CHAPTER 12

As the guard continued berating Max at the entrance, Emily Rose stepped forward, her voice calm but commanding. 

“Is there some reason for this commotion?”

The guard immediately straightened, recognition dawning on his face. 

“Ms. Rose! Oh, my apologies! I… I didn’t know you were here,” he stammered, trying to regain composure and plastering a fake smile on his face. 

“It’s an honor to see you.”

Emily looked past him, her gaze focused on Max.

 “And why, exactly, are you stopping this gentleman from entering?”

The guard hesitated, the confident sneer fading from his face. 

“Uh, well… you see, Ms. Rose… this guy here, he looks like some… well, he looks like he doesn’t belong here. I thought he was, you know, just some beggar trying to cause trouble.”

Max clenched his fists, struggling to hold back his frustration, but Emily’s sharp glare at the guard silenced him.

“Some beggar?” she repeated coldly, raising an eyebrow.

 “Did you even ask who he was before jumping to conclusions?”

The guard’s face flushed. “I… I mean, look at him, Ms. Rose. I was just doing my job, keeping the place safe for people like you.” 

He attempted a weak smile. “Surely you wouldn’t want folks like him—”

Emily cut him off. 

“This ‘folks like him’ you’re talking about happens to be my guest today. He saved me from some serious trouble not long ago, and I invited him here. You’re stopping my guest.”

The guard’s eyes widened, and his face turned pale as he stammered, “I… I had no idea! Ms. Rose, please! I didn’t realize he was… your guest!” He quickly dropped to his knees, his earlier arrogance gone in an instant. “Please forgive me, Ms. Rose! It was a mistake, I swear! I shouldn’t have offended your guest.”

Turning to Max, the guard’s expression was desperate.

 “Sir, I… I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean any harm. I’ll crawl to you and beg for forgiveness if you’d like! Just… just please don’t have me thrown out.”

Emily crossed her arms, her gaze icy. 

“And what about that promise you made? I seem to recall you saying you’d eat a toilet if Max could afford a meal here.”

The guard’s face turned a deep shade of red, and he looked at her, trembling. 

“Ms. Rose, please… it was a mistake! I didn’t mean it literally. I… I was blind! I misjudged him! Please, I beg you, have mercy!”

The guard looked mortified, dropping to his knees as he stammered out an apology. 

“Ms. Rose, please… I didn’t know he was your guest. It was a misunderstanding. I—I was just doing my job, I swear! Please, don’t hold this against me.”

Emily’s face remained impassive. 

“Doing your job by judging people on appearances? I don’t think that’s quite the job description.” She looked down at him, her voice sharp. 

“You can beg for forgiveness all you want, but I’m not interested in excuses.”

The guard’s voice shook. “Please, Ms. Rose, I’m sorry!”

With a dismissive wave, Emily turned to Max. 

“Let’s go, Max. We have better things to do.” 

Ignoring the guard’s continued pleas, she led Max through the entrance as onlookers whispered among themselves.

Max looked over at her, both impressed and curious. 

“Emily… that was… amazing. Thank you. I had no idea you carried so much influence here.”

Emily shrugged with a small smile.

 “It’s nothing, really. People like him need to be reminded that respect isn’t based on someone’s clothes. Besides,” she added with a grin, “you helped me out before, so it’s only fair I return the favor.”

“Well, I appreciate it,” Max replied, a touch of awe in his voice.

 “You didn’t have to go that far.”

Emily looked him up and down, her eyes assessing. 

“Actually, I think we should do something about this look of yours. You’re overdue for an upgrade.”

Max laughed, a little self-conscious. 

“I guess I could use a few new clothes.”

“Let’s not hold back then,” Emily said, steering him into a nearby luxury designer store. 

The attendants greeted her with wide smiles, clearly recognizing her.

As they entered, Max couldn’t help but admire the array of high-end suits, jackets, and designer clothes. 

It was a world he had never dared to step into before.

Emily wasted no time, browsing through racks of clothing and pulling out various items.

 She handed him a smart jacket and a pair of tailored jeans.

 “Try these. They’ll bring out your confidence, and I want to see you in something that makes a statement.”

Max took the clothes, looking a bit dazed. 

“You really don’t need to go this far, Emily…”

Emily shook her head.

 “Nonsense. You deserve this. Now, go try them on.”

A few minutes later, Max emerged from the fitting room, looking transformed in the sharp jacket and well-fitted jeans. Emily smiled approvingly.

 “Much better. But we’re not done.”

For the next half hour, Emily helped Max pick out several more outfits—some casual, others more formal, all high-quality and tailored to perfection. 

Max felt a surge of gratitude and admiration as he watched Emily in action, her confidence and poise making every interaction effortless.

He glanced at her as they waited at the counter. 

“Emily, I don’t even know how to thank you. You’ve done so much for me already.”

Emily waved it off with a smile.

 “Trust me, it’s my pleasure. You don’t need to thank me.” She paused, her gaze softening. 

“People shouldn’t have to face what you did out there. Maybe now they’ll think twice before judging you.”

As Emily stepped up to the counter to pay, she suddenly felt a hard bump from behind, and her shopping bags slipped from her grasp, tumbling to the floor. 

She turned around, her expression calm but questioning.

“Oh, look at that! Are you blind or what?” sneered the man who had bumped into her. 

His voice dripped with arrogance.

Max’s eyes widened as he recognized the voice. 

Johnson. And, standing beside him, glancing at Emily with an equally disdainful expression, was none other than Amanda, his ex-girlfriend.

Emily straightened, unfazed. 

“Excuse me? You walked into me.”