“Staff statements.”
“Yes.”
“Previous client complaints.”
The manager’s face changed.
The Billionaire Woman noticed.
Interesting.
The Chairman noticed too.
“Previous complaints?”
The manager said:
“There are always complaints.”
The Chairman’s tone went cold.
“How many?”
“I don’t know.”
The young associate looked toward him.
The Chairman saw.
“Do you?”
The young woman hesitated.
“Some.”
The manager turned.
“Do not.”
The Chairman’s face changed instantly.
“That will be enough.”
The manager froze.
“Sir.”
“Office.”
This time the Billionaire Woman did not stop him.
The Boutique Manager stepped away from the counter.
Before leaving, she looked toward the Billionaire Woman.
No sneer.
No superiority.
Fear.
Then something else.
Shame perhaps.
The woman could not be sure.
The manager followed an executive toward the back.
The Chairman exhaled.
Then looked at the Billionaire Woman.
“I am profoundly sorry.”
She looked toward the necklace.
“You did not do it.”
“I lead the house.”
“That means you investigate it.”
“Yes.”
“Do that.”
“I will.”
The Billionaire Woman looked toward the young associate.
Then the elderly customer.
Then the other people watching.
She disliked the audience.
The reveal had changed them too quickly.
The same wealthy couple who had watched silently now looked at her with fascination.
One man whispered:
“Do you know who she is?”
There it was.
Identity arriving late.
Respect arriving with it.
The Billionaire Woman hated that more than she expected.
She looked toward the Chairman.
“Private room.”
“Of course.”
They moved into a salon behind frosted glass.
The archival case followed.
Door closed.
Silence returned.
Inside, everything softened.
Cream walls.
Low lighting.
Velvet table.
No spectators.
The Billionaire Woman removed the enormous hat.
Finally.
Placed it on a chair.
The Chairman smiled.
“I wondered how long you would keep that on.”
“Long enough to annoy everyone.”
“It worked.”
She laughed.
First real laugh of the morning.
The security specialist opened the case again.
The Billionaire Woman studied the collar for nearly twenty minutes.
No one rushed her.
She asked about provenance.
Repairs.
Stone replacements.
Setting integrity.
Insurance.
Export history.