?<strong>Chapter 389:</strong>


    This kind of judgment amused her more than it annoyed her. She had encountered plenty of people who judged others by appearances. Ignoring the frosty reception, Carrie browsed the disy case until her eyesnded on a silver pen encrusted with diamonds, its sapphire-tipped cap gleaming under the counter’s lights. Its refined beauty made it stand out from the rest.


    “Could you take this pen out for me to see?” Carrie asked politely, pointing at it.


    A younger saleswoman hesitated, her instincts leaning toward assisting Carrie. “Of course, Miss.”


    Before she could finish, the older saleswoman stepped in, her voice sharp. “What are you doing? Are you seriously going to show it to her?” She shot the younger saleswoman a pointed look. “If it gets damaged or dirty, are you nning to pay for it out of your own pocket?”


    The younger saleswoman froze, her enthusiasm deting instantly.


    She lowered her gaze, retreating behind the counter as if trying to disappear. The older saleswoman stepped up, her chin lifted slightly as she addressed Carrie with a thin, mocking smile. “This pen is a global limited edition. There are several models in the series, but only one was allocated to Orkset. It’s priced at ten million.”


    She paused, letting the price sink in before adding, “Even the counters in Isonridge don’t carry it.”


    Carrie blinked, surprised by the exorbitant cost. She had always thought of Morwick as Kristopher’s favorite brand—not particrly expensive, but of high quality. While she wanted to give Daxton a thoughtful gift, this pen was far beyond what she considered appropriate. Daxton wouldn’t ept it anyway. Still, whether she bought it or not was her decision. She wouldn’t tolerate being insulted.


    Carrie tapped her fingers lightly on the ss counter and said evenly, “Whether it’s ten thousand or ten million, as a customer, I have the right to examine the product. If holding it would cause damage, then maybe your brand’s quality isn’t as impable as you im.”


    The saleswomanughed, her tone exaggerated. “Miss, do you even understand what luxury means? People who can afford a ten-million-dor pen aren’t using it to write grocery lists.”


    Carrie’s mind drifted to Kristopher. He had a preference for pens overputers, often jotting down ideas in his impable handwriting. She used to do the same when drafting scripts, borrowing his pens without asking. She remembered the times she’d jabbed the pen into the paper in frustration, ruining several of them. The pens Kristopher casually used were far more extravagant than this one.


    Thinking of it now, she couldn’t help butugh inwardly. The royalties from her scripts wouldn’t even cover the cost of one of his pens.


    “People can exist together and still be many worlds apart,” she mused.


    As Carrie’s expression shifted, the saleswoman misread her reaction as defeat. Emboldened, she leaned closer, her smirk widening. “Let me enlighten you. This pen was specially ordered by Lise for Mr. Norris. Because he likes it, our counter was able to secure it for disy. It’s just being stored here temporarily.” She paused for dramatic effect. “Do you even know who Mr. Norris is?”


    Carrie’s face remained impassive. “No matter who he is, does his money have a special exchange rate? Is it worth more than mine?” Her voice was calm but cutting. “As someone working in customer service, you should know better than to judge customers based on appearances.”


    The saleswoman threw her head back andughed mockingly, turning to the other two saleswomen. “Did you hear that? These types always have something to say. Who gave her the confidence to walk in here and talk like this?” The two younger saleswomen exchanged nervous nces but stayed silent.


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