The black sedan pulled up in front of an elegant glass building tucked away on one of the city's most exclusive streets.
Iris looked out the window.
"This is the boutique?"
Sienna smiled.
"Not just any boutique."
She pointed toward the entrance.
"This is where celebrities and billionaires come when they don't want to shop with everyone else."
Iris laughed.
"Of course you brought me here."
"Obviously."
They stepped out of the car and walked toward the entrance.
The boutique was breathtaking.
Tall glass doors opened into a spacious interior filled with soft lighting, marble floors, gold accents, and carefully arranged designer pieces.
Everything looked expensive.
Very expensive.
Sienna looked around.
"I already feel poor."
Iris laughed.
"Then let's leave."
"Absolutely not."
They approached the front desk.
A woman sitting behind it looked up slowly.
Her eyes moved from Iris to Sienna before she glanced back at her computer.
"Can I help you?"
Sienna smiled politely.
"Yes. We have a private shopping appointment under Sienna Brooks."
The woman typed something.
After a few seconds, she looked up.
"Yes. I see it."
She glanced at their outfits.
"You can wait over there."
She pointed toward a small seating area without even bothering to smile.
Iris frowned.
"Is that all?"
The woman looked at her.
"What else were you expecting?"
Sienna's eyebrows shot up.
"Wow."
The woman ignored her.
"Your appointment is only for an hour, so please don't waste time."
Iris exchanged a look with Sienna.
"We're here to shop," Iris said calmly.
The woman gave a small scoff.
"Then I suggest you actually choose something instead of just looking around."
Sienna stared at her.
"Excuse me?"
The woman shrugged.
"We have very limited stock available for private clients."
Iris looked around the boutique.
"Everything here is available to customers, isn't it?"
"For customers who can afford it."
Silence.
Sienna's mouth dropped open.
Iris slowly turned toward her.
"Did she just—"
"I heard it too," Sienna whispered.
The woman went back to her computer as if nothing had happened.
"Your assistant will show you around."
A sales assistant approached them.
"Ladies, please follow me."
Sienna leaned toward Iris.
"I already don't like this place."
Iris shook her head.
"Neither do I."
They followed the assistant farther into the boutique.
A few minutes later, Iris picked up a handbag.
"This is beautiful."
Before she could examine it properly, the receptionist called from across the room.
"Please don't handle that if you're not planning to purchase it."
Iris looked up.
"I was looking at it."
"Looking is fine. Just be careful."
Sienna folded her arms.
"She really doesn't like us."
Iris sighed.
"Apparently not."
The receptionist glanced at them again.
"Some of our pieces are extremely expensive."
Iris slowly put the handbag back.
"Don't worry. I can read a price tag."
The receptionist said nothing.
Sienna smiled.
"Oh, she has a personality."
Iris tried not to laugh.
But before they could continue shopping, the boutique doors suddenly opened.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The receptionist stood up.
Damien walked into the boutique, followed by a little girl holding his hand.
The receptionist immediately rushed toward him.
"Mr. Blackwood! Welcome."
Her entire attitude had changed.
Iris noticed from across the boutique.
Sienna leaned toward her.
"Isn't that the same woman who practically insulted us?"
Iris nodded.
"Yep."
The receptionist smiled brightly at Damien.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
Damien nodded.
"I'm looking for a dress."
"Of course. For your wife?"
Damien glanced down at the little girl.
"No."
The little girl suddenly spoke.
"For my mom."
The receptionist smiled.
"Of course."
"Then we should look at our women's collection." She added.
The receptionist immediately led them toward another adult section different from where Iris and Sienna were.
Iris watched them disappear between the clothing racks.
Her eyebrows furrowed.
"Wait."
Sienna looked at her and said "What?"
"They're going to the women's section."
Sienna shrugged and said,
"Yeah."
"With a little girl."
"Yes."
"And Damien."
Sienna slowly looked at Iris.
"Yes…"
Iris crossed her arms.
"That doesn't look suspicious to you?"
Sienna tried not to laugh.
"You're jealous."
"I am not."
"Then why are you staring?"
"Because... because it looks suspicious. I mean, he was the one who said we have to be a couple in public."
"Sure."
Iris ignored her.
Across the boutique, Damien was looking through several dresses while the little girl stood beside him.
She picked up a gold dress.
"This one."
Damien looked at it.
"You like it?"
"Mom would love it."
Damien nodded.
"Then we'll take it."
Iris watched from a distance.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Who exactly is this girl, and why is he buying adult clothes?"
Sienna smiled.
"I think we're about to find out."
Iris looked at her.
"I'm asking him."
Sienna grinned.
"Go ahead, Mrs. Blackwood."
Iris gave her a warning look before walking toward Damien.
Damien turned, and she immediately hid behind a cloth rack, but he already saw her.
He walked toward the rack and whispered behind her,
"Who are you hiding from?"
Iris froze.
She slowly turned around and found Damien standing directly behind her.
"I wasn't hiding," she said.
Damien raised an eyebrow.
"You were standing behind a clothing rack."
"I was looking at the clothes."
"From behind the rack?"
Iris glanced at the rack.
"It's a very interesting rack."
Damien almost smiled.
"Right."
Iris crossed her arms.
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"I came shopping with Sienna."
Damien nodded.
"I can see that."
His eyes briefly moved toward Sienna, who was standing a few feet away, trying very hard not to laugh.
Then he looked back at Iris.
"So why were you watching me?"
"I wasn't watching you."
"You were."
"I was curious."
"About?"
Iris hesitated.
Then she glanced toward the little girl.
"Her."
Damien followed her gaze.
"The little girl?"
"Yes."
"And?"
Iris lowered her voice.
"Why are you buying a dress for a woman?"
Damien stared at her for a second.
Then, a small smile appeared.
"Are you jealous?"
Iris's eyes widened.
"What? No!"
Damien chuckled.
"You're definitely jealous."
"I am not jealous."
"Then why are you interrogating me?"
"Because you're my husband."
Damien's expression changed slightly.
Iris realized what she'd just said.
She quickly added, "And because this marriage is supposed to look real, remember?"
"Of course."
He stepped aside, giving her a clear view of the little girl.
"She asked me to help her pick a birthday present for her mother."
Iris blinked.
"Oh."
Damien nodded.
"She's my friend's daughter."
The little girl walked over to them, holding the gold dress.
"Uncle Damien, is this one okay?"
Damien looked at the dress.
"Yes. I think your mom will like it."
The girl smiled.
Iris looked at her.
"It's beautiful."
The girl smiled at Iris.
"Thank you."
Damien looked between them.
Then he said casually,
"Actually, there's someone you should meet."
Iris looked at him.
"Who?"
He gestured toward the little girl.
"Her."
The little girl looked up at Iris curiously.
Damien introduced them.
"This is Iris, sarah. Do you want to say hi?" Damien said.
Sarah looked up at her curiously.
Iris smiled. "Hi, Sarah."
"Hi," Sarah replied shyly.
Damien looked at Iris. "Sarah is my friend's daughter."
Sarah held up the gold dress.
"I'm buying this for my mom. It's her birthday."
Iris smiled.
"Uncle Damien talks about you." Sarah said.
Iris immediately looked at Damien.
"You talk about me?"
Damien cleared his throat.
"Not that much."
Sienna suddenly appeared beside them.
"Not that much?"
Iris gave her a warning look.
"Sienna."
She smiled innocently.
"What? I'm just listening."
Damien shook his head.
The little girl giggled.
For the first time since Iris had arrived at the boutique, the awkward tension seemed to disappear.
Then the receptionist approached.
"Mr. Blackwood, we've prepared the dress you selected."
Damien nodded.
"Good."
The receptionist finally noticed Iris standing beside him.
Her expression changed.
"Wait…"
Damien looked at her.
"This is my wife."
The woman's face went completely blank.
Iris folded her arms.
"Nice to meet you."
The receptionist swallowed.
"Mrs. Blackwood…"
Sienna covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Iris simply smiled.
"Now you know why I was allowed to touch the handbag."
Damien looked at Iris.
"What happened?"
"Nothing," Iris said quickly.
The receptionist remained silent.
Sienna couldn't hold it anymore.
"She was extremely rude to us."
Damien's expression hardened.
He looked at the receptionist.
"Is that true?"
The woman immediately became nervous.
"I—I didn't realize she was your wife."
Damien's voice remained calm.
"That doesn't make it acceptable."
Iris glanced at him.
For once, she didn't have anything sarcastic to say.
Damien turned toward the little girl.
"Let's get the dress."
Then he looked at Iris.
"You can come with us."
Iris raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because apparently you were very interested in what I was doing."
She rolled her eyes.
"I was just curious."
"Sure."
Sienna grinned.
"This is getting interesting."
Iris sighed.
"Don't start."
The four of them walked toward the fitting area, leaving the embarrassed receptionist standing behind the desk.
After a while, the shopping was finally finished.
Sienna carried several shopping bags while Iris held a few of her own.
Sarah stood beside Damien, happily holding the gift bag containing the dress she had chosen for her mother as they headed out.
They all walked toward the front desk.
The receptionist began scanning the items.
Iris reached into her handbag and pulled out her card.
"I'll pay for mine."
The receptionist glanced at the screen.
"There's no need, ma'am."
Iris frowned.
"What?"
She looked at the screen again.
"Mr. Blackwood has already paid for everything."
Iris's eyes widened.
"He did?"
"Yes."
Iris immediately looked around the boutique.
"Where is he?"
The receptionist pointed toward the entrance.
"He left a few minutes ago."
Iris stared at the doors.
"He didn't say anything?"
"No, ma'am."
Iris lowered her card slowly.
She hadn't even gotten the chance to thank him.
Sienna walked over beside her.
"Wait… he paid for everything?"
Iris nodded.
"And just left?"
"Apparently."
Sienna smiled.
"That's actually kind of sweet."
Iris shook her head.
"Don't make it weird."
"I'm not making it weird."
"You're making that face."
"What face?"
"That face."
Sienna laughed.
Iris looked toward the entrance again.
For some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about Damien paying for her things without even mentioning it.
She slipped her card back into her handbag.
"Let's go."
Sienna picked up the remaining bags.
"Okay, Mrs. Blackwood."
Iris rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, Sienna?"
Sienna laughed as they walked toward the exit.
Outside, the black sedan was already waiting for them.
Iris glanced back at the boutique one last time.
Damien was already gone.
And somehow, that bothered her more than she wanted to admit.