Chapter 151: Since when did beggars start shopping at luxury boutiques?

Nora’s smile faltered slightly, though the question didn’t surprise her.

Ever since her dinner with Aaron, everyone seemed curious about what would happen next. Most of the interest had started with Florine, who had somehow become close to Olivia’s and Polly’s mothers and hadn’t been shy about mentioning the blind date.

"I did hear from him," Nora said, forcing a casual smile. "He said he’s looking forward to seeing me again."

The lie came smoothly.

There was no way she was going to admit that Aaron hadn’t contacted her after their date. While she wasn’t particularly bothered by his silence, she had no intention of losing face in front of her friends.

"Good," Olivia said with a nod. "It’s about time you moved on from Kevin."

There was a hint of displeasure in her voice.

Ever since the incident at school, Olivia had felt genuinely sorry for Nora. From her perspective, Nora had been unfairly dragged into a mess created by her sister, and Kevin had only made things worse by directing his anger at Nora instead of the person truly responsible.

"Olivia’s right," Polly agreed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "You shouldn’t blame yourself for being honest. Honestly, I still can’t believe so many people fell for Ivy’s innocent act."

Her tone dripped with disdain.

Nora lowered her eyes to hide the satisfaction flickering within them.

Having friends who trusted her so completely had always worked in her favor.

Still, she kept her expression gentle and composed.

"Maybe," Nora said softly. "But I still think I owe Kevin a proper apology. Things got out of hand, and I don’t like leaving misunderstandings unresolved."

Olivia immediately sighed.

"See? That’s exactly what I mean. You’re always thinking about other people’s feelings."

"And that’s why we’re friends with you," Polly added. "Most people would’ve just moved on by now."

Nora smiled modestly.

Inside, however, she found their unwavering faith in her almost amusing.

The three women continued walking through the mall, chatting as they browsed the luxury stores lining the corridor.

Soon, they approached a high-end boutique.

Just as they were about to enter, Polly suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Her eyes widened as she stared through the glass entrance.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" she muttered.

Olivia followed her gaze.

"What?"

Polly pointed toward the interior of the store.

"Since when did beggars start shopping at luxury boutiques?"

Her voice wasn’t particularly loud, but it carried enough disdain to make both Nora and Olivia turn toward the person she was staring at.

***

Meanwhile, Ivy was standing in front of a rack of evening gowns, absentmindedly flipping through the dresses.

Her hand paused when she noticed the price tag attached to one of them.

Her eyes widened.

Good grief... the price of this dress could support me for years.

She stared at the elegant piece of fabric in disbelief.

To her, it looked like just another dress.

Sure, it was beautiful, but not that beautiful.

The number on the tag, however, made her suddenly feel very poor.

"Madam, would you like to try this one on?" a sales associate asked politely, drawing Ivy out of her thoughts.

Ivy blinked and looked up.

Fashion had never been her strong suit. Normally, she would’ve avoided a store like this altogether.

Unfortunately, Xander had practically dragged her here.

And then, after insisting she pick something she liked, he had disappeared to answer a phone call.

Where did he even go?

Before she could continue her search for him, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Maybe you should ask whether she can actually afford those dresses before offering them to her."

Ivy’s expression froze.

Slowly, she turned around.

The moment she saw who was approaching, her eyes turned cold.

Polly, Olivia, and Nora.

What a coincidence.

Or perhaps not.

Polly folded her arms and looked Ivy up and down.

"Did you forget where you came from, Ivy?" she asked mockingly. "From working as a waitress to shopping in luxury boutiques. You’ve certainly moved up in the world."

Ivy raised an eyebrow.

Then memories surfaced.

Polly.

One of Nora’s closest followers.

One of the girls who had made Ivy’s life miserable in the past.

Recognition flashed in her eyes.

"Excuse me?" Ivy said calmly.

"Oh, come on," Polly continued. "Do you even have the money to buy anything here? Or are you just wasting everyone’s time?"

"And the staff’s time," Olivia added with a dismissive glance. "Luxury stores aren’t exactly places for window-shopping."

Ivy couldn’t help rolling her eyes.

And here’s the second one.

Her gaze eventually landed on Nora, who stood quietly behind her friends.

A faint smile tugged at Ivy’s lips.

No wonder they’re acting so bold.

The sales associate assisting Ivy immediately stepped forward.

"Ma’am, I don’t think that’s appropriate—"

Polly cut her off.

"And why not? Aren’t you concerned about the boutique’s image?"

She gestured toward Ivy as if discussing an unwanted object.

"Why would you allow someone like her into a place like this?"

The associate pressed her lips together.

She knew exactly who Ivy had arrived with.

After all, very few people entered through the private VIP entrance, and even fewer arrived alongside Xander Emerson.

Still, when she caught Ivy’s subtle shake of the head, she wisely remained silent.

Olivia let out a dramatic sigh and waved a hand in front of her face.

"Honestly, I should speak to the manager."

Her expression twisted with disgust.

"I never expected this boutique to lower its standards so much. It’s becoming difficult to enjoy shopping when you’re forced to share the same space with people who clearly don’t belong here."

The atmosphere inside the boutique instantly grew tense.

Several customers had already turned to watch the confrontation unfold.

Yet while Polly and Olivia looked smug, Ivy remained perfectly calm.

In fact, the more they spoke, the more amused she seemed.

And that expression alone made Nora strangely uneasy.

"Don’t tell me, Ivy, you’ve found some rich man to take care of you," Polly said with a mocking laugh. "Is that how you can suddenly afford a place like this?"

The corner of her lips curled into a smug smirk as she waited for a reaction.

Instead, Ivy simply looked at her, completely unbothered.

The lack of response only made Polly more irritated.

Ivy had worked hard ever since leaving the Ford household.

The road hadn’t been easy. She had taken whatever honest work she could find, worked long hours, and struggled more times than she cared to remember.

But never—not once—had she done anything that would make her question her own dignity.

Working at the bar had been exhausting, but it was honest work.

Unfortunately, Polly had seen her there once and immediately jumped to her own conclusions.

Ever since then, she had used Ivy’s past jobs as ammunition whenever she got the chance.

"What?" Polly pressed when Ivy remained silent. "Did I hit a nerve?"

Ivy let out a small sigh.

"No, Polly. I’m just trying to figure out why you’re so interested in my personal life."

Polly’s expression stiffened.

A few nearby customers glanced in their direction.

Ivy continued calmly, "Whether I can afford something or not isn’t really your concern."

"Of course it is," Olivia interjected. "People should know their limits."

For the first time, Ivy laughed.

A genuine laugh.

It wasn’t loud, but it instantly caught everyone’s attention.

"Know their limits?" Ivy repeated.

She slowly looked around the boutique.

"Last time I checked, this store sells clothes. I didn’t realize it also required customers to pass a character assessment before entering."

Several people nearby struggled to hide their amusement.

Olivia’s face darkened.

Polly crossed her arms.

"You’re still the same Ivy."

"And you’re still the same Polly," Ivy replied smoothly.

The smile never left her face.

"But at least one of us managed to grow up."

The comment landed harder than Polly expected.

Her expression immediately soured.

Behind them, Nora watched the exchange unfold in silence.

Something about Ivy felt different.

In the past, Ivy would have lowered her head and endured the insults quietly.

The woman standing before them now, however, seemed completely unfazed.

No matter how much Polly and Olivia tried to provoke her, Ivy remained calm and composed.

And for some reason, that made Nora feel increasingly uncomfortable.

"Polly, Olivia, stop."

Nora quickly stepped forward, putting on a calm and reasonable expression. She exchanged a subtle glance with the two women before turning her attention to Ivy.

Deep down, Nora hated how unfazed Ivy remained despite Polly and Olivia’s relentless attempts to put her in her place. Ever since becoming Xander’s woman, Ivy seemed to have gained a confidence that Nora found infuriating.

But Nora wasn’t about to let her have the upper hand.

"Ivy, you can buy anything you like," Nora said with a gentle smile. "And don’t worry about the cost. I’ll pay for everything."

Ivy nearly rolled her eyes.

Just what is she trying to do now? Pretending to be generous again?

Even the saleswoman standing nearby looked visibly confused by Nora’s sudden kindness.

"Miss," Nora continued, turning to the saleswoman, "please don’t worry about the bill. Whatever my sister chooses, put it on my account."

Polly and Olivia exchanged uneasy glances.

"Nora," Polly said loudly, making sure everyone in the boutique could hear her, "you really shouldn’t associate yourself with people like Ivy anymore. Especially now that you’re about to become the future daughter-in-law of the Emerson family."

Nora widened her eyes in surprise as though Polly had revealed something she wasn’t supposed to.

"Polly..." she murmured softly, attempting to stop her.

However, beneath her embarrassed act, she was secretly enjoying every second of the attention.