With Jayson's support, Sidney enrolled in a makeup course, with the class location near his company. After class, she went to the mall Jayson had taken her to before, wearing the makeup she had just practiced. He encouraged her to get out more, to expand her social circle, and to live her life with more happiness and confidence.
Her first priority was signing up for this course. Today was her first day of class. She had originally thought that makeup was a tedious task. She had tried it before for a blind date, but the thick foundation felt heavy and uncomfortable on her face. To her surprise, the course turned her impression of makeup around. They focused on simple, everyday looks that highlighted natural beauty and healthy skin. She loved it. She felt more energized and, for the first time in a while, she looked much more mature—not like the plain graduate she used to be.
She wanted to bury her worn-out, faded jeans and leave them behind. Inside the mall, she looked for skirts and pants that were more appropriate for her age. She remembered seeing a pair of pants in a magazine at his office, which looked decent and wasn't from a high-end brand, but the price was reasonable. So, she came here to find them. She also forced herself to get used to the life where three bodyguards surrounded her whenever she went out. Jayson had told her that if she continued to fear other people's gazes, she might as well never leave the house.
It wasn't long before she found the store on the second floor. It was still regular working hours, so there weren't many people in the store. She instructed her bodyguards to wait two meters away from the door. A young store attendant immediately approached her as she entered.
Sidney usually felt nervous in these situations, as if answering the sales clerk would somehow obligate her to buy something. She was afraid of bothering the staff if she didn't. She clenched her fist nervously, telling herself to be confident. She gathered her courage and said, "I'd like to look at pants or skirts."
The attendant led her to the current season's pants section. Sidney immediately spotted the pair she had seen in the magazine before, picked them up, and asked, "Can I try these on?"
The attendant led her to the fitting room. Sidney tried the pants on and found they fit well and were comfortable. Even though she had promised Jayson she would change, she still needed to make sure she felt comfortable and wasn't doing anything that felt out of place.
She took off the pants and handed them to the attendant to pay. Later, she also looked at a few more feminine blouses and a gold-plated necklace, purchasing everything together. She pulled out her small wallet, not wanting to waste his money. He had already paid for her course, so she decided to pay for these little things herself. She glanced at the card he had given her and zipped it back up.
After stepping out of the store, Sidney thought it was still early, and since she was already out, she might as well keep browsing. She wandered into a clothing store and was immediately struck by the sight of a few women lounging on the sofa, their attitudes demanding and condescending. They snapped their fingers, ordering the sales associate around, her voice dripping with superiority. The young woman, without a word, dropped to her knees on the plush carpet, quietly assisting them as they tried on shoes, her every move filled with quiet submission.
Sidney thought to herself that if Jayson wanted her to develop such an attitude, she would definitely oppose it.
She was still a little way off, but the harsh words reached her ears clearly. One of the women, her voice sharp with irritation, snapped at the sales associate, "Can you even count? A pig's smarter than you!"
Sidney couldn't bear to listen any longer. A surge of disgust washed over her, and she had no intention of staying in a place where people like that were treated so poorly. Without a second thought, she turned on her heel, ready to leave.
She was called from behind.
She turned around to see who had spoken. Did she know this person?
"Are you the Calderon daughter who married the Nixon family's eldest son three months ago?"
Sidney felt like a magnet for negative energy, always attracting bad vibes even when she did nothing.
She gave her a cold glance and didn't want to say anything.
The woman, however, began introducing herself. "You probably don't remember me. I'm a shareholder in your father's company, though I often see your sister."
Sidney looked at her warily, unsure of what she was up to.
"Do you know the whole Calderon family is in an uproar right now? And here you are, shopping like you have nothing to worry about. You've climbed into the Calderon family, so now you're abandoning your own roots?"
Normally, Sidney wouldn't want to engage in such an exchange. She would just walk away without saying a word. It wouldn't cost her anything. However, she remembered what Jayson had told her: "As long as you're confident and have nothing to hide, don't shy away from anyone. Be polite, but don't let people walk all over you. If someone crosses the line, don't bite your tongue. Eventually, people will stop testing you."
She thought to herself, now is the time to stand firm.
"Which part of me crossing you did you see? I'm just here to pick up a few things for everyday use, and you're already talking like that. It's really unfair to me. At least I'm not in here buying expensive luxury items like you are." Sidney spoke politely, but her gaze was icy. She refused to stutter and made sure to look the woman directly in the eyes.
This was the first time she had done this. In the past, even when she wanted to retort, she would feel guilty and avoid looking people in the eye. But now, she tightened her grip on the canvas bag on her shoulder and forced herself to look up and stare at the woman.
The woman hadn't expected the legendary Sidney to be so sharp-tongued. She had only heard from Esteban and Sanaa that this daughter, this sister, was like a fragile flower raised in a sheltered garden, meek and submissive, with no business sense, and never concerned with the matters of the Calderon family.
The woman was left speechless, unable to find a retort. Sidney didn't wait for her to recover; she simply turned on her heel and walked away, each step firm and decisive. The frustration that had been building up inside her drained away, leaving her with a bitter sense of emptiness. What had started as a simple outing had now lost its appeal, and she no longer felt like browsing the shops.
