Atrium Shopping Square
"This dress really suits you, Cat," May smiled as she glanced at Catherine's reflection from the fitting room.
Catherine studied her reflection in the mirror. The pastel pink dress stopped just above her knees, flaring slightly at the hem. Her hair was pinned up in a soft twist, the way she usually wore it for school events. She tilted her head to the side and pressed her palm against her stomach. She looked like a modern princess—one from a magazine ad, not a fairytale. That thought alone made her uncomfortable.
"You should get it," May said from behind the curtain.
Elisa stepped closer and nodded as she examined the hem. "Seriously. Just take it. You're already holding the gift card."
Catherine glanced down at the card on the small bench beside her. Her fingers tapped lightly against the fabric of the dress.
"I don't know," she mumbled. "If I get it, it's like… I don't want to seem like I'm using him."
May leaned against the edge of the doorframe and rolled her eyes. "It's not like you're asking him for cash. He gave you the card."
Elisa added, "Yeah, and it's from one of the top boutiques. The manager literally welcomed you personally."
"That's not the point," Catherine said as she turned to the side. "I just don't want people to think I'm some kind of gold digger."
May crossed her arms. "Using a gift card from Young Master Lenox doesn't make you a gold digger. If that's the case, every girl here with a rich boyfriend is one too."
Elisa smirked. "Exactly. And Lenox isn't just rich. He's loaded. You think someone like him would give you a card just for show?"
Catherine looked back at her reflection and didn't respond right away. She narrowed her eyes slightly. The dress really did fit well. It flattered her waist and made her legs look longer. She exhaled and crossed her arms.
Lenox hadn't said anything. Not officially. No confession. No 'I like you.' But he had been thoughtful. On her birthday, he gave her gift cards instead of a big public display, saying he didn't want to overwhelm her. That had to mean something, didn't it?
May suddenly leaned in. "And you know what? That's what separates Lenox from someone like Matthew. Lenox pays attention. He knows what you like. He actually thinks things through."
Catherine didn't say anything. She looked down at her shoes.
Elisa didn't stop there. "Honestly, if Lenox ever confesses, you should just say yes. He's a much better option."
"Unless," May said slowly. "He's hesitating because of Matthew."
Elisa turned to her quickly. "That's exactly it. You know Lenox. He's too kind. He'd never want to upset Matthew. Not openly. They're family, right?"
Catherine's eyes narrowed just slightly. She didn't like that idea, but it made sense. Matthew and Lenox had always been close. Distant cousins. They were raised almost like brothers. If Lenox was holding back, maybe it was because of that.
She turned away from the mirror, pretending to adjust the back zipper even though it was already secure.
Elisa stepped back and added, "It's just sad. You two would look great together."
Catherine nodded. She was just waiting for Lenox to say something about the status of their relationship.
She was about to say something when they heard a sales lady say, "Mr. Lindberg, please follow me for your fitting."
The three immediately went to look at where the voice came from, expecting to see Lenox, only to see Matthew with what looked like a bodyguard following behind him.
"Huh? Isn't that..." Catherine mumbled, frowning.
"Wow…" Elisa's voice caught everyone's attention. Catherine didn't move at first. She stood just a step behind the curtain, staring at Matthew as he followed the sales lady deeper into the store. He looked clean, well-dressed, and completely indifferent. There was no hesitation in his steps, no sign that he had even noticed them.
Then Elisa's hand shot out, pointing at him.
"I didn't know you'd really go as far as stalking Cathy," Elisa said loudly. Her voice carried across the boutique. Several customers immediately turned to look.
Catherine immediately grabbed Elisa's arm again. "Hey, stop it."
But Elisa pulled her arm free. "Why are you defending him?" she asked, still pointing. "He's clearly here because you're here."
Catherine's face heated. Her eyes darted between Matthew and the other shoppers now watching them. She took a step back toward the fitting room.
"He doesn't even know we're here," she whispered, trying to keep the situation from escalating.
But Elisa wasn't finished. She stepped forward.
"Seriously, Matthew? First, you embarrassed her at her own birthday dinner, then you humiliated her by cutting her from the scholarship list—now you're following her around the mall?"
Catherine's stomach twisted. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. It was already too late.
Elisa turned to the sales lady. "Excuse me, could you call security? There's a guy here bothering one of your customers. You should have him dragged out before he ruins the atmosphere."
"I mean it," she said, looking around. "It's disgusting. What kind of guy shows up like this? Pretending to shop? Look at him—he's not even carrying anything. He doesn't belong in a place like this."
Catherine stood frozen, fingers clenched around the hem of her dress. She could feel the eyes on her now. Half the boutique was staring at them. She wasn't even sure if Matthew heard anything. He didn't look back. He hadn't reacted at all.
"Elisa, just stop," Catherine finally muttered. "Please."
But Elisa had already crossed her arms and was standing in the middle of the walkway like she owned the place.
"If he really wanted to apologize, he should've done it properly. Not stalked you here. This is pathetic. What's next? Is he going to offer to pay for everything that you want?"
Catherine glanced at the sales lady, who looked unsure. The woman's eyes darted from Elisa to Matthew, then back again.
"I'm sorry," Catherine said, stepping forward. "It's nothing. He's not bothering me."
Elisa shot her a sharp look. "Why are you still covering for him?"
"I'm not—" Catherine stopped. Her face was burning now.
"Excuse me, may I know what the problem is?" a woman who was wearing a different uniform than the other sales lady approached them. "I heard you raise your voice… would you be so kind as to tell me if there is something wrong?"
"Of course, there's something wrong," May said this time before she pointed at Matthew. "That man right there is stalking my friend."
"Miss, please lower your voice," the sales lady guiding Matthew said as she stepped in. "There's no need to shout or make accusations in front of other customers."
Elisa took a step forward, ignoring the warning. "He followed us here. He's clearly stalking her. Who else would come to this boutique out of nowhere and pretend like it's just a coincidence?"
The manager looked toward Matthew, who had just finished inspecting one of the displayed suits with the other sales lady.
He turned around, finally acknowledging them.
"Stalking?" Matthew asked as he adjusted the cuff of his jacket. "Funny. I should be the one asking that. How did you even get in here?"
Catherine's eyes widened. She instinctively looked at Elisa, who had frozen for a second.
Matthew's gaze moved over the three of them before settling on the manager. "How did they even get in here?" he asked. "This is a members-only boutique. They don't look like members."
Catherine's shoulders stiffened.
Elisa blinked. "What did you just say?"
Matthew didn't respond to her. Instead, he gestured toward the boutique manager. "Do you verify cards before people walk in, or do you just let anyone wander through the doors as long as they make enough noise?"
The manager straightened. "All members must check in at the entrance."
"Then check theirs," Matthew said. "Go ahead. If they don't have cards, maybe you should stop listening to the dogs barking and throw them out."
Catherine's chest tightened. She stepped forward. "Matthew, stop."
But May had already responded. "Who do you think you are? Just because you have some card doesn't mean you can talk to us like that."
Elisa's face turned red. "You think you're so important? Just because your family has money? Don't forget—Lenox's father is the one backing you! Acting all high and mighty! How dare you say something like that to us?"
Matthew didn't respond. He handed his card to the sales lady beside him. "Just finish my order. And next time, make sure the other customers can actually pay. It's exhausting dealing with people who only know how to bark. Wouldn't that cheapen your brand?"