Chapter 82: The Gold Member and The Diamond Flex

The morning sun washed over the bustling commercial district, as Rick strolled through the expansive corridors of the Times Square Mall with Elena clinging firmly to his arm.

​Elena was in an incredibly radiant mood, since the heavy burden of her family’s nagging had vanished the moment Rick agreed to attend the patriarch’s banquet. She had insisted on bringing him to the luxury mall early in the day, because she absolutely refused to let her fake boyfriend show up to an elite gathering without a brand-new bespoke suit to match his alpha presence.

​They walked past rows of high-end storefronts until Elena’s ice-blue eyes caught the display of a premier designer boutique, as she quickly pulled Rick through the glass doors.

​The boutique smelled of expensive fabric and soft perfume, as racks of exclusive evening wear lined the pristine walls. While a polite sales assistant guided Rick toward the men’s tailoring section, Elena wandered toward the women’s formal wear, since she still needed a dress that would stun her snobbish relatives.

​Within minutes, she found a breathtaking, dark sapphire evening gown. It featured a high, elegant neckline from the front, but the back was daringly cut away to expose the spine, as the fabric was designed to hug a woman’s curves with flawless precision.

​Elena grabbed the hanger and hurried into the spacious, mirrored fitting room, as she slid out of her casual day clothes and carefully stepped into the exquisite gown. The dark sapphire silk slipped over her wide hips and heavy chest, but she struggled to reach the delicate zipper hidden along her lower spine.

​"Rick," Elena called out softly through the cracked fitting room door, her voice carrying a hint of nervous hesitation. "Can you come in here for a second? I need some help."

​Rick stepped away from the suit racks, pushing the fitting room door open and stepping into the enclosed space, closing it behind him with a soft click.

​Elena was standing with her back turned to him, holding the front of the dress against her chest, as her entire pale, jade-like back was exposed to his dark eyes. The stark contrast between the dark sapphire silk and her flawless skin created a visual feast, making the confined space suddenly feel incredibly warm.

​Rick stepped right into her personal space, as he reached out and gently grasped the small zipper near the base of her spine. His rough, calloused knuckles brushed deliberately against her bare skin, sending a visible shiver straight up her neck.

​"You look like a proper, high-class lady right now, Doc," Rick teased lazily, as he slowly pulled the zipper up, trailing his fingers over her smooth spine. "It is almost hard to believe you are the same woman who was begging for my cock on a hospital desk yesterday."

​Elena gasped softly, as her cheeks instantly flushed a deep, beautiful shade of crimson red, her thighs instinctively pressing together at the crude reminder.

​"Shut up, Rick," Elena scolded playfully, looking at his dark reflection in the vanity mirror, though her ice-blue eyes betrayed a deep, burning affection rather than actual anger. "We are in public, so behave yourself for five minutes."

​"I am always behaving," Rick smirked, as he secured the clasp at the top of her neck, letting his hands rest warmly on her bare shoulders for a lingering second. "The dress looks perfect on you. It is going to make every single snob at that banquet swallow their own tongues."

​Elena smiled genuinely, feeling a deep swell of pride, as she grabbed her clutch and stepped out of the fitting room to check her full reflection in the massive trifold mirror situated in the center of the boutique.

​The gown was an absolute masterpiece, accentuating her mature curves while maintaining her strict Ice Queen elegance. The polite sales assistants stood nearby, murmuring praises for her flawless figure, as Rick leaned against a display table to watch her.

​But the quiet, sophisticated atmosphere of the boutique was abruptly shattered, as the front glass doors swung open to reveal a loud, highly obnoxious couple marching inside.

​The man was a balding, middle-aged individual wearing a flashy designer suit that failed to hide his bulging stomach, while his young, heavily plastic-surgeried girlfriend clung to his arm, swaying her hips with exaggerated, arrogant steps.

​The girlfriend scanned the boutique with entitled, greedy eyes, until her gaze locked directly onto Elena standing in front of the trifold mirror.

​"Oh my god, daddy!" the girlfriend whined in a high-pitched, grating voice, pointing a sharp acrylic nail right at Elena. "Look at that sapphire dress! It is absolutely gorgeous! I want to wear that exact dress to the yacht party tonight!"

​The balding man puffed his chest out, eager to play the rich sugar daddy, as he snapped his fingers at the nearest sales assistant.

​"You there," the man demanded rudely, treating the staff like common peasants. "Go fetch that sapphire dress in a smaller size for my baby right now."

​The sales assistant bowed apologetically, her face tense with nervous politeness. "I am so sorry, sir, but that specific gown is a one-of-a-kind, custom runway piece. We do not carry it in any other sizes, and the lady currently wearing it is already proceeding with the purchase."

​The girlfriend’s fake lips formed an ugly pout, as she stomped her high heel against the floor, throwing a literal temper tantrum. "I don’t care! I want that dress! Tell her to take it off!"

​Elena turned around, her ice-blue eyes narrowing into a freezing glare, because she had absolutely zero patience for entitled brats.

​"The dress is already claimed," Elena stated flatly, crossing her arms. "I suggest you look elsewhere."

​The balding man sneered, feeling his fragile ego threatened by Elena’s dismissal, as he stepped forward to assert his dominance over the situation.

​"Do you have any idea who I am?" the man scoffed, letting out a condescending laugh that reeked of unearned arrogance. "I spend millions of dollars in this commercial district every single year. I am not going to let some random woman steal a dress my baby wants."

​The man reached into his tailored jacket and pulled out a heavy, shining Gold VIP Card, slapping it loudly onto the nearest glass display counter.

​"I am a Gold Tier Member of the Times Square Mall," the man announced loudly, looking at Elena as if she were a dirty insect. "And according to the elite commercial rules of this establishment, Gold Members hold absolute priority purchasing rights over any regular walk-in customers."

​The sales assistants froze, as the color drained from the store manager’s face. The Times Square Mall catered to the absolute highest echelon of society, and their strict hierarchy rules were designed specifically to cater to the whims of the ultra-rich, allowing higher-tier members to literally snatch items out of the hands of lower-tier shoppers.

​The store manager walked over to Elena, bowing her head in deep shame and sheer terror. "Miss, I am incredibly sorry... but mall policy dictates that if a Gold Member invokes priority rights on a single-stock item, we are legally obligated to process their transaction first. I must ask you to return the gown to the fitting room."

​Elena’s jaw clenched, as a surge of genuine fury washed over her, since being bullied out of a purchase by a disgusting sugar daddy was a massive insult to her dignity.

​"This is absolutely ridiculous," Elena hissed, glaring at the manager. "I was here first."

​"First come, first served is a rule for poor people," the balding man mocked, pointing a stubby finger at Rick, who was still leaning casually against the display table. "Look at your boy toy over there, wearing plain clothes and hiding in the corner because he knows he can’t afford to protect you. Take the dress off, sweetheart, before I call mall security to have you escorted to the exit."

​Rick did not get angry, nor did he yell, as a dark, apathetic smirk stretched across his face, because watching this bald frog jump around at the bottom of the well was incredibly entertaining.

​Rick pushed himself off the table, taking slow, deliberate steps toward the center of the room, as his heavy boots clicked against the polished floor, radiating a cold, oppressive aura that made the plastic girlfriend involuntarily take a step back.

​"You really think a shiny piece of yellow plastic gives you the right to bark at my woman?" Rick asked lazily, his deep voice carrying a lethal weight that instantly silenced the gloating man.

​"It gives me the right to take whatever I want from broke losers like you!" the man spat, trying to maintain his fake alpha presence despite the sweat forming on his bald forehead. "The rules of this mall are absolute!"

​"I agree," Rick stated calmly, reaching into his dark jacket pocket. "The hierarchy is absolute."

​Rick recalled his meeting with Chairwoman Victoria just a few days ago, when she had handed him the ultimate token of authority. Because the Peninsula Hotel conglomerate held massive, overarching leverage over the entire commercial district’s real estate, Victoria had provided him with the highest possible clearance to ensure he was never questioned by local merchants.

​Rick pulled his hand from his pocket and casually tossed a heavy, pitch-black titanium card encrusted with flawless diamond edges directly onto the glass counter, right next to the man’s pathetic Gold Card.

​CLACK.

​The heavy sound of the metal hitting the glass echoed through the silent boutique.

​"So since your Gold Card gives you priority over regular customers," Rick stated coldly, locking his deadpan eyes onto the balding man, "My Diamond Card means you get absolutely nothing."

​The store manager let out a loud, highly audible gasp, her knees practically giving out as she stared at the black titanium card with pure, unadulterated reverence.

​There were thousands of Gold Members in the city, but the Diamond VIP Card was a myth, a tier reserved strictly for the absolute pinnacle of society—the billionaire titans, cartel lords, and literal owners of the commercial district itself.

​Without a single second of hesitation, the store manager and all three sales assistants dropped to their knees, bowing perfectly toward Rick in absolute submission.

​"Sir! We apologize for our profound ignorance!" the manager practically wept, desperate to save her career. "We had eyes but failed to see Mount Tai! The dress belongs entirely to your companion, and we will waive the cost immediately as an apology for the disturbance!"

​The balding man’s arrogant sneer melted off his face, replaced by a mask of sheer, paralyzing horror. As a businessman who navigated the elite circles, he recognized the Diamond Card instantly. He realized in a fraction of a second that he had just tried to bully a god-tier existence who could erase his entire company with a single phone call.

​"D-Diamond..." the man stammered pathetically, as his hands shook wildly, frantically snatching his worthless Gold Card off the counter.

​"Daddy! Make them give me the dress!" his girlfriend whined obliviously, tugging on his sleeve.

​"Shut your fucking mouth, you stupid bitch!" the man hissed in pure terror, grabbing her arm with a desperate grip. He bowed his head toward Rick, not daring to make eye contact, as he dragged his whining girlfriend backward toward the glass doors.

​"I apologize, sir! I was completely blind!" the man babbled frantically, before turning on his heels and fleeing the boutique as fast as his stubby legs could carry him, terrified that Rick might decide to investigate his background.

​Rick watched the trash run away, as he casually picked up his Diamond Card and slipped it back into his pocket, turning his attention to the groveling store manager.

​"Stand up," Rick ordered lazily. "Ring up the dress, and get my suit tailored. We have a banquet to attend tomorrow, and I do not tolerate delays."

​Elena watched Rick command the room with effortless alpha authority, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs, as a deep, intoxicating rush of affection and desire flooded her chest, realizing yet again that standing beside this man made her feel entirely invincible.ℯℯ𝑙.