201. A bug called Drizella Paperman.

"What is going on?" I asked angrily, glaring at the shop manager.

"I like the shoe and I want to buy it...." She went straight to the point and cut the chase. She took off her shades and looked at me. Drizella Paperman. Daughter of CEO of Paperman Enterprise and ex girlfriend of Drake's. I remembered her from his diary. He had pictures of several women in it and she happened to be one of those. Fortunately for me, I never forget a face. Now that I saw it, she was as rude as her mother. So much for being named Drizella.

"What?? How is that possible??? I saw the shoe first and I chose it. It belongs to me...." I claimed my rights over it like a desperate single mother fighting for her daughter's custody.

"I am a regular customer here. A senior VIP of this shop for that matter. My face is framed on this shop's wall of fame....and it states that I have a priority over anything sold in here...." She barked her rights at me and I raised an eyebrow.

"Very well....why don't you just give her another of the same shoe??" I asked the shop manager.

"Unfortunately ma'am, this is the only shoe and only one in size 4 available in this shop....." He explained shivering. I immediately knew I had to have this shoe at all costs. This was so unfair, I came here first and I had the right to buy it. I saw it first!

"See....now would you please back off. How many times have you been in this shop??? Am sure this is your first time...." She hissed. She took a seat and asked one of the clerks to untie her shoe for her so she would try on the boot.

"Bring the boot....I have to try it on!" She demanded. The shoe manager, stunned, looked at me with the boot in his hands. I looked back at him eager to see what he was going to do. The right thing? Or follow the fraudulent path?

"Hey mister! I don't have all day....hand the shoe over to me? Perhaps ...did she pay for it???" She asked and I laughed. Really now?

"Umm...not yet...no...."

"Even better.... bring it...." She gave a wicked smile with her arms stretched as she welcomed the shoes. The shop manager looked at me and back at Drizella.

"Sorry ma'am....please take a look at something else....am sure you'll like something else. We have quite a vast collection of designer shoes and clothes world wide ...we are good. As history has it, we've been a subsidiary of Aldo companies for ten years now....." He explained and my head began to ache. I stopped listening. He demeaned me by doing that. He degraded me to the size beneath that of an ant. How dare he?

"Oh my goodness ...you're Eleanor!" Drizella faked gasp and stood up matching towards me.

"Oh sissy...when did you return from rehab? How is your depression these days?? And all wow. You've really let yourself go.....just look at you .. you used to be the model I admired on TV and aspired to be like. But seeing you like this today, makes me realise how a terrible person I'd turn out to be....." She smirked and turned around to take a seat on the chair.

Upon being discharged, I was asked to keep out of all things that caused me stress. I wasn't supposed to talk or think about Adam even in the slight. I was supposed to stay away from all my enemies and keep my cool. I couldn't afford another wave of depression or else I'd ran mad with chronic mania. I had to keep and adhere to my treatment and medication until my prescribed term of treatment was over.

Remembering all these and assessing the situation around me, I took a deep breath knowing that I might be going back to rehab sooner than I thought.

I saw the clerks laughing at me up their sleeves and I decided to let this whole matter go. I wasn't going to allow anyone to demean me anymore. The most terrible thing happened to me and no more was. Enough was enough. I didn't want my face in the media over a story that I fought with some girl over a shoe. I'd get blamed in the end. A depression patient on the loose and many things. Stressful.

I turned around to leave when Mr Lew walked in. The shoe manager stopped what he was doing and came forward to greet him. I saw a form of frustration glitter in Drizella's face. Probably wondering who was more important than her that had walked into the store.

"Welcome Mr Lew...." He greeted him politely. Being the diplomatic one, Mr Lew only nodded with tension on his face.

"With immediate effect, wrap up all shoes in the size 4 and send them to her car. Including that one....." He pointed at the shoe in the hands of a clerk that was being forced to engulf the cat foot of Drizella. Everyone in the shop got stunned. Me inclusive.

"Make it size 5 please....of course except from that shoe...." I smiled crossing my arms around my chest. I didn't miss the scornful look on her face. If she had her way, she would surely kill me.

"What?? You can't do that! How dare you? Am going to sue this shop and y'all won't have any bread and butter in your homes....." An angry Drizella hissed. She was carrying her initial shoe and used it to scare off everyone.

"Miss....someone had already bought all the shoes in Eleanor DeLaRue's name in the first place. So they all belonged to her...." Mr Lew explained and I sighed in relief. Philippe knew just quiet the trick. I looked at Sharyn who smiled at me. Her bubbly face just made me happy to some extent. While looking at her, my gaze slipped and landed on the shop manger's face. His eyes caught mine and immediately he took his away.

Surely a cat cannot be trusted to guard the milk.

****

"Was the gesture to your liking ma'am??" Mr Lew, bowed before me.

"If am being honest, not in my best interest...." I replied thinking of the insults from the clerks and the shop manager. Their behaviour was unacceptable. If this was how they treated me, then they probably treated other people in a terrible manner. I wasn't going to let them do this to anyone. Today was the day to deal with it for once and for all.

"I sincerely apologize...I will be sure to ---" he stopped after the sharp voice of Drizella writhed with agony as she approached me. She was burning with rage after she saw the clerks now attending to me.

"What do you think of yourself exactly!!! I guess you need an up-to-date piece of information. You don't rule the world anymore, princess. You left this world a whole lot of months ago and we moved on. We have new leads now and the ball isn't in your court anymore....deal with it!!!" She pinned her sharp finger onto my chest and I staggered off my stand. She had the nerve!

"Drizella Paperman, right?" Mr Lew asked, angry and depressed. "You are here by not allowed into this shop anymore...." Everyone's jaw dropped after his statement came to a completion.

"Are you joking with me now?? This is a senior department store.....where would I go if I don't go here???" She asked shaking her hands like a five year old crying for candy. Mr Lew, ignored her and went over to the shop manager.

"Please be sure to take her photo down from the wall of fame....right before you start packing. You're fired!" He thundered and the clerks quickly coated their lips with their hands.

"What---but why???" He asked in shock.

"I think I don't need to answer that considering how you treated our guest...." He asked although it sounded less of a question more of a statement. Yes, he was making himself clear.

"Ma'am...the bags have all been parked in the car. We are ready to leave when you are...." Sharyn bowed again and looked at me. I nodded and looked at Mr Lew, who gestured his hand saying he'd leave after me.

I turned around but something held me back. Someone grabbed my hand.

"Please explain to me why you're doing this? You really are a shadow of death. One encounter with you and I've lost my license to such a grand shop...." She aimed all her insults at me. Mr Lew wanted to interfere but I stopped him with my hand. I wanted to hear it all. She went on and on until her voice became faint. She sure did put up a good fight. I thought and grinned.

"Miss Paperman, you know very well that our store is a senior in the entire state. Since it's a membership mall, we have the absolute right to pick the right guest and chop off those who cause deliberate provocation causing any unfavorable impact forcing other guests to have a negative shopping experience. And as far as you having priorities is concerned, I'd like you to enlighten me on where it says you can smuggle other people's already bought goods??" Upon hearing it, Drizella growled in frustration. She shot me one look and matched out of the store hoping on one leg with a shoe in her hand.

She sure knew what it felt like to mess with Eleanor. Am big on dynamic and now she knew.

"Ha! Doing this more often would really do me a lot more good than that huge package of antidepressants...." I looked at Sharyn who laughed under her breath.

"Where to ma'am?" Mr Lew kindly asked with his face lowered.

"Home. Am rather famished...." I remarked placing my hands in my pockets. "Chocolate lava cake with plum-biscuit crumble....that sounds delicious...." I licked my lips and looked at Sharyn who seemed to have drooled already.

"Very delicious, I must say" she smiled.

"Right away ma'am..." He nodded and turned to fetch the car when I stopped him.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Uh...please do me a favour....." I smiled sheepishly just before my wolfish nature erupted. I span my head and looked at the three clerks that gossiped terrible things about me. I did promise to make them pay and this was the right time.

"What is it madam? Anything else you'd like from this store?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Not quite. Would you please fire those three clerks?? And deduct two week's salary from their pay right before they leave. I detested their service...."