Chapter 27 Danielle stepped out of the fitting room, wearing the dress Xavier had chosen for her. The elegant design hugged her figure perfectly, the flowing skirt swaying gracefully as she moved, radiating sophistication and charm.
"Xavier, you have great taste," Danielle said with a smile.
"Itâs not me-youâre just stunning. Youâd look good in anything," Xavier replied, his grin widening.
The salespersonâs eyes lit up as she cut in, "Miss, this dress is absolutely gorgeous on you. You could be a movie star!"
Xavier nodded in agreement. "Of course! My sister can pull off any look."
Danielle felt her cheeks heat up under all the compliments.
"Wait here-Iâm picking out a few more for you," Xavier said, his enthusiasm renewed.
The salespersonâs excitement was palpable. If she played her cards right, she could hit her monthly sales goal today.
Danielle watched with a slight urge to escape as Xavier returned with an armful of dresses.
"I knew these would be perfect for you the moment I saw them," he said, his eyes sparkling.
Feeling a mix of amusement and resignation, Danielle tried on each dress, one after the other.
"As expected, you look incredible in everything," Xavier declared proudly. "Weâll take them all." He handed his card to the saleswoman.
The saleswomanâs smile stretched from ear to ear as she processed the payment.
"Xavier, I already have plenty of clothes. We donât need to buy all of these," Danielle said, attempting to object. "Todayâs about spoiling you. Just go with it," Xavier replied warmly.
"Sir, your total is 2.7 million dollars. Would you like the clothes delivered to your home?" the saleswoman asked politely.
"Yes, please send them to this address," Xavier said, jotting it down.
As they left the store, ready to continue their day, Danielle noticed someone staring at them.
"Are you Xavier? Iâm your fan! Iâve watched all your work, and I love it!" Two girls rushed over, practically bouncing with excitement.
Even with his disguise, Xavier had been recognized. Danielle guessed these two were die-hard fans.
Xavier quickly assessed the situation. "Yes, but please keep your voice down. Letâs not draw attention," he said in a low tone.
"We love you so much! Can we get your autograph?" one of them asked.
"Of course. Where should I sign?" Xavier responded, unable to refuse their eager faces.
The girls handed over their notebooks, beaming. "Right here, please!"
As he signed, their attention shifted to Danielle. They stared, awestruck. "Xavier, is she your-"
"This is my sister," Xavier said, handing the notebooks back with a friendly smile.
The girlsâ faces lit up. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Darling. Xavier, we wonât take up more of your time. Thanks for the autographs-weâll keep this a secret!"
"Thank you. Take care," Xavier said as he and Danielle walked away, ready for the next stop in their day.
The two girls stood frozen, watching Xavier and Danielle walk away. Once they were out of sight, the girls erupted into excited squeals, jumping up and down as if they couldnât believe theyâd just met Xavier and gotten his autograph. Passersby glanced at them, some puzzled by their sudden burst of energy.
"Xavier, youâre incredible. Youâve got so many fans," Danielle said, smiling at him.
"Well, I am the youngest top-tier actor in the industry," Xavier replied, grinning as he soaked in the compliment.
Meanwhile, as Xavier and Danielle happily shopped, the entertainment world was buzzing.
Twitterâs top trending topics were flooded with posts about Xavier-[Xavier in Love], [Xavier Spotted Shopping Intimately with Mystery Woman], and [Xavierâs Girlfriend is a Non- Celebrity].
Attached to the posts were photos of Xavier and Danielle from suggestive angles, sparking wild speculation.
A sudden ringtone interrupted their conversation. Xavier glanced at his phone-it was his manager, Ramona Beck.
"Are you out shopping?" Ramonaâs voice rang out the moment Xavier answered.
"How do you know? Did you put a tracker on me?" Xavier asked, surprised.
Ramona, one of the top managers in the industry, had been instrumental in Xavierâs rise to fame. While his talent and dedication were undeniable, her sharp instincts and connections had taken his career to the next level.
"Tracker? Donât flatter yourself. Why didnât you tell me you were dating someone? I need to get ahead of the PR fallout! Youâve got a major movie coming out soon. A romance scandal is the last thing we need right now. Couldnât you have been more careful?" Ramona scolded.
"Dating? What are you even talking about?" Xavier replied, genuinely confused.
"Youâre all over the trending topics. Check it yourself," Ramona said, sensing his confusion might mean this was just a misunderstanding.
Before Xavier could open his phone, Danielle handed him hers, showing him the trending page.
Xavier scrolled through the headlines, his frustration growing. Heâd promised his family heâd keep this outing low-key and avoid the paparazzi. Now, with these photos circulating online, he knew heâd face a lecture from his parents and brothers when he got home.
"Ramona, leave it to me. Iâll address it on Twitter," Xavier said firmly.
Just as he was preparing to post, another wave of trending topics caught his eye. This time, they were targeting his acting. Numerous posts criticized his abilities.
[Xavierâs acting is so mediocre. How does he even win awards?]
[Iâm not trying to pick sides, but Egbertâs acting is leagues ahead.]
[An insider says Xavier is super arrogant on set.]
[I was going to see his upcoming movie, but now Iâm not so sure.]
The debate between Egbert and Xavier raged on in the comments.
[Xavier just doesnât have the range. My whole family loves Egbertâs shows.]
[Egbertâs acting is miles better. No contest.]
[Honestly, some actors just donât have it.]
[I actually think Xavierâs acting is great-heâs always convincing in his roles.]
Danielle glanced at the posts. It didnât take much to see these were part of a deliberate smear campaign, likely orchestrated by Xavierâs rivals.
Not A Small Town Girl (Danielle and David)
ï¤Chapter 26