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Derek’s eyes burned with fury, his hands shaking at his sides. “You think you’ve won, huh, Allvar? Well, I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”Allvar couldn’t help himself. He burst into laughter, shaking his head as he looked Derek up and down. It wasn’t the response Derek was expecting, and it only made him angrier. “Really, Derek? You think you can scare me with that empty threat?”“What’s so funny?” Derek demanded, his voice thick with disbelief, his fists clenched at his sides.Serena raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two men as she stepped a little closer to Allvar. “Yeah, what’s so funny?” she echoed, her tone sharp but curious. “This looks pretty serious to me.”Allvar wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye, still chuckling. “Oh, it’s just... it’s just that you’ve been trying so hard to be the big bad wolf, Derek,” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “But you’re not fooling anyone. Especially not me.”149The tension in the air was thick as Derek lunged forward, his fury blinding him to the pain in his limbs. Before he could make another move, a group of salespeople appeared, rushing over in a hurry to break up the scene."Hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing?" one of them, a tall woman with a stern expression, demanded as she stepped between Derek and Allvar, holding up a hand. "This is a public space! You can’t go around fighting here."Serena, still flushed with anger, pointed an accusing finger at Allvar. “It’s him! He’s the one causing all this trouble!” she spat, glaring at him.Allvar raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “Me? No, Serena, it’s Derek who wanted to make a scene,” he said calmly, shaking his head. “I’m just here minding my business.”Derek’s face flushed red with rage. “You’re lying, Allvar! You’re always trying to get under my skin! You think you’re so much better than me!”“Allvar doesn’t need to do anything t
150Derek and Serena made their way toward the cashier, their footsteps heavy with tension. Derek’s fists were still clenched at his sides, but he forced himself to take deep breaths, trying to calm his rising fury. Serena, walking just ahead of him, couldn’t help but throw one last venomous glance over her shoulder at Allvar and Seraphina.At the counter, Allvar and Seraphina finally arrived, their presence commanding attention. They placed their items on the counter with casual ease, though both of them seemed keenly aware of the eyes still on them. Seraphina, her usual calm demeanor intact, gave a small, polite smile to the cashier, who was busy scanning their items."Anything else?" the cashier asked, her voice professional but tinged with the annoyance that had begun to simmer from the earlier scene.Allvar glanced at Seraphina and shook his head. "No, that’ll be all," he said smoothly, his eyes narrowing slightly as Derek’s voice echoed from
151 Allvar turned to the cashier, his expression calm but his words firm. "I'm afraid there's been a slight... complication," he said, his gaze briefly flicking to Serena, who was watching the scene unfold with a barely concealed smirk. "What kind of complication?" the cashier asked, her brow furrowing. Seraphina spoke up, her voice steady despite the worry in her eyes. "I seem to have misplaced my wallet," she explained, her fingers still searching her purse in vain. "I'm not sure what happened to it." The cashier's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, I see," she said, her tone diplomatic. "Well, if you'd like, we can hold your items here while you look for it." Allvar nodded, his gaze still fixed on Serena. "That would be much appreciated," he said, his voice laced with a subtle warning. Serena, unable to contain her glee, stepped forward, her voice dripping with feigned concern. "Oh, dear, that
152The words hit like a slap in the face. Allvar’s eyes darkened, his usually calm demeanor now strained as the cashier’s attitude shifted. "You’re threatening us?" he asked, his voice low but dangerously firm.Seraphina, her patience wearing thin, took a step forward, her eyes blazing. "We’ve been nothing but polite," she said, her voice unwavering. "And we don’t need to explain ourselves to you, Serena, or anyone else."Serena tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Oh, of course, you don’t need to explain, do you?" she mocked. "You’ve got the whole thing figured out. A woman of mystery and lies, pretending to be something she’s not." Derek snorted, crossing his arms. "And don’t forget the poor, sad little man with her," he added, his voice dripping with derision. "A perfect pair of losers, if you ask me."Seraphina’s eyes flicked to Allvar, her expression unwavering, but her voice cut through the growing tension. "We will pay," she sai
153Derek’s eyes widened, a flicker of surprise breaking his smug expression. “Oh, big hero, are we?” he jeered, but there was a hint of disappointment in his tone. He hadn’t expected Allvar to be able to step in.Serena’s smile faltered for a split second before she covered it with a sneer. “Well, well. Allvar to the rescue,” she said mockingly. “Didn’t see that one coming.”Serena’s smirk spread wider as Derek burst into laughter, the sound harsh and filled with disbelief. “You?” Derek managed between gasps, his eyes gleaming with derision. “Pay for all this? What a joke! You think anyone’s buying that, Allvar? You’re nothing but a worthless, pauper loser pretending to be something you’re not.”Serena’s laughter joined his, sharp and biting. She took a step forward, her eyes narrowing as they roved over Allvar’s plain, worn jacket and scuffed shoes. “You can barely afford lunch, let alone a bill of $240,785.67,” she sneered. “What’s the plan, Al
154“You’re really doing this?” Seraphina said, shaking her head slightly. “Allvar, this is madness. They’re going to tear you apart if—”“Wait for it,” Derek interjected, his voice louder now, meant to command attention. “Let’s all watch as the great Allvar tries to buy his way out of a hole he dug for himself.”Serena smirked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Oh, this is rich. Watch him squirm.”The soft hum of the register processing the transaction seemed to echo louder than before, filling the silence that had descended. The cashier’s expression shifted subtly as seconds ticked by. Her eyes darted between the screen and the card in her hand. The sneer she wore began to slip, replaced by something approaching unease.Seraphina’s breath caught in her throat. She glanced around the room, noticing how the spectators had drawn closer, their disbelief giving way to a more predatory interest. “Allvar,” she whispered
155Inside the shop, Serena and Derek stood frozen, unable to speak. Their eyes were wide with shock, searching each other for any semblance of explanation, but neither had one to offer. The crowd that had gathered moments earlier now buzzed with low murmurs and scattered whispers.“Did you see that? The card actually went through!” a young man whispered to his friend, eyes gleaming with astonishment.“No way. He must be loaded,” another voice chimed in, disbelief still lacing his tone.Serena’s hands clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms. She turned to Derek, her expression a mix of frustration and fear. “Derek, say something! How could this happen? I thought you said he was bluffing!”Derek’s jaw was set, the muscles in his face twitching as he tried to suppress the humiliation surging through him. “I don’t know, Serena,” he hissed, each word sharp. “This doesn’t make sense. It can’t make sense.”The murmurs grew
156They made their way to where Seraphina had parked her car. The narrow alley they passed through was filled with the muffled hum of distant traffic. Seraphina kept glancing at Allvar, her eyes wide, her pulse drumming in her ears as if amplifying the unspoken questions swirling in her mind.“Allvar,” she said, breaking the silence, her voice taut and uncertain, “who 'are' you, really?” The words came out in a near-whisper, but they carried a weight that made Allvar pause mid-stride.He turned to face her, for a brief moment, his eyes met hers, dark and unfathomable, before flickering away.“Seraphina,” he began, forcing a smile that looked almost convincing. “My family had investments. Some of them paid off… more than anyone expected.”“Investments?” she echoed, her brows knitting together. The word felt hollow, like an excuse crafted too neatly to be the whole truth. She took a step closer, tilting her head as if proxim