Melany was taken aback by the sudden reprimand, her cheeks burning with a mix of indignation and urgency. “How can you speak like that? What’s wrong with us examining the clothes and feeling the fabric? That’s a customer’s right! And how can this material be so delicate? I’ve shopped here many times! I even have a membership card with your store!”

“A membership card, is it? Well then, this sweater costs three hundred dollars, pure cashmere. Are you planning to purchase it?” the saleswoman countered.

“I… I wasn’t planning on buying another sweater,” Melany snapped, her tone heated. “It’s not that I can’t afford it. I’m simply making comparisons! How can you treat a member with such disrespect?”

With the profits from the sale of Snow Mint, Melany’s family no longer faced financial strain. She was comfortably well-off now, though she avoided living lavishly. That gave her every right to claim she could afford it, but the saleswoman clearly didn’t believe a word.

The woman let out a mocking laugh and rolled her eyes with theatrical disdain. “I’ve never seen you in my life! All talk and no proof! So what if you’re a member? Don’t make me laugh. You’re just here to cause trouble! Put the clothes down and leave at once! And if you damage anything, you won’t be able to pay the price!”

Her shrill voice cut through the air, immediately drawing the startled attention of the mother and daughter browsing the accessories nearby.

Rylie’s expression hardened, her eyes turning cold. At that moment, she understood why “Sweetberry” was in decline. What kind of management allowed a staff member to behave with such arrogance?

With deliberate composure, she placed the sweater back on the rack, yet her presence carried a quiet pressure that filled the space. Her gaze shifted to the woman’s name tag.

Lucinda Garrett. She was not just a saleswoman, but also the store manager.

What was more, she belonged to the Garrett family.

Rylie’s eyes lingered, her thoughts sharpening with sudden clarity.

This woman had clawed her way into the position of manager through family connections; no wonder her conduct was so appalling.

“Is this how Sweetberry treats its customers?” Rylie’s tone was calm but laced with weight, her words slicing straight through Lucinda’s bluster. “Scolding at random, slandering without cause, and openly questioning a customer’s ability to pay?”

Lucinda faltered under the sharpness of Rylie’s stare, yet years of conceit and her prejudice against what she assumed were two penniless students pushed her to double down. Her embarrassment twisted into hostility. “And what does it matter to you how I act? I’m the manager here, which means I set the rules! We’ve dealt with plenty like you, loitering, nitpicking, never buying! Now get out! If you don’t leave, I’ll have security throw you out! What a laughable sight!”

At that moment, another saleswoman, just returning from her lunch break, entered and immediately sensed the tension in the air. Hurriedly, she came forward in an attempt to smooth things over. “Please, don’t take this to heart. Ms. Garrett is a dedicated person, and she’s just worried that you might accidentally cause damage to these clothes. If there’s any issue, you can tell me directly.”

The young woman handed Lucinda a coffee bag with a practiced smile. “Ms. Garrett, you’ve been on your feet for half an hour. Why don’t you take a break in the lounge? I picked up your coffee, a latte with three sugars and light ice, just the way you like it.”

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