Lock You In My Heart novel Chapter 337

Jackson took Gabrielle directly to the Aud Square shopping mall. There was a wide selection of clothes from top international brands, so he had no doubt that they could easily find suitable outfits — perhaps even the most stylish ones.

Jackson originally wanted to take her to a designer studio. He was engaged in jewelry design, so he knew a lot of people in the fashion industry. Jackson had plenty of contacts — most of whom were the best at what they did.

That included a dresser and a stylist — both would have been eager to help at a moment's notice.

However, they didn't have enough time, and Jackson didn't want to bother anyone. That was why he decided to take her to the mall. He and Gabrielle were going to have to look for clothing themselves.

When Gabrielle saw where they were headed, she felt a little uncomfortable. She shifted her weight and tried not to think of the last time she was here with Mia. There was this crazy woman named Emily who hit Gabrielle's back. She was severely hurt. Even when she thought about it now, she could feel the phantom pain. That memory wasn't easy to erase.

"Jackson, are we going shopping here?" Gabrielle asked with uncertainty again. She already knew it was impossible, but she hoped they were just passing by and were actually on their way somewhere else.

"Why? What's wrong? You don't like the stuff here?" Jackson glanced at her with indifference. He didn't really care what her preference was. After all, they weren't here to stroll around and enjoy.

"It's not that I don't like it. You see, this place is known for selling luxury and premium brands. I'm afraid I can't afford the clothes here," Gabrielle told him honestly. It was true. It would probably cost her an entire month's salary to buy one simple dress.

Jackson was shocked to hear that. He never thought about the price when buying things — he never even bothered glancing at them or asking the shop assistants. If he liked something, he purchased it — regardless of how much it cost.

It was the same with everything else he bought — if he wanted it, he would buy it. End of story.

Then again, that was obviously because Jackson was rich. He could afford anything and everything he liked. Not looking at the price was a typical characteristic of wealthy people. To them, there wasn't much difference between buying a $250 watch and one with a price tag of $3000. Gabrielle was clearly not in the same tax bracket as him.

"Gabrielle, are you that poor?" Jackson, for once, wasn't acting arrogant and condescending. He was genuinely curious.

He didn't mean to look down on her, but there was no other way to phrase the question. Jackson didn't expect to hear that from her.

He gave Gabrielle a quick assessing look. She didn't look like someone who couldn't afford the items offered in this shopping mall. He actually thought she was rich enough.

"Yes, Jackson. I am poor," Gabrielle admitted honestly. There was no shame in that. At least she didn't pretend she could afford things when it reality, she could not.

Jackson burst into laughter. He found Gabrielle's honesty rather refreshing. She wasn't ashamed to admit it.

It was as if he was seeing Gabrielle for the first time. She was different from other women. Nowadays, most women were superficial and were so obsessed with luxury brands that they didn't mind getting up to their ears in debt just to pretend they were rich.

Gabrielle wasn't luxurious. Plus, she was blunt about her financial status. That was rare.

"Well, fine. Don't think about not being able to afford things here. If you don't have enough money, then just ask Jason to reimburse all your expenses. You don't even have a decent dress. As his mentee, he should help you take care of things like that. He really doesn't care about you. If you were under my mentorship, I wouldn't let you dress so casually." Jackson strode inside — he didn't even look over his shoulder to see if Gabrielle was following.

Gabrielle was still reeling from what Jackson told her. It was the first time she heard about having her mentor reimburse her clothing expenses. She hurried after him, afraid that he might snarl at her again.

Jackson was familiar with the shopping mall and its stores, which was why he navigated it easily. He wasn't exactly a shopaholic. But sometimes, when he needed inspiration, he liked to go around looking at different shops.

Still, h

e liked establishments like this — different goods, different designs, different people and personalities. Everything about it brought him inspiration for different designs. It was something that came in handy when he wanted to create something unique.

Jackson led her directly to the sixth floor where the women's clothing department was located. He knew what each brand offered, so he didn't go to the shops with styles that didn't suit Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle, come in," Jackson commanded.

Even though she felt out of place, Gabrielle followed him.

Jackson didn't need help in choosing clothes for Gabrielle. He knew what he was looking for, so he picked up several pieces and gave it to the shop assistant. He pointed to Gabrielle and told the saleslady to find the right size.

"Gabrielle, what do you think?" Jackson held out some dresses for Gabrielle to see. Although he was used to having people follow everything he said, he acknowledged Gabrielle's opinion too. After all, she was going to be the one wearing them. It would look obvious if she didn't like what she wore.

"It's fine. I trust your taste." Gabrielle offered a small smile. In truth, she couldn't pick anything if he asked. The only thing on her mind was how expensive everything was. Each item easily cost thousands of dollars.

She didn't even dare touch the clothes, afraid of leaving a smudge.

She was going to pick up Melissa, and Jackson was more familiar with the other woman's style and preferences. Naturally, Jackson would choose something that not only suited Gabrielle but would also impress Melissa.

They needed a good first impression, so Gabrielle just let Jackson take the lead.

"Okay. Go ahead and try these." Jackson tipped his chin to the shop assistant, signaling her to bring the clothes into the fitting room. He then sat comfortably and crossed his legs.

"Go and try them, Gabrielle. I'll wait here." Jackson busied himself with his mobile phone. He was quiet and uninterested in what was going on around him. He didn't look at others, and it was clear he didn't welcome anyone coming up to talk to him.

Jackson was good-looking and well-dressed. He looked every inch a gentleman. It was no surprise that he earned the looks of several shoppers. But he had a coldness to him that was unmistakable. No one dared to approach him, and they could only look at him from a distance.

The shop assistants and other female customers were secretly looking at him, stealing glances every now and then. Some even took photos.

Jackson wasn't completely unaware of the commotion he caused, but he was used to it. He didn't care about these people and automatically tuned them out.

"Oh my God! He's so handsome."

"He looks like those male leads in comic books!"

"Wow, look at his face and his build. Is he a model? Or a celebrity?"

"It's rare for a man to go shopping with his girlfriend now. Look at how he's patiently sitting there."

"Yes, totally! He even picked out clothes for her. Who does that nowadays?"

"I saw him come in with that beautiful woman. He chose the clothes then sat down to wait for her while she tried them on."

"That's so sweet! Where can I find someone like him?"

When Cherie and Mindy came in, the man sitting quietly and looking at his phone quickly grabbed their attention. They looked at each other and pointed at him.

"Cherie, look at him! He's so gorgeous. Is he real?" Mindy nudged Cherie with her arm and looked at her knowingly.

Cherie had to admit that yes, he was attractive. But she only liked Lance. Thus, even though the other man was good-looking, he didn't do much for her.

Mindy, however, was another story. She had always been obsessed with handsome men. She developed a crush so easily — sometimes, in a matter of seconds. This was what happened to her. She couldn't stop staring at the man lounging so casually.

"I don't know if he's single or not, but he's so handsome. He must have a girlfriend, right? There's no way someone who looks like him is unattached," Mindy said with a frown. She was already worried that the guy was taken.

"If you really want to know, just go to him and ask him directly. Who knows? He might be single," Cherie urged her with a smile.

She looked at him again. Her curiosity was piqued because he looked familiar. She tried to comb her memories, trying to remember whether they had already met before and where.