Chapter 94
Chester’s hand froze mildall
That cutting sarcasm left his usually poised, handsome face drained of color–he looked utterly thrown.
Celestine hurried away, clutching the charm she’d just received as if afraid it would be tainted by the bad energy fingering in the air
“How dare she! Chester sputtered, too furious to filter his words.
Joanna, as always, rushed to soothe him, playing the understanding confidante “Chester, Celestine’s still unwell. She probably doesn’t even know what she’s saying. Once she’s feeling better, I’m sure she’ll come back and apologize”
A cold light flashed in Chester’s dark eyes as he watched Celestine’s retreating figure disappear down the path.
“Amnesia? More like she’s lost her mind!
Celia huddled close to Joanna, too intimidated to utter a word.
She’d never seen her father so worked up over her mother before.
Confusion flickered through her wide eyes.
Why had Mom left?
Did she really mean all those things she’d just said–was she planning to divorce Dad?
“Come on, Chester, don’t let it get to you,” Joanna murmured, slipping her arm through his, her voice laced with just a hint of sorrow. “You promised you’d come with me today, remember? To draw fortunes together? But the moment Celestine showed up, she was all you could see… You know, I’m really looking forward to the Magnolia Awards this year.”
Chester’s expression softened a little. “Joanna, you’re overthinking it. Let’s just go–we don’t need to worry about that woman.”
He’d always made a point of maintaining Celestine’s dignity in front
eir child.
But referring to her now as ‘that woman‘–he’d clearly been pushed too far.
Joanna hid a satisfied smile.
Celestine, oh Celestine–sometimes being clever just means outsmarting yourself.
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Chapter 94
If she keeps up these tired little games of playing hard to get, this man will be mine before long.
After leaving the chapel, Celestine headed straight for Mirabelle’s studio.
This year, Mirabelle had three dresses shortlisted for the upcoming events–each with a dramatically different theme: one in red, one in black, and one in white.
The black gown was a limited–edition piece sponsored by a designer label, but Mirabelle wasn’t fond of the color and had turned it down.
The red dress was a recent commission, but with its elaborate embroidery and tight deadlines, it might not be finished before her move.
That left the white dress, adorned with delicate feathered fringe–striking, elegant, and refreshingly unique.
Mirabelle loved it, and the design team had promised a finished sample was already prepared.
Decision made.
Today, the sample had arrived at the studio for a fitting.
Celestine was coming to help give feedback–any last tweaks before the big event. When she reached the studio building, Denton was already waiting for her outside. He grinned. “Mirabelle’s getting her makeup trial done. She’s been talking about you all week–she’ll be thrilled to see you.”
Celestine felt a rush of gratitude, but she took the compliment with a pinch of salt.
“I’m excited about this collaboration too,” she replied with a warm, polite smile. “By the way, which label did Miss Remington end up choosing this time?”
“Zephyrus Atelier,” Denton answered.
Celestine paused.
The industry wasn’t that big–and there weren’t many top–tier brands to choose from.
It couldn’t be just a coincidence.
Because of the recent Slate Group affair, she’d done her homework on Zephyrus Atelier.
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Chapter 941
They’d been around longer than Kismet Collective, and though their designers weren’t household names, they managed to produce several breakout hits every
year.
The brand was especially famous for its young founder, Lance Blake–a designer whose work had swept international awards, only to suddenly vanish from the scene a couple of years ago. Rumor had it he was planning a comeback this
season.
Zephyrus Atelier had launched its own independent brand early, and thanks to a steady stream of celebrity clients, their reputation in the industry was only growing.
Celestine kept her thoughts to herself about Mirabelle’s choice.
“Let’s go take a look at the dresses.”
Inside the dressing room, the two gowns had already been pressed and hung neatly on the display rack.
