Stella Sterling watched him. 'He's not even trying to keep his voice down. So arrogant. Isn't he afraid he'll get beaten up later?'
'Small change? This is hardly small change.'
She had spent tens of thousands at each store, at a minimum. If they hadn't been so low on inventory, she would have spent even more.
It all added up to several million, yet to him, it was just small change. 'What a generous fool, with more money than sense.'
She positioned herself slightly behind him, just in case he tried to bolt.
The store managers all heard what Ethan Cheney said, but they didn't break their stride. Acting as if they hadn't heard a thing, they hurried over to him.
"This young lady just spent 120,000 in our shop!"
"Our shop, 30,000!"
"And in our shop—"
The managers each presented their bills. Ethan Cheney's smile vanished, and his expression darkened visibly.
He roared, "How could little shops like yours cost so much money? Don't think you can treat me like an idiot just because I'm rich!"
"Mr. Cheney, the bills are all right here. We wouldn't dare try to cheat you!"
As Ethan Cheney stared at the ridiculously long receipts, he was nearly stunned speechless. He whipped his head around to face Stella Sterling. "Stella Sterling, have you lost your mind? What on earth did you buy?!"
Stella Sterling looked completely innocent, feigning surprise. "But didn't you say I could buy anything I wanted on this street?"
"What's wrong? Having regrets?"
She stared at him, her smile growing cold. "It's fine. If you can't afford it, we'll just return it all. I, for one, am not afraid of being embarrassed!"
Ethan Cheney choked back his anger. With so many people watching, he was trapped by his own boast—
He glanced at Stella Sterling, who stood a short distance away. She was giving him a look that screamed, 'You can't actually afford this, you're just putting on a show,' and the words of regret died in his throat.
"Who says I can't afford this!" he shouted, then roared, "Just wait! Form a line, one at a time!"
After roaring, he pulled out his phone and started calling his friends, his face a grim mask.
The payment process alone took nearly half an hour. During that time, the items Stella Sterling had purchased began arriving in waves. She had bought so much that everything had to be packed into large boxes for her.
Onlookers who saw this scene started to stare. 'What's going on over there? Why did one person order so much stuff?'
It wasn't just the customers wondering about this; the shop owners were just as confused.
Stella Sterling offered no explanation. She couldn't care less what these people thought. Their opinions were their own business. All that mattered was that she had achieved her goal.
Due to the sheer volume, the snack vendors couldn't prepare all the food at once. Stella Sterling had them pack it up as it was made, and once a good amount was ready, she had someone help her load it into her little vehicle.
Once the vehicle was full, she said, "Could you all please keep packing the rest just like this and set it aside? I'm going to take this load to my friends, and I'll be back for the rest in a bit!"
"Sure thing, miss! Don't you worry, I'll watch over things here for you!" the barbecue stand owner said, patting his chest confidently and assuring Stella Sterling she could go.
The man paying the bills was still there, so the other owners didn't care that Stella Sterling was leaving. They gave her a nod and clustered around Ethan Cheney once more.
Ethan Cheney, however, saw Stella Sterling's dilapidated little truck and felt his arrogance return. "You're a lady of the Sterling Family, and you drive a piece of junk like this?"
He actually felt a bit of pity for Stella Sterling. For a high-society lady, she was living a truly pathetic life. Compared to that *fake* young lady of the Sterling Family, the difference was night and day.
"You're right. How could I possibly compare to you!"
Stella Sterling nodded and drove off.
'A junker is better than nothing. I had to fight just to get this one. Otherwise, I wouldn't even have a car at all.'
At this thought, Stella Sterling's mind started churning. 'I'm still technically a lady of the Sterling Family. If I want to get my hands on some money, the Sterling Family itself is a prime target...'
She made five or six trips like this, each time with her vehicle stuffed to the brim. Of course, she wasn't actually making deliveries. She would drive a short distance, transfer the goods into her pocket dimension, then wait a moment before heading back.
This way, everyone just assumed she was dropping the goods off somewhere nearby, which saved her a great deal of time.
After she filled the truck for the sixth time, she had finally collected all her purchases. Ethan Cheney, who had finished paying long ago, was still there waiting for her.
She thought for a moment. 'His words are nasty, but he did buy me all this food. I guess I should be a little nicer to him.'
She walked over, her smile sincere. "Thank you, generous benefactor!"
Those two words, "generous benefactor," made Ethan Cheney's face instantly darken. He had been a complete sucker today. Several million had vanished from his account just like that. He'd even had to borrow money from a friend; otherwise, he would have been utterly humiliated.
His face was grim. "I spent so much money on you today. How do you plan on repaying me?"
Stella Sterling wasn't the least bit fazed. She closed the truck's cargo bed and walked toward the driver's side door, calling back, "You offered on your own accord. You were doing a good deed. Why would you expect anything in return?"
Ethan Cheney swallowed his words. 'The cost of this "good deed" is a little steep.'
Seeing her get into the truck, about to leave, he hurriedly said, "It looks like you're not having a great time with the Sterling Family. You're still just as pathetic and broke as ever. How about you consider getting with me?"
He thought for a moment, then added, "But you've rejected me before, so being my girlfriend is out of the question. However, if you beg me, I might consider letting you be my mistress!"
As he spoke these humiliating words, Stella Sterling rolled down her window. She rested an arm on the frame and looked at him with a slight smile. "Make me your mistress? I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to handle it."
"And another thing. You should be thankful that spending all your money put me in a good mood. Otherwise, you'd be paying a price for that mouth of yours."
With that, her truck sped off in a cloud of dust, leaving Ethan Cheney standing alone with an ugly expression on his face. "Hah. Stella Sterling, you think you can take my money that easily!"