Chapter 74: Intent Gaze

The clerks are intimidated by Evan—he radiates power and displeasure. His every move suggests that he's a man who is not used to refusal. They stand frozen and unsure.

Suddenly one of them whispers, "It is Evan Howel."

Like magic, the clerks spring into action, wrapping and bagging every single piece on display. Another team of clerks goes to the back of the store to fetch pieces from the store safe. They take advantage of their time in the back to gossip.

"What the hell? I thought that the woman was broke," whispers one clerk, "Is that man the legendary Evan Howel?"

"I don't know," says the second, "But the rumor is Evan is in love with his childhood sweetheart. They say he gave her a 200 million dollar ring."

"Well then, that's probably why he's doing this," replies the first, "I'm sure he wants to quell the rumors and keep his name out of the press. Isn't that what rich people do?"

"I don't agree," says the second, "There's no way he's faking his feelings for his wife—just look at him. I almost believed in love again just watching the way he looks at her and holds her hand."

"Whatever," says the first, "More importantly—do you think we're going to get in trouble for how we treated her this morning?"

"I don't know," the second says worriedly, "But if we don't hurry now we'll be in trouble."

Evan sinks onto the sofa. Everyone in the store seems to be walking on eggshells and he radiates icy displeasure. He reaches out his long arm and pulls Avery down onto the sofa beside him. He begins playing with her earlobe as if he's completely immune to the hustle and panic in the shop.

"It's not necessary," Avery says.

"What's not necessary?" he asks.

"I don't need all this," she says, gesturing to the store.

She wanted to exchange the jewelry for cash, but it will be a lot harder now that Evan is directly involved in buying the jewelry. If one of the pieces appears at auction, Evan will instantly become suspicious. She's already used her nanny's treatment as an excuse to ask for money—if he catches her again, she won't have any explanation for her actions.

"Well, it is your birthday," Evan whispers, "And you wanted all this in the morning."

She turns her head away from him and watches some of the assistants, but he quickly pulls her to face him.

"Talk to me," he commands.

"I just wanted it all in the heat of the moment," she says helplessly, "But I changed my mind."

"Sir, it's done," Robert announces.

A clerk brings a card reader to the sofa, and Avery recognizes her as one of the women from the morning. The clerk treated Avery particularly nastily after learning she couldn't pay. She holds the reader with trembling hands.

"Please enter the PIN."

Avery grabs the reader and presses four numbers. Immediately, the machine starts to print a receipt. The clerk shakes from head to foot as Robert glares at her.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Howel, for the way I treated you this morning," she whispers.

Suddenly she falls to her knees—Robert has kicked her in the shin. Her face is pale and Avery can see a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. Avery feels bad for her—she hates Evan's petty violence.

"Leave her alone," she commands, "I asked them to bag everything for me but I didn't have the money to buy it. Of course, she was upset—I'd be upset if I were her."

Evan raised his hand and Tinder steps away.

"Happy now?" Evan asks Avery.

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Avery nods grimly.

"I think you're forgetting something," Evan whispers ferociously.

"What am I forgetting?" Avery asks.

Evan looks at the clerk who is still cowering on the ground, "Answer me this: if your husband spent tons of money on you, what would you do?"

"Don't you know how to answer a question?" Robert snaps.

The clerk lifts her head and glances confusedly between Robert and Evan, "Are you asking me?"

"Yes," Evan says, "And if you answer me well, I won't hold you accountable for the morning."

"Well, if it were my husband, I'd hug and kiss him with gratitude," the clerk says with a tremor in her voice.

Evan pulls Avery's chin upwards, "Did you hear that?"

"I should've known that Evan wouldn't make it easy for me to get my phone back," she thinks with irritation.

"What's the problem? Are you suddenly shy?" Evan asks her, before ordering "Everybody, turn around."

Robert, the bodyguards, and the shop clerks all turn away immediately. Evan gazes intently at Avery's face. Avery bites her lip and wonders if she should just leave instead of sitting here and letting him buy her affections.

"Is it so hard to treat me like your husband?" Evan whispers against her ear.

"It is," she thinks, "Three years ago, it would have been huge mercy for Evan to ask me to kiss him, but I've changed since then. As tempted as I am to give in, I can't fall for him again."

He suddenly closes his eyes and leans toward her. The vulnerability of the gesture takes her by surprise. 

"He seems so different," she thinks, "Before when he wanted to kiss me, it was as if he was trying to fulfill a task demanded by his grandfather or to prove his ownership of me in a fit of possessive rage. Now he seems to genuinely look forward to the kiss."

His black eyelashes are curled against the skin beneath his eyes, and his eyelids flicker slightly. In the bright light of the store, he looks devilishly handsome and surprisingly vulnerable. Avery looks at him waiting with his eyes closed in anticipation and thinks he looks like a high school boy who has developed a crush.

"A kiss is no big deal," Avery tells herself, unsure if she's lying, "It's not like it's the first time he's asked me to kiss him."

Avery approaches Evan and gently brushes her lips against his. His eyes flash open the second she touches him and he smiles against her lips. She tries to take a step back, but he twines his fingers in her hair and pulls her back to him.

Evan enjoys taking dominant positions, and this kiss is no exception. As he kisses her deeply and intensely, she feels intoxication humming in her blood. Evan refuses to let her go until she's gasping for breath. Even so, she can't help but feel disappointed when he breaks the kiss

The atmosphere of the shop becomes romantic after their kiss. The shop clerks turn to look at the flushed couple and they whisper amongst themselves. Avery can vaguely hear their conversation.

"Oh my God, Mr. Howel is such a sweet guy," whispers one, "He and his wife are obsessed with each other. I wonder why people claim he treats her badly?"

"Yes, I can see his love in his eyes," whispers another, "I'd post a picture online, but I heard that he doesn't allow pictures of him to be circulated."

Evan and Avery walk through the mall's open-air plaza to return to their cars. As they walk, they hear a loud hissing sound and then a crackling. A series of fireworks are exploding high overhead—shoppers pause in the plaza and turn their faces toward the night sky.

Colorful fireworks burst across the inky sky and cast flickering light on the faces of the shoppers below. Several kids on skates slide through the crowd setting off smaller fireworks as they go. One kid hands Avery a sparkler, and her face glows in the soft yellow light. She waves it through the air with excitement and tries to hand it over to Evan. Evan's face pales and he clutches his chest.

"Are you alright?" Avery asks.

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