We headed toward the elevators, weaving through clusters of shoppers with bags piled up their arms. The girls chatted quietly behind me, still buzzing about their finds from Nuppia. When the elevator arrived, we all stepped inside. Jasmine leaned her shoulder against the glass panel, Nala checked one of the necklaces she bought, Kim fixed her hair, and Minne clutched her small bag like it was a treasure.

The elevator rose smoothly to the next floor, opening into a hallway full of tiny kiosks and café scents drifting through the air. We walked toward the coffee shop tucked in the corner of the atrium, its warm lighting spilling out over the tiled floor.

And then I saw her. Julia, my ex.

Standing near a shoe store, holding two boxes in a shopping bag, her long black hair falling over her shoulders in straight, sleek curtains. The same sharp eyes behind the same sharp glasses. Walking alone, absorbed in her own world—until she looked up.

Her steps halted.

"Oh…" she murmured, eyebrows rising slightly. "Evan?"

"Y-yeah." I gave a small, awkward smile. "Hello, Julia."

She scanned me first, then the girls behind me. "What… are you doing here?"

"Shopping. Casual stuff."

"Mm." Her gaze flicked over each woman, calculating and confused. "And who are these?"

"You've met some of them already," I said. "But anyway—Jasmine, Tessa, Kim, Nala, Minne. This is Julia."

Julia lifted her chin. "His ex that he dumped," she said calmly. "He always leaves that one detail out."

Nala's eyes widened. "Dumped?"

"Long story," I said quickly.

"We met online," Julia said before I could control the narrative. "Hung out for a bit, things were fine at first, then it didn't work out. Because of his man-pride."

"That wasn't man-pride or whatever you call it," I said, rubbing my face. "I failed making you happy, so I decided the best thing was—"

"Dumping me," she finished with a small laugh.

"Jesus. Don't make me talk about this in front of them, Julia."

She wasn't wrong, though. Her parents had money, not outrageously wealthy, but wealthy enough that she got whatever she asked for. I tried to keep up, tried to give her the same kind of life she was used to. She'd talk about these expensive clothes, all the things she loved, and I wanted so badly to give her at least some of it.

But eventually, it wore me down.

I still remember working ten-hour shifts at the grocery store just to buy her that laptop she wanted—second-hand, but still the best I could manage. When the newer model came out, she bought it without a thought. And the old one? I ended up using it. Never told her. I was afraid she'd laugh at me.

"Who are you people?" Julia asked sharply. "Evan's friends? Is he allergic to male friends now? Something I missed?"

"We are his friends," Jasmine said.

"M-master," Minne said, stepping closer to me as if seeking permission. "May I go to the bathroom?"

"M-mast…" Julia blinked, her stern composure cracking. "I'm sorry—what? Are these prostitutes?"

Tessa moved before I even processed it, stepping forward with murder in her eyes. "I'll bash your head in if you call us that again."

I landed a hand on her shoulders to stop her. "No. No. Not here. Minne, go ahead. And Tessa, please calm down. Wrong place for this."

Tessa huffed. "Calling us prostitutes, unbelievable. I'm coming with you, Minne."

"Y-yes…" Minne followed her quickly.

When they disappeared into the restroom hallway, silence settled over everything.

"Wait," Julia said, squinting. "Isn't that the woman from the news? TechForge's new CEO?"

"Yep," I said quickly. "We're, uh… doing an office—day… shopping… thing. We're all friends here."

Man, fuck me. Worst lie ever. But she had to buy it—no way she'd believe I somehow scored the company of these women.

"Huh…" she murmured, clearly unsure. "O-okay."

"We shouldn't take more of your time," Nala said as kindly as possible. "Take care, Julia."

"Right… you too."

We parted ways, the girls moving with me toward the railing overlooking the mall's open center. People milled around below, holiday lights scattered across the railings, music drifting from different stores.

Nala leaned slightly against the railing beside me. "So," she said quietly, "why did you dump her?"

I sighed. "She was rich. I was poor. That's it."

Nala blinked. "Wow. That's idiotic."

"That's the same thing I said when I heard it the first time," Tessa muttered as she and Minne rejoined us, walking from the restroom. "Honestly, Evan."

Minne nodded shyly. "Um… I agree."

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Even Minne says I'm an idiot." I said, shaking my head with a small laugh. "Let's stop roasting me and get coffee."

We walked together toward the café, the smell of roasted beans and warm pastries calling us in. The place was wedged between two clothing stores, its soft yellow lighting spilling out onto the hallway like a warm invitation. Inside, every table seemed taken—college students hunched over laptops, couples sharing desserts, families juggling strollers and muffins. The hum of chatter blended with the occasional whirr of the espresso machine.

Despite the crowd, a group of seats opened up in the corner just as we stepped in. Jasmine darted forward and claimed it.

"Mine," she said, then laughed as the rest of us followed her to the table.

We sat around the wide wooden table—Nala beside me, Kim and Jasmine on one side, Tessa and Minne across from us. The chair squeaked slightly under me as I settled in, stretching my legs from all the walking.

A waiter approached with a polite smile and a notepad. "Hello, what can I get for you?"

"Caramel latte," Jasmine said immediately.

"Flat white for me," Kim added.

"Mocha," Tessa chimed in, leaning back comfortably.

"Chamomile tea," Minne whispered.

Nala glanced at me, then at the menu. "Cappuccino."

"And for you, sir?"

"Black coffee," I said. "No sugar."

"Of course." The waiter nodded and left through the crowd.

As soon as he was gone, Tessa grinned at Minne, mischief all over her face. "So, little maid… that lingerie set is going to look amazing on you."

Minne's face went scarlet instantly. She tugged at the edge of her sleeve. "I… I still cannot believe you bought that for me, Ms. Tessa."

"Oh, don't thank me," Tessa teased. "Thank Master. He's the one you'll be showing it off to."

Minne peeked at me shyly through her lashes. "Mm…"

I smirked. "Well, I hope to see it on you tonight, Minne."

She straightened slightly—still shy, but glowing with embarrassment. "Of course, Master. I… I hope you like how it looks on me."

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice just for her. "Minne, you'd look good in anything. Or nothing. Trust me."

She squeaked and hid her face behind her hands while Jasmine and Kim snickered.

"Look at her," Jasmine said. "She's about to melt."

"She's adorable," Nala agreed, smiling softly.

We kept chatting while waiting for the drinks. The girls compared their Nuppia bags, holding up their new clothes for each other like excited kids.

"I can't wait to wear this jacket," Tessa said, lifting hers by the hanger. "It fits like a glove."

"That necklace you bought is cute," Kim added, pointing at the little box in Jasmine's hand.

"Oh, that?" Jasmine wiggled her eyebrows. "I'm wearing it to work tomorrow. First thing."

Nala looked at the gray blouse she picked. "I'm glad Kim suggested the gray. The white one was too bright."

"I know," Kim laughed. "But still—you're going to look like a whole boss in that thing."

"I am a boss," Nala said with a smirk.

"Yeah, and you shop like one now," I added.

She elbowed me gently.

The waiter finally returned with a tray full of drinks. The table filled with warm steam and the smell of chocolate, cinnamon, and rich coffee.

"There you go," he said as he set each cup down.

The warmth of my black coffee seeped into my hands, the mug radiating just enough heat to melt the cold from the mall's AC. Around us, the café buzzed with life—but our little corner felt almost insulated, like the world softened for a moment.

Jasmine blew on her latte before sipping. "God, this is good."

Minne cupped her tea with both hands like it was the most precious thing she owned. "This is… very nice," she whispered.

Nala relaxed back in her chair, gaze softening. "We needed this."

Damn right we did.

❤︎‬‪‪❤︎‬‪‪❤︎

I unlocked the door and stepped in, letting the shopping bags thud into the hallway. My legs were done. I staggered into the living room and collapsed face-first onto the couch, exhaling like I'd just climbed ten flights of stairs.

"I'm beat."

"What?" Tessa's voice floated in from the hallway. "We shopped for three hours, not three days."

"Yeah. And I'm beat," I mumbled into the cushion again.

"Ya wuss."

A soft shuffle of feet. Minne's shy voice appeared above me. "A-are you going to sleep, Master?"

I rolled over and looked up at her. She was hugging her little pink bag to her chest like a shield, eyes huge and sparkling with hope. That look alone could resurrect a dead man.

I smiled, slow and warm. "Not a chance, baby."

"Yes!" She did the tiniest, cutest hop, then slapped both hands over her mouth like she'd been too loud. "S-should I… um… t-try the thing now?"

"Oh fuck yes you are," Tessa crowed, appearing in the doorway with a towel slung over her shoulder. "Right, oh mighty Master?"

I sat up, grinning. "Yes, ma'am."

Jasmine sauntered over, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. "Rest up a sec, handsome. We'll get ready."

"Get ready?" I asked, brow raised.

She bent to my ear, voice a velvet whisper that shot straight to my cock. "You're fucking all our tight little asses tonight, Master. Give us a minute to prep."

My throat went dry. My dick throbbed so hard it actually hurt.

Jasmine straightened, winked, and disappeared toward the common bathroom. The others scattered as well: Nala heading to the master bedroom with a knowing smirk, Kim and Nala hauling bags.

Tessa grabbed Minne's wrist. "Come on, Maid. Let's get that backdoor squeaky clean for your Master."

"Y-yes!" Minne squeaked, cheeks flaming, letting herself be dragged toward her own bathroom.

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