Chapter 96
Mirabelle saw it too–her boyfriend ignoring her calls while posting on Instagram.
In that moment, everything clicked into place.
She stopped obsessively redialing his number and instead opened up their chat window.
Mirabelle: If you don’t reply, we’re done.
On the other end, Zeke was sitting back, smugly waiting for her call to go to voicemail. But when he glanced at his phone, he saw her message pop up instead.
His temper flared instantly.
How dare she!
If anyone was going to end things, it should be him. No way was he letting her pull this trick on him a second time.
So this time, he was the one who angrily dialed her number.
“Mirabelle, what’s your problem? Is breaking up your solution to everything now? You have no idea how disappointing you are!”
He didn’t care in the slightest that others were around–Zeke’s usual domineering tone filled the air.
Mirabelle seemed used to it. Her voice dropped, quiet and hurt: “Zeke, you finally picked up.”
He let out a cold, humorless laugh. “Just spit it out, Mirabelle. I’m busy, I don’t have time for your childish games.”
Mirabelle didn’t hesitate. She told him straight about the dress.
“Is Mr. Blake there? I don’t have his number. This gown is really important to me, and I want to get it repaired as soon as possible so I can wear it on the red carpet.” Zeke’s patience was already wearing thin, but when he realized Mirabelle was only calling to get to Lance, his anger shot through the roof.
Unbelievable, he thought. She was more calculating than he’d ever expected.
He forced himself to keep his voice steady. “You’re making a scene over a ruined dress? Lance isn’t a tailor–he doesn’t have time for your silly requests! He’s not
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going to fix it for you.”
“Zeke, please, just let me talk to him for a minute… okay?” Mirabelle’s tone was as meek as ever. “Please…”
Zeke, enjoying her desperation, mocked her. “So you think you can just use my friends whenever you want? Honestly, Mirabelle, you’re getting more shameless by the day. It’s just a dress–wear something else. Or are you trying to look good for someone else? You are my girlfriend-”
Before he could finish, he was cut off by the abrupt beeping of a disconnected call.
Mirabelle had hung up on him?
She was getting bolder by the minute.
Zeke clenched his jaw, fuming.
Joanna, watching the scene unfold, chuckled and teased, “What’s wrong, Zeke? Who managed to get you this riled up?”
He tried to compose himself, grumbling, “My girlfriend’s throwing a fit, insisting the dress from Zephyrus Atelier is ruined and demanding Lance’s number. I didn’t give it to her.”
At the mention of his name, Lance looked up.
His usually calm eyes darkened with disapproval. “You mean Mirabelle? I personally oversaw her dress–it was handled by the best designer at Zephyrus Atelier. There’s no way there could be a problem like that. Zeke, keep your girlfriend
in check.”
Zeke shot back, irritated, “I don’t need you telling me what to do. If it weren’t for Joanna, your so–called designs would’ve never even made it-”
“Zeke!” Joanna cut in sharply, her gaze stern. “That’s all ancient history. There’s no need to dredge it up.”
Lance’s expression soured at Zeke’s words. His pale skin only made the anger in his eyes more striking.
Zeke realized he’d gone too far and tried to rein himself in.
Joanna glanced between the two men, her voice gentle but firm. “Lance’s success is a mix of talent and timing. If he didn’t have real skill, he wouldn’t be leading the design world for so many years. Zeke, you owe him an apology.”
“Oh, fine…” Zeke muttered, clearly reluctant, but managed a half–hearted apology
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Chapter 96
toward Lance. “Sorry, okay?”
