Xeney

Chapter 2

“Why are we even here?” Mark asked, his voice laced with frustration and panic as Katie dragged him into a women's clothing shop. It was noon, the sun high in the sky, but the mood was anything but light. Katie’s expression had been sour all morning, and her anger seemed to radiate off her like heat. She barely glanced at him, her grip on his arm iron-tight.

“To make you live with your decision,” Katie snapped, not slowing her pace as they moved deeper into the shop.

Mark stumbled, trying to keep up, his mind racing to make sense of everything. “But if I knew… I wouldn’t have—”

“Too. Damn. Bad.” Katie hissed, turning to face him, her eyes blazing with fury. “Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you decided to steal from me. Now, your sorry little butt is mine until further notice.”

She marched up to the front counter where a group of staff members greeted her with friendly smiles. Katie put on a sweet facade as she addressed them, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Excuse me?”

“Ah, Katie,” one of the shop attendants said with familiarity, clearly recognizing her. “Here to buy something special today?”

Katie grinned wickedly. “For her, actually.” She pointed at Mark, who stood awkwardly behind her, shifting uncomfortably under their gaze. “Surprise me.”

The staff members exchanged amused glances, their smiles widening. One of them stepped forward and gestured to Mark with a knowing look. “You can leave her in our capable hands. Girls, you’re up.”

Before Mark could protest, a group of the shop’s employees descended upon him like a pack of wolves, each one grabbing an arm or pushing him toward the changing rooms. His eyes widened in horror as Katie stood back, arms crossed, watching with an expression of malicious satisfaction.

“Katie, come on!” Mark pleaded, his voice cracking as he was pulled away. “This is—this is insane!”

Katie’s smile grew as she tilted her head slightly. “Oh, don’t worry. You’re going to have a blast,” she said, her voice laced with mock sweetness. “Have fun now.”

Mark tried to resist, but the staff were determined, dragging him through the store as they began to pile clothes into his arms—dresses, skirts, blouses, all in colors and styles he wouldn’t have touched in a million years. His face burned with embarrassment as they shoved him toward a fitting room.

“Oh, this is going to look so cute on you!” one of the staff members chirped, holding up a floral dress with lace trim.

Mark’s face went pale. “You’ve gotta be kidding me…”

“Trust us,” another one said with a sly grin, “by the time we’re done, you’ll look perfect.”

Katie watched from a distance, her arms still crossed, a smirk firmly planted on her lips. For her, this was pure payback. Mark had stolen from her, ruined her life, and now, as far as she was concerned, he was going to suffer every bit of humiliation she could throw his way.

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Mark's face was bright red, the embarrassment burning deep as the girls had seen everything during the fitting. They had pulled him in and out of various outfits, casual and formal, each one seemingly worse than the last. As humiliating as it was, Mark had to admit, the clothes did look good on him—even if the situation was beyond uncomfortable. The girls, meanwhile, found it odd there was nothing downstairs when they dressed him. They whispered and giggled among themselves, clearly puzzled.