It was clear that she expected him to falter, to retreat, or at the very least to show some sign of embarrassment.Instead, Justin gave a small, dismissive shrug.“You are free to believe whatever you choose,” he said calmly, his tone calm and indifferent, as her opinion held no real weight in his mind.The casual nature of his response seemed to irritate Britney far more than an outright argument would have. Her smile tightened slightly, but before she could respond, Justin shifted his attention away from her entirely.He turned toward the salesperson, who had remained standing nearby throughout the exchange, maintaining her professional composure despite the uncomfortable situation.“I apologize for keeping you waiting,” Justin said politely.The woman immediately shook her head, offering a courteous smile.“There is no need to apologize, sir,” she replied. “It is not a problem at all.”Justin inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment before continuing.“In that case,” he said,

Thalia’s fingers froze the very moment they brushed against the thick bundle inside her purse. And for a few seconds, she did not even breathe as her mind struggled to process what she was seeing. Her eyes widened slowly at first, then suddenly, as the reality had struck her all at once, they opened so wide that it seemed impossible for her to blink. Her hand began to tremble uncontrollably, and her lips parted in shock as she stared down at the neatly packed stacks of cash resting inside her bag.Justin noticed the abrupt change in her expression immediately, and although he had expected a reaction, the intensity of her shock still made him step closer with concern. Without hesitation, he reached out and gently held her wrist, his voice low but steady as he asked, “Thalia… what is it? Have you seen your salary?”Thalia swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry, and slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. For a brief moment, she could not find her voice, but then she nodded faintly, as

Justin turned his attention back to Thalia, who was still standing beside him, her composure intact on the outside but clearly shaken beneath the surface. He studied her face for a moment, noticing the slight tension in her shoulders and the way her fingers curled slightly as if she were still trying to ground herself in reality.“Are you alright?” he asked gently, his voice calm and steady, filled with reassurance.Thalia blinked, as though returning from a distant place, and then nodded slowly. “Yes… I am,” she replied, though her tone suggested she was still trying to convince herself of that fact.Justin gave a small nod, satisfied enough for the moment, and gestured toward a nearby table. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s sit.”They moved toward one of the more elegant sections of the restaurant, where a table sat beneath a warm, ambient light. The atmosphere there was calmer, quieter, as though it existed separately from the chaos that had just happened. Justin pulled out a chair fo

Steven stepped closer to Britney as she stood beside the car, her arms folded tightly across her chest and her expression still clouded with anger. Without saying anything at first, he reached out gently, cupped her face in his hands, and leaned in to kiss her softly. The gesture was deliberate, meant to calm her, to pull her away from the storm of humiliation and rage that had consumed her moments earlier.Britney did not pull away. Instead, she allowed the kiss, though the tension in her shoulders did not completely disappear. When he finally drew back, he looked into her eyes with a reassuring smile.“Hey,” Steven said softly, his voice calm and confident. “You’re letting this get to you too much.”Britney scoffed lightly, turning her face away as she did not want to fully accept his comfort just yet.“How can I not?” she replied, her tone still sharp. “Did you not see what happened in there? Did you not hear the way they laughed at me?”Steven nodded slowly, acknowledging her f

Justin and Thalia stepped out of the restaurant together, their laughter lingering in the air as the cool evening breeze wrapped around them. Thalia hugged her purse closer to herself as she walked beside him, still smiling softly. After a moment, she turned to him and said sincerely, “Thank you for tonight, Justin. I really mean it. I don’t think I deserve something like this.”Justin glanced at her, noticing the genuine gratitude in her eyes.And for a brief moment, he was struck by something he had never truly seen before, not in Britney, not in anyone else. There was sincerity in Thalia, a humility that made her appreciation feel real and unforced. He shook his head gently and replied, “You do deserve it, Thalia. More than you think.”She looked away shyly, clearly not used to such words, and began adjusting her purse as they walked. As she did, something slipped out unnoticed and fell to the ground. Justin’s eyes caught the movement immediately, and he bent down to pick it