LAS VEGAS: Gab's Fabrics
Two young couples walked into the fabric store, and Esmeralda Cortez, an employee, immediately noticed the wedding rings glinting on their fingers. She observed the woman clutching her husband’s hand tightly as they entered, a bright smile lighting up her face while her eyes darted eagerly around the store. The man's countenance changed noticeably as she held onto him, a hint of displeasure crossing his features. Just then, he leaned down to whisper something in her ear, prompting her to release his hand reluctantly, her smile fading into a sad frown.
Esmeralda's colleague approached the couple with a warm smile. "Welcome to Gab's Fabrics! What kind of fabric are you looking for today?"
The woman glanced at her name tag. "Well, Nicole, we would like a flowered chiffon fabric that isn’t too thick and has a lovely, soft feel. Any color will do."
"Great choice! Please make yourselves comfortable while I go fetch some options for you," Nicole replied, guiding them to a cozy vintage seating area before excusing herself.
Once they settled in, Esmeralda approached them with a friendly demeanor. "What would you like to drink while you wait?" she asked.
The woman squealed in delight. "Sweetheart, don’t you think this place has such a welcoming spirit?"
The man murmured a noncommittal "yes," his gaze still fixed on the magazine he had picked up earlier from the table in front of them. Esmeralda smiled in acknowledgment of the woman's compliment.
"I would love a cup of tea," the woman finally requested, her enthusiasm shining through once more.
“Sir, what would you like to have?” Esmeralda turned to the man and asked.
His gaze shifted from the magazine, studying her intently as if he were committing every detail of her face to memory. Soon, he seemed lost in his own thought.
“Sweetheart, she asked you a question,” his wife reminded him, pulling him back to the present.
His eyes flicked from her face to the name tag neatly pinned on Esmeralda’s uniform. “Esmeralda,” he murmured, as if registering her face in his memory. Esmeralda noticed the woman’s expression darken in an instant.
“Just get me a cup of water at room temperature, please,” he said with a pleasant smile. Esmeralda nodded and walked away.
When she returned, the couple was already examining the fabrics Nicole had brought. Esmeralda gently placed the requested cup of water on the table before returning to her earlier position. She couldn’t help but notice the man glancing her way, stealing quick peeks now and then. It struck her as inappropriate for a married man to be so openly attracted to her. What would his wife think of his behavior? Although he was young, his features were far from appealing.
Meanwhile, the woman continued sending Nicole back and forth, offering distasteful remarks about each fabric. Soon, the area around her was littered with an array of colors. While staring at a particularly vibrant piece, she brought the cup of tea to her mouth, only to immediately spit it out, her face etched with disgust.
"What is this?" Lilith asked, her face twisted in disgust.
Esmeralda rushed to her side, alarmed by the distorted expression on her face. "Ma'am, please, what is wrong?" she asked, her heart racing. She feared she had broken the first rule of Gab's Fabrics: never anger a customer.
"Why is this tea so cold?" Lilith screamed at her.
"The tea wouldn’t have gotten cold if you hadn’t ignored it while sending Nicole on an endless search for fabrics," Esmeralda wanted to reply but she bit back the first thought that came to mind.
Instead, she quickly replied, "I am sorry, ma'am. I will get you a fresh cup."
"You better," Lilith shot back, glaring daggers at her.
"You didn't have to do that, Lilith," Esmeralda overheard her husband caution as she stormed away.
When Esmeralda returned later, she found the couple arguing. Lilith had picked out a fabric, but her husband was visibly unhappy with her choice, claiming it was too expensive.
"Sweetheart, I love this one more. I want to look beautiful for your sister's wedding. Please, just pay for it," she coaxed, her voice dripping with persuasion.
"That is right, my sister's wedding. You are not the bride, Lilith. Just take the other one; there is hardly any difference anyway." His tone was dismissive.
How ironic! Lilith tried portraying the character of a doting wife loved by her husband but in the end it wasn't what it seemed.
"But I love this texture more. Just pay for it." She made puppy eyes at her husband, desperately trying very hard to keep up with the charade.
The man rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed, and said firmly, "I won't pay for it because it's only a one-day event, so stop being so unreasonable."
Both he and Lilith sensed Esmeralda’s presence as she placed the tea on the table in front of them.
Just then, the man sighed and added, "Fine, I will pay for it. It's no big deal." He puffed out his chest, pridefully sitting up and raising his shoulders high.
Lilith, aware that Esmeralda's presence had influenced her husband's decision, replied shamelessly, "Oh, honey, I love it when you listen to me." She quickly added, "You heard him, pack it up," her tone commanding, indifferent to the sudden change in her husband's demeanor as long as she got what she wanted.
Esmeralda scoffed internally, wondering why someone as beautiful as Lilith would maintain such a meaningless facade. It was evident to everyone that her husband didn’t love her and had little regard for her wishes. Nicole took the fabric away to wrap it up.
YOU ARE READING
MEANT TO BE SOLELY MINE
RomanceLorenzo Salvador is a twenty-seven-year-old Mexican billionaire, known for his ruthless and merciless ways in both business and the underground drug trade. He believes life is a game to be played to win, and he plays it masterfully. During a busines...
