Someone kicked me hard in the stomach. A sharp gasp escaped my lips as pain shot through my body.

“You always act like you’re better than the rest of us, so proud, so cold. And now you’re trying to ruin everything just because you’re jealous?”

Clenching my teeth against the pain, I reached out and knocked over a flower vase nearby.

The crash of shattering glass stunned everyone. I took the chance, shoved them aside, and stood up.

“What is wrong with all of you? I never said Louise couldn’t treat you to a shopping spree. I only refused to let her use my ID. If you’re all so eager to go, use your own cards! Why does it have to be mine?”

A colleague shot me a cold, condescending look.

“So what if she uses yours? Must you be so stingy?”

Another casually handed her ID to Louise.

“Louise, don’t bother with Alexandra. She obviously doesn’t appreciate anything. Use mine, I’m new too.”

“Yeah, take mine as well. Just get me a handbag later, and we’re good.”

As the others showered her with flattery, a flicker of disdain flashed in Louise’s eyes, but her smile stayed perfectly sweet.

Just before the end of the workday, a sharp pain twisted in my stomach. I rushed to the restroom, and when I returned, I grabbed my bag, ready to head out.

But the moment my hand touched the strap, I paused. Something felt off.

I clearly remembered leaving my bag unzipped in a hurry. But now, it was neatly zipped shut.

My heart skipped. I opened it in a flash, and everything was still there. My ID lay tucked in the inner pocket, untouched.

Only then did I quietly exhale, relief washing over me.

Frederick walked past and let out a low chuckle as he caught sight of me rifling through my bag.

“Alexandra, are you paranoid or something?”

I rolled my eyes at him, too lazy to respond, and slung my bag over my shoulder before turning to leave.

That night, when I got home, a wave of unease washed over me, as if something terrible was quietly approaching.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, my phone suddenly rang.

When I picked up, a woman’s voice came through, it was someone from the bank. She calmly said I had taken out a three-million-dollar loan six months ago, and it was now one month overdue.

I opened my message history, and the memory hit me like a jolt. A year ago, my cousin had an accident and begged to borrow three million dollars. Back then, I had fallen out with my parents over Frederick, and they froze all my accounts. So I took out a loan to help her. But work had been overwhelming, and I completely forgot to repay it.

Just as I was about to transfer the money, the bank employee continued, her voice turning sharper.

“Miss Valois, if the repayment isn’t made on time, you’ll be placed on the bank’s blacklist. Your loans across the five major banks will be frozen and terminated.”

Hearing that, my hand froze mid-air as a thought struck me.

“Sorry, I don’t have the money to repay right now. Please go ahead and freeze all my bank accounts.”

With that, I blocked the bank employee’s number without hesitation.

Only then did I finally exhale. Now, even if Louise managed to get hold of my ID, she wouldn’t be able to take out any loans, right?

The next day, I received a call from the housekeeper.

“Miss Valois, today is Madam’s birthday. Aren’t you coming home to see her? Madam has missed you dearly all this past year.”

I glanced at the calendar on the wall, and a wave of bitterness surged through me. It was Mom’s birthday. Over a year had passed since I last went home after falling out with my parents.

Thinking about how I’d made them suffer for so long because of that scumbag Frederick, I felt the urge to slap myself.

“Uncle Philip, I understand. I’ll come home tomorrow.”

After hanging up, I decided to visit our family’s department store first to pick out a birthday gift for Mom.

After arriving at the mall, I headed straight to a luxury boutique. Just as I reached for a newly released handbag, another hand snatched it before I could touch it. I looked up and saw Frederick and Louise.

Frederick handed the bag to Louise with a smug smile.

“Louise, this is Hermès’ latest release. There’s only one. It suits your elegance perfectly.”

Louise gave me a mocking glance, her tone sweet but laced with venom.

“I think Sister Alexandra wants this too. Should we let her have it?”

Frederick looked at me and sneered.

“Well, well, look who it is, our Manager Alexandra. Didn’t you say you weren’t coming? How about this: if you kneel in front of Louise and apologize, we’ll let you join us on our shopping spree. How does that sound?”

I rolled my eyes, not even wasting a breath on him, and turned to leave.

But Frederick grabbed me roughly and shoved me to the ground.

“Stop pretending, Alexandra. If it weren’t for Louise, you couldn’t afford a single bag here with three months’ salary. I’m giving you a chance; don’t be ungrateful.”

I winced from the pain and rubbed my sore arm, then, without hesitation, slapped him hard across the face.

Frederick’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Alexandra, you dare hit me?”

Louise suddenly burst into tears, her voice trembling.

“Sister Alexandra, I know I was wrong. I won’t invite everyone out again, I swear.”

By then, the commotion had drawn in the rest of our colleagues. They swarmed around me like vultures.

“Alexandra, was this deliberate?”

“Why do you cling on like a ghost? You’re so vicious!”

“Louise invited us out of kindness, and you had to ruin it. You just can’t stand seeing others happy, can you?”

Without warning, someone yanked my hair and slammed me to the floor.

A bottle of perfume was snatched off the counter and then sprayed directly into my eyes.

A searing pain shot through them.

Before I could recover, someone else shoved a try-on shoe against my face.

“Alexandra, if it weren’t for Louise, you wouldn’t even know what luxury is. You should be grateful for today.”

A nearby sales associate rushed over, trying to defuse the situation.

“These items aren’t for trial. Once opened, they must be purchased.”

Frederick sneered. “Country bumpkin. Louise could buy out this entire store with a wave of her hand.”

As he spoke, he suddenly hurled a vase at me, smashing it without hesitation.

“Alexandra, are you still not going to apologize to Louise?”

I forced myself to stand, heart pounding, and shoved Frederick back.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?”

The moment those words left my mouth, the others around us lost all restraint.

They grabbed whatever they could from the counters and flung perfume bottles, displays, and handbags at me.

The store descended into utter chaos. The shop assistants tried to intervene but were shoved to the floor in the madness.

“What’s the rush?” someone barked. “It’s not like we won’t pay.”

Just then, the store manager stepped forward, calm but firm, holding out a card reader.

“Then please pay for the damages, currently totaling over 8 million dollars. Otherwise, we’ll call the police immediately.”

Everything froze.

“No sense of business at all. No wonder you’re losing money,” someone scoffed.

“Louise, just pay them. Let’s head somewhere better.”

Louise pulled out a bank card and tapped it against the reader.

A few seconds later, the machine let out a cold, sharp beep.

“Insufficient balance. The payment failed.”