Chapter 89: A kept woman

Chapter 89: 89: A kept woman

RM Clothing Mall

The car came to a smooth halt in front of the mall. The doors opened, and Cassian and Raymond stepped out in unison, both offering their hands to Nova.

Nova placed her hands gracefully on their forearms and stepped out of the vehicle like royalty. She stared up at the towering facade of the mall, her eyes widening slightly in admiration.

"Surprisingly, I love it here already," Nova commented, a soft smile gracing her lips.

Cassian chuckled proudly. "I knew you would love it. Let’s go inside, darling," he murmured.

Nova nodded, gently pulling her hands away. She took the lead, walking through the grand entrance with Raymond and Cassian flanking her like loyal shadows.

Stepping into the mall, Nova was even more amazed. The interior was impeccably arranged, boasting expansive sections dedicated to high-end jewelry, designer bags, and luxury apparel. The atmosphere was one of refined elegance.

Nova strolled toward the jewelry section, her eyes scanning the glittering displays. She turned over her shoulder to look at Raymond and Cassian.

"You both should take a seat. I will browse and see what catches my eye," she instructed.

Raymond and Cassian nodded in perfect unison, moving toward a plush seating area where they sat down with poised, quiet authority.

An attendant walked up to Nova. Upon seeing Nova’s breathtaking beauty, the attendant’s eyes widened, but the admiration quickly soured into a cold, jealous sneer.

"What’s the point of being beautiful? She’s probably just a kept woman, the attendant thought, her gaze darting toward Raymond and Cassian before sliding back to Nova with disdain. "Prostitute," she muttered under her breath, barely a whisper.

The air in the immediate vicinity seemed to drop several degrees. Nova’s brows knit together.

"Excuse me?" Nova turned to the attendant, flashing a brilliant, harmless smile—but it was a smile that carried a sudden, suffocating weight. The tension in the aisle spiked, thick and palpable. "Are you, perhaps, talking about your mother or your sisters?" she asked, her voice light, yet laced with a dangerous edge.

The attendant bristled, her face flushing with sudden rage. "I made sure to keep my voice low. How did she hear me? No, she couldn’t have. She must just be looking to pick a fight," she reasoned inwardly. Crossing her arms, she lifted her chin. "What’s with the sudden insult? Our mall has strict rules. Customers aren’t allowed to insult the staff here. Please show some respect," she demanded arrogantly.

Nova’s brow creased more tightly, the invisible pressure radiating from her growing heavier. "So, customers aren’t allowed to insult the staff, but the staff is allowed to hurl insults at the customers? Is that it?" she questioned, her tone turning ice-cold.

The attendant flinched, stunned by the freezing intensity in Nova’s eyes. "It seems she really did hear me," she panicked internally, "but so what? It’s not like she has any evidence. I just won’t admit it." Glaring fiercely back at Nova, she challenged, "Are you saying I insulted you? Where’s the evidence? Bring it out."

From their seats, Cassian and Raymond witnessed the exchange. Both men tensed, ready to stand up and intervene, but Nova stopped them with a single, gentle glance. The men settled back down, though their eyes remained locked on the attendant like predators watching cornered prey.

Nova turned her attention back to the arrogant staff member.

"Getting evidence wouldn’t be a problem for me," Nova replied with terrifying calm, lightly shaking her head. "But forget it. I am in a good mood this afternoon. I won’t waste my time arguing with you."

"Tsk. You won’t argue with me, or are you just trying to save face because you don’t have any proof?" the attendant scoffed, rolling her eyes in blatant disrespect.

The oppressive atmosphere was suddenly interrupted. "Hello, Miss. Can I help you?" Another attendant hurried forward, having clearly noticed the escalating hostility.

Nova’s cold demeanor instantly vanished, replaced by a warm smile for the newcomer. "I’m married," she corrected politely.

The second attendant immediately bowed in apology. "My deepest apologies, Madam. Please, allow me to assist you with your selections."

Hearing Nova state that she was married, the first attendant let out a mocking laugh. "She’s not even trying to hide it. Married, my foot. Who would marry a whore?" she muttered viciously under her breath.

"Kira!" the second attendant hissed, her eyes wide as she shot her coworker a frantic, warning glare.

"Get lost," Kira snapped back, irritated. "You can accompany her, then. I’m done here."

She turned on her heel to leave, but Nova’s voice—smooth as silk but heavy as lead—stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Kira, was it? You have lived with a healthy body for long enough. Don’t you think it’s time you spent a few years in a hospital?" Nova asked. Her voice was remarkably steady, she didn’t view Kira as a threat, but rather an annoyance that had finally overstepped.

Kira spun back around, her brows furrowing as an unbearable, oppressive aura suddenly crashed down upon her, making it hard to breathe. "What is that supposed to mean?" she spat. "You—"

She never finished her sentence.

Crack!

The sound of the slap echoed through the vast, quiet mall like a gunshot. Nova had delivered a heavy, ruthless strike across the woman’s face.

The brutal force of the impact lifted Kira off her feet, sending her flying backward until she slammed brutally against the wall. She collapsed to the tiled floor, vomiting a mouthful of blood, her neck twisted at a horrifying, unnatural angle.

The sudden explosion of violence shattered the tranquility of the luxury store. The second attendant froze in terror, trembling violently as she stared at the scene. "Just... just one slap did so much damage?" she thought, her mind reeling in horror. "What if she wants to beat her more? Is she some kind of underground boxing champion?!"

A few feet away, Cassian and Raymond watched the brutal display with pure satisfaction.

"My wife is so gentle, even when she has to deal with a fool," Cassian thought, resting his chin on his hand as he stared at Nova with a hopelessly lovestruck gaze.

"That’s my wife. Delivering just the right amount of punishment to anyone who thinks they can bully her," Raymond mused, deeply pleased by her swift retribution.

On the floor, Kira was living a nightmare. The pain was agonizing, she couldn’t move her neck, and her spine felt completely shattered.

"Help... help me..." she wheezed pitifully, but the few bystanders present were too paralyzed by fear to step forward.

Hearing the commotion, the mall manager rushed onto the floor. When he saw the bloodied employee and Nova standing a few feet away from her, his jaw dropped. "She’s so beautiful," he caught himself thinking, momentarily stunned by Nova’s presence.

"You don’t want those eyes anymore, do you?" two dark, chilling voices threatened in unison.

The manager’s blood ran cold. Recognizing the lethal tone of those voices, he slowly turned his head toward the seating area. When his eyes landed on Cassian and Raymond, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his knees nearly giving out.

"Why... why are these two devils here?!" his mind screamed in panic. ’How come no one informed me they were arriving?!"

"Mr... Mr. Cassian, Mr. Raymond!" the manager stammered, wiping the sweat forming on his brow as he rushed over to bow deeply. "My absolute deepest apologies for not receiving you personally. Please, pardon my oversight!"

Cassian snorted, his gaze turning terrifyingly dark as he looked down at the trembling man. "She insulted my wife," he stated coldly, gesturing toward Kira’s broken figure on the floor.

The manager felt his soul practically leave his body. "She insulted his wife?! What kind of death wish is this?!’

Bowing even lower, nearly folding in half, the manager stammered, "I—I will take care of her immediately, sir!" He didn’t waste a single second. Rushing over to Kira, he grabbed her by the collar and dragged her out of the section, entirely deaf to her agonizing groans.

With the trash taken out and the suffocating tension slowly dissipating, Nova smiled brightly. She turned back to the terrified second attendant, who was still shaking like a leaf.

"You’ll give me a hand now, right?" Nova asked pleasantly.

"Y-yes... yes, Madam!" the attendant squeaked, nodding frantically.