Sophie remains in a thunderstruck state for a long fraction of a moment, looking completely caught off guard.

Never did she think that she would be crossing paths with Cassidy so soon. She really didn't recognize her at all. If the store manager did not ask for her name, she would stay oblivious the entire time.

​​

But then again, anyone who had little contact with her would not probably recognize her as well. She appears very different now - even more than last night. With that red hair of hers, she definitely looks like a whole new person.

"Cassidy... Millicent...?" the store manager blurted out in deep thought, trying to recall where he heard that name before.

"Y-You mean... that Cassidy Millicent?!"

As soon as it clicks in his head, he ends up reacting thoroughly astounded. His eyes widen like that of an owl while his jaw drops for the nth time that hour. It's so unexpected that he's finding it hard to believe.

After all, the wife of the head of the ever prominent and influential Millicent Inc. is quite well-known in the world of commerce despite her limited contact with people. She is said to be an untouchable beauty who always appears reserved and detached. Aside from her enviable charms, she possesses an overwhelming abundance of affluence that makes her one peerless personality among the country's wealthiest -

Or so, that's how far the tittle-tattles go.

"Ummm... Can I get my receipt now?" Cassidy asked with her head tilted quizzically, unsure of what made him speechless all of the sudden.

"W-Wait, Ma'am...! I still haven't offered enough service to you. Allow me to tour you around our shop," the store manager replied hastily, making her blink rapidly in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Or perhaps, you would like to see more of our deluxe collections? We have new arrivals as well."

"No, it's fine. These are all I want."

"T-Then, Ma'am, how about this...?"

For this is her first time visiting their store, he finds it important to leave a lasting impression on her so that she will find it in herself to come back again. But since it's already much too late for any grand welcome, considering that she seems to be in a hurry, the store manager just comes up with another idea - one that will not take any more of her time.

Having someone like her in their store right now is already a valuable rarity. He can't possibly keep wasting her time any longer.

With those in mind, the store manager immediately takes out a small box from a drawer behind him and offers it to Cassidy.

"Here you go, Mrs. Millicent. It's our store's gift for you. Take it as a form of our good will and a token of our appreciation. Thank you for shopping with us and I hope you'll come again," he said with so much deference that all that's probably left for him to do was to bow at her.

Despite how stupefied Cassidy was at his uncalled-for offer, she just nodded her head and reached out for the box reluctantly. She then takes a moment to open the lid and look at what's inside.

That's when she almost blanks out and stares open-mouthed, clearly struck with awe and wonder. The gift isn't as sumptuous as the ruby jewelry set that she bought, but for a free giveaway, it's still very exquisite.

It turns out to be this elegant diamond necklace with a glitzy tear-shaped pendant.

From the side, Sophie appears both dazzled and nonplussed at the sight. The free gift this store gave her before turned out to be a lot less lavish than this one. It made her feel indignant and aggravated, which she immediately tried to hide by looking away.

It's already a given that this woman holds more power than her in this type of scenarios, though. She possesses more wealth and fame, after all. She's definitely of a higher status.

"Uhhh... You sure I can have the necklace?" Cassidy blurted out in disbelief.

"Yes, Ma'am~!" the store manager cooed with an affable smile.

"Oh, okay... Thank you. How thoughtful of you."

"It's nothing at all. Please, do drop by again the next time you shop for jewelries."

Though she's not really used to any kind of privileges that only rich people can avail, she just decided to accept the present. Besides, she already has a rough idea of his real intention behind this magnanimous offer - and it might be his way of earning her patronage.

"I should have just given him my maiden name instead. Now, he's gonna expect me to come back..." Cassidy thought silently as she expressed her gratitude to the store manager once more.

"Well, not that I'm obliged to."

After packing everything up, she spares one last smile and bids him goodbye. She then heads to the exit and makes haste to take her leave, already sensing that she consumed much more time than she intended to use in that place.

"I wonder if Maleficent is still there. Knowing her, she probably doesn't have enough patience to wait for as long as an hour," she silently pondered as she made her way to the exit of the mall.

Right after she gets four shops away from the jewelry store, though, she suddenly notices something strange. She feels as if she's being followed. It seems like someone from that place has tagged behind her after she left.

Not wanting to tolerate this, Cassidy halts on her tracks again and turns around to confront this person.

That's when Sophie pauses in surprise, not expecting that she'll come face-to-face with her all of the sudden.

Though it was what she'd been aiming for, she wanted to be the one who'd call her attention and confront her like this instead. She wasn't able to do that earlier in the jewelry store since she already hurried out of there as soon as she's finished talking with the manager.

At that moment, silence only stretches between the two.

The just keep exchanging looks - with Cassidy trying to figure out if she knows her or not, and Sophie waiting for her to finish taking in everything about her. All the while, some sort of intensity begins to build up in the air without the two of them noticing.

"Excuse me, but do you need something?" Cassidy started first, thinking that she didn't have all day to take part in this staring contest.

"Well, not really. You may not recall this, but I'm someone you used to know very well..." Sophie replied with a soft giggle, pretending to be friendly and in good terms with her.

"You see, I'm very close to your family, especially to your-"

"Oh, wait, nope...! I ain't gonna buy any of this."

Cassidy suddenly cut Sophie off and changed her mind about sparing some time to listen to whatever it was she's about to say. It's not like she's being some snobby meanie here, but she remembered that Adrian told her not to talk with strangers who would recognize her.

On this one, she had to follow him no matter how the other party would react, especially since she didn't have her bodyguards around this time.

Dumbfounded by her retreat from this confrontation, Sophie could only stand there in stupefied silence and watch her turn back around. Right then as well, she found herself starting to fume with anger. This got her very vexed for some reason.

"Hey, wait! That is quite rude...! I'm still talking to you, am I not?" she nearly snarled, unable to hide how offended she was by her nonchalance.

"Miss, I don't remember owing you a conversation. It might be kinda rude indeed, but I really got to leave..." she tried to reason with her, already sensing that this woman was the bad news that her husband told her about earlier that morning.

"And besides, my husband told me not to talk with strangers."

At that, Sophie went speechless again.

Cassidy thought that what she just said would certainly come out rude if it's true that both of them knew each other back then, but she's still a stranger to her right now. She isn't going to take any risk here by staying as that friendly and good-natured person that she usually is. If they meet again someday and she proves that she's a good companion to her before, she will just apologize right then.

Yet if she's indeed a good one, then she will have to understand that she has lost her memories and is only trying to be cautious here. But going by how she called her attempt to be careful around strangers as something rude, she seemed to be not that understanding.

"I'll be going ahead now. Take care on your way home, Miss," Cassidy told her for the last time before eventually continuing on her way and leaving her behind.

At that moment, Sophie just stayed still and started glaring daggers at her retreating figure, not a bit least pleased at how her rival just used her husband's words on her like that.