Mistaken For Nobody When I’m The Boss

I was about to leave my brother's streetwear boutique on Rodeo Drive when the manager stopped me. "Ma'am, you haven't paid for that haute couture gown."

I looked at her unfamiliar face, assuming she was new and didn't recognize me. I explained politely, "Just put it on the owner's tab. Caleb knows."

The manager’s expression soured. "Ma'am, this is one of the most exclusive boutiques in Los Angeles. It's not a place for wannabes to play dress-up."

She handed me a printed bill.

I glanced at it. Seventy-five thousand dollars.

My own brother's store? Since when were the rules so ridiculous? The absurdity of it all made me let out a sharp laugh. "I'm Audrey Montgomery, the owner's sister. If there's a problem, he can take it up with me at home."

But she was relentless. "If you can't afford it, don't put on airs. And don't you dare pretend to know Mr. Caleb Montgomery."

I quickly sent a text to my assistant, Liam.

"Tell Caleb he either fires this manager, or I'm pulling my investment."

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1

"Ma'am, stop wasting everyone's time and pay up."

The manager's tone was sharp, as if she'd already judged me a thief.

Curious shoppers began to turn their heads, their gazes lingering on us.

I frowned, not wanting to waste another second on this farce. I took out my phone to call my brother, Caleb Montgomery.

The line was busy. I tried again, but it still wouldn't go through.

It was a weekday. What on earth was he so busy with?

I pocketed my phone and met her gaze. "Let me say this one more time," I said, my voice low and deliberate. "My name is Audrey Montgomery. I am Caleb's sister. If you don't believe me, check the company's shareholder records."

That, I thought, should settle this.

However, upon hearing my name, the manager didn't even bother to check. Instead, she burst into a loud, braying laugh, drawing even more attention.

She suddenly leaned in, lowering her voice so only we could hear. "Still playing make-believe? I've seen you lurking on my dear Caleb's social media. You're just some pathetic old hag clinging to my man! And you have the nerve to come here and try to put something on his tab? Have you no shame?"

I was momentarily stunned. I glanced at her name tag: Savannah Pierce. A wave of weary disbelief washed over me. So, this was Caleb's so-called mysterious girlfriend, the one he wouldn't even show me a picture of.

How could Caleb's taste be so abysmal?

Then it clicked. This outrageous seventy-five-thousand-dollar bill wasn't a misunderstanding. It was a setup, designed to humiliate me.

Before I could say another word, she lost her patience. "This woman is trying to leave without paying! Hold her until the police arrive!"

With a wave of her hand, two burly security guards who had been standing by descended on me.

One clamped a hand tightly over my mouth while the other twisted my arms behind my back.

I struggled, but against their combined strength, it was futile.

Ignoring my furious glare and the gasps of other customers, they hauled me toward the back of the shop. Then, they threw me into a storeroom cluttered with fabric and smelling of dust.

The door slammed shut with a bang, plunging me into darkness and silence.