Chapter 325: President Fairchild’s Little Thoughts
"Ma’am, these toys are perfect for children ages three to six. They’re very engaging, and they can even help develop their minds."
Melody Monroe glanced at the one the clerk recommended.
It was a small, brightly colored musical drum.
An image suddenly flashed through her mind: Ian, holding this thing and playing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" for her. ’I can’t even picture it without cringing!’
’There’s no way my dear Ian would play with such a childish toy!’
"I’ll just get this one instead." Melody chose a set of building blocks depicting a police-and-robber chase scene.
After paying, Melody took out her phone to check the time. It was only ten-thirty.
’Should I buy Evan Fairchild a gift?’
’But it’s not a special occasion. Wouldn’t giving him a gift be a little strange?’
’Then again, I’ve already bought something for Ian, so I might as well get him something too, right?’
’What would be a good gift for him?’
’It seems like he already has everything he could possibly want.’
’Things like watches, belts, or ties... she couldn’t afford any of them. The price tags on his clothes and accessories would probably be enough to give her a heart attack.’
Torn, Melody continued to wander aimlessly through the mall.
Suddenly, she spotted a uniquely decorated storefront. It had a vintage look, like a shop that sold pens.
As soon as she stepped inside, she saw all sorts of pens on display.
She had never seen a shop quite like it.
"Welcome. Are you looking for anything in particular, ma’am?"
Melody’s gaze immediately fell upon a fountain pen on display in the counter.
"An excellent eye, ma’am. This is our newest model." The clerk walked over and took the pen out of the display case.
Melody held it in her hand, feeling its substantial weight.
The black barrel had a subtle sheen, like a dark gemstone. The cap had a gold-colored band. ’It can’t be real gold, can it?’ The pen’s style was a perfect match for Evan Fairchild’s aura.
That was why Melody had been so taken with it at first glance.
"How much is this pen?"
"18,999."
Melody’s hand trembled.
"It’s worth every penny, ma’am. If you’re buying it for a loved one, this is the perfect choice."
Melody glanced at the other pens. "Do you have anything... a little less expensive?"
"Of course. Our least expensive model is 1,999. Let me get it for you so you can compare."
Placing the two pens together, the difference was immediately apparent.
’The one for nineteen-ninety-nine was by no means cheap itself.’
’But the materials of the 1,999 pen and the 18,999 one were on completely different levels.’
’If she was going to give it to Evan Fairchild, she couldn’t possibly give him the 1,999 one. It just wasn’t good enough.’
’She was starting to regret this. Why on earth had she thought it was a good idea to buy a gift for Evan Fairchild?’
"Thanks, I’ll just look around a bit more," Melody said, then turned and left the shop.
...
Melody had said she would come back as soon as the contract was signed.
Evan Fairchild had kept his schedule clear, so after arriving at the office, he was all alone.
But his mere presence was enough to cast a tense pall over the entire company.
He glanced at the time and dialed Keith Coleman’s cell phone.
To his surprise, the phone was off.
He trusted Keith to handle his work, but his phone being off still struck him as odd.
Seeing that President Fairchild was in no mood to work, Tommy didn’t dare bother him with business matters.
Evan Fairchild looked out the window, thinking to himself.
’When Melody gets back, she’s going to be incredibly disappointed. How should I comfort her?’
’People online say there’s no bad mood that a shopping spree can’t fix! Retail therapy is the best medicine... especially if it involves handbags!’
"Tommy."
"President Fairchild."
Evan Fairchild immediately took out a piece of paper and wrote a list on it.
"Go buy everything on this list and have it delivered to the hotel."
Tommy took the piece of paper and gulped.