City of Desire-Chapter 618: Store Scandal I

Senar Olgard

"Mrs. Yarte. You are late," I said as I greeted a familiar middle-aged woman and three colleagues.

I had read about two of them, but the third one clearly had come here for the first time. "The meeting lasted longer than we had thought," Mrs. Yarte replied with a tired sigh.

I hope you have a table for us, Madam Senar," she stated. Although we are usually strict about timing, we make exceptions for patrons like her.

"For you, of course," I replied and turned to Lyra, the trainee who had started working a few days ago.

"Please follow me, Mrs Yarte," she said, leading them toward their table.

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I watched her and how she interacted with the patrons. I am in charge of them. It's a massive responsibility; I thought they would give it to someone more experienced, but they gave it to me.

I am grateful for the trust.

However, I have to say that I didn't like the new fourth tier. Although the girls are talented, they should be trainee madams instead of trainees.

I hope they have a good reason for making the system more complex.

I glanced around the hall, finding it packed to the brim. Every table was taken, chairs filled with guests deep in conversation, their voices blending into a steady hum. Not a single empty seat remained.

Like all restaurants, we have a system. We request confirmation one day and one hour before their reservation. If they do not respond, someone else will be given their table.

A line of people is always willing to take it within a minute.

Soon, Lyra returned, and I did the round with her and the other trainee. Talking with patrons and instructing them, before I knew it, it was twelve.

"Take care," I said as I handed the charge to my replacement. My shift had ended.

The trainees will be there; they are trainees and will be working longer hours. It wasn't the case before, but now, with the new tier, it is.

I took the elevator, and it descended before stopping soon. I am not going back just yet.

I stepped into the expansive Eva Cain store. Unlike the other levels, where multiple shops crowded for space, this store commanded the entire massive floor, its vast layout stretching in every direction.

Rena told me how many store owners complain about it, saying it helps to be Silver's friend. Yes, being a friend of Master Silver helped Miss Eva get to the store, but that isn't the only reason.

She runs a large business and has massive capital. The fact that the legacy needed a store like this also helped.

Eva Cain is a beautiful store; even now, it is bustling with people admiring beautiful designs. Many of them had traveled from the merchant state specifically to shop there.

I glanced around, my gaze stopping at a beautiful metal and gem tree covered in a light mist, which made it look even more beautiful.

It's crafted by Miss Eva herself. It made me feel envious of her talent.

"Miss Senar, how can I help you?" asked the green-haired half-elf sales girl.

"I need earrings," I replied.

"We have a large collection of them. There are a few I think will suit you well," the sales girl said, and I shook my head. "I need it for a friend,' I replied.

Tomorrow is Elah's birthday, and I want to give her something good. I could afford to shop here; there is also a 25% discount for Madams.

The goods here are investments, but I prefer real investments. I have invested in many things, and many have already given me good returns.

However, my investments are dwarfed by those from the first, second, and third batches.

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They are really rich.

Soon, we stopped in front of the large table. Although it was beautiful, it contained only nine sets of earrings.

"This is our Avas collection. Designed by Miss Eva herself and made using the mist with enchantments that will keep them beautiful for a long time," she informed.

The earrings are beautiful. Made of gems and metal, they are also costly.

Thankfully, three of them are in my budget.

"Attention all customers on the second to fourth floors! Evacuate immediately. Move quickly but stay orderly. Security will guide you to safety!"

I was about to choose the earrings when a booming voice rang out. It was Stena, the head of security.

"What is happening?" asked the sales girl. Everyone seemed to be asking the same question. "I have no idea," I replied, walking toward the exit.

There, I saw the group of guards stopping the store patrons at the gates.

"Sir, the legacy isn't in danger. We have just evacuated the store floors for our internal business," replied Gokre, one of the Stena's deputies.

"You have heard the security team; there is no threat. Therefore, I kindly request that you return to the store and enjoy shopping. I'm sure we will find out what's happening in just a few minutes," said Devin, Miss Eva's son.

He looked at me in question, but I shook my head and walked ahead.

The guards hesitated for a moment and stepped aside. I thanked them and stepped into the elevator.

'It is happening on every floor,' said Jenna through the link. Hearing that, I tried to talk to the Madam, but that channel was silent.

I am not feeling well, but I controlled my emotions before tapping on runes.

The elevator started to descend immediately. I wanted to go up, but seeing the silence, I decided to go to the store floors and see what was happening.

A few seconds later, the elevator stopped, and the doors slid open. I stepped out—only to freeze in shock. The police were there.

There are a lot of them.

"Ma'am, you can't go any further," a young guard said. "I'm a Madam," I replied instinctively as it opened most of the doors in the city.

"It didn't matter who you are. It is a crime scene/sealed area; nobody is allowed in until we are done,' he replied.

I opened my mouth and closed it a moment later.

I turned to the floor and watched the guards guide the people out while the police checked everyone leaving.

I could see the worry on many store owners' faces. Some even stopped working.

I was watching when I saw a familiar blue-haired woman coming toward me, but she was stopped by the guards mid-way and received the same answer as I did.

They are not letting anyone enter, but also not letting people leave other than customers.

"Senar, what is happening?" Madam Rena asked worriedly. "I don't know," I replied, just as worried as I am.

"Can you contact Madam Caena?" she asked. "No, it's silent," I replied, shaking my head. Still, I tried again, but again, I was met with silence.

Some store owners and staff came, but the police had stopped them.

Hun!

I was watching when the elevator opened behind me, and two people came through it.

"Madam," the police greeted. She nodded and stopped. She didn't try to go further; she just stopped and watched the store floors with unreadable expressions.

"Madam, what's happening?" I asked Madam Caena. She and Mr. Hendricks had come down together. "You will know soon," she replied with the same expressionless face.

I wanted to press her, but looking at her expressionless face. I decided against it.

Something profound is happening. They wouldn't have emptied all three store floors if it weren't serious.

A minute passed, and then another, before finally, the last of the people were evacuated. Now, only the store owners, staff, and police remained.

"Begin," ordered the orc police officer, who had been talking to Madam Caena in Primacy.

Immediately, the police moved toward the stores, not all of them, but some. An Orc officer walked toward Rena, who turned.

"Rena Doves, you are under arrest for charges of embezzlement, fraud, and extortion," he stated, and two police officers moved and cuffed her.

I watched in shock, so much that I couldn't react to it all.

Embezzlement? Fraud? These words shook me.

Yes, I have seen her wearing expensive jewelry and buying a few apartments, but that's not surprising. She is from the first batch; these girls are seriously loaded.

Rena is one of the girls who has invested her money wisely.

"Madam Caena, I didn't do it. I was forced," she pleaded with tears streaming down her face. She tried to come toward Madam Caena.

"If you were forced, you could have come to me!" Madam snapped, her voice sharp. "But you didn't. Instead, you chose to embrace it—to lean into the deception. You betrayed the trust Master Silver placed in you." Her eyes burned with disappointment.

All the thoughts of it being a misunderstanding had disappeared. She did do it, whatever they were arresting her for.

I looked at her crying face and turned to the stores. The police brought people out of them—store owners in cuffs and some of their staff in cuffs like Rena.

That wasn't the end, a few seconds later. They brought out people from the floors below, and to my shock, I saw Madam Esther in cuffs, along with a few store owners.

Seeing it, I couldn't help but feel pain.

They did something they shouldn't. We have been warned about it many times.

There are many chances for the Madams to earn money. Getting priority appointments could make one really rich in a short time, but there are also consequences.

Today, I am seeing it.

Soon, I saw Madam Revina, Vina, as she liked to be called. I expected her to be cuffed as well.

The guards let her pass when she reached us, and she appeared beside us. I wanted to ask her what was happening, but she started talking with Madam Caena in Privacy.

"Madam, please, just let us talk to Master Silver," pleaded Esther, but Madam Caena didn't react aside from a single tear dropping out of her eyes.

"Madam Aris, we are finished," the police officer informed her. "Take them, inspector," she replied.

Rena and Esther struggled and pleaded, their eyes filled with dread, but nobody moved to stop them. They took them into the elevator and disappeared from our sight.