The Graham Heir—I Am Not An Adopted Nobody

Chapter 75: Platinum Blood

The air in the boutique suddenly felt freezing cold. Avery reached out and grabbed Anna’s arm the very second the silence in the room began to thicken like a heavy fog. “What are you doing?” she whispered, her voice urgent and shaking with a bit of panic. “Why are you challenging them?”

Anna didn’t even glance at her friend. Her eyes were locked onto Bella and Carla with a steady, dangerous focus that didn't waver for a second. “They’re stepping on my toes,” Anna said, her voice eerily calm. “And I don’t like it.”

“Anna, please,” Avery insisted, her grip tightening as she tried to pull her away. “Let’s just leave. We can get something else. There are hundreds of necklaces here.” But Anna just shook her head slowly, her face straightened unwillingly. “I don’t want something else. I want this one.”

Behind Carla, one of the famous influencers stepped forward. She had sharp, model like features and a high pitched voice that carried easily across the quiet store. “I’m sure you don’t realize who you’re speaking to,” she said, her tone turning cold. “Bella and Carla are not just wealthy. They belong to one of the Twelve Families.”

The room grew even quieter, to the point where you could hear the soft hum of the lights. “They are daughters of people who practically run this world,” the girl continued, looking down her nose at them. “You don’t compete with them. You step aside.”

Avery swallowed hard, feeling the weight of those words. “I know who they are,” she said softly, her eyes downcast. “That’s why I don’t want trouble.”

Anna finally turned her head to look at Avery. “I know someone more powerful,” she said evenly, her voice flat and confident. Then she looked back at Bella, her eyes narrowing. “So let’s avoid unnecessary drama. I take the necklace, then you go your way and we go ours.”

Bella let out a short laugh. It wasn’t a loud or angry laugh, it was something much worse— it was controlled, dismissive, and full of pure mockery. “Outspend us?” another girl in the group said, stepping forward with a smirk. “Do you even understand who you’re standing against? The Winters are trillionaires. Trillions. We could clear your bank account a million times and our balance wouldn’t even move.”

Anna’s expression didn’t change at all. It was like she was looking at a fly. “Oh really?” she said. She reached into her designer bag, and Avery’s eyes went wide with fear. “Anna… what are you doing?” she gasped.

Anna pulled out a sleek, dark card. One of the girls leaned forward and let out a mean little smirk. “Please don’t embarrass yourself,” she taunted. Avery lowered her voice to a desperate whisper, pulling on Anna's sleeve. “What do you think that card can do? They’re worth twenty trillion dollars.”

“Maybe you should listen to your friend,” another influencer added, her voice full of fake pity. “She seems smarter.”

Anna ignored all of them. “I want the necklace,” she said firmly, her voice echoing off the glass cases. “Call your staff.” An attendant hurried over, looking like she wanted to disappear into the floor. Bella placed a manicured hand lightly on the glass display, looking bored. “We both want it,” she said smoothly.

The attendant hesitated, her hands shaking slightly. “This necklace is part of a rare collection,” she explained, her voice trembling. “It is priced at one hundred million dollars. Only one piece was allocated to our store this decade.”

In a move that felt like a movie scene, Anna and Bella placed their cards on the counter at the exact same time. “I’ll pay immediately,” Bella said. “So will I,” Anna replied, her eyes not blinking. The attendant looked back and forth between them, completely unsure of what to do next. Bella sighed with annoyance. “Bring the verification machine.”

A staff member quickly returned with a high tech, sleek scanner used only for ultra high limit accounts. Bella placed her card first. It was Platinum. The display screen lit up instantly, confirming a top tier, unrestricted account. Excited murmurs started to spread through the small crowd of shoppers watching the fight.

When Anna stepped forward to take her turn, one of the girls muttered loud enough to hear, “Second class incoming.” Anna didn't react, she just slid her card onto the scanner. The machine let out a loud beep. It was also Platinum.

The murmurs grew into loud whispers. Even Carla’s eyes sharpened as she looked at Anna with a new kind of interest. The attendant looked stunned, her mouth hanging open. “Both cards are valid… and both have sufficient credit.”

Now the problem had changed from money to power. The staff excused themselves and rushed to call the manager. Moments later, a middle aged man in a perfectly tailored suit arrived, nervously adjusting his glasses. “What seems to be the issue?”

Bella spoke first, her voice full of pride. “I am Bella Winter. Of the Winter family.” The change in the manager's posture was immediate. He straightened up and gave a deep, respectful bow. “My apologies, Miss Winter. Had we known earlier, this would have been handled properly.”

He turned to Anna, his face full of fake regret. “I’m very sorry,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “We cannot proceed with your purchase.”

Anna’s jaw tightened until it looked like it might snap. “Excuse me?” she asked. “This piece must go to the Winter family,” the manager continued, sounding like he was reciting a script. “We cannot risk offending them. Please understand. We can offer you a private viewing of other rare items. Even a special discount.”

Avery stepped in quickly, trying to end the nightmare. “It’s fine. We’ll look at something else.” Bella just smirked, looking victorious. But Anna didn’t move an inch. Her face flushed a deep red— not because she was embarrassed, but because she was furious.

“So this is how it works?” she asked in a low, quiet voice that sent a chill through the room. “You abuse power, and everyone kneels?” The manager shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. “Miss, I advise you to reconsider. Competing with the Winters will not end well.”

Carla folded her arms over her chest, looking down at Anna like she was a bug. “You heard him.” Anna’s breathing slowed down, becoming dangerously slow and steady. “No,” she said. That single word cut through the room like a knife. “I don’t like being stepped on. And I don’t like being told to know my place.”

Bella tilted her head back and laughed. “Then learn it.”

That was the final push Anna needed. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. Avery’s heart skipped a beat as she realized what was coming. “Anna…” she whispered, but Anna was already dialing. The line rang once. Twice. Then it connected. Her voice was perfectly calm when she finally spoke.

“Robert,” she said, her eyes never leaving the Winters for a second. “I need you.”

A dead silence fell across the entire boutique. And for the very first time since they had walked into the store Bella Winter felt a tiny, cold shiver of uncertainty.