The second she stepped into the back section, Emelia felt a chill run down her spine. The lights were slightly dimmer here, the ambiance colder. The usual hum of music and quiet chatter from the main store was oddly muted. It felt wrong.
The woman ahead of her walked confidently, not bothering to check if Emelia was keeping up. When they reached a heavy wooden door at the end of the hall, she stopped and turned with that same artificial smile.
"Inside," she said softly. "You'll find everything your partner picked."
Emelia didn't move.
"Is there a reason he didn't come with you?" she asked calmly.
The employee's smile twitched at the corners. "He was held up. But he insisted."
"Funny," Emelia said, eyes narrowing. "Because that doesn't sound like him at all."
She stepped back, her senses fully alert now. This wasn't just a sales tactic.
She could feel the pressure in the air, a strange stillness that told her this was more than a ploy to sell overpriced clothes.
