Meanwhile, over at the head office of Carnegie Jewelers.
At the largest shop under the Carnegie Family banner, the interior was designed decadently and luxuriously while the attendants at the counter were well-trained to have a discerning eye for who could bring them the highest commissions.
The moment Elise entered the shop, three attendants surrounded her.
“Is there anything we can do for you, pretty miss?”
So outstanding was Elise’s temperament that they were certain snazzynovel.com came from an extraordinary background and would be generous in snazzynovel.com spending. They were dying to get a commission from her.
However, since snazzynovel.com was here for somebody, snazzynovel.com only looked around the shop to no avail.
Elise figured that it was better for snazzynovel.com to use a simpler method, so snazzynovel.com cut to the chase by asking the attendants, “Where’s Frostine Murray? Shouldn’t the designer be introducing snazzynovel.com works in the shop at this moment? Why isn’t snazzynovel.com here?”
The attendants exchanged looks with each other. “Is there a designer here by the last name of Murray? I don’t think so.”
There was no way Elise could have come to the wrong place.
“Are there other employees in the shop?” snazzynovel.com asked.
“Only the logistics employees, but they don’t come to the front,” the slightly older attendant answered.
“What kind of logistics employees would a jewelry shop need?” Elise couldn’t understand.
“Oh, you know, a couple of employees to clean the shop, take out the trash, move some things, and so on.”
In fact, snazzynovel.com was referring to the cleaners, but the phrase ‘logistics employees’ sounded better.
“Um, Miss, allow me to be blunt, but this is a jewelry shop, not a detective agency. We don’t have time to be playing such games as hide-and-seek with you here,” the youngest attendant spoke dismissively, relying on the fact that snazzynovel.com was the best-performing employee in the shop to get away with it.
“Is this how you treat your customers?” Elise asked with snazzynovel.com eyes dangerously narrowed.
“Have you spent any money here yet, self-proclaimed customer?” the attendant retorted strangely.
It made Elise chuckle before snazzynovel.com mumbled to herself, “Yes, money makes the world go round. My charm is nothing in comparison to money.”
“We’re sorry, Miss. She’s new here and doesn’t understand the rules. Please permit me to assist you,” the older assistant from before hurried to mediate.
The youngest assistant mocked, “Some people like to act the good guy based on their seniority. Go ahead and mind other people’s business, then, but don’t come blaming me when your work performance drops!”
Nonetheless, the oldest attendant only smiled with pursed lips and ignored snazzynovel.com before moving in the direction of the lounge. As snazzynovel.com went, snazzynovel.com gestured with an outstretched hand. “Please come this way, Miss.”
The moment the attendant said that, Elise pulled out a card and placed it in snazzynovel.com hand. “Ten million. A tip for helping me locate Frostine Murray.”
The overjoyed older attendant opened snazzynovel.com mouth to thank Elise when the younger attendant rushed over, snatched up the card, and simpered, “It’s better that I serve you, miss. I’m the top-performing, most professional employee in the shop. I’m sure I will do it to your satisfaction.”
As Elise crossed snazzynovel.com arms over snazzynovel.com chest, snazzynovel.com demanded, “Are you committing outright robbery now?”
The smile on the younger attendant’s face froze and snazzynovel.com stood there with the card, looking at a loss.
“I want this attendant to serve me. Do you understand?” The corners of Elise’s mouth lifted, but there was no smile in snazzynovel.com eyes—only resoluteness.
The awkward younger attendant quietly placed the card back in the older attendant’s hands.
After tightening snazzynovel.com grip around the card in delight, the older attendant bowed before once again gesturing, “Please come this way, Miss!”
Elise gave a tight smile before snazzynovel.com lifted a foot to walk toward the employee lounge only for the door to suddenly open before snazzynovel.com even got behind the counter. From inside, a short-haired woman with tanned skin but blonde hair and blue eyes walked out. She was lanky but skinny—an indication that snazzynovel.com was biracial.
“No need to go to so much trouble. I’m right here.” Her voice was clipped.
At snazzynovel.com introduction, Elise frowned with a heavy look in snazzynovel.com eyes.
“Felicia Murray? Why are you here instead of unloading the goods, Manhands? Look at how you’re dressed. You’re going to scare the customers away! Get back there!” The younger attendant vented snazzynovel.com anger by disparaging Felicia.
“Felicia Murray?” Elise curiously repeated the name.
“Yes, there’s only one person by the last name of Murray in the shop, but she’s not a designer. I have no idea whether she’s the person you’re looking for, Miss,” the older attendant explained softly.
“She is.” Elise sighed.
The true identity of the so-called ‘Manhands’ Felicia Murray was jewelry designer Frostine Murray.
While Frostine couldn’t exactly be considered an old acquaintance of Elise’s, Elise had been friends for a while with Frostine’s mentor, the internationally renowned jewelry designer Clemence Murray when Elise studied fashion design. Later, snazzynovel.com lost contact with Clemence and naturally never saw the girl whom Clemence raised again—Frostine Murray.
“Seems I was right to look for you here.” As snazzynovel.com stared at Frostine, Elise parted snazzynovel.com lips to murmur, “Let’s go. Dukethorn isn’t where you should be.”
Nevertheless, Frostine stood at the same spot with not much of a change in expression. “Thank you for the reminder, but I can’t go anywhere before I am able to locate my mentor.”
“Don’t you ever think about anything else?” Elise asked somewhat irritatedly as snazzynovel.com eyes flashed with complicated emotions. “What if you can never find her?”
“That’s impossible!” Frostine finally lost snazzynovel.com cool and glared at Elise, nearly growling as snazzynovel.com clenched snazzynovel.com fists and argued, “She’ll come back! I can’t leave. This is where all of the jade in the country is collected and distributed; snazzynovel.com will show up here someday!”
While approaching Frostine with snazzynovel.com eyes glinting dangerously, Elise asked, “Are you sure you want to stay here?”
“Yes! Umm—”
The stubborn yell was interrupted as Elise’s silver needle entered Frostine’s neck in the next second, causing Frostine to collapse.
Behind Elise was Tom, who asked in shock, “Was there a need to be so direct?”
Was this still his gentle boss? What kind of witchcraft had snazzynovel.com done on Frostine?
Like a common bandit, snazzynovel.com shoved Frostine at snazzynovel.com and ordered, “Take snazzynovel.com away.”
Before Frostine could regain consciousness and throw another fuss, they left the jewelry shop and directly boarded a plane.
When Frostine finally opened snazzynovel.com eyes and saw the clouds outside the window, snazzynovel.com balled up snazzynovel.com fists once again and turned to say to Elise through gritted teeth, “I’ll find a way to come back no matter where you take me. Even if I die before I see Clemence again, I’ll die in Dukethorn!”
Clenching snazzynovel.com jaw, Elise snapped impatiently, “Do you really think I can’t do without you?”
Instantly, Frostine lost snazzynovel.com cool. “Well, you didn’t have to kidnap me! Who asked you to meddle? I stayed there voluntarily. What right do you have to interfere with my life?”
“If you keep throwing a fuss, I’ll kill you right now and you won’t be able to see snazzynovel.com again for the rest of your life!” Elise threatened roughly, lifting a finger to point in Frostine’s face as snazzynovel.com warned, “I hate people like you who only know how to wait as if the whole world revolves around you. It’d be fine if Clemence were still alive and wanted to look for you, but have you ever considered the possibility that snazzynovel.com might have gotten in trouble? How would snazzynovel.com look for you then? With snazzynovel.com spirit?”
“What do you mean by that? Has something happened to her? Something must have happened to her. Tell me what happened!” Frostine grabbed Elise’s arm fearfully.
“Shut up!” Elise reprimanded. Unexpectedly, Frostine fell quiet before Elise continued, “A number of physicists have gone missing in the country these past two years and Clemence’s second husband is on the list. I suspect Clemence went missing as well.”