Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

"Hey Mom, just hang out here, okay? I'm heading to the mall for some baby stuff. You're not exactly a mall pro, so it's better if I go solo."

Peyton was a bit uneasy about letting a pregnant Emma wander around by herself. Even though she was generally healthy, the morning sickness had been relentless lately.

Hiring a nanny was off the table-way too expensive. Plus, their place was snug, perfect for two but kind of cramped with three.

Emma threw on a thicker jacket to cleverly hide her baby bump, popped on a hat, and headed out. She left a note behind with a list of things she needed to pick up.

Without a driver's license, getting a car was a no-go, regardless of her financial situation. She figured she'd wait until the baby arrived before tackling that.

As she entered the mall, she instinctively tugged her hat down a bit. Being somewhat of a celeb now, she was cautious about being recognized. If folks found out she was shopping for baby gear, the news of her pregnancy would be all over the internet. The first floor was all high-end stuff, and Emma decided to get a gold bracelet for her mom. Her mom had been upset about losing one before, and now that Emma could afford it, she was set on making it right.

She spotted a 60-gram bracelet that seemed perfect, and then her eyes landed on a stunning gold phoenix hairpin. She didn't need it, but the craftsmanship was mesmerizing.

"Could I see that one, please?" she asked.

Just as the salesperson was about to show it to her, a glamorous woman with a striking figure chimed in, "I love that! I want it, buy it for me, will you?"

Emma was momentarily taken aback and looked over to see Dustin standing next to the woman. She had a striking figure and a sun-kissed complexion, dressed lightly for the weather, clinging to Dustin's arm and sweet-talking him. Dustin, rubbing his temples, seemed a bit exasperated. "Yuna, since when did you start liking gold?"

He gestured at the hairpin, prompting the salesperson to hand it over. "Here you go, sir. We also have a variety of other designs, all crafted by artisans with over ten years of experience."

Emma was smitten with the hairpin,

but with Dustin and his girlfriend there, it was awkward to insist. After all, Dustin was her boss, and she had just taken some leave.

She pulled her hat down further, about to leave, when Dustin spoke up. "Actually, wasn't this lady interested in the hairpin first?"

The salesperson, reminded by Dustin, awkwardly nodded at Emma. "Oh, right. Ma'am, do you still want the hairpin?"

Emma, dressed plainly, didn't exactly scream big spender, so the

salesperson was more eager to negnoveldrama

serve Dustin, who looked like he had

deep pockets.

Emma was about to say no, but her love for the piece made her disguise her voice a bit. "I'll take it. How much?"

The salesperson, surprised by her quick decision, replied, "That would be four thousand dollars."

Emma was ready to pay with her phone when Yuna objected. "Is there another one of these in stock?"

"Sorry, this is the last piece, and it might be two months before we get another one, due to the intricate craftsmanship. It's a slow restock process."

Yuna gave Emma a once-over, then, in a negotiating tone, said, "I'll give you ten thousand as compensation. Can I have it?"

Her time was more precious than money; she couldn't wait two months.

Emma was stunned. Why pass up such an easy gain? "Well..."

Seeing Emma hesitate, Yuna's frustration was evident. "Twenty thousand."

Emma quickly pulled out her phone's payment app. "Deal. Scan here, and it's yours."