Sophie heard Ethan's words, and her beautiful smile from early morning disappeared in an instant:
"Captain, no—Mr. Miller!"
Sophie hurriedly said: "Please have mercy! That long-haul flight was so exhausting, I haven't fully recovered yet."
"Oh?"
Ethan leaned over and deliberately got closer: "Who was worried yesterday that I'd hit turbulence and crash?"
"I was wrong! I totally misjudged you!"
Sophie quickly admitted her mistake, her eyes extremely sincere:
"Your piloting skills are absolutely world-class! You're the most stable and reassuring captain I've ever encountered! Crash? That could absolutely never happen with you!"
She raised three fingers and swore.
Seeing that Ethan just looked at her with a smile and didn't mean to let her off, Sophie bit her lip, pulled out her "ultimate move," lowered her voice and said mysteriously:
"Or... how about this? This return flight goes slow, we wait... When I get back to full strength, or... or I'll recruit Jessica into the crew, and the two of us will work together to provide double service? Guaranteed to make your flying experience reach new heights!"
When Ethan heard this proposal, his eyes did move slightly.
But thinking of Jessica's personality, he knew this was still just Sophie's wild fantasy.
There might be opportunities in the future, but not now.
He smiled, stopped teasing her, and straightened up:
"Alright, get up and wash up. I'm taking you out in a bit."
Sophie's eyes lit up, the previous panic swept away as she asked curiously:
"Out? Where are we going?"
"To live the life you want."
Ethan drove the red Ferrari and left the Riverside Plaza Hotel with Sophie.
The powerful roar of the engine attracted plenty of attention on the bustling streets.
Sophie sat in the passenger seat, feeling the dizzying blend of speed and luxury.
Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of a magnificent glass-curtained building—the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle.
Sunlight reflected dazzling brilliance off the massive glass facade. This was one of Manhattan's premier shopping destinations, featuring the world's top luxury brands.
"This is the Time Warner Center?"
Sophie looked at the crystal palace-like building in front of her, yearning and a hint of timidity in her eyes:
"I used to just pass by outside and never dared to come in. I heard even the restrooms here are fancy as hell."
She made a little joke trying to hide her inner nervousness, but her slightly clenched fingers exposed her tension.
The consumption level here was far beyond her means as an ordinary flight attendant.
"Yeah, one of the most profitable shopping centers in the country."
Ethan responded casually and skillfully drove the car into the underground parking garage.
He remembered the sales records this place would set in his previous life, making it a true luxury paradise.
The two took a clean and bright elevator to the main floor.
The elevator doors opened, as if stepping into another world: spacious and bright shopping corridors, carefully designed window displays, and the air filled with the scent of high-end perfume and leather.
Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Prada... Those top brand flagship stores she'd only seen in magazines and advertisements were all lined up.
Ethan looked sideways at Sophie, who seemed a bit overwhelmed: "What do you need?"
Sophie looked down at her decent but somewhat ordinary clothes, then glanced around at the dazzling and fascinating merchandise surrounding her, speechless for a moment.
She felt like she needed everything, but everything also felt too expensive to even start.
She'd fantasized about walking into this place to shop countless times, but when her dream came true, she felt a bit lost due to the overwhelming pressure of choice.
Ethan saw her hesitation and smiled:
"Alright, here's the rule. You pick 5 stores, and you can choose up to 5 items from each store at any price. How's that?"
"Five stores, five items each? No price limit?"
Sophie gasped, suspecting she'd heard wrong, and looked at Ethan with wide eyes:
"Are you serious?"
"Of course."
Ethan nodded, then added: "But there's one additional condition."
"What condition?"
The corner of Ethan's mouth curved up with a meaningful smile:
"It has to include Valentino and Balenciaga."
"Huh? Why?"
Sophie looked confused. She knew these two brands, but why specify them? She was completely puzzled.
Ethan didn't explain. This combination of "Valentino heels + Balenciaga stockings" would make countless guys go crazy on social media a few years later—extremely lethal.
It was just that in 2014, this trend hadn't become popular yet.
Since he had the opportunity, of course he had to experience it early.
Although she didn't know why, Sophie nodded in agreement: "Okay."
Ethan pointed to the nearest Louis Vuitton flagship store: "So, the first one—start with LV?"
Sophie's eyes lit up and she nodded without hesitation: "Yes!"
No beauty-loving girl could resist the charm of LV—it was at the top of her dream list.
Walking into LV's spacious and bright store, a well-dressed young female sales associate with flawless makeup immediately greeted them with a professional and enthusiastic smile:
"Welcome to Louis Vuitton! Good afternoon, how can I help you today?"
Ethan waved his hand casually and pointed to the sofa in the lounge area: "Help her out."
After saying that, he calmly walked over and sat down, pulled out his phone, looking like he was completely hands-off.
Sophie, stepping into an LV flagship store of this scale for the first time, became a bit reserved.
She wasn't as casual as she'd be at a regular store, but carefully browsed along the display shelves, occasionally gently brushing her fingers over the high-quality leather goods and fabrics, her eyes full of appreciation and a hint of timidity.
When her eyes were drawn to a black dress displayed on a mannequin, her footsteps unconsciously stopped.
The cut was clean, the fabric had a soft luster unique to silk, and the pleated design added elegance and movement.
The sales associate who'd been watching her stepped forward at the right time and introduced with a smile:
"Ma'am, you have excellent taste! This is our new early fall silk pleated midi dress from this season. The silk material is incredibly comfortable and breathable, perfect for this weather, and the long-sleeved design works great for autumn. With your figure, you'd look absolutely amazing in it. Would you like to try it on?"
Sophie was indeed drawn to this dress. She imagined herself wearing it and asked in a low voice, "How much is this?"
The sales associate maintained her perfect smile:
"Since this is a seasonal new arrival, it's $6,850."
Nearly seven grand! Sophie's heart jumped suddenly. Although Ethan said there was no price limit, this number still made her instinctively retreat.
She smiled awkwardly: "I'll look at something else!"
As she spoke, she turned to leave.
Ethan, who'd been watching her with his peripheral vision, put down his phone, got up and walked over directly, and said to the sales associate:
"Please get one in her size and let her try it on."
"Ethan, no, I don't really need—" Sophie hurriedly tried to stop him.
"Just try it to see if it fits."
Ethan's tone was gentle but left no room for argument: "If you like it, we'll get it."
The sales associate was extremely efficient and quickly retrieved the right size. Sophie walked into the spacious and bright fitting room under the associate's guidance.
After a while, the fitting room door opened.
When Sophie walked out wearing the black silk pleated dress, the entire space seemed to light up.
The perfectly tailored dress fit like it was made for her, elegantly outlining her exquisite curves, and her original cute temperament instantly blended into a high-end sexy charm.
She looked at herself in the mirror, and a flash of amazement crossed her eyes.
The sales associate sincerely praised: "Oh my God, ma'am, this dress is absolutely made for you! I've seen many customers try it on, but it's truly rare to see someone wear it with your presence. You look stunning!"
Sophie looked at herself in the mirror and genuinely loved it, but when she thought of the steep price, she still felt conflicted.
There are 90 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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