18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 381

The woman's voice was like nails on a chalkboard, her eyes brimming with disdain. "Well, well, looks like every club has its squirrels, and even The Elite Club can't avoid hiring some snooty staff." Stella couldn't help but wonder, how did someone like her get hired? Or maybe she was leaning on her military family background, thinking she was a cut above the rest?

The trio and their dog turned in unison, all eyes on the haughty waitress. A face both familiar and strange made Stella do a double-take. Wasn't this the same socialite who raised alpacas? It seemed they were related, possibly daughters of the same absent-minded mother.

To fit her scrappy scavenger persona, Stella wore clothes that hadn't seen a wash in days, her face greasy and dirty, and her hair a tangled mess. Jasper was no different, the epitome of a rugged man with stories etched in his weathered face. Julia didn't recognize them, but Stella caught her eye immediately. She wasn't as polished as before, but still lived better than most, with her natural beauty and pale skin shining through even without makeup.

"What kind of service is this?" Stella sneered, "Call your manager over here!"

The pet owner was livid, and Cooper, the fierce little dog, leaped out, baring its teeth at Julia, "Woof!" Not just threatening her, but looking ready to bite.

"Ahh!" The moment she saw the dog's face, Julia's color drained. That dog, the one that bit her precious Mimi years ago! That darn dog was still alive, and then... her eyes shot to Stella, blood pounding in her temples. She, she was at The Elite Club?

Stella had no clue why Julia was here, nor did she care to dig into her dirty past. But Julia's condescending attitude was enough to warrant a lesson. "Oh, is it my clothes that don't belong in this mall?" Stella said mockingly. "Or do you think you're too good to serve customers? If you're that high and mighty, why bother working for a paycheck? You're just wasting space."

"Woof!" Go chew on that.

Memories long buried surged into Julia's mind, the humiliation from the past resurfacing. Julia, teeth clenched in silent rage, was caught in a storm of shock, "You... you..."

Her outburst drew Tricia, the team leader, who was busy inside, to quickly come out. Seeing the commotion, Tricia couldn't help but roll her eyes. Some people never change, always stirring up trouble!

She took a deep breath and approached with a smile, "Hello there, how may I assist you today?"

Stella was blunt, pointing at Julia, "Your employee is flirting on the job, categorizing customers, and hurling insults." She slammed her loyalty card on the counter with a defiant attitude, "Think you're better than us, huh? Maybe I should just buy this place out!" Tricia glanced at Julia, her face red with both embarrassment and seething anger, as if she wanted to tear the customer apart. This girl... what a piece of work.

Tricia quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, she's new here and isn't familiar with our policies. I apologize on her behalf."

"New, huh? Why didn't you say she's a temp?" Stella wasn't satisfied with the explanation, "Acting all high and mighty just because she has connections? If she's such a princess, she should stay home. What's she doing working here without any sense of serving the public?"

Tricia was at a loss for words, even repeated apologies didn't seem to work. Julia was trembling with fury, "Stella, you're going too far."

"Too far?" Stella retorted, "Nowhere near as far as you went just now. If you're so capable, then don't bother working here. The last thing we need is someone who humiliates customers."

Tricia had dealt with all sorts of difficult customers but never one with a grudge like this. If Stella didn't let this go and complained to the higher-ups, Tricia could face a performance review and even lose income. Seeing Stella wasn't one to back down easily, Tricia decided to stop coddling Julia, her face stern, "Julia, apologize to the customer, now!"

Apologize? As if! Julia couldn't bring herself to apologize, but Stella seemed intent on making a scene. The commotion had drawn a crowd, all watching eagerly at the mall entrance. Overwhelmed with frustration and embarrassment, Julia's tears started to fall. Stella wasn't buying it, "Crying? You've got the nerve to cry after the way you treated us!" Julia covered her face and pushed through the crowd, fleeing the scene. Tricia was at a loss, once again profusely apologizing to Stella, "I'm terribly sorry, we will handle her according to our policies."

"I'll be waiting," Stella said, not letting up, "Make sure you tell me the outcome. If you brush this off, I'll make a formal complaint."

With no choice left, Tricia put on a strained smile, "Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

Julia was just a sideshow to Stella, who was already looking past her, "What materials are used for the escape pods?" Tricia quickly called over another employee, dedicated to serving the customers.

The materials for the escape pods were a bit complex, and they brought out the manual for the customers. Stella and Jasper examined it carefully; the materials were decent, but still a far cry from pre-apocalyptic aviation standards. However, they should withstand earthquakes and tsunamis, though comfort would be compromised. After some thought, Stella decided against it.

But she took the opportunity to inquire about submarines, "Do you offer training with a submarine purchase?" The employee paused, "Training is included, and it comes with nuclear fuel power."

Nuclear fuel power? That sounded promising, and Stella took the manual for further reading. Then, without buying anything, she left. The staff smiled as they saw the group out, then turned to Tricia, rolling their eyes, "They're just posing, can't even afford an escape pod, let alone a submarine." Tricia shot them a warning look, "Do you want to end up like Julia? No matter how many points they have, a customer is a customer. We are here to serve, not to judge. That's our purpose."

"Tricia's got a point," the clerk chimed in, unable to hide her indignation, "you're always bending over backwards for Julia. If they actually go through with a complaint, you'll be the one taking the fall, again."

Tricia sighed in exasperation, "What do you suggest we do? She's the daughter of a big shot..."