“Exactly,” another chimed in.
“Katelyn hasn’t done anything to provoke her, yet Lise keeps harassing her and playing the victim. She’s really manipulative!”
Upon overhearing this, Lise’s hold on Paloma’s hand involuntarily tightened.
Damn it! Why was anyone siding with Katelyn? Couldn’t they see that Katelyn had assaulted Paloma?
“Ah! It hurts!” Paloma exclaimed in agony.
She glanced at Lise.
Her arm was being painfully squeezed as Lise unwittingly applied too much pressure. Despite the pain, Paloma didn’t protest and continued to yell, “My leg is in so much pain!”
Lise, realizing her overreaction, quickly loosened her grip on Paloma’s arm.
The surrounding murmurs gradually subsided.
The manager doubted Ashlyn could muster ten billion with just one phone call; such financial capability was rare.
He felt somewhat reassured and signaled to the security guards.
“Hold them here until the police arrive.”
Just then, a voice said authoritatively, “I’d like to see who dares to touch them.”
All eyes shifted to the entrance when Uriah Bates, the owner of Westine Mall, rushed in.
The manager, once full of arrogance, instantly moved toward him. With a respectful nod, he said, “Mr. Bates, what brings you here today? This group is causing a disturbance, and I was about to have them sent to the police station.”
However, Uriah’s gaze fell on Katelyn and Ashlyn, and his face changed in an instant.
. com is your storytelling hub
He raised his hand and struck the manager across the face with a swift motion. The sharp crack of the slap rang through the air. A wave of shock swept over everyone nearby.
It was the mall’s owner, striking one of his employees. But why? The manager pressed his hand to his face, too afraid to meet Uriah’s gaze, and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Bates. Did I do something wrong?”
Thoughts raced through his mind in a blur. Could these two women truly be someone he should have never crossed? Before he could process anything, Uriah struck him again, this time with a sharp slap to the other cheek.
Breathing heavily, he glared and shouted, “You absolute fool! Apologize to Miss Bailey and Miss Marshall right this instant!”
Lise stood nearby, her hands curled into tight fists, fighting to keep her temper in check.
In her mind, Katelyn was nothing more than a bitch. To have the owner of Westine Mall stand up for her, Katelyn must be the type to flirt with every man she comes across!
The realization hit the manager like a brick. This Miss Bailey his boss was talking about was clearly not Lise.
The weight of it left him utterly stunned. Who on earth was this other “Miss Bailey”?
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