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Declined.
The sound drew the attention of nearby shoppers.
Earlier, Rita had loudly boasted about her successful daughter-in-law and the extravagant purchases that were supposedly about to be paid for.
Now those same customers watched quietly as reality unfolded.
The confidence vanished from Rita’s face.
She slowly sank back onto the sofa, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
Gordon leaned closer to the manager and lowered his voice.
“There has to be something wrong with your machine.”
“The terminal is working properly.”
“Try charging a smaller amount.”
“Sir,” the manager replied evenly, “regardless of how we divide it, the full purchase still requires valid payment.”
“Can you hold everything until tomorrow?”
The manager gently shook his head.
“Not without an authorized deposit.”
Gordon turned toward Rita.
She didn’t own a credit card capable of paying for even one of the handbags.
Their performance had reached its end.
The manager canceled the transaction and quietly signaled to his staff.
One by one, the employees began unpacking everything.
The branded ribbons were untied.
The oversized boxes were reopened.
The handbags disappeared back into their protective covers.
The watches returned to their display cases.
The shoes and belts were carried back to the stockroom.
Rita watched helplessly as every luxury item vanished.
“That evening bag was supposed to be mine,” she murmured quietly.
No one answered.
Within minutes, the counter looked exactly as it had before they arrived.
The manager then politely informed Gordon and Rita that they would need to leave the boutique. They had occupied the private lounge for hours, delayed scheduled appointments, and reserved a large amount of merchandise without being able to complete the purchase.
When Gordon attempted to argue, two uniformed security officers approached.
Neither officer touched him.
Neither raised their voice.
One simply gestured toward the glass entrance.
“Sir, we’ll need you to leave the store now.”
Rita quickly picked up her purse.
Her face had turned a deep shade of red.
Together, she and Gordon walked across the polished marble floor while employees and customers quietly watched them leave.
They exited carrying nothing.
Not a single shopping bag
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