For years, she had always been the one buying clothes for him, every season, eight outfits, four pairs of shoes, each carefully chosen and brand new from the mall. His suits were always pristine, his leather shoes gleaming with an almost unnatural shine.
But her own clothes? They came from the discount racks near the zoo, ten dollars for one, fifteen for two.
Seeing Astrella’s silence, Norella tossed another bag in her direction, a mocking smile on her lips.
“Look,” Norella said, her voice dripping with satisfaction, “even lingerie; Raiden bought this for me. This foreign brand, one set, costs five hundred!”
“And lipstick, perfume, anything I desire, even things I don’t want, he buys it all for me.”
Norella’s eyes gleamed mischievously.
“Oh, how could I forget the best part?” she added, sneaking a box of condoms from her bag. She held it up with a wink as if showing off a prized possession.
“When he paid, he slipped this in secretly. Do you think this brand is any good? I honestly don’t have much experience with it myself.”
Astrella moved her lips slightly, her voice barely a whisper. “If you two want to use them, then use them…”