Free Web NovelChapter 81: Chapter 81: Poor Enough to Scam?
When Annabelle Young and the others arrived, the manager had just come out and was trying to placate Vivian Mason.
"Miss, please calm down. If this is our fault, we will certainly handle it for you. Let’s keep our voices down so we don’t disturb the other customers. Please, have a seat and we can talk this through."
"What do you mean, ’if’ it’s your fault? I bought this at your counter. If it’s not your problem, are you saying it’s mine?"
Vivian Mason arrogantly pointed to the jewelry counters on either side, refusing to back down.
"You claim your brand is reputable, with top-notch quality and a ’ten times the compensation for a fake’ policy. Looks to me like you’re all talk! A diamond fell out the moment I got it. What would have happened if I’d taken it home? Enough nonsense. Just tell me what you’re going to do about it now!"
The manager had been in the industry for many years, but this was the first time she had encountered something like this.
It wasn’t that their diamonds could never fall out, but this was just too convenient.
"Miss, please don’t get agitated. Let me take a look at the item to appraise it. As long as it wasn’t damaged intentionally, we will replace it with a new one immediately."
"A new one? With this kind of quality, you think I’d dare accept a new one? Did I spend over a hundred thousand just to buy a piece of trash? You promised ten times the compensation for a fake. You have the guts to make the claim but not the guts to honor it?"
A few of the other colleagues couldn’t help but laugh.
Cecelia Archer had said she was some rich heiress from a wealthy family. Turns out, after all this fuss, she was just a broke loser trying to extort money. Making all this trouble just to get them to pay out a million—it was hilarious.
Even the manager looked at Cecelia Archer, speechless.
Cecelia took the bracelet and said to the manager, "This isn’t the bracelet I just sold. Manager, look. There’s a bit of dust on the clasp and some light scratches. You can tell it’s been worn for a while."
The manager took it for a closer look and saw that she was right.
Although the bracelet was one of their store’s designs, it was definitely not new!
It was also just their luck that the store next door was under renovation. To avoid a short circuit, the power for the entire row had been cut, so the surveillance cameras were useless.
But they couldn’t let her keep making a scene like this. The damage to the brand’s reputation was a responsibility they couldn’t afford.
"The rest of you, when Cecelia was ringing up the sale, did you see anything? This bracelet doesn’t seem like one from our inventory."
The others, who were hoping Cecelia would mess up and not come in tomorrow, all shook their heads.
"Didn’t see anything."
The manager could only turn back to Vivian Mason. "Miss, is it possible you have two identical bracelets and accidentally mixed them up?"
Vivian Mason replied, "Am I crazy? If I already had an identical one, why would I spend over a hundred thousand to buy another? Just to boost your sales numbers? She says it’s not the one, and that’s it? Is this how you question a customer’s integrity?"
"Enough of this nonsense. Just tell me if you’re going to compensate me or not! If not, I’ll call everyone over to see how a big brand like yours bullies its customers and commits blatant fraud!"
She shouted so loudly that employees from several neighboring competitors looked over.
Since they were competitors, they were all eager to see something go wrong. Many secretly took out their phones and started recording.
Once the videos were posted online, the losses would be incalculable!
Cecelia Archer knew Vivian Mason was targeting her. Not wanting to drag everyone else down, she faced Vivian with a cold expression and said, freёwebnoѵel.com
"If you keep making this unreasonable scene, I’m calling the police! Don’t think you’re untouchable just because the cameras are off! Vivian Mason, a lie is a lie. We’re talking about over a hundred thousand here. That’s enough for a prison sentence. Don’t come crying then."
"Threatening me? You sell me this defective, fake product, and now you’re threatening me? Everyone, come and see! This is how this brand does business! Hurry up and come look!"
Far from backing down, Vivian Mason, seeing that the surveillance was out, became completely brazen and unrestrained.
"I’m not afraid of you calling the police. Go on, I dare you! Who knows who’s going to jail over this hundred-plus thousand. Go ahead and call!"
Seeing her so audacious, Cecelia understood.
She and Claire Clark were in this together. They must have already hidden the real bracelet.
This was a dispute between her and Vivian Mason. If the police came, they would only search Vivian’s bag. They wouldn’t find anything, and without surveillance footage to help, combined with the receipt she had issued herself, the accusation of selling a defective product would surely stick.
’This damn woman,’ she thought, ’what on earth did I do to her to make her plot against me to this extent?’
Many passing customers were drawn over by Vivian Mason’s shouting. Soon, a crowd had gathered in front of the counter.
Annabelle Young was furious.
Her family had been in business for so many years, yet this was the first time they’d ever encountered such a disgraceful incident.
She was about to rush over, but Damien Vaughn reached out and held her back.
"Don’t move."
’It’s that annoying woman again. Why is Cecelia still dealing with her?’
’Isn’t she supposed to be formidable? She showed no mercy when she fought with Claire Clark, so why is she helpless against this woman?’
Today, Damien Vaughn was going to watch and see just how Cecelia Archer planned to handle this.
Seeing that many passersby had gathered, Vivian Mason started spinning a web of lies for the crowd.
Claire Clark, looking like a casual spectator, stood to the side waiting, her bag held loosely in her hand.
Cecelia Archer stared at Vivian Mason’s nasty, flapping mouth for a few seconds. Then, when Claire Clark wasn’t looking, she suddenly dashed forward and snatched Claire’s handbag.
The crowd gasped. Cecelia returned to the counter, opened the bag, and dumped all of its contents onto the countertop.
"Cecelia, you fucking..." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Claire Clark rushed forward to grab the bag, but it was too late. Everything inside had already been emptied out.
Lipstick, a phone, tissues, a powder puff... and a sparkling, brand-new bracelet.
Cecelia held up the bracelet for everyone to see.
"Miss Mason, you said I sold you a defective item. You said you don’t have two identical bracelets. Then what is this?"
"..."
Vivian Mason’s face flushed red, then turned pale. She glanced at the useless Claire Clark, then back at Cecelia, before lunging forward to stuff the items on the counter back into the bag, roaring as she did.
"What gives you the right to snatch someone’s bag? Who do you think you are? Have you no class?"
Cecelia sneered. "Am I the one with no class, or are you two just that desperate for money? Your bracelet is in her bag. Are you stealing from each other, or did you team up to commit fraud?"
"Whatever the reason, everyone get a good look at these two faces! Be careful if they ever come into your shops in the future!"
No one expected such a reversal. The tide of public opinion quickly turned.
The crowd began to murmur, now gossiping about Vivian Mason and Claire Clark.
The two of them were too ashamed to demand the "ten times" compensation from Cecelia anymore. They snatched the bracelet from her hand, stuffed it into a pocket, and, grabbing each other’s hands, tried to run. But the manager shot out after them.
"Where do you think you’re going? Stop them! You publicly damaged our brand’s image and slandered our reputation. I’ve already called the police!"
A few helpful onlookers blocked the way, stopping the two of them. Claire Clark was mortified, looking around awkwardly, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.
But as she looked, she unexpectedly spotted Damien Vaughn at the back of the crowd.
"Damien? Help, Damien! Come and save us!"
