Ynda kept her head down, saying nothing.


    "Ms. Sherwin, you have ten minutes," the manager said, his patience worn thin. Ynda''s silence was grating, and the manager felt a surge of resentment. If Ynda hadn''t fanned the mes, he never would have been so rude to Ms. Payne. Now, Jennie would deal with her, and then the manager was surely next on the chopping block. His job was on the line, and he was determined to see this through.


    "Don''t... don''t call the police," Ynda finally stammered, her face pale with fright. "Let me just make a call."


    Era City''s high society was a small, gossipy world. If word got out that she''d been taken to a police station, her reputation would be ruined forever. She''d never be able to climb back up the socialdder.


    Ynda fumbled for her phone and dialed her mother, Frigga, but the call went straight to voicemail. She tried her father, Malcolm, next, with the same result. Both their phones were off. It was then she remembered: after she had offended Elvira and caused the Sherwin family to lose their partnership with the Suttons, her parents had been scrambling to repair the damage. They were probably at the Sutton estate right now, groveling and apologizing.


    With this new scandal now blowing up online, she could only imagine how furious they would be. After several more failed attempts, she gave up.


    "You have five minutes left, Ms. Sherwin," the manager announced coldly, ncing at his watch.


    Ynda felt like she was being roasted over an open fire. In desperation, her eyes darted to Jerrold, who had remained silent throughout the ordeal. "Jerrold..."


    Jerrold clenched his fists but didn''t respond.


    Jennie, observing the scene, turned her gaze to him. "This gentleman here, he''s the youngest son of the prestigious Lonsdale family, isn''t he? And your fiancé, Ms. Sherwin?"


    She looked him up and down, barely concealing her disgust. "Since you''re engaged, why don''t you pay for her? After all, you were the one boasting about buying any dress these other girls Wanted Surely the great Mrs, Lonsdale wouldn''t hesitate to spend on his fiancée, would he?


    He had the nerve to hit on her mentor while he had a fiancée right there. He clearly didn''t know his ce.


    "Let''s start a live stream," Juniper chimed in nonchntly, crossing her legs. "We wouldn''t want the inte to get the wrong idea and think she''s trying to skip out on the bill. It''s a great opportunity for everyone to see just how generous and doting Mr. Lonsdale is."


    Jennie''s eyes widened for a second before


    grin spread across her face. Damn, he mentor was brilliant. A live stream was the perfect way to turn their own tastics against them. It would expose them for who they really were and use public pressure to make them pay up. It was killing two birds with one stone.


    "Start the live stream," Jennie ordered a nearby employee, who immediately pointed


    a phone camera at Ynda and Jerrold. If they wanted to bully her mentor, they


    were about to learn a very public lesson.


    The sudden focus of the camera made Ynda shrink back, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.


    Jerrold, who had been nning to


    wash his hands of the situation, was


    now trapped. If he abandoned


    Ynda now, in front of a live audience, he would be crucified online, dragging the Lonsdale family name through the mud. His father, who already disliked him for being an illegitimate son, would be furious. But paying... it was a huge sum to waste on Ynda. He was seething.


    "Two minutes left," Jennie said cheerfully, taking a seat next to Juniper. She watched their panicked faces with amusement. "Once time''s up, you can take it up with the police."


    She then turned to the girl beside her, who was casually ying a game on her phone. "Are you enjoying the show?"


    Juniper nced up at her, a faint smile ying on her lips. "If you put this much cleverness into your designs, would I still have a reason to scold you?"