Esme’s first day at work.

Tension brewed in the room. Ruby's disdainful tone cut through the air as she scoffed at Esme. "You can't carry such a designer outfit. You shouldn't be here. Go to the other section. Give this dress to me. I'm buying it." With that, she snatched the gown from Esme's grip.

Esme felt a surge of fury. Her initial hesitation evaporated; now, it was a matter of pride. She wouldn't back down. She would buy the dress, no matter what.

"So sorry, Ruby," Esme spat back, her voice laced with venom. "This dress is already mine." She snatched the dress back, her hands trembling with rage. "You can try on other dresses. Why are you obsessed with my possessions?"

Ruby's face twisted in shock, her mouth opening in protest. "You possession!" She raised her voice in indignation. "You haven't paid for it."

"So what? She'll pay. Just move your ass aside. Shoo…" Adelynn waved dismissively.

"Rude," Ruby muttered, visibly disgruntled. Her expression shifted when she noticed Julian approaching. Instantly, she put on a sorrowful facade, as if she were wronged. "Julian, I want this dress," she demanded, attempting to draw his attention to the situation. "I am only checking this dress, but they are being rude to me."

Esme's annoyance twisted her expression upon spotting Julian's tall figure entering. Julian's earlier admission that he had attempted to contact her made her believe that he still had some feelings for her in his heart. Witnessing him here with Ruby shattered her assumptions. Resentment prickled at her heart, and she clenched her jaw in irritation.

Julian paused, visibly surprised to see Esme. He hadn't expected this encounter and certainly hadn't imagined her interest in designer dresses.

Julian looked at Esme and then turned to Ruby. He hesitated for a moment before addressing the salesgirl. "Excuse me, can I have another piece of this dress?" he asked.

The saleswoman shook her head apologetically. "I'm sorry, sir. This dress is a sample from a newly launched collection. There are no other pieces available. The collection will take a few days to arrive."

"I see," Julian responded, sounding disappointed.

Ruby glanced up at him and persisted, "I want it. Do you hear me?"

Esme was equally determined. She was willing to buy it, even if she had to pay extra money, but not without making her point. "If you want this dress, wait a few days," she countered.

"Why should I wait?" Ruby shot back. "Why don't you wait?"

"I won't," Esme asserted firmly.

"Then neither will I."

"Really?" Esme challenged her. "If you can, buy it with your own money."

Ruby's face twisted in anger. "Huh! Julian. Look at her. She is humiliating me," she whimpered, tugging at Julian's hand. "She is still holding grudges against me. I told you already. Esme won't stop troubling me."

Julian seemed helpless between the two women. He couldn't understand how to deal with the situation.

Esme stood firm, her eyes fixed on Ruby, a challenge etched on her face. Sensing Julian's hesitation to persuade Ruby, she snorted and rolled her eyes. She had seen enough of her drama. She couldn't understand how blind Julian was to notice Ruby's pretension.

"Ruby, why don't you check out and try on some other dresses?" Julian suggested calmly. "If you still like this dress, I'll buy it. Just wait a few days."

Ruby felt a pang of disappointment. She had wanted Julian to purchase the dress immediately and reprimand Esme for her supposed rudeness. But Julian said nothing to Esme, merely asking Ruby to wait. Frustration welled up within her, but she didn't want to disobey Julian or provoke his anger.

"Leave it, Julian. I won't buy anything," she said slowly, her voice shaking. Tears gathered in her eyes.

"Ruby, don't be upset. Come with me. Look at this dress." Julian pulled her aside, trying to divert her attention from Esme. His gestures were kind, but his gaze kept flickering back to Esme.

Seeing him talking to Ruby so nicely, Esme's heart ached. It mirrored the same pattern as that night when Julian ignored her and attended to Ruby.

"Son of a bitch," Adelynn muttered, utterly irritated. "Don't pay attention to them." She put a comforting hand on Esme's shoulder. "Go and try this dress."

Esme reluctantly agreed to try on the dress, her heart heavy with emotion. She stepped into the fitting room, her eyes brimming with tears. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself, muttering under her breath, "I'm fine. I'm fine. I can't get emotional now. Focus…" Inhaling deeply, she exhaled slowly, trying to regain composure.

She struggled to control her emotions, but tears continued to stream down her cheeks as she changed into the dress, her hands shaking.

As she adorned the dress, she gazed at herself in the mirror. It hugged her figure perfectly, almost as if it had been tailored just for her. The transformation was striking—the dress elegantly accentuated her curves, and Esme felt captivated by the reflection before her. She turned from side to side, checking her appearance. A sly smile appeared on her face when an idea slipped into her mind.

With a newfound sense of poise, Esme opened the fitting room door and stepped out gracefully, exuding confidence. She strutted around the store, drawing attention to her perfect hourglass figure.

Adelynn approached Esme, awe evident in her expression as she marveled at her friend's beauty. "Holly Molly, Esme, you look absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you." Esme deliberately raised her voice, drawing Julian's attention. "I love this dress. Isn't it perfect for me?"

"Of course, undoubtedly."

Julian's expression froze as he gazed at Esme, his eyes drinking in her beauty. Esme appeared strikingly different from the image he had of her. Her beauty rivaled that of any top model; her tall, curvaceous figure was alluring in the red dress, which accentuated her fair skin. The high slit on her thigh showcased her impeccable legs.

Julian swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing visibly. He hadn't realized just how beautiful she truly was.

Meanwhile, Ruby, noticing Julian's captivated gaze fixed on Esme, grew increasingly frustrated. She tugged at his arm, attempting to grab his attention.

"Julian, I don't want anything," Ruby grumbled, her irritation palpable.

"Huh?" Julian looked at her dazedly, his mind still captivated by Esme's presence. He hadn't registered Ruby's words.

"You're so annoying. I'm leaving," Ruby declared, stamping her foot and storming out of the store.

Julian took one last glance at Esme before following Ruby. Esme's smile faded as she watched Julian's retreating figure, a pang of disappointment washing over her.

"You did a great job, Esme," Adelynn said. "Keep irritating Ruby like this. She will act stupid, exposing herself in front of Julian."

Esme nodded, smiling bitterly.

==============

The next day…

Esme arrived at the office bright and early, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. Her first day at work was finally here, and she was eager to make a good impression. Emma was kind and supportive, guiding her through the process of signing the necessary documents with the HR department and easing her into the day.

As they walked back to their desks, Emma shared some valuable advice with Esme. "Mr. Sullivan values punctuality and hard work. He has zero tolerance for laziness and loves promptness. So, Esme," she paused in front of her desk and turned to her. "I hope you'll keep that in mind and won't give me a reason to complain."

Esme nodded firmly. "I promise, Emma. I'll do my best and won't let you down."

Emma smiled, pleased with Esme's response. "Great! You'll fit right in here. Now, let me show you your workstation." She led Esme to an empty desk beside hers. "This is your workstation. And you'll use this phone solely for work purposes." She handed Esme a brand-new Android device.

Esme held the sleek, latest-model phone in her hand, a surge of joy coursing through her. It was another addition to the perks—besides the apartment and car—that came with her new position. She felt grateful and excited to start her new job, eager to prove herself and contribute to the company's success.

"You'll receive the car key this afternoon," Emma informed Esme. "But confirmation for the apartment is pending. Once it's allocated to you, you'll get the key. Hopefully, it'll be sorted out before this weekend."

"That's alright. I'm fine with waiting," Esme replied, settling into her chair and eyeing the diary and folder neatly placed on her desk.

"I've provided you with essential things to handle," Emma said, pointing towards the folder and diary. "If you have any questions or need clarification, don't hesitate to ask." With that, Emma redirected her attention to the file she had opened.

Curious, Esme opened the diary, enthusiastic about the first task in her hand. As she scanned the pages, her eyes landed on a long list of names.

"Riya, Tina, Katie, Rose, Mia, Claire…" Esme read aloud, her brow furrowing in confusion. She was perplexed as she tried to decipher their significance. Unable to hold her curiosity, she looked up at Emma, who was typing away on her computer. "Are they our clients?" she asked.

Emma peered at Esme over her glasses, her gaze piercing and unsettling, causing Esme to squirm in her seat.

"I'm just curious." Esme shrugged, attempting to downplay her intrigue.

"They are not clients. Mr. Sullivan once dated them," Emma replied flatly.