoypolis?" Virgil was displeased with Valerie's attitude. His brows furrowed slightly as he directed a sharp gaze at her. "Do you realize the consequences of offending the Valdez family?" Valerie met his gaze unflinchingly. "We're under Munoz Group's umbrella. If you're dissatisfied, you're welcome to test that." The mention of Munoz Group made Virgil's expression shift slightly. However, Faye remained oblivious to the significance and continued to rant, "I don't care which group you're with. You've offended us, so don't think you'll be able to do business in Phoypolis any longer." Faye's tirade wasn't over yet when Virgil pulled her aside. "Let's go." She looked at him with confusion. "Virgil, I want the wedding dress from here, and this—" Before she could finish, Virgil cut her off sharply. "I said, let's go!" His tone was harsh, and he ignored her protests. Without hesitation, he grabbed her arm and led her out. After the commotion settled, Valerie approached Damian with a respectful demeanor. "Mr. Munoz, please feel free to look at our wedding dresses. If you need anything, just let me know." Damian nodded. "We'll look around ourselves. Thank you for your assistance." Seeing that Damian was not upset, Valerie breathed a sigh of relief. Those idiots almost offended Damian. Once Valerie left, Zelda looked at Damian with curiosity. She lowered her voice and asked, "Why was she so respectful to you?" The Valdez family held considerable influence in Phoypolis. It seemed unusual that Valerie would risk offending them to support Damian. Damian smirked slightly. His voice carried a subtle, husky tone. "What do you think?" Zelda was puzzled, scrutinizing Damian's flawless face. It was so perfect that she couldn't find a single flaw. After thinking for a moment, Zelda ventured a guess and whispered, "Are you involved with the owner of this store or something?" Given how respectful Valerie had been, she could only think along those lines. Damian's smile deepened, neither confirming nor denying her guess. Zelda took this as a tacit admission and understood why Damian could be so confident. Respecting Damian's privacy, Zelda didn't press further. She chose a simple white wedding dress with him. Valerie was accommodating and courteous. She scheduled an appointment and arranged for professional makeup artists and stylists to assist on the wedding day. … On the other hand, Faye was furious as she left the bridal shop. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked at Virgil. She said, "Virgil, I'm marrying you, and we've already missed out on booking the hotel. Now, I can't even choose the wedding dress I want?" Virgil looked at Faye. After a moment of restraint, he said, "This bridal shop is under Munoz Group, and we can't afford to offend them. If you want a wedding dress, you'll have to try another store." Faye's frustration boiled over. "But I want a dress from that bridal shop," she protested angrily. Virgil found her complaints grating. When he was with Zelda, she was always elegant and composed, never demanding. On the other hand, Faye seemed to only know how to extract demands from him. With that thought, Virgil's expression darkened further. He said with growing impatience, "I'm heading home. If you find a wedding dress you like, just pay for it with my card." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Faye alone. Faye was fuming, stomping her feet in anger. She had hoped that by marrying Virgil, she could completely overshadow Zelda. Instead, she felt as if she had been outdone. She was unwilling to accept it. Suddenly, a sinister smile crossed her face. She recalled that their father had arranged for Zelda to marry Osbert and that Osbert had agreed. If they learned that Zelda was still intent on marrying that male escort, they would surely be furious. Taking a deep breath, Faye quickly dialed Edric's number. "Dad, get to the mall in the city center right now. I just saw Zelda and that male escort browsing a bridal shop. They're planning a wedding and are completely ignoring what you said." Edric's anger flared upon receiving Faye's call and hearing the news. He responded sharply, "She really has some nerve. How dare she disregard my words? Keep an eye on them. I'm coming over right away. Whether she likes it or not, she must marry Mr. Ferguson."