The set Sloane had picked out was SUNNY's exclusive holiday edition.
At sixty-six thousand dollars, it wasn't astronomically expensive, but it was certainly out of reach for the average shopper.
Skylar looked on with envy. "That outfit really is gorgeous on Sloane."
"It is beautiful, and it suits her perfectly."
Claire didn't hold back her praise.
After all, this was her family's store. If Sloane spent money here, Claire was the one making a profit, and she certainly wouldn't say no to more money.
The sweet talk flowed from her lips effortlessly.
Sloane had been hesitating earlier; after all, this wasn't six thousand dollars, it was sixty-six thousand.
Even though her family was wealthy, they didn't appreciate her blowing cash recklessly.
If the old man found out, he would definitely be displeased.
But Claire's compliments pushed Sloane over the edge, and she impulsively went straight to the register.
If nothing else, buying it meant she wouldn't have to worry about anyone else wearing the exact same outfit at holiday parties, which made it worth every penny.
Meiko also purchased an outfit. Hers wasn't as expensive as Sloane's, ringing in at just over five thousand dollars.
It wasn't a special holiday edition, but it was still remarkably beautiful.
Worn by Meiko, it gave off an innocent yet seductive vibe.
Meiko was undeniably attractive, which explained why she had drawn the attention of so many students.
Even though Meiko was from Sundara, the male students simply couldn't resist her charm.
"What kind of styles are you ladies interested in? Would you like some recommendations?"
A sales associate approached them, asking with enthusiastic yet refined politeness. "We're just browsing. You don't need to hover," Claire declined the associate's help. Skylar let out a sigh of relief.
"That's the first time I've ever been afraid of a sales associate watching me. I was terrified I wouldn't have enough money."
She had never felt this way before, considering her family was never short on cash. Claire didn't care either way if the associate trailed them.
But she could tell Skylar felt uncomfortable.
As the two wandered around the first floor, Sloane tracked them down after paying.
"Claire, have you guys not found anything yet?"
"Do you want us to help you look?"
Both Sloane and Meiko were holding SUNNY's signature shopping bags.
For whatever reason, they both appeared incredibly enthusiastic.
Claire politely declined. "We're just looking around. We won't hold you and Melanie up any longer."
Skylar chimed in to agree. "Yeah, exactly. We're just browsing. You guys can go ahead if you have plans."
Sloane didn't actually have any plans.
But seeing that Claire wasn't receptive, she dropped it.
"Alright, we'll head out first," Sloane said, leading Meiko away.
Meiko glanced back at Claire, looking as though she wanted to say something but ultimately holding back.
Meiko had been trying to use Sloane to get in touch with her grandfather, Dr. Sterling Senior.
But according to Sloane, Dr. Sterling Senior was swamped leading up to and right after the holidays.
Not only did he have to attend to top-tier leaders, but he also had to visit several retired elites to check their pulses.
It was essentially a series of routine wellness checks.
Most of those elderly patients
suffered from chronic illnesses that
couldn't be cured overnight, but a
session with Dr. Sterling Senior
provided them with significant
temporary relief.
At the very least, it eased their suffering during the bitter winter, allowing them to
enjoy a peaceful holiday.
Let alone convincing the old doctor
to travel to Sundara to treat her master Meiko hadn't even been able
to get a face-to-face meeting wit him.
She finally realized that being close friends with Sloane was utterly useless.
Meiko still wanted to rely on Claire.
As long as Claire was willing to accompany her back to Sundara, she was prepared to agree to any demand Claire made.
Unfortunately, Claire didn't spare Meiko a single glance, acting entirely oblivious to her lingering stare.
In reality, Claire knew exactly what Meiko was thinking.
But the more desperate Meiko was to drag her to Sundara, the more resolved Claire was to refuse.
While she wasn't one to
discriminate, the age-old warning that people with hidden agendas couldn't be trusted applied. everywhere.