Chapter 958
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No emotion showed on Ethan’s face, but he answered harshly, “Feel free to look at others. There’s plenty to choose from here. Why do you always want the one Brenna likes?”
Caught off guard by his bluntness, Gracie stumbled for words, embarrassment flashing before she quickly composed herself. “That’s not what I meant, Ethan. Honestly, I just have similar taste to Miss Harper. When she finds something lovely, I’m drawn to it, too. I was just complimenting her style. She really has an eye for beautiful things!”
The sincerity in her apology seemed to ease Ethan’s irritation. “There are a lot of options. If you need help picking something, just ask the staff.”
A blank expression settled on Brenna’s face as she looked at Gracie. She saw right through the act, knowing Gracie was trying to stop her from buying the necklace. “Forget it, Ellie. Since Gracie wants it, let her have it. Would you help me take this off?”
Shaking her head, Ellie grumbled, “What a weird day. Some people only want what you want and then walk away without buying. Are they trying to cause trouble on purpose?”
With a touch of sarcasm, Ellie unclasped the necklace, handed it to the staff, and added, “If she’s so taken with it, please make sure to wrap it up—she’ll be taking it.”
Gracie’s lips parted to reply, but the words wouldn’t come.
Saying nothing, Ethan kept his thoughts to himself, recalling the times Gracie had once helped him. He saw no need to make her discomfort worse.
A heavy silence from Ethan only seemed to fuel Ellie’s annoyance. Her words grew sharper as she said to Gracie, “Miss Wilson, you’ve shown interest in so many necklaces here. You’ll be buying them all, right?”
A smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes appeared on Gracie’s face. “Absolutely. My calendar’s full of events. I’ll need every piece to complete my looks.”
Arching an eyebrow, Ellie said, “Glad to hear it. For a moment, I thought you made things difficult for Brenna to block her from getting anything. Good to know that’s not the case.”
Excitement flickered across the staff member’s face; she was delighted by such a profitable day. Clearing out so much high-end jewelry in one sale promised a hefty commission.
“I’ll get everything packed up for you right away, Miss.”
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With a nod, Gracie agreed. Money meant little to her; these necklaces were hardly a splurge. If she wanted, she could buy out the entire boutique.
Still, it stung to have her real motives revealed in front of everyone.
Losing out to Brenna this early in their rivalry soured her mood.
Soon, boxes lined the counter, ready for Gracie to pay.
Gracie paid while Ellie watched her. “Done shopping, Miss Wilson?” Ellie said. A curt nod was all Ellie got. Gracie had already pegged Ellie as a meddlesome nuisance she’d rather avoid.
Across the room, another staff member gathered up the smaller gifts meant for the staff and brought them over for payment.
Not one to mince words, Ellie said, “Now that you’re done, Brenna and I can shop in peace. You’re not planning to follow us around again, are you?”
Pretending to be apologetic, Gracie replied, “Of course not. It was all just a misunderstanding. Honestly, I only wanted to compliment Miss Harper’s excellent taste.”
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