Everyone froze.
Mouths dropped. The store fell into such a stunned silence that even the faint buzzing of the air conditioning seemed loud.
Mia stared at Aurora like she'd just grown wings. "You're the what?" she whispered, eyes wide.
She leaned in, frowning, then gave a suspicious glance at Aurora's sleeves—maybe expecting her to pull another wild bluff like before.
But instead of backtracking, Aurora smiled easily, calm as ever.
"Yes, I really am," Aurora confirmed, then turned to the saleswoman nearby.
"Would you like to confirm it?"
The saleswoman, still a little stiff from the drama, blinked, then nodded rapidly.
"Y-Yes, Miss Aurora is telling the truth."
Gasps echoed again across the store.
The saleswoman continued,
"It was announced in our internal forums last month. She's the owner of Harmony Mall. This entire shopping complex—including this store—belongs to her."
Christy visibly flinched.
