"Charlotte, try this one. It suits you perfectly," Lana Chambers said, her words a pointed remark clearly meant for other ears. "The world is really going to the dogs. Any mistress or homewrecker can waltz into a place like this to shop! But for some people, the clothes don’t make the man. They should really take a hard look at their own station in life!"

As soon as she finished, Charlotte Vaughn said, "Mom, this bag is gorgeous! It’ll be perfect for my wedding."

Lana Chambers imperiously ordered the sales associate, "Wrap this bag up for us!"

Just then, Eve Vaughn produced Mason Lawson’s card. "I saw this bag first," she said. "Charge it."

Lana Chambers glanced disdainfully at the diamond card in Eve Vaughn’s hand. "Another card from Jonah Spencer, is it? Tailing some old man and using your looks in exchange for clothes and bags, and you have the audacity to flaunt it?"

Eve Vaughn gave a faint, mocking smile. "What’s wrong with an older man? They can be gentle, considerate, strong, and virile. Surely that’s better than some sickly weakling who’s complaining about his aches and pains all day, right?"

Charlotte Vaughn immediately yelled at her, "Eve Vaughn, what nonsense are you spouting! Who are you calling a sickly weakling?"

"I wasn’t talking about you, so why are you getting so defensive?" Eve Vaughn shrugged. "In any case, I’d rather marry an older man than a sickly weakling. At least I wouldn’t end up a young widow in a sexless marriage!"

Finished, she ignored the ashen faces of the mother and daughter and slid the diamond card from Mason Lawson toward the sales associate again. "If you would, please wrap the bag for me now."

The sales associate was suddenly in a bind. The man who had brought Eve Vaughn in earlier was obviously a person of great importance, someone she couldn’t afford to offend. But the two women before her now didn’t look like people you should cross, either.

This time, Lana Chambers was determined to make Eve Vaughn understand the gap in status between her and Charlotte Vaughn.

Therefore, she said to the sales associate in a cold voice, "Let me make this clear for you. My daughter is about to marry into the Lawson family. She will be the official young mistress of the Lawsons. There’s nothing our Lawson family wants that we cannot obtain!"

Upon hearing the name "Lawson," the sales associate immediately began to nod and bow. "So you’re Mrs. Lawson! My apologies, that was my mistake. I... I’ll wrap the bag for you right now."

After all, no matter how many powerful families there were in Rivaster, none held a candle to the Lawsons.

Therefore, the sales associate chose to sell the bag to Charlotte Vaughn without the slightest hesitation.

Lana Chambers smirked at Eve Vaughn. "See? What’s the use of just having money? A person of your low status is worthless in the face of true power!"

Eve Vaughn was on the verge of blurting out Mason Lawson’s name.

But in the end, she held back.

After all, how could she dare to use the name of a figure like Mason Lawson so recklessly without his permission?

At the end of the day, she was just riding his coattails.

The thought made her feel a bit deflated.

Just as Lana Chambers was triumphantly taking the bag, the counter phone suddenly rang.

After the sales associate answered it, her expression changed instantly.

Soon, she hung up the phone, turned, and presented the bag to Eve Vaughn with both hands.

"Miss Vaughn, I’m so sorry. That was my mistake just now. Please forgive me."

The sales associate apologized, trembling with fear.

Lana Chambers was so angry she almost screamed. "What is the meaning of this? Look closely at who we are! Don’t you go wagging your tail for the wrong master!"

Although the sales associate worked in the service industry, faced with Lana Chambers’s thinly veiled insult calling her a dog, her face immediately turned cold. "Ms. Chambers, we just received a notice from headquarters. From now on, you and this young lady are banned from all our brand’s stores. Furthermore, your names will be blacklisted at all our branches worldwide."

Charlotte Vaughn and Lana Chambers’s faces fell in shock.

This was a top-tier luxury brand. If they were permanently blacklisted, how could they possibly show their faces in high society again?

Charlotte Vaughn glared at Eve Vaughn and said hatefully, "Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you have Jonah Spencer backing you. Once I marry into the Lawson Family, I’ll make you pay! Even if you use the most expensive bag, it won’t change the fact that you found some old man to be his mistress!"

Eve Vaughn flashed a smile that could infuriate a person to death. "And even if you marry into the Lawson family, it won’t change the fact that you’re marrying a sickly weakling and will spend your days worrying about living like a widow!"

"You!"

Charlotte Vaughn raised her hand to slap her, but froze when several bodyguards suddenly appeared in front of her.

The sales associate said expressionlessly, "It’s them. Please escort them out immediately, so they don’t disrupt the normal order of our store."

"Don’t you touch me!"

Lana Chambers angrily pulled her daughter along. "We can walk out on our own!"

With that, she gritted her teeth and gave a cold sneer. "Eve Vaughn, we’ll see about this!"

After they left, the sales associate was still fussing over Eve Vaughn.

"You weren’t frightened, were you?" she said, handing Eve Vaughn a cup of warm water. "It was my lack of consideration earlier that gave you a poor shopping experience."

Eve Vaughn asked curiously, "Who was that on the phone just now?"

Just then, Mason Lawson’s deep voice approached. "That was me."

Eve Vaughn looked at him in surprise. "Little Uncle? Didn’t you go for tea with a friend? How did you know what was happening here?"

Mason Lawson walked over and casually rested his hand on her shoulder. "I was worried about you," he said. "I only chatted with him for a few minutes before coming back."

Eve Vaughn said sheepishly, "I’m sorry, I’ve caused you trouble again."

"It was just a phone call. How is that any trouble?"

Saying this, Mason Lawson picked up her spoils of war, ready to take her home. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

As they were leaving, he said to the sales associate, "Oh, and have all of your brand’s latest releases for this year sent to my house. Your boss knows the address."

"Yes, sir."

The sales associate was still shaken.

After all, she had almost made the wrong choice just now, and she probably would have lost her job over it.

Moreover, she really hadn’t understood the conversation between Lana Chambers’s group and Eve Vaughn.

From what Lana Chambers and her daughter said, Eve Vaughn sounded like a kept mistress.

But according to Eve Vaughn, that incredibly wealthy man was her "Little Uncle"?

This... what in the world was their relationship?

The sales associate felt she had seen her fair share of strange relationships, but this was a first.

「...」

Outside the mall, Eve Vaughn looked at the mature, handsome man beside her and said in a small voice, "Little Uncle, actually, it’s not like I had to have this bag, and I don’t even like it *that* much. By doing that, won’t you owe the owner of this store a favor?"

Mason Lawson’s lips curved into a slight smile. "But now that you have the bag in your hands, are you happy?"

Eve Vaughn paused, then nodded. "Happy."

Later, they took the elevator to the underground parking garage.

Eve Vaughn tried to take the bag from Mason Lawson’s hand, a sycophantic smile on her face. "Little Uncle, let me carry this. I can’t let you get revenge for me and then make you carry my bag, too. That’s too much trouble for you!"

Mason Lawson didn’t give her the bag. Instead, he suddenly planted his free hand on the elevator wall, neatly trapping the slender young woman between his body and the wall.

A flash of nervousness crossed Eve Vaughn’s amber eyes. She looked at him timidly and asked, "Little Uncle... what’s wrong?"

The man’s pale, thin lips curved into a smile, his tone teasing. "Who was it just now that said older men are gentle, considerate, strong, and virile? It’s just a bag. I can still carry it."

After he spoke, Eve Vaughn’s face immediately flushed red to the tips of her ears. She felt her cheeks burning and stammered, "You... you heard all that?"

"Mmm, I heard."

Mason Lawson admitted it freely. Then, he slowly leaned down, his hot breath grazing the girl’s delicate skin as he spoke softly, "How did you know I was strong and virile? Anyone who didn’t know better might think you’ve... tested it."