The Girl Named Mirage

” Do we really have to go now? ”

Mirage said reluctantly.

” Yes. And that’s final, my dear. ”

Chloe said authoritatively. Mirage sighed. She doesn’t really like the idea of shopping with Chloe.

” Dr. Travis said I am not supposed to be tired, you know? ”

Mirage said, trying to wiggle out her way of the situation she got in.

” We’re not going to shop all day, my dear. And don’t you give my husband your reason not to go out with me, I’ll divorce him right here, right now if I have to, just because of you.”

Mirage mouth gape open.

‘ Seriously? She’d do that just because I don’t want to go shopping with her? What a nutjob this woman is! She’s far worse than Nico! ‘

And Nicolo sneezed in his office while reading some documents.

” Who the hell thinks bad about me? ” he muttered after wiping his face with a hanky and continued to read some contracts before signing.

” So, shall we? ”

Chloe smiles triumphantly. Mirage shakes her head, defeated.

” I don’t want to leave Euphy. ”

” Oh, don’t give me that crap! You’re out, lying in your hospital bed for a month and your daughter is being taken care of alright. We’re just going to shop for an hour or two. I can hire a dozen nannies to look for her while she sleeps. Will that make you feel better? ”

” Ah. Let’s go. ”

And yes, Mirage was the first one to walk towards Chloe’s car.

” You can’t reason out with me, my dear. ”

Chloe said as she blew a strand of her golden hair out of her pretty face and walked towards her car where Mirage is already sitting on the passenger seat looking miserable as if she was going to prison and not into a shopping mall.

” Why a long face, my dear? ”

Chloe asks as she sits comfortably at the back and instructs her driver to take them to Equinox, the biggest shopping center in the area. It was also one of the most expensive places in the city with lots of 5 star restaurants, luxury boutiques and jewelry stores to name some but that didn’t matter. Chloe loves spending money and she wanted to spend it on Mirage today.

” Do you really need to ask? ”

Mirage replied bluntly, making the other woman roll her eyes and turn her attention to the road. They arrived at the shopping center and they both stepped outside.

” So, what should we look for first?”

Chloe asked as they were walking around the mall. The place was packed with people who are doing whatever they do. Some are chilling in a cafe, others are grooming their pets and even pampering themselves in a spa. This place has it all. Mirage could only shake her head hopelessly and follow Chloe through the crowds until they reached the shop that Chloe had chosen.

The store had a large number of racks filled with expensive looking clothes and accessories that looked too much for Mirage’s liking.

” Choose whatever you like. I’ll go get something for Euphemia. Don’t go wandering elsewhere, I’ll be back soon. ”

” Yeah, yeah. ”

Mirage said lamely, pretending to look at the clothes in front of her.

‘ As if I want to go anywhere, I’d rather go home. ‘

She thought to herself. She walked slowly, scanning the clothes without really paying attention. Suddenly, someone taps her shoulder.

” Excuse me miss, how may I help you? ”

Mirage turned around to know who it is and find a young looking salesperson wearing a warm smile, smiling at her.

” Oh. I just wanna go and look around for something, alone? ”

” It’s alright, just call me if you need help. ”

” Sure, thanks! ”

Mirage said with a wry smile and turned around and walked away from the saleslady named Mary, according to her nameplate. She doesn’t really like to be assisted, she doesn’t want to be here in the first place.

She reached the accessories section of the shop without realizing it.

‘ What’s taking Chloe so long? ‘

She thought as her eyes caught the attention of the display of luxurious watches. She walked closer to take a peek, it looked quite expensive, made of premium leathers. Her gaze fell on the next rack of watches, this rack seemed to have a lot of diamond studded watches in there. And the price isn’t just a few hundred dollars. But a hundred thousand dollars or a thousand of hundreds. Or a million maybe?

‘ Does it really have to be this expensive just to look at the time? ‘

” These are some limited edition watches. You can’t just buy it from anywhere. ”

Another saleslady interrupted her not so fun shopping escapade. Mirage looked at her with her uninterested look and she could see her sly and mocking smile even she tried her best to hide it.

‘ I’m not even asking. ‘

” Oh. Great. ”

Mirage simply said. Ending the conversation. She turned around to leave and look somewhere else to avoid a nonsense sales talk because she’s not interested and it’s just a waste of her time.

‘ How dare she shrug me off when she doesn’t have the ability to buy anything from this shop! ‘

” If you’re done looking around, you may leave. ”

And this made Mirage stop. She slowly looked at the saleslady again. Her name plate says that her name is Lydia.

” Say that again? ”

” I said, ‘ If you’re done looking around, you can leave.’ You’re disrupting our work. ”

Lydia said in an irritated tone and she even dared to raise her eyebrow at Mirage.

” How am I disrupting your work, actually? ”

Mirage said and she slipped her hands on her jeans pocket and gave Lydia her bored look.

‘ This woman is insane. How dare she talk back to me like this. She doesn’t look like she could afford anything from our shop. She doesn’t look like she has money on her at all! Ha. I’m going to put you in your rightful place! ‘

Lydia crossed her arms on her chest and flashed her malicious grin.

” You’re surveying our shop to find something to sneak out, right? I can see through your actions! You’re avoiding our salespersons so no one can see you when you snatched something out here. You’re just waiting for the right timing but I won’t let that happen! ”

Mirage let out a bitter laugh.

‘ This b*tch is incredibly annoying ‘

” Where did you get that ridiculous idea? Are you watching too much drama? ”

Lydia laughed out loud too. Getting the attention of the customers and other sales ladies inside the shop.

” Look at you. You don’t look like you can afford anything inside our shop. You don’t look like you have money at all and you’re acting like that? ”

” What’s so wrong with my shirt and jeans? They’re comfortable. Even my sneakers, too. You spewing baseless assumptions can get you in prison, don’t you know that? ”

Mirage said unbothered from all the eyes that’s now watching their little drama.

Lydia is feeling really annoyed right now because Mirage isn’t taking her seriously. She wanted to humiliate Mirage but she’s embarrassing herself instead.

‘ And she has the guts to scare me like that? Just wait and you’ll be the one who will end up in prison! ‘

” Wow. You’re good at acting huh? So why don’t we take a look at your pocket if you’re not hiding anything? How was that? ”

Lydia smiles as if she hits the jackpot. But to her dismay…

” Sure. ”

Mirage said with a dignified look as she retracted her hands off her pocket.

The onlookers started to whisper here and there.

” Why is that saleslady being so rude? ”

” What has she done wrong? ”

” Accusing someone without enough evidence is a no no. ”

” What if she doesn’t really have something in her pocket? ”

” She will lose her job for sure! ”

These statements make Lydia horrified.

‘ Why do I even tell her off like that? What do I do now? What am I getting myself into? ‘ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

” So, what’s inside your pocket anyway? ”

Out of nowhere, Chloe shows up beside Mirage and fishes something out of her jeans pocket and throw it on top of the glass display of watches in front of Lydia.

” Hey, what took you so long? ”

But no one minds what Mirage said to Chloe as they’re eyes widened upon realizing what’s the thing she has in her pocket. Lydia covered her mouth in shock and looked terrified as ever. Her eyes started to tear up in horror.

It was a prestigious card known solely in that shopping center.

For their VVIP members.

Sky’s the limit.