Chapter 122 - Eat It (1/2)

The following day, the gal pals found themselves in Mosqueda, Ava's go-to boutique for an afternoon fitting with the head designer who happened to be Eli's BFF.

While the three were waiting in the lobby, they noticed the presence of a foreigner whisking past them.

Emily pouted, her brows furrowed when she realized that the lady looked familiar as if they had brushed shoulders in the past. She rummaged her memory, figuring out who amongst the sea of people she could be.

Lucky for her, the lady in question turned on her heel and peeled her sunglasses, revealing her face.

”Emily?”

”Bella darling! It was you. Gosh. No wonder your presence felt familiar.” Emily stood up, exchanging cheek kisses with Bella. Their gazes then moved down where Ava and Olivia were busy flipping catalogs. ”Ava, Olivia, meet Bella Sokolov, prima ballerina, Bolshoi Ballet.”

”Oh, dear. You can skip the titles,” Bella blushed, patting the back of Emily's hand.

”Wow. What brought you here, Bella? Oops. I was busy looking for inspiration.” Ava placed her magazine down, standing up to exchange pleasantries with Bella too.

When it was Olivia's turn, the air around Bella turned Siberian cold, surprising the three gal pals.

An air of animosity swirled around Bella which didn't go unnoticed by the trio who kept the smiles on their faces the entire time, they could be toothpaste models at the end of their meeting.

”Ms. Lin, I've heard so much about you.” Bella offered her hand which Olivia took.

Wondering what's the reason behind the hint of hostility in Bella's tone, Olivia asked, ”Have we met before?”

”No, this is my first time meeting you.” Bella took a handkerchief in a purse and wiped her hands as if Olivia's touch dirtied her. ”You were my fiancé's classmate in Oxford. Nikolai Vasiliev.”

”Wow. Congratulations, Bella!” Emily tweeted, clutching her heart. She's still a sucker for engagements and weddings even when hers fell apart.

”Thank you,” Bella replied curtly, tipping her head to the other end of the boutique. ”I came here with a friend. It was a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e meeting you ladies.” She turned on her heel and left, rolling her eyes when her back was facing the gal pals.

When Bella was out of sight, Emily tutted, ”I was thinking of chatting with her more but nevermind. She changed a lot anyway.”

Beside Emily, Ava's beady eyes narrowed. She could see trouble written all over Bella's back.

”Don't mind her. Maybe Natalia did a fantastic demolition job on my name.”

And just as Emily was to ask Olivia what transpired yesterday, a staff walked closer to the gal pals, ushering them inside one of the fitting rooms.

After their fitting engagement, Olivia welcomed Emily and Olivia in her penthouse suite with arms wide open. However, Ava stood rooted inside the lift, terrified of what's about to happen to her.

Smiling at Ava, Emily dragged the statue inside, massaging the former's shoulder. ”Loosen up, Ava. It's all in the mind. If you think it will hurt, then it will.”

”So it does hurt?” Ava chewed her bottom lip. This would be her first time to try it.

”It would sting and that's it.” Emily kept her reply short and succinct to keep Ava's emotions at bay. ”Is everything ready, Livi darling?” Emily scanned the place, and her eyes landed on the wooden sliding door.

Pointing at it, she mused, ”Is that Maxen's Dollar Penthouse? Can we take a look?” Emily's glistened with excitement.

Their decades of friendship didn't matter; Maxen let no one up in his penthouse suite. He said it was the one private space that belonged to him but now that Olivia owns it, she could finally see what the secrecy of the place was all about.

”Sure,” Olivia walked ahead and slid the door open for her gal pals who raked their eyes over the space.

”Why is the pool empty?” Ava asked, her hand tapped the railings. However, she recoiled when Emily chirped, clapping her hands.

”Ho ho ho. I think they had s.e.x in the pool that's why they had it cleaned.”

Ava grabbed the sanitizer in her purse, disinfecting her hands, and as if it wasn't enough, she spritzed alcohol on the railings too.

”Stop feeding Ava with ideas, Emily. Last time you did, Finn caught her humping her husband.” Olivia playfully jabbed, finding joy in Ava's blushed cheeks.

”Please stop bringing that up.” Ava covered her ears and stomped to the other side of the penthouse suite.

That was a one time phenomena, and it stuck on her like a Scarlett letter. And to make matters worse, Oliver was suggesting other crazy ideas for them to try after that incident.

The ladies went back to the other wing of the penthouse suite, which used to be Olivia's side.

Guiding her gal pals, Olivia walked ahead and showed them a room where a spa was set up for them.