Chapter 9 - Sisters Encounter

As planned, the two young women decided to go shopping at Royal mall, one of the largest and most luxurious malls in the city and even the country. Since their arrival, the two girls had not had a chance to visit the city centre. Florelia was a really little country that could pass as a city in other countries. As its name, it was the country know for the amount of variety of flowers that could be found there. It was most visited by tourist who was flowers lovers. All the good attractions and entertainment of the country could be found in the city centre.

Arriving at the mall like two good tourists, they were amazed at the beauty and splendour of the mall. It was known for being one of the largest in the world, with more than 1000 stores and restaurants. The entrance to the mall consisted of a garden of bright flowers, a large fountain that enchanted one as if in a fairy tale.

"It is much bigger than the last time I was here, this garden is just beautiful like always Florelia doesn't disappoint when it comes to garden!" Fidelia was mesmerised.

"This garden is one of the most beautiful places I have visited, look at all these colours" Alex was even more in a daze. She wasn't able to be back in a long time so she didn't witness much of the development of the country for ten years.

The mall was divided into areas representing the products sold: furniture, bedding, and decoration area, an electrical household zone, a fashion zone, a computer zone... The two young girls went to the furniture decoration area first. After all, their company-owned apartment was very empty and needed to be beautified. The two friends browsed the shops and bought everything they were missing, Alex also bought a sewing machine and everything she needed for her creations. Sewing was one of Alex's hobbies since she was a kid. She had inherited this passion for design from her grandfather and ended up doing a master degree in mode and fashion. They trusted the stores to deliver their things to their home and decided to continue their visit to the mall with lunch at one of the mall's restaurants.

They chose a traditional Florelia restaurant where they enjoyed a good spicy beef soup in a private room. As Alex devoured her bowl of soup with a big smile on her lips. Fidelia could guess that her friend was surely singing in her head a good sound that's fit the joy she was having with her lunch now.

Fidelia sensed that Alex felt more at ease after she returned to visit her grandparents and her mother. She knew how much her friend had missed them. She could not help but feel sad for her, her friend was now all alone in this world! She knew she would always be there for her, but she felt Alex needed more. She needed someone who could help her out of this loneliness.

With full bellies, they decided to go shopping before finally heading home.

"What about we go and see how "CANDIDE" is doing? I need to upgrade my wardrobe too" Fidelia was all excited to discover all those clothes stores!

"I also want too! But we did not make an appointment, you know the store sells by invitation only," Alex was thinking if it was a good idea to go in that store.

"Are you serious? I do not think it will be a problem if you do not have an invitation, baby girl."

"But that's the rule of the store, we should respect it. Even the owner of the store need to oblige to that rule, well, even if I think that the manager can't refuse the owner to shop in his own store" Alex smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, breaking the rules once in a while is not a bad thing. But I really need clothes and you know I only wear CANDIDE. Let's go please..." Fidelia begged her friend looking at her with big cute eyes.

As she walked towards the store, Fidelia, who was looking at her phone as she walked by, shoved a young woman who was walking in the opposite direction.

Immediately, Fidelia and Alex sincerely excused themselves and went back their way.

The pushed young woman continued to stare at Fidelia and Alex for a while before saying to her friend, who paid no attention to the scene: "Aria, I think this is Alex, you know the model who was chosen to be the face of ELIA Cosmetic over you, I wonder what she is doing here, was she not in New Bell?"

Aria, hearing this, immediately reacts by casting a cold and threatening look at the two young women who were leisurely strolling around the mall.

"Are you sure it's her? I did not have time to see her, I was on WhatLife, there's an article about Ethan and some woman! I am pissed off, what does this girl think she's? Look at how Ethan is holding her hand !!!! I should be the one taking his hand" Aria exclaimed stomping her feet on the ground.

"I am sure it's her, she took off her glasses to apologise and I saw her eyes. They were the same beautiful blue eyes, I will never forget her eyes, besides, you lost because of this particularity. " Clara stated oblivious of the killing aura her friend had while hearing that.

Aria just stared at her furiously "Alex Michell? Beautiful my ass! She's dressed like a sack, I wonder how she got this contract... I am obviously much better than her..."

She wore a small black dress adorned with a gold Gucci belt at the waist, a pair of Chanel boots and a small Jaquemus bag. Her dyed blonde hair, pink-tinted lips, and much too long false eyelashes giving her a strange doll look.

"Who knows who she had to sleep with to get this job. Don't worry, I know that you look beautiful" Clara answered her friend with all seriousness.

"It's perfect, now she's in my territory, then we will give her a little lesson in greeting. Do you know where they are going? I need to let her know who's in charge here."

"I do not know, but I saw her friend looking at the CANDIDE app on her phone when she pushed me."

"Well, let us just follow them, if they are on their way to CANDIDE they are on their way to perfect humiliation, you know how this place works," Aria concludes and winks at her friend with a sinister smile.

In fact, Alex was wearing plain black pants, a black t-shirt, and a black oversize blazer that day because she was visiting her family at the cemetery, she was not in the mood for fancy clothes, plus she knew she was going shopping too. Why bother with impractical clothes? This way people could not tell that she was a famous model or that her clothes were from the best brands in the world, yet all the people were staring at her for her beauty and prestige since she forgot to cover her face back after apologizing to Clara.

Just as Fidelia and Alex were about to reach the store, the two girls passed in front of them and pushed Alex on the way.

"Oh, sorry... I did not see you," Aria said with a fake smile.

"Oh, it's alright, no problem" Alex answered not minding more about what had just happened.

Aria looked at Alex questioningly "Oh, are you going there?" and pointed at the shop in front of them.

"Yes.... You too, apparently, what a coincidence!" Fidelia said with a neutral expression, she knew too well that the girls in front of them were up to no good.