Chapter 463

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“ Enough! ”
Virgil had had it. Once he understood what really happened, his tone turned sharp as he scolded Reese. “If this was just your little prank, you’d better. apologize and let it go. My partner and I have more important things to handle—we’re short on time.”
He glanced at his watch, clearly done with the nonsense.
“I… Virgil, I…” Reese fumbled, flustered now that her plan had been completely derailed by a single honest store clerk. With Virgil clearly not taking her side, her fury started bubbling over.
“That’s enough. Drop it!”
Virgil turned to Caitlin and Wendy and gave a polite nod. “Ladies, I apologize on my cousin’s behalf. She’s a bit… impulsive. She was wrong today , and hope you’ll accept my apology for her behavior.”
With that, Virgil and the plainclothes officer made a swift exit.
“Virgil! Wait! Virgil—!”
Reese called out, but her cousin was already gone.
With her backup gone, Reese turned her wrath on Ulyana. “This is all your fault! You cursed, nosy rat!”
She raised her hand to strike again, but Caitlin immediately stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.
“Looking to pick a fight? At least go after the right person.”
Caitlin’s gaze was icy, her voice sharp. After everything, she’d seen enough to recognize Ulyana’s rare integrity. The girl had guts.
Reese yanked her arm back and glared daggers at them. “Fine! You win today. Let’s go , Jillian!”
The two women stormed out of the VERA store, arms linked, but they didn’t get far before-
“Stop right there!”
The shout rang out behind them.
Reese whirled around, her flawless face twisted in rage. “What now?!”
“You picked the fight, made false accusations, and now you think you can just walk away without apologizing?”
Caitlin’s voice was calm but firm, her stare as sharp as a blade.
Reese folded her arms, scoffing. “Apologize? To you two country bumpkins? Dream on.”
Just then, a chilling male voice cut in from the side.
“Who’s dreaming?”
Everyone froze. They turned to see Benjamin striding in, hands in his pockets, sunglasses on, suit perfectly tailored, oozing a dangerously cool aura.
Wendy instinctively shrank back a little, lowering her head.
“Benjamin!” Jillian greeted him, immediately walking over.
Reese’s eyes lit up like fireworks. She rushed to him, reaching for his arm. “Benjamin! What a surprise to see you here!”
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* Since when do I need your permission to go anywhere?”
Denjamin coolly brushed her off, his gaze sliding right past her straight to Wendy.
Wendy turned her head, avoiding his eyes.
Caitlin took note. “So if really is something between Benjamin and Wendy… Let’s see where this goes.
“What’s going on here? What’s with all the noise?” Benjamin asked.
Reese, eager to cover her tracks, answered quickly, “Just a little misunderstanding. It’s all cleared up now. We were about to leave , but they’re sit making a fuss . ”
Wendy muttered, “You mean you tried to frame my friend for theft and think you can just walk away without apologizing?”
Reese threw her a sharp glare.
Benjamin , unfazed, said calmly, “Then you should apologize.”
“Benjamin…” Reese tried her usual coy
act .
“Apologize now,” Benjamin snapped, cutting her off.
Startled, Reese hesitated.
“Don’t make me look bad. Apologize, or you can pack your things and leave Jones Group first thing tomorrow.”
Reese turned pale. She couldn’t afford to lose her job–not after all the effort her family put in to place her there.
”
…I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
Caitlin raised an eyebrow. “That didn’t sound very sincere.”
Benjamin pulled off his sunglasses, his tone biting. “Did you forget to eat today? Or are you part mosquito? That little buzz was supposed to be an apology?”
Wendy struggled not to laugh, but the moment she met Benjamin’s glare, she swallowed it back.
Surrounded by curious onlookers, Reese felt humiliated. She gritted her teeth and raised her voice. “I’m sorry. Is that better?”
“Still not good enough. What kind of assistant are you? An apology should be heartfelt–with a perfect ninety–degree bow. Do it again.”
Benjamin had fully committed to the performance, coaching her on apology etiquette. Even Jillian was stunned.
Caitlin had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. *None of Sebastian’s brothers are normal, clearly.*
Reese’s eyes brimmed with tears, but unwilling to disobey, she gave a deep bow and apologized again.
“There you go! Now that’s how a proper assistant behaves. Learn your manners!” Benjamin said with mock encouragement.
Wendy took the opportunity to chime in. “Also, you called me a fat cow earlier. Don’t you think that deserves an apology too?”
Reese’s eyes burned with rage. If glares could kill…
Benjamin’s tone darkened, voice like a whip. “Excuse me? That kind of language? From a well–educated young lady‘ like you, from The Nguyen Family ? ”
Reese stammered, “I…I didn’t mean-
“Apologize. Use the method I just taught you!”
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Benjamin ordered coldly.
Wendy was almost touched , “Finally, he’s acting like a decent human being again.”
But then-
“And one more thing! “Fat cow‘ is a nickname “only I’m allowed to use. No one else gets to say it. Got that? ”
“…Seriously?”
All her goodwill instantly evaporated.
Reese, out of options, gave Wendy a begrudging bow and another apology.
“Enough. Get out of here.” Benjamin waved her and Jillian off like flies.
As they turned to go, Reese remembered something. She pulled out two movie tickets. “Oh, Benjamin, the tickets you asked me to get the movie stars in a little over an hour. Are we going now or later?”
Benjamin took the tickets, checked the time, and nodded. “Now.”
Reese’s eyes lit up. She gave Jillian a secret look-*See? He asked me to buy tickets for a reason!*
But Benjamin walked right past her. Straight to Wendy.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along. “Come on, Pudding. Movie time with me . ”
“Hey–wait-”
Wendy was stunned, looking helplessly at Caitlin.
Caitlin just smiled and waved. “Go on. Have fun.”
Benjamin dragged a flustered Wendy away.
Reese stood frozen, dumbfounded. *He asked her to buy tickets … but not for her?!*
Caitlin gave Reese a glance as cold as ice. She looked at her the way one might glance at a clown in a circus–amused but unimpressed. Then she walked right past them.
Not long after, she returned to the store–this time back in her usual look, elegant and striking, flanked by a pair of bodyguards.
She exuded cold, commanding queen energy as she strode straight toward VERA’s entrance.
Time to settle accounts.
The queen had arrived-
Let t