Rejected: A love story-Chapter 87: Someone is bullying your girlfriend

Fiona had gone to Ella’s apartment to spend the day with her. Ella had been complaining for weeks that her wardrobe needed a complete change, and she begged Fiona to come along because she trusted her taste more than anyone else.

"We’re going out," Ella said, tossing her phone on the couch. "I need new clothes, and your fashion taste is good. You’re coming."

Fiona laughed. "Fine, fine. But I’m not helping you pick anything neon. I’m warning you."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let’s go before I change my mind."

They took a cab and headed to the mall, entering one of the biggest and most expensive boutiques, well they were having a flash sale. The place had glass everywhere, bright lighting clothes that were displayed like artwork. The moment they walked in, several attendants standing at the side glanced in their direction.

Ella didn’t notic, neither did Fiona.

But the attendants very much saw them.

Three salesgirls whispered to each other.

"Look at them," one muttered, squinting. "Checking every corner already. You can tell they can’t afford anything here."

Another snorted. "The one in the simple jeans? She looks like she saved up one month just to come here and look around. And the other one—why is she dressed so expensively? It’s giving... stolen."

The third laughed softly. "Maybe her boyfriend bought it for her. These types always have a story."

They kept gossiping, their voices low but their eyes following every move the girls made.

Fiona and Ella walked to a rack of dresses.

"Ohh, this one is cute," Ella said, lifting a short lavender satin dress.

She flipped the price tag and immediately returned it to the hanger. "Nope. This one does not fit my budget. Let’s pretend we didn’t see it."

Fiona giggled. "I told you. Don’t fall in love with anything before checking the tag."

Ella moved to another rack. "They’re having a flash sale, prices are meant to be cheap for non-trending clothes. This is why I brought you. Your eye is good, but my pocket isn’t. So we need balance."

Fiona checked a long cream-colored dress and admired the fabric. She flipped the tag.

She blinked twice. "Okay... so this one is also running away from us."

Ella burst into laughter. "Put it down! Drop it before your hand starts shaking."

The two of them moved from rack to rack, checking pieces and putting them back. They weren’t disturbing anyone and weren’t even loud. Just browsing like any normal customers.

But the attendants grew more irritated by the second.

The head salesgirl—a woman in her late 20s with too much red lipstick and a sharp chin—watched them with narrowed eyes. She already didn’t like them.

"Look at them touching everything," she whispered to another girl. "Next thing, they will stain something. They look like window-shoppers."

"They even check tags like they’re calculating their whole life savings," one added, smirking.

The head salesgirl’s lips curled. "They’re probably checking for discounts, luckily non trending dresses have been moved. This boutique doesn’t do discounts. They should go to the cheaper floor."

"And the one in the fancy clothes?" another attendant added. "I swear she looks like she borrowed that outfit for the day. Walking around like she belongs.

The head salesgirl snorted. "Give her two minutes. She’ll ask for the price and then pretend she forgot her wallet."

They laughed quietly.

Meanwhile, inside the boutique, Fiona held up a red dress against Ella.

"Try this one," she said.

Ella looked at it, checked the tag, and hissed. "I’ll try it... if I win the lottery. Why are they so expensive!."

They both laughed again and placed it back.

Across the store, a black SUV parked outside the mall had its windows halfway down. Inside sat a man wearing casual clothes and a cap. He didn’t look like a bodyguard, but he was trained, alert and fully focused.

He had been assigned secretly— but Fiona didn’t know he existed. Nathan had insisted someone follow her whenever she wasn’t with him. The man watched through the glass walls of the boutique, observing everything.

He watched the salesgirls pointing.

"What are those girls doing?" he muttered.

His phone rang on the seat beside him. The screen showed: Boss.

He hesitated before picking up. If anyone noticed him talking on the phone, they might get suspicious.

Nathan didn’t wait. "Report."

"She’s safe," the bodyguard replied quietly. "Just browsing with her friend."

But as the bodyguard spoke, he saw something inside the store.

The head salesgirl was walking toward Fiona and Ella—her face set in annoyance and fake politeness.

"Oh boy," the guard muttered. "Boss... there’s a situation."

"What do you mean a situation?" Nathan’s tone sharpened immediately.

"Some attendants are... watching her strangely. And one looks like she’s about to confront them."

Nathan’s voice turned deadly calm. "Keep watching. Call me back if anyone touches her."

"Yes, sir."

He hung up, his eyes locked on the boutique.

Inside, Fiona and Ella were now at a rack of jeans.

Ella held up a pair. "Cute! Let me—"

She checked the tag.

Her eyes widened. "Why is this thing more expensive than my rent? Nope, next!"

Fiona burst into laughter, covering her mouth.

That was when the head salesgirl walked up to them.

"Excuse me," she said loudly, forcing a smile that wasn’t a smile at all. "Are you two planning to buy anything today?"

Ella turned, eyebrows knitting. "We’re still looking."

The woman raised a brow. "You’ve been looking for a long time."

Her tone was sharp and accusing.

Fiona blinked. "We just got here—"

The woman cut her off. "This store is not a museum. We don’t allow people to come in and just... touch everything."

Ella’s mouth dropped open. "Excuse me?"

Another attendant behind her giggled.

Fiona, confused but polite as always, asked quietly, "Do you maybe have... second-grade items? We thought there was a flash sale going on....Or something cheaper? My friend wants—"

The head salesgirl’s jaw dropped. Then she laughed—loud, mocking, right in their faces.

"Cheaper? This is a luxury boutique. We don’t do cheap."

Ella’s eyes narrowed. "Okay, first of all, nobody asked for your attitude."

"She said cheaper things!" one laughed

"Second-grade!"

"My God, where do they come from?"

"And look how she’s dressed—acting like a lady from a rich home."

"She looks like she stole half her outfit."

"Maybe the other girl is her maid."

The woman smirked. "I’m just making sure you don’t waste time here. Or ruin anything you can’t pay for."

Catherine-level audacity...Sharp mouth. No respect.

Ella stepped forward immediately. "Who said we can’t pay?"

The woman looked Fiona up and down, then looked at Ella.

"Oh please," she scoffed. "I’ve seen girls like you plenty of times. Running around looking at price tags, pretending you can afford it. And you—" she pointed at Fiona, "—even if your clothes look expensive, it’s easy to borrow clothes from richer people. Or steal."

Fiona’s eyes widened in shock. "I don’t steal!"

Ella exploded. "Are you insane?! How dare you talk to her like that?!"

The attendant lifted her chin. "I’m doing my job. This is a high-end space. We protect our merchandise. You two don’t look like customers."

Ella laughed angrily. "So we should come in wearing gold on our heads before you treat us like humans?!"

Another attendant muttered from behind them, "It’s always the broke ones that shout the loudest."

Fiona flinched at the comment.

Ella snapped around. "SAY IT AGAIN!"

The woman raised a brow. "If you want clothes you can actually afford, there’s a cheaper mall two streets down. I can give you directions."

Ella took a step forward. "Give me directions and I’ll give you a slap—"

Fiona grabbed her arm. "Ella, let’s just go. Please."

Ella inhaled sharply, trying to compose herself.

The head salesgirl smirked in victory. "Yes. You should leave. Before your fingerprints damage something."

Ella was about to respond again, but Fiona squeezed her arm.

Fiona’s stomach twisted. She felt embarrassed, angry, and hurt all at once. She had been treated badly before, but this felt different. This time she wasn’t alone—Ella was being dragged into it because of her.

She forced a smile and kept her tone soft. "We’re not looking for trouble. Let’s just continue, okay?"

The salesgirl snapped, "No. If you’re not buying anything in the next five minutes, I’ll ask security to escort you out. We don’t have time for window-shoppers."

Ella finally had enough. "You are rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional! You’re treating us like trash because we’re young? Because we check prices? Because we don’t scream ’rich’ enough for you?"

The salesgirl gave her a mocking smile. "I’m treating you the way your behavior suggests."

"That doesn’t even make sense!" Ella shouted.

The woman shrugged. "Doesn’t matter. I don’t get paid to babysit broke girls."

Ella choked on her breath. "Oh my God—"

Fiona pulled her arm again. "Ella, let’s not fight."

Ella turned to Fiona. "No! Fiona, they’re talking like we’re cockroaches!"

The salesgirl smirked. "At least cockroaches don’t touch every dress."

Another round of laughter exploded behind her.

Fiona lowered her head, her cheeks burning. She never wanted to cause scenes. She hated attention. But this was getting worse by the second.

Just then, through the large boutique windows, he watched as staff surrounded her with hostility. He saw Fiona shrinking back, Ella yelling, and the salesgirl pointing accusingly.

His hand went straight to his phone.

He dialed Nathan’s number immediately.

The moment Nathan picked up, the bodyguard spoke in a low, controlled voice.

"Sir... there’s a situation. Miss Fiona is being harassed and mocked by boutique staff inside the mall."

He glanced back at the window, eyes narrowing.

"Sir... someone is bullying your girlfriend."

"Send me the address now!"