Escaped My Ex, Got Snatched by His Rival - Chapter 60

The Ding of Doom or Happiness?
Author’s note:

1) Why Ariana is going back when she knows her mother hates her?

Ans. Ariana has a mental sickness as mentioned many time, she also has anxiety which makes it difficult for her to do something out of the ordinary or what is expected of her.. Moreover, she was suppressed my her mother ever since she was a child and the fear in her heart is too big for her to just ——snap out of it. She will grow out of it but give her time, this is just the start.

2) Is it important for the plot for Ari to return?

Ans. Very because this is where the main story will start. Ari needs to break free of her family and tell them that she was done with them which will further lead to various complications and connect the story to the main climax. If not it will go astray. I can’t let the plot deviate please understand.

3) Is author finally publishing a flop?

Ans. I don’t know. But I assure you that you will love the twists, there are three in the story. I can’t say that the story will be everyone’s cup of tea but I am trying my best, please give my characters a chance to develop.

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“Good afternoon, Lady! Do you want to try your luck with the antiques?”

“Come here, young miss! I have brought a new stash of perfumes. Take a look at it, you will be amazed.”

“Look at these shoes, the finest quality you will find at the price I am selling them for.”

Ari stepped inside the narrow alley where the black market was located, she watched the hawkers advertising their products while some people haggled with the other shopkeepers.

“Two hundred dollars for these?” A plump woman exclaimed while holding a pair of glittering heels in her hands. “These are not worth thirty! Look at this hole here, did you think you could fool me like this?” She pointed at the hole in the heels while speaking to the seller.

Ari could see that the vendor who was selling shoes in the small stall was not honest, as he insisted that it was the woman who made a hole in the heels. She shook her head and then moved on to another stall, upon noticing a stall that was selling handbags, Ari quickly walked up to the vendor.

“Good afternoon, Miss,” the vendor smiled at Ari as he looked up from the cleaning that he was doing. He placed the duster on the side and then questioned Ari, “How may I help you?”

“I need a handbag. One for a woman in her late fifties,” she paused and then subtly added, “She is very particular about brands and whatnot, I would like something classy and charming to the eye.”

Ari did not want to waste any money on her mother anymore, but at the same time, she would rather not be blamed by her mother for being petty and miserly. It would give Ariel another opportunity to show off how kind and understanding she was, while Ari was everything that their parents did not want as a child.

“Ah, I have just the very thing you are looking for,” the vendor spoke as he turned around and then picked up a shimmery silver clutch. It had small flowers sticking on one side, each flower had diamond-shaped petals and under the light of the stall, it glimmered beautifully.

The vendor placed the clutch in front of Ari and then showed it off by turning it in a circle. “This is one of the best-selling clutches from my stall. Everyone from the young to old like this, if you gift this to the receiver, surely they would like it.”

“The last time a woman in her early forties bought this clutch, I kid you not, she returned to purchase another one. This old man knows his stuff, I can assure you, young miss. You will not find a clutch in this quality and at the price that I am selling it,” the vendor praised his product while displaying all its quality.

Ari was amused by the words of the old man. Even though she hadn’t visited the black market for three years, it did not mean that she forgot all about her experience in this place.

“And you are selling this for?” Ari questioned, wanting to know the price of the clutch.

With Ari asking the price, the vendor thought that his clutch was sold, that was how it was for the rest of his customers. He smiled and rubbed his hands before saying, “It’s not expensive. Just a hundred dollars, miss.”

His price caused Ari to laugh. She pointed at the clutch and then said, “You want to sell this clutch for a hundred dollars?”

The vendor opened his mouth to speak, but Ari cut him off and stated firmly, “If I wanted to spend a hundred dollars on a clutch, I would be in a mall and not in the black market. I might look naive, but I know my stuff as well, old sir. Now tell me the genuine price,”

When the vendor saw Ari haggling, he knew that even though Ari looked like some rich Missy, she knew her way around the black market. He sighed and sat down before throwing out, “Fifty dollars, not a dollar less.”

Ari picked up the clutch and looked over it, including the inside of it. When she saw that there was nothing wrong with it, she nodded and said, “Fine. Pack it up.”

Though she wanted to haggle more, Ari decided to let the old man off when she saw his hunched back.

The vendor’s eyes lit up, he was afraid that Ari would haggle even more as he had picked this clutch for twenty dollars from the shop that refused to sell it because one of the flowers had a small flaw. The vendor knew the real price and was a bit nervous.

Thus, Ari’s words were like sunshine after rain for the old man, who heaved a sigh of relief and thanked Ari.

“Thank you, Miss.”

Ari picked up the bag after she was done with her purchase. She took her change and then headed out of the alley when she noticed a small stall, on which the vendor was selling cotton candy.

‘When was the last time I ate a cotton candy?’ Ari thought with a wistful expression on her face. Even before she got married to Noah, her parents did not purchase cotton candy for her. Every time they visited fairs, her parents would buy cotton candies and snacks for Aaron and Ariel.

However, she did not get one because purchasing anything for her would stretch their expenses.

The only time she received a cotton candy was when she got lost and the person who found her was tired of her constant crying.

‘Here, take this and stop crying like a sissy!’

Even now, Ari could remember the annoyance in the voice of that boy, even if she couldn’t remember his face.

“Should I try one?” Ari mused, even though her feet were already moving towards the stall. “Excuse me,” she said to the owner of the stall, “Can you make one for me?”

“Right away, miss,” the vendor said to Ari.

However, just as the vendor took the money from Ari and turned, a ding resounded in the surroundings.

Ari, noticing that it came from her phone to check it and ——