Chapter 86
Veronica didn’t comment on Jocelyn’s decision. Instead, she said, “Take me to have a look at the dresses.”
Inside the dressing room, two gowns had already been prepped. Both were steamed and hung neatly on the display rack.
One of them featured feathered tassels that traced the hem and neckline of the gown, giving the entire piece an ethereal charm. It perfectly suited Jocelyn’s style.
Veronica slipped on a pair of gloves and leaned in to examine the inner construction and finer design details.
“The organza fabric is light and sheer, but not breathable. What saves it is how well the overall design pulls together.
“As for the gown for the red carpet, those flashes of light from the press are going to be brutal. I think we should add a layer of lace here at the waist to prevent any wardrobe malfunctions.” Veronica offered her suggestions while the assistant sent by Harry took
detailed notes.
Suddenly, her hand paused.
The assistant noticed the shift and asked, “What is it, Ms. Dolton?”
Veronica reached into the lining at the back of the waist and pulled out a silver needle. It was about the length of a fingertip.
The assistant drew in a sharp breath.
That spot was so well hidden that it would have been nearly impossible to notice without a thorough inspection. If Jocelyn had put on the dresses before discovering them, the consequences could have been disastrous.
“There is also a safety pin in there. I can’t touch it. If it breaks, the entire dress might fall apart,” Veronica said, turning to the assistant, who stood frozen in shock.
“Call them over.”
11
“This is outrageous! These two gowns cost a million dollars, and this is the kind of shoddy work they deliver? What are they planning?” Harry stood with his hands on his hips, fuming.
“Have you managed to get in touch with anyone from Windswept Atelier?”
Jocelyn had just wrapped up her makeup trial and was already feeling drained. The last thing she needed was this.
Chapter 26
At the mention of Windswept Atelier, Harry bristled. “They have the nerve to act high and mighty. The moment they found out, they had no video footage of what happened, and they immediately claimed that their boss himself had handcrafted the gown.
“They insisted that there was absolutely no way such a flaw could have occurred. They even implied that we might be trying to avoid paying!
Jocelyn gave a bitter laugh and said, “It looks like they have no intention of taking responsibility.”
Veronica stood beside her, frowning. “When are they sending someone to fix it?”
“The earliest would be tomorrow. Their team doesn’t work on weekends. They said that it would have to wait until next week for it to be done.” Harry was furious. “By then, everything would be too late! They are doing this on purpose!”
Veronica could not make sense of it.
Windswept Atelier had a decent reputation in the industry. So, how could they allow such a careless mistake to slip through and damage their name like that?
And judging by what Harry said, the company was refusing to acknowledge the issue at all.
If it truly cared about its client, the bare minimum would be to send someone over to examine the piece and figure out where things went wrong.
Even if their staff could not explain it, a sewing needle hidden in the lining was dangerous enough to warrant police involvement. That would have been the fastest way to clear up any misunderstandings.
Instead, the company stalled and dodged responsibility, pretending to offer help while actually doing nothing. It was all too suspicious.
Jocelyn calmed Harry, who was on the verge of exploding. “Don’t worry. Windswept Atelier’s boss is a friend of Archie’s. I’ll call him. They won’t refuse to help fix the dress.”
The moment she said it, something clicked in Veronica’s mind. A friend of Archie’s? Her daze
darkened.
Jocelyn placed the call, but it rang unanswered.
Eventually, it was Harry who stopped her. He said, “Forget it, Jocelyn. Check your Twitter.”
“#TheodoreBakerReturns”
“#TheodoreBaker DesignsForEleanor”
“#TheGoddess&HerFollowers”
Veronica casually tapped one of the hashtags, and Theodore’s latest post popped up.
Chapter
Attached was a group photo. A handsome young than stood to Eleanor’s left, Archie to her
right. Behind her, Heath was caught mid–phone call.
Well, the goddess and her loyal mutts were all there.
