Ring of Power: The Billionaire's Secret

5 - Deserved Slap

Sora's expression didn't change but something in her eyes went cold. Dangerous. She turned to the manager.

"You refused his card?"

The manager's face went pale. "Ms. Chen, I... there was a misunderstanding. The card looked unusual and I wasn't sure—"

Sora's hand moved fast. The slap connected with the manager's cheek. Sharp. Loud. The sound echoed through the quiet store like a crack of thunder.

The manager stumbled sideways. Her hand flew to her face. A red mark bloomed across her skin.

"Ms. Chen!" she gasped. "I'm sorry! Please, I didn't know he worked for you! I thought he was just some errand boy you sent to—"

Another slap. Harder this time.

The manager's eyes went wide. Tears started forming. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I should have realized he was running errands for someone important! Please forgive me!"

Sora's jaw clenched. Her eyes flashed with something dangerous. "Errand boy? You think he's my servant?"

"I... isn't he?" The manager touched her burning cheeks. "I mean, why else would someone like him have your attention unless—"

"Shut up." Sora's voice dropped to something deadly quiet. "Just shut up before you make this worse."

Jake stood there watching. The ring on his finger pulsed warm. The energy in his body hummed.

'She thinks I'm the help,' he realized. 'Even after getting slapped twice, she still thinks I'm nobody.'

Chloe was still recording. Her phone shaking slightly. Mrs. Torres had gone quiet. Calculating. Trying to figure out what was happening.

The clerk had backed up against the wall. Looking like he wanted to disappear.

Then the door at the back burst open.

A man rushed out. Fifties. Balding. Expensive suit that didn't quite hide his gut. His face was red and sweaty like he'd been running.

"Ms. Chen!" He practically tripped over his own feet getting to her. "Ms. Chen, what an honor! We didn't know you were visiting today! If we'd known we would have prepared—"

"Are you the owner?" Sora asked. Her tone was ice.

"Yes! Yes, I'm Richard Castellano. I own Celestial Gems. It's such a pleasure to—"

"Your manager and clerk just insulted a very important client of mine." Sora gestured at Jake. "They refused his payment. Called his card fake. Tried to sell his purchase to someone else."

Richard's eyes went wide. He looked at Jake. At the manager holding her red cheeks. At the clerk trying to become part of the wall.

"They... they did what?"

"You heard me."

Richard's face went from red to purple. He spun toward the manager. "Sandra! Is this true?"

"Mr. Castellano, I can explain—"

"Did you refuse service to Ms. Chen's client?!"

The manager's mouth opened and closed. "I didn't know! He looked so ordinary and the card was strange and Mrs. Torres is a regular customer who—"

"I don't care if the Queen of England walked in!" Richard's voice boomed. "You do not refuse service to anyone Ms. Chen sends to us! Do you have any idea who she is?! Who she works for?!"

"I'm sorry! I made a mistake! It won't happen again!"

"You're right. It won't." Richard pulled out his phone. Typed something fast. "You're fired. Both of you. Security will escort you out in five minutes. Clean out your lockers and leave."

The manager's face crumpled. "Mr. Castellano, please! I have a family! I need this job!"

"You should have thought of that before insulting Ms. Chen's people." Richard turned to the clerk. "You too. Out. Now."

The clerk looked like he might cry. "But I was just following Sandra's lead! I didn't—"

"I don't care. Get out."

Both of them stood there. Frozen. Then slowly started moving toward the back room. The manager was sobbing. The clerk looked shell-shocked.

Mrs. Torres cleared her throat. "Well. That was dramatic." Her voice had that fake sweetness again. "Mr. Castellano, while you're handling internal issues, perhaps we could complete our purchase? The crystal—"

"The crystal is sold." Richard didn't even look at her. His attention was on Sora. On Jake. "To this gentleman. As it should have been from the start."

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Torres's voice sharpened. "We're willing to pay double. Triple even. My daughter needs it for—"

"It's sold," Richard repeated. Firmer this time.

"Do you know who my husband is?" Mrs. Torres stepped forward. "Antonio Torres. He owns—"

"I know who your husband is." Richard finally looked at her. His expression was carefully blank. "And I'm telling you the crystal is no longer available."

Chloe lowered her phone. "This is bullshit. We were here! We said we wanted it!"

"You arrived after this gentleman." Richard gestured at Jake. "He has priority."

"He's a nobody!" Chloe's voice got shrill. "Look at him! He's wearing clothes from like... Target or whatever! We're actually important!"

Sora turned slowly. Looked at Chloe. Didn't say anything. Just looked.

Chloe's voice trailed off. Something about Sora's expression made her take a step back.

"Who are you anyway?" Mrs. Torres demanded. "Some new money trash who thinks she can—"

"Get out." Richard's voice cut through hers.

Mrs. Torres blinked. "What?"

"Get out of my store. Now. Before I have security remove you."

"You can't be serious."

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Richard pulled out his phone again. "I can have two security guards here in thirty seconds. Would you like me to call them?"

Mrs. Torres's face flushed red. "This is outrageous! The disrespect! Wait until my husband hears about this!"

"I'm sure he'll be very interested." Richard's tone suggested he didn't care at all. "Now leave. You're upsetting my actual customers."

For a moment Jake thought Mrs. Torres might actually explode. Her face was doing this thing where it kept changing colors. Red to purple to red again.

Then she grabbed Chloe's arm. "Come on. We're leaving. This store is garbage anyway."

"But Mom—"

"Now, Chloe."

They headed for the door. Chloe kept looking back. Her phone was still in her hand.

At the entrance Mrs. Torres turned. "You'll regret this. All of you."

Then they were gone. The door chimed as it closed behind them.

The store went quiet.

Richard let out a long breath. Turned to Sora. "Ms. Chen, I apologize. Sincerely. This never should have happened. Please allow me to offer the crystal at half price. No, quarter price. As an apology for—"

"Full price," Sora said. "We're not looking for charity."

"Of course. Of course." Richard practically bowed. "I'll process the payment immediately. And please, take anything else you'd like. Complementary. As a gesture of goodwill."

Jake pulled out the black card. Handed it to Richard.

Richard took it like it was made of glass. Treated it with reverence. Went to the register and ran it through.

The machine beeped. Approved. Three million dollars transferred just like that.

"Thank you for your business," Richard said. He packed the crystal carefully. Extra padding. A fancy bag with the store logo. "Please come back anytime. You'll always receive our best service."

Jake took the bag. The crystal inside hummed. He could feel it even through all the packaging. Calling to the ring. To the energy building in his chest.

"We should go," Sora said quietly.

Jake nodded. They headed for the door.

Behind them Richard was already on his phone. Calling someone. Probably damage control.

***

Outside, the evening air felt cool. Jake took a deep breath. His hands were shaking slightly. Adrenaline maybe. Or the energy still building in his system.

"That was intense," he said.

"They deserved it." Sora's expression was still cold. "People like that need to learn respect."

"You didn't have to slap her."

"Yes I did." Sora looked at him. "You're my employer now. No one disrespects you. Not while I'm around."

Jake looked down at the bag in his hands. At the crystal worth three million dollars inside. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Just get better at standing up for yourself."

They walked to the car. Sora opened the door for him. He slid into the back seat and she got in the driver's side.

As they pulled away from the curb, Jake glanced back. Mrs. Torres and Chloe were on the sidewalk. Mrs. Torres had her phone pressed to her ear. Yelling at someone.

Chloe was recording again. Talking to her phone. Probably posting something on social media already.

'Let them talk,' Jake thought. 'Tomorrow they'll realize who I actually am. And it'll be so much worse for them.'

The ring pulsed in agreement.

***

Mrs. Torres was still yelling when the call connected.

"Maya! Maya, you need to hear this!"

"Mom?" Maya's voice sounded confused. Sleepy almost. "What's wrong? It's late."

"That boy. That pathetic ex-boyfriend of yours. Jake."

There was a pause. "Jake? What about him?"

"He's not dead!"

Another pause. Longer this time. "What?"

"He's alive! And he's found himself a new sugar mommy!" Mrs. Torres was pacing now. Her heels clicking on the sidewalk. "Some woman named Sora Chen. Probably nouveau riche trash. She slapped a store manager for him! Actually slapped her!"

"Mom, slow down. What are you talking about?"

"The crystal!" Mrs. Torres practically shrieked. "The Dragon's Heart Crystal we were going to buy for Derek! To give to the new chairman at tomorrow's gala! Jake bought it! He took it right out from under us!"

"Jake bought a three million dollar crystal?" Maya's voice was sharp now. Alert. "That's not possible. He doesn't have that kind of money."

"That's what I'm telling you! This woman, this Sora Chen, she's clearly keeping him! He's living off her now! Just like he lived off you!" Mrs. Torres was getting more worked up. "The store owner threw us out! Threw us out because of that woman! The disrespect!"

Chloe grabbed the phone. "Maya, it was insane. This Sora lady was all protective of him. Like he's her little pet or something. So gross."

"Let me talk to Mom." Maya's voice sounded weird. Tight.