The Sovereign's Return

Chapter 3

The grand street-level entrance of Vanguard & Co. occupied a prominent double-height corner on the city’s most exclusive luxury avenue. Featuring rich dark mahogany paneling, polished brass trim, and suit-clad security personnel stationed at the heavy glass doors, it was an establishment where admittance was granted strictly by prior appointment or black-tier invitation.

Evelyn walked half a step behind Ryan as they passed through the silent, marble-paved showroom.

Ryan was still dressed in simple denim jeans and a plain black crewneck shirt—the casual clothes Evelyn’s team had retrieved from his former apartment. Compared to the glittering glass display cases housing bespoke Italian suits and rare timepieces, he looked entirely out of place to any casual observer.

"Mr. Carter," Evelyn murmured quietly beside him, her voice lowered so as not to disturb the quiet atmosphere. "The senior master tailors are currently waiting in our private VIP fitting suite upstairs. We can have your custom tailored wardrobe fully prepared and pressed by this afternoon."

"Simple is fine for now, Evelyn," Ryan replied neutrally, scanning a nearby rack of structured charcoal wool coats. He was still adjusting to the sudden shift in his reality, though he understood the practical necessity of proper executive presentation.

"Well, well, well. How on earth did security let a total vagrant through the front door?"

A sharp, nasal voice shattered the quiet dignity of the boutique showroom.

Ryan paused and turned around smoothly. Walking toward them across the polished floor, clutching a bright neon-pink designer handbag, was Karen Vance. Karen was Claire Morgan’s closest social circle friend—a notorious status climber who had spent the last three years openly mocking Ryan whenever he couldn't afford lavish gifts or high-end dining for Claire.

Karen stopped five feet away, her eyes widening in mock surprise before instantly twisting into a sneer of unadulterated contempt.

"Ryan?" Karen laughed aloud, crossing her arms over her synthetic fur coat. "Oh my god, it actually is you! What are you doing in a high-end store like Vanguard? Trying to steal a designer necktie so you can pretend you're not a completely bankrupt loser?"

Ryan glanced at her neutrally, choosing not to offer a single word of response.

Karen took his calm silence as confirmation of her dominance and let out a dramatic, boisterous laugh that immediately drew the attention of several nearby wealthy shoppers and store assistants. "I heard all about what went down last night! Claire finally woke up, came to her senses, and kicked your broke ass right out the door! Damian even showed everyone the video of you lying face down in the back alley like a beaten street dog! You really have no shame showing your face in a place like this, do you?"

Her sharp eyes then flicked over to Evelyn, who was standing quietly half a step behind Ryan. Karen scanned Evelyn’s tailored grey wool suit, her emerald earrings, and her calm, commanding professional presence. A momentary flicker of petty envy flashed across Karen’s face, quickly replaced by a bitter, triumphant smirk.

"Ah, I understand everything now," Karen sneered, taking a step closer and looking at Evelyn with utter disgust. "You got dumped by Claire, so you immediately went out and found yourself a wealthy sugar mommy to pay for your cheap ego! Wow, Ryan. I always knew you were useless, but I didn't think you'd degrade yourself to being a kept pet!"

Evelyn’s emerald eyes narrowed into dangerous, icy slits. The air around her instantly dropped five degrees.

Before Ryan could even raise a hand to dismiss the nuisance, Evelyn stepped forward with terrifying, lightning-fast swiftness.

CRACK!

The sharp, echoing sound of a palm slamming across a cheek rang loudly throughout the quiet luxury showroom. Karen’s head snapped violently to the side, causing her designer handbag to slip from her shoulder and crash onto the marble floor. She stumbled back three awkward steps, clutching her bright red, rapidly swelling cheek in absolute shock.

"You..." Karen stammered, her voice shaking violently with rage and disbelief. "You hit me?! Do you have any idea who I am?!"

"Watch your mouth," Evelyn said, her voice dropping into a razor-sharp register that sent a visible chill down the spine of every store employee present. "Insult Mr. Carter again, and I will personally see to it that your family's commercial credit lines are completely terminated before the sun sets."

"You crazy bitch!" Karen shrieked hysterically, turning frantically toward the store manager who came hurrying over. "Manager! Call security right now! This crazy woman assaulted me! And kick this male escort out of your store immediately!"

The middle-aged store manager, Mr. Higgins, looked at Karen’s red cheek, then turned to examine Ryan’s casual denim and plain shirt. Higgins’s expression darkened into immediate, snobbish disapproval. "Sir, if you cannot provide immediate proof of high-tier purchasing power, I must ask you and your... companion... to leave the premises before I involve law enforcement—"