Jaxon Chandler turned, glanced at Irene, and shook his head. This beautiful woman was with Dustin, a man clearly headed for ruin. If she were with him, she wouldn't suffer such humiliation.
"Dustin, why don't we just return the dress?" Irene whispered.
"Why should we? It's only about seven hundred thousand dollars," Dustin smiled. "That's a fraction of the cost of the Verdigris Emerald."
He wanted to assure Irene that seven hundred thousand dollars meant nothing to him; he'd been willing to give her the rare Verdigris Emerald. Why would he be distressed over such a sum? Yet, Irene remained uneasy. The Verdigris Emerald was just a jewel; losing that much cash felt far more significant. Seven hundred thousand dollars for a dress seemed excessively extravagant and meaningless to her.
"Why? Don't you like this dress?" Dustin asked, smiling and glancing toward where Elisa and Jaxon had disappeared. "Didn't they say the clothing on the second floor is even better? Let's go upstairs and pick one."
Irene immediately refused, waving her hand. "No! The price is exorbitant even on the first floor. Please don't mention the second floor! Only members are allowed there, and we're not members."
"Isn't that just a VIP clothing store membership?" Dustin smiled faintly. "Just come with me." He took Irene's hand and headed for the second floor.
Irene tried to protest, but Dustin led her up the stairs. A service assistant, noticing them, smiled and said, "Welcome to the Yara Couture member zone. Please present your membership card." Dustin pulled out his phone, tapped it a few times, and showed it to the assistant.
The assistant's face registered immense surprise. Recovering quickly, she smiled again, bowing deeply. "Welcome! You're our most distinguished member. Please go upstairs and choose whatever you like. We will assist you in any way possible."
"What?!" Irene was stunned. Dustin had a VIP membership to this boutique! How was that possible?
This boutique catered exclusively to the elite; very few in Lannopolis held a VIP membership. None of the West family, Irene's family, qualified. The Yara Couture Premium Membership wasn't bought with money; it was earned through immense power, status, and wealth. How could Dustin possess such standing? It was shocking.
Yet, considering Dustin's ability to command Honora's top gang and his other impressive feats, his membership wasn't entirely unbelievable. It was the service assistant's reaction that truly surprised Irene. When Jaxon had presented his card, the assistant had simply smiled and nodded. Yara Couture was an extremely high-end brand; their staff were always polite, but never this deferential. What was so exceptional about Dustin's membership?