Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

But what unfolded next was not at all what the sales associate had anticipated.

Silver sauntered over to Madge, took in her outfit, and said, "That dress is a stunner on you."

Silver had tried it on herself and thought it was decent, but it clearly suited Madge better. It wasn't just about the fit; it was more about the vibe. Silver's aura was a bit too bold, not quite as soft. Madge, on the other hand, was just right. She had a gentle appearance, a soft smile, and her eyes were soothing. It was the kind of look that couldn't possibly offend anyone.

Honestly, Silver wasn't usually drawn to women with a soft vibe, like her sister-in-law Nola or Mr. Cole in that cheongsam from the tea class last week. But Madge, unexpectedly, was quite pleasing to the eye.

The sales associate lingered nearby, hesitant to speak, while Madge, being perceptive, quickly pieced the situation together. She smiled warmly at Silver, "Really? Thank you." Gesturing to a dress next to her, she suggested, "Your figure is quite classic, and I think you'd look fabulous in this style of dress. You should give it a try..."

Silver had somewhat of an hourglass figure, with a fuller upper body and a slender waist, making dresses that highlighted her waistline more suitable. The dress she was wearing, although well-made in both cut and fabric, didn't accentuate her figure's strengths, making her appear somewhat bulky instead.

The dress Madge suggested was also black and slimming, with a cut that emphasized the waistline and a high-waist design resembling a mermaid tail, adding a touch of ease to the seriousness of the black color. Silver decided to give it a go and was surprised to find it fit perfectly. Her reflection in the mirror even shocked her.

"Your eye for fashion is spot on. Have you studied styling or something?"

Madge shook her head, "No, but I do love flipping through fashion magazines."

"Just from looking?"

"Well, practicing on my own helps too..."

They chatted as they walked around. When the sales associate went to process their payment, Silver noticed a novel in Madge's bag with a familiar cover.

"Hey, are you reading Seven Days too?"

"Too?" Madge was surprised. "You read it as well?"

"Not me, my youngest son. He's been into mystery novels lately, started with Seven Days a while ago and then moved on to other books by the same author... The Weapon, Abandoned Village School, stuff like that..."

"Oh yeah, and he's even been reading some of the author's teen drama literature. I brought him lunch the other day, saw it on his desk and flipped through it. Oh boy, nearly died from the cheesiness..." Madge went silent.

Her embarrassing past just hit her unexpectedly. Other than cringing, she was utterly embarrassed, wishing she could just disappear.

Silver continued, "But to be fair, the author might not shine with teen drama, but their mystery novels are definitely worth a read. They're. popular for a reason, must have passed the market test, so they can't be all that bad."

Madge was at a loss for words.

After paying, the sales associate handed Silver her card and the neatly packaged clothes with a big smile. Silver took them, said her goodbyes to Madge, and headed for the door, where she literally bumped into Roseanne.

They caught each other's eye and there was a flash of mutual recognition, but neither of them said hello.

Roseanne thought, she had a good memory and remembered this wealthy lady, but the lady might not remember her. Approaching her out of the blue would only make it seem like she had an ulterior motive.