Chapter 140: A Strange Feeling

Claire Grace followed Blaine Jackson into a high-end boutique filled with an array of designer clothing. 

"Blaine, I don't think this is necessary. I mean, even if I want to change, it doesn't have to cost so much, right?" she said nervously, glancing at the opulent surroundings. The clothes here reminded her of the outfits Lucas Zeller had once bought her—far too expensive for her liking. She recalled a single pair of shoes he purchased costing over ten thousand dollars. 

Blaine cast a sharp, appraising glance at her. "Didn't you say you wanted to reinvent yourself? To become a brand-new Claire Grace? I already told you—your current style is outdated. If you want to change, you'll have to trust me. Otherwise—" 

"Alright, alright! I'll behave! I promise I won't make trouble," Claire blurted, fearful he might back out of helping her. "If it means becoming a new me, then I'll leave everything in your hands, Blaine. Do whatever you think is best." 

Blaine raised an eyebrow, momentarily caught off guard. "Do you even know what you're saying?" 

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Claire asked, genuinely puzzled. 

Shaking his head with a faint smile, Blaine didn't press the issue. 

A cheerful sales associate approached them, her polished smile warm and professional. "Good afternoon, sir. How can I assist your girlfriend today?" 

"Girlfriend?" Claire froze, her face flushing as she quickly waved her hands. "No, no, no, you're mistaken! I'm not his girlfriend. I'm just—" 

"Oh, I'm so sorry! My apologies, ma'am. I didn't realize you were his wife," the associate said, bowing slightly. 

Claire nearly choked on the air, her face darkening with embarrassment. Blaine, on the other hand, seemed highly amused, his lips curving into a sly smile that he didn't bother to explain. 

"Please bring out your newest designs. I want her to try on everything," Blaine instructed the associate. 

"Of course, ma'am, this way, please," the associate said politely, gesturing for Claire to follow. 

With a nervous nod, Claire slung her small cartoon-printed handbag off her shoulder and handed it to Blaine. "Hold this for me," she said, before disappearing into the VIP fitting area. 

Blaine glanced at the brightly colored, childlike bag in his hand, shaking his head with a faint chuckle. 

"Blaine?" 

A familiar voice called out from behind. Blaine didn't turn around, but he immediately recognized who it was. 

"Lauren Wells," he greeted with a nod as he turned to face her. 

Lauren's eyes lit up with recognition. "I thought that was you! For a second, I thought I was imagining things," she said, her gaze shifting to the handbag in his hand. "Wait a minute… you have a girlfriend now?" 

"Huh?" Blaine blinked. "What makes you say that?" 

"Well, unless you're going to tell me you're the one carrying around this cutesy little bag, I'd say it's safe to assume it belongs to a girl," Lauren teased, smirking knowingly. 

Blaine hesitated for a moment, inwardly cursing his carelessness. If Lauren saw Claire, she'd undoubtedly jump to conclusions, and explaining their situation might only make things worse. 

"It's not what you think," he said, adopting a casual tone. "She's a client of mine. She wanted a complete makeover, but she doesn't really understand the process, so I brought her here to pick out some essentials—clothes, accessories, shoes, the works." 

"Oh, really?" Lauren leaned in closer, her tone laced with suspicion. "Are you sure you're not just trying to hide the fact that she's your girlfriend? Afraid I'll make you treat me to dinner if I find out?" 

"Please! Do I seem like the kind of guy who'd hide something like that?" Blaine replied, exasperated but amused. "I'm telling you the truth—she's just a client." 

"Alright, alright, I'm just teasing. You don't have to get so defensive," Lauren said with a laugh, though her eyes briefly darted toward the VIP fitting area. She didn't spot anything unusual and eventually shrugged. 

"By the way, Blaine," Lauren said, lowering her voice slightly, "Lucas mentioned something about you and Claire. What's going on there?" 

Blaine froze. "What?" 

"Don't act so surprised. Last night, Lucas dragged me out to help his precious sister Blaire. While I was there, I asked if he'd found Claire yet, and he said she was with you," Lauren explained, her tone probing. 

"Did he say why?" Blaine asked cautiously. 

"He said you'd know better than he does. Honestly, I was planning to call you and ask, but now that I've run into you here, you might as well tell me—what's going on between them?" 

"If I told you I don't know much, would you believe me?" Blaine replied sincerely. 

Lauren narrowed her eyes at him, unconvinced. "You don't look like you're lying, but…" 

"That's because I'm not lying. All I know is that Blaire told Claire how much Lucas adores her and that Blaire claimed Claire wasn't good enough for him," Blaine said with a shrug. 

"Ugh, that sounds like Blaire," Lauren muttered. "Still, is that really all it took to cause such a big fallout?" 

"Lauren, are you done yet? I'm ready to go," a female voice called out. 

Lauren glanced toward her coworker and sighed. "Alright, Blaine, I've got to run. But don't think this conversation is over—I'll call Claire myself later." With that, she left, joining her coworker as they exited the floor. 

Blaine exhaled deeply in relief before heading toward the VIP fitting area. 

There, he was greeted by the sight of Claire in a stunning chiffon dress, its silky fabric catching the light in a way that accentuated her figure. The fitted waist and elegant drape highlighted her curves, leaving Blaine momentarily speechless. 

"Blaine?" Claire's voice brought him back to reality. She fidgeted nervously, misinterpreting his silence. "Does it look bad on me?" 

"No, it's…" Blaine cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "It's beautiful. But you're missing something—a necklace or something to balance the look." 

The sales associate immediately stepped in. "We have matching accessories for this dress. I'll grab one for you to try." 

"Wait!" Claire protested, her face pale. "This dress… it's a limited edition, isn't it? How much does it cost?" 

The associate smiled. "Yes, it's a global limited edition. Only two pieces in this color exist worldwide." 

Claire paled further. "No, no, no. I can't afford something like this. Please take it back." 

Before she could protest further, Blaine handed the associate a card. "Wrap it up with the necklace," he instructed, silencing any objections with a pointed look. 

"Blaine, this is way too expensive!" Claire whispered urgently. 

"I'll deduct it from your paycheck," Blaine replied bluntly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Now, go and let her remove the tags. You're wearing this to pick out shoes." 

With that, he strode out of the fitting area, leaving Claire with no choice but to comply.