Remy Vaughn...the name sounded familiar. And then, it clicked. Just two days ago, the ownership of Elegance Wishes LTD had been transferred to a new person, a woman named Remy Vaughn.
The buyers profile carried the picture of the same lady sitting in front of him right now.
The previous owner, Lee Xander, had suddenly sold the company to this person, and the manager was relieved that he hadn't done anything to offend his new boss. He thanked his lucky stars for his good fortune.
He had been managing Elegance Wishes for over five years and had never had any major incidents so he wasn't planning to now.
"Madam," he immediately bowed slightly to Remy. "You should have informed me you were coming."
Remy looked at him, confused. "Oh, okay...? I didn't know I had to inform you." She glanced at his name tag on his suit. "You're the manager?"
"Yes, ma'am," he replied, and straightened himself.
"I'm sorry about the situation here, but this lady offended me first." Remy tried to explain.
He turned to Sophia, his expression neutral. "Mrs. Smith, I think we've resolved the issue here. But, I'm a bit concerned about your well-being. Perhaps you should take a seat and I'll have someone bring you some water?"
Sophia nodded, still looking a bit shaken. Avery begrudgingly helped her to a nearby chair, and the manager nodded to one of the sales associates to bring her some water.
After calming down a bit, Sophia drank the water and composed herself. But then she decided to start throwing a tantrum, insisting that Remy must have stolen the platinum card she was holding and that Remy should apologize to her for pushing her and risking her almost losing her baby.
Mr. Lucas was starting to get irritated with her attitude and frowned. "Mrs. Smith, if you don't keep it down, I'm afraid I'll have to have the security escort you out."
Hearing that, Sophia became even more annoyed. "How dare you! I'm the young lady of the Smith family, and I deserve respect. You have no right to escort me out. We're one of the VIP customers of this store."
But Mr. Patel wasn't having any of that. "That's right, but I won't have you come here and harass my lady boss," he said sternly.
"Lady boss?! You're a joker!" Sophia scoffed.
This statement caused Remy, Avery, and Axel to look at him in surprise. What did he mean by 'boss lady'? Remy didn't remember being in possession of this store, whether subconsciously, in reality, or in a dream.
Remy called the attention of the manager. "Sir, I think you are making a mistake here. Did you perhaps take me for someone that I'm not?"
Mr. Patel smiled lightly at her. Maybe she didn't want to reveal her identity yet. "Don't worry, miss. I will take care of the situation."
He called the security to escort Sophia out. The security guards gently but firmly held Sophia to escort her out.
Sophia shook visibly, her eyes widening in surprise. "You mean...she is really the boss lady? You can't be serious! How?! Since when?! Can she even afford it?!"
"Please you should leave or I'll restrict you from coming here in the future." The manager warned.
Just then, Nathan Lerio, the guy Sophia had come in with earlier, appeared, looking displeased but calm. "How about giving me some face and leave her, Mr. Patel?"
Mr. Patel frowned upon seeing him, but nevertheless decided to consider giving him face. After all, the Lerio family was a very influential family, ranked in the top five highest and most wealthy influential families in Country A.
He had also partnered with Nathan before to do business, so he decided to give him face and ordered the security to let go of Sophia.
Nathan nodded in appreciation to Mr. Patel, and his blank gaze briefly swept towards Remy and her group before he held a seething Sophia's hand and took her out.
Meanwhile, Remy watched the scene unfold with amusement and growing annoyance. She was still waiting for her purchase to be processed, and she was starting to get impatient.
She had spent more time than she wanted to here.
"Excuse me, Mr. Patel," she said to the manager.
"Ah, yes, Miss Vaughn," he replied, smiling. "I apologize for the delay. I'll make sure your purchase is processed immediately."
Remy nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Thank you, Mr. Patel but please you really got the wrong person here, I don't own this place."
"Ok."
The manager was slightly puzzled as he looked at Remy. Did he really recognize the wrong person? No, it can't be.
He wasn't that old that his eyes would begin to play tricks on him. It was really this girl, and the color of her hair was the same.
They had the same name. There was no way it was someone else. And she even owned a platinum card. He noted to recheck the information later as he went back to his office.
Remy, oblivious to the manager's thoughts, added the wristwatch she had spotted earlier to her purchase and decided to visit the art gallery section.
Maybe she could find better gifts that would suit her needs. As Avery took her into the gallery section, she was awed by the high-quality art on display.
There were beautiful paintings, sculptures, and other artwork that showcased exceptional talent.
Some of the artwork caught her attention, a stunning oil painting of a sunset, a bronze sculpture of a dancing woman, and a watercolor piece depicting a serene landscape.
But despite the beauty of these pieces, Remy couldn't shake off the feeling that they weren't what she was looking for.
Just as she was about to give up and go back home, she spotted an art piece at a very distinct end, kept alone.
One glance at the art from where she was, and she could already feel an aura of loneliness emanating from it. The art was positioned at a distance, separate from the other pieces, and Remy felt an inexplicable pull towards it.
As she got closer to the picture, she realized it was a drawing of a very beautiful woman. The woman's features were so life-like that Remy couldn't help but notice the resemblance.
This woman was Vynessa Kaidën, the late wife of Grey Kaidën. Why would a picture of her be displayed or sold in an art gallery now? The woman was late, and it was no secret that her husband, Gray Kaidën, had adored her so much that he used her as his muse in his art.
When she was alive, Vynessa Kaidën was not only a member of the influential Kaidën family but also a renowned advocate for social justice, known for her tireless efforts in supporting underprivileged communities and save helpless children through her foundation, Vyn's Vision (VV Foundation).
People didn't buy her pictures or art for personal gain, but rather as a tribute to her legacy.
But after her death, her husband, Gray Kaidën, had stopped the sale or distribution of any artwork featuring her, due to his overwhelming grief. Seeing this picture out here right now could only mean one thing - her husband, Mr. Grey, was the one who painted the picture and put it here himself.
No one else would. No.. people would actually paint her picture because she was their role model, their muse.
Though the circumstances surrounding her death hadn't fully been clarified, and everything about it was left a mystery, it left everyone heartbroken, including Remy.
She knew that good people were few, and seeing one give up the ghost at such a heartbreaking age was devastating. Vynessa Kaidën was a young and beautiful woman with a kind heart, and her passing had left a void in many lives.
People would always remember her, and her legacy lived on through posters, billboards, television news, social media, her quotes, her deeds, her interviews, her videos - everything.
So, people would dare to paint her no matter what, but they wouldn't display it publicly anymore, especially in a high-end store like this.
But her husband, Grey Kaidën, was a different story altogether. He had the right to keep her memory alive, and this painting showed his love and grief.
So, this was her husband's handwork. The painting looked beautiful, but lonely. It portrayed the grief and emotions of the painter.
The background was a beautiful natural setting with flowers, calm waters, and a sunset on the horizon. But despite the serene surroundings, the flowers and plants around her were dead, having lost their shine. In the picture, Vynessa's eyes were closed, as if she was at peace.
Remy couldn't help but feel the emotions of the painter, Grey Kaidën, as she looked at the picture. She could sense his love, his loss, and his grief. This might be a beautiful tribute to his late wife.
The man had a cold personality but became colder after his wife's death.
It's been years, was he finally ready to let go? Was he finally ready to start seeing pictures and artworks of his wife in public, and let people start talking about her again?