Chapter 7
Author: Nikki Bella
last update2026-01-01 00:27:36

After Amelia and her friends finally walked away in laughter, the noisy tension they left behind slowly settled. Nathan stood still for a moment, his chest rising and falling as he tried to rein in the anger boiling inside him. His grandmother tugged gently at his sleeve, her wrinkled face filled with worry.

“Nathan,” she said softly, “what was all that talk about seven women? Where will you even find them?”

Nathan exhaled and gave a small, embarrassed smile. “Grandma… I honestly don’t know. I spoke too fast. I was angry.”

She sighed, shaking her head slightly. “My boy, words spoken in anger are like stones thrown blindly. You can’t take them back.”

“I know,” he replied. In his mind, however, a name surfaced—David Brune. The man who had called him earlier. The man who had told him the unbelievable truth about his father’s abandoned crypto project and the wealth attached to it. Nathan glanced at his phone briefly, then tucked it away. ‘I’m meeting David later today,’ he thought. ‘If anyone can fix this mess, it might be him.’

He forced a smile and gently nudged his grandmother forward. “Come on. Let’s keep shopping. We didn’t come here to be upset.”

They moved deeper into the mall, passing glass displays that glittered with luxury. His grandmother slowly regained her cheer, stopping to admire items she would never have dared to look at closely in the past. Eventually, her eyes fell on a handbag displayed on a velvet stand.

She froze.

Nathan noticed immediately. “Grandma?”

She stepped closer, her eyes shining. “This bag…” Her fingers trembled slightly as she pointed. “This is the rebranded version of a bag that was very popular when I was a young girl. Everyone wanted it. I wanted it too—but we were too poor. I promised myself that if I ever got the chance, I would own one.”

Nathan didn’t hesitate for a second. “Then take it.”

She turned to him sharply. “Nathan, this place is expensive. This bag—”

“I don’t care about the price,” he said firmly. “You deserve it. After everything you’ve done for me since my parents died… this is nothing.”

Her eyes welled up. “My boy…”

“Please,” he said gently. “Let me do this.”

She nodded slowly and reached for the bag.

Before her fingers could touch it, a sharp voice cut through the air.

“Excuse me.”

An elderly couple stepped forward. They were both in their seventies, dressed in tailored designer clothing that screamed old money and influence. The man’s posture was rigid, his eyes sharp. The woman’s lips were curled in disdain.

“That bag,” the man said coldly. “My wife wants it.”

Nathan instinctively picked up the bag and placed it into his grandmother’s hands. “I’m sorry,” he said politely. “We picked it first. I’m buying it for her.”

The woman scoffed loudly. “Buying it?” She looked Nathan up and down in disgust. “Do you think this is some cheap street fashion? Stinking peasants like you wouldn’t even afford the dust on this bag.”

The man’s eyes hardened. “Release the bag now, young man. Or you will regret it.”

Nathan’s grandmother stiffened. She tugged at Nathan’s arm urgently. “Nathan, please. Let it go. These people… they look powerful. I don’t want trouble.”

The couple laughed mockingly.

“Listen to your old woman,” the man sneered. “A small brat like you should know your place.”

That was when something inside Nathan snapped. The insult, the assumption that he couldn’t afford the bag—it all ignited his fury.

“I’m buying this bag,” Nathan said calmly but firmly. “And you will not intimidate my grandmother.”

The woman’s face twisted with rage. “How dare you!” she snapped. “Anna! Jenna!”

Almost immediately, two young, beautiful salesgirls rushed over. They wore practiced smiles that vanished the moment they took in Nathan and his grandmother’s appearance.

“Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Toadson,” Anna said with a deep bow. “It’s always an honor.”

“Yes, welcome,” Jenna echoed sweetly. “How may we assist you?”

The woman pointed at the bag in Nathan’s hands. “We want that bag. Take it from them.”

Anna and Jenna turned to Nathan, their faces scrunching in visible disgust.

“Sir,” Anna said sharply, “you need to hand over the bag immediately.”

“This bag is not for people like you,” Jenna added. “You’re contaminating the store.”

Nathan’s grandmother’s grip tightened around his arm. “Nathan, please. Let it go.”

The couple laughed again, loudly, drawing attention from other shoppers.

Nathan clenched his jaw. His grandmother’s fear mattered more than his pride. He was just about to comply when Jenna suddenly raised her voice.

“Security!” she shouted. “We have filthy troublemakers here!”

Nathan’s eyes darkened. ‘Now you’ve crossed the line.’

Three security guards arrived quickly, forming a loose circle around Nathan and his grandmother.

“Sir,” one of them said politely, “please hand over the bag.”

Their politeness infuriated Jenna. She stormed forward and slapped each guard in turn.

“Do you know who these people are?” she screamed. “This is Mr. and Mrs. Toadson! Multimillionaires! Parents-in-law to the manager!”

Anna nodded smugly. “Our boss, Jessica Toadson.”

The guards stiffened but stood their ground.

“We cannot use force,” one said apologetically. “Please calm down.”

The couple’s faces turned crimson with rage.

“You’ll all be fired!” the man roared.

“Call Jessica!” the woman snapped.

Nathan merely smiled faintly.

His grandmother leaned closer, whispering anxiously, “Nathan, what kind of trouble are we in now?”

“Just trust me,” he said quietly.

Minutes later, the sound of hurried heels echoed across the floor. A young woman in her late twenties approached, clad in a sharp executive suit. Everyone bowed instinctively.

“Manager Jessica,” Anna and Jenna chorused.

Jessica’s eyes lit up when she saw the elderly couple. “Mother! Father! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“We didn’t want to disturb you,” Mrs. Toadson said dramatically. “But these people forced our hand.”

Jessica turned to Anna. “What happened?”

“These paupers,” Anna said contemptuously, pointing at Nathan, “refused to give your mother-in-law the bag she wanted.”

Jenna added, “They stink and they’re causing trouble.”

Jessica turned to Nathan, her expression cold. “Is that true? Are you disrespecting my parents-in-law?”

Nathan met her gaze evenly. “We were the ones disrespected. We picked the bag first.”

Jessica smiled thinly. “Even if that were true, I’m sorry to inform you that the bag is no longer for sale. As manager, I’m recalling it to the vault.”

Laughter erupted around them.

Nathan calmly handed the bag to the security guard. Then he turned to Jessica, his voice steady.

“You have no such authority,” he said. “You’re no longer the manager of this store—from this very minute.”

The laughter died instantly.

Everyone stared at him.

Jessica blinked, then laughed incredulously. “Are you delusional or something?”

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