Fallen Straight Into Their Trap

The driver only had a second to contemplate the idea before he noticed two black cars pulling up in front of him and behind him. Men in black stepped out of the cars, their attention drawn to him. Instantly, he unlocked the door and offered her a tight smile.

"No charge, this ride is on the house," the driver told her.

Lina quirked a brow and exited the car. She made eye contact with one of the bodyguards and gave a curt nod.

"Whoever pays him will get a bonus," Lina stated.

At the mention of a bonus, many of the bodyguards clamored forward with their personal card at hand. Utilizing this as a means of distraction, Lina quickly set foot on the street. A large crowd in the corner of her eye caught her attention. But before she could get a good look at it, a familiar voice called out her name.

"Lina!"

Lina turned and grinned. 

Isabelle excitedly waved her hands and quickly approached her friend. She looped her arm with Lina's and innocently batted her eyelashes.

"Ugh, I've missed you so much!" Isabelle complained, dragging them into the mall entrance.

"But it's only been three days," Lina mused. 

"Three days too many!" Isabelle huffed, pulling them in the direction of her favorite stores. Then, she decided against it, for her fashion tastes were too high-end for Lina.

Just then, she heard a commotion in the distance. The girls both turned but were unable to see who it was. There was an entire line of employees bowing at the entrance of someone, and even more bodyguards surrounding the star of the show.

"Hm, I wonder who it could be." Isabelle innocently tilted her head, trying to remember what bigshot could be present today.

"Oh, it might be your lover," Isabelle gasped, turning to Lina. "You just reminded me of what I came here for. I saw the photos! Confess the truth to me right now!"

Lina blinked. Once. Twice. Huh? 

"Don't look so confused," Isabelle scoffed. "By now, everyone has seen the picture of you and one of the most eligible bachelors of our city, Everett Leclare!"

Lina slowly nodded her head. Oh, right. Everett. She had nearly forgotten about him. 

"That's the person I was forced to go on blind dates with," Lina explained. "I didn't think our photos would be caught by paparazzi."

Isabelle pressed her lips together. "One of my acquaintances was amongst the crowd. Apparently, they received a tip from someone inside the museum. I wonder who it could be."

Lina wondered as well, but with so many guests in there, it could be anyone. "Well, I'm not really interested in him anyway."

"Not interested in him?!" Isabelle exasperated, her eyes growing wide as if she had just heard the most notorious gossip. She grabbed her friend's face and looked her dead in the eyes.

"Is there something wrong with your vision? How can you not like Everett? Don't you see how handsome, powerful, and wealthy he is?" Isabelle babbled on, completely oblivious to the gaze that turned their way.

"I've seen better," Lina mused. She wasn't lying.

"Gasp, of course, you have! Not only have you been photographed with the DeHaven Young Master, but now also the Leclare Law Firm's heir." Isabelle grabbed her friend's hands. 

"Spare me some of your luck," Isabelle begged with her puppy eyes. "And in return, I'll spare you some of my intellect."

"Heh, you can keep your intellect to yourself," Lina teased, patting her friend on the cheek. "Now come on, we're blocking the way. Let's head to the store you really like."

Isabelle pouted. "You're so stingy."

"Says the one who hogs the ramen when we share it at midnight," Lina snorted. She still remembered Isabelle gulping down all the noodles in three quick slurps. 

"Fine, fine," Isabelle said, allowing herself to be pulled into the nearest store. "But I'm serious, you know. The person in the crowd might be Everett. I heard he's close friends with the director in charge of this mall."

Isabelle revealed a large grin and nudged Lina. "Who knows? Maybe he's buying a gift for you."

"I seriously doubt it after I harshly rejected him," Lina mumbled whilst they walked around.

"Welcome!" The saleswoman eagerly greeted one of the customers.

"Oof, they didn't even greet us," Isabelle whispered to her friend. Although she was the daughter of a celebrity, she wasn't the one with the fame. Though, it still hurts when there was blatant discrimination.

"They might've missed us," Lina tried to excuse as she held up a cute dress that'd suit Isabelle's taste. She held the dress in front of her dear friend.

"Pretty," Isabelle gasped, her eyes widening with joy. She waved the nearest sales associate over.

"Do you have this in small?" Isabelle asked the sales associate.

The sales associate was appalled. She took a good look at the customers. One of them was dressed in clothes that met the trend and another looked like she was on her way to the grocery store.

"Are you sure you can even afford our clothes?" The sales associate asked. "If not, please put it back. This is the newest style and you're dirtying it."

Isabelle narrowed her eyes. "Hmph, just for saying that, I'm going to—"

"You earn off of commission right?" Lina inquired.

The sales associate blinked. "Well, I—"

"That's such an old tactic," Lina mused. She placed the dress back onto the hanger and turned to Isabelle.

"Don't fall for it. This is reverse psychology," Lina informed Isabelle. "She just wants to rile you up to buy half the store, meaning this associate will get a large commission just from insulting you."

The sales associate's eyes went wide. No one had ever read her that well before. She pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"N-no, I was just—"

"Such a pity," Lina wistfully sighed. "Just as I was thinking about buying from here."

Lina pulled Isabelle away from the sales associate. Just then, she pulled her phone out of her front pocket.

A soft gasp could be heard from behind her.

"Woah, you have a black card too?" Isabelle gushed, bending down to pick up the fallen credit card, but before she could read the name, it was taken from her hand.

"Maybe," Lina chuckled. 

Lina could practically feel all of the store's attention on her. Owning this limitless card was a flex that not many could afford. She slipped the black card back into her front pocket, just so the rude sales associate would understand what she was missing out on.

"Let's buy our back-to-school clothes elsewhere," Lina said, walking them to the store directly in front of this one. 

"Welcome to our store. If there's anything you need help with, I'd be happy to assist," the saleswoman quickly greeted, offering the two a warm smile.

"Thank you," Lina said, returning the smile.

Instantly, Isabelle was already browsing through the racks, in search of new outfits she could wear once school started. She often had a bad habit of growing bored of clothes and then donating them after a few wears. 

Within a few minutes of leisurely picking out anything that caught her eye, Isabelle was already at the check-out. 

"Gosh, they're staring so hard, I'm worried their laser eyes will burn a hole in my shirt," Isabelle said while effortlessly swiping the black card her father gave her. 

"Thank you, come again!" the saleswoman said, bowing her head deeply as the two left the store. She could already picture how large of a commission she was going to get, plus bonuses for how many items were purchased. And she didn't even have to engage in a lengthy conversation with them!

"All of the clothes from there were so pretty, I think I just found a new place to shop until I drop!" Isabelle gushed, holding multiple bags in her hand. She happily hummed.

When making eye contact with the envious sales associate, Isabelle smirked and looked away.

"Thank you for pointing that out," Isabelle said to her good friend. "Or else I would've fallen straight into their trap!"

Lina laughed. "It's nothing. Though, I'm quite surprised at the employee's treatment towards us. I guess that tactic has worked well before."

"Mmhm, it'd explain why they used it on us," Isabelle said. Just then, she came to a screeching halt.

"Oh my god," Isabelle whispered, turning to Lina. "Isn't that Everett in a jewelry store?"

Lina shifted her gaze, but saw nothing. "Huh, where?"

"Oh gosh, maybe you should've accepted the donation of my intellect," Isabelle snorted, grabbing her friend's chin and turning it towards the jewelry store literally in front of them.

"There," Isabelle whispered.

"Ohhh," Lina blinked.

Sure enough, Everett was browsing the jewelry store. Wait a minute. Wait. A. Damn. Minute. 

"Oh my god," Isabelle softly gasped. Her eyes grew as large as the moon. "Everett Leclare is shopping in the ring section of that store!"