Marina had just been complimented, her face blooming with a radiant smile.
But the moment she heard the words “crystal button,” her expression froze.
“What’s wrong?”
Jonathan, standing beside her, noticed the subtle change in her face.
“It’s nothing,” Marina shook her head quickly. “I just think Mr. Lowe is exaggerating a little, that’s all.”
“Not at all,” Devon insisted, still caught up in his praise. “Such a tiny button, yet the design is so intricate, the crystal cut is dazzling–absolutely flawless. It checks every box for fine jewelry. And that swirl of liquid metal inside? It’s almost cosmic in its grandness.”
But Marina couldn’t take in a single word.
She hadn’t designed a button at all.
Jonathan had told her that Devon liked Eastern motifs, so she’d used the finest creamy white jade and crafted a ring with a gold inlay. That was her design.
Earlier, when Jonathan mentioned Devon had picked her piece, she’d been delighted, her confidence swelling.
But now? What was going on? Did Devon actually mistake her design for Niamh’s?
A mix of anger and anxiety churned in her chest.
She was furious at Devon’s lack of taste–and terrified that Niamh would find out and expose the blunder.
“Jonathan, let’s go dance over there. It’s stifling here.”
“Alright.”
Jonathan accompanied Marina toward the dance floor, but just then, two people entering the ballroom caught his attention.
He stopped, and Marina followed his gaze to the entrance.
Niamh had just stepped inside, feeling the weight of several curious looks. She turned to Peter, standing beside her.
“Do I have something on my face? Or did I mess up my dress?” she whispered.
14:03
Chapter 144
Peter looked dashing in his black tailcoat, the picture of British elegance.
“No, you look stunning. They’re all just taken aback by how gorgeous you are.”
Niamh blushed, feeling Peter’s charm work its magic again.
“I bet dating you would be pretty nice,” she teased.
eter blinked, caught off guard. Before he could reply, Niamh added with a grin, “Because you’re so good at saying all the right things!”
“I’m just telling the truth.”
Niamh couldn’t help but laugh.
But her smile faded quickly–she’d spotted Jonathan and Marina.
Jonathan walked toward her, Marina trailing close behind.
Niamh noticed Jonathan’s cold gaze as he looked her up and down.
“He gave it to you?”
Jonathan’s voice was low and steady. It took Niamh a moment to realize he was referring to the white pearl gown she was wearing.
She nodded.
Jonathan could tell from her puzzled expression that Niamh had no idea Peter’s gift was more than just a dress. It was FY’s signature piece, sewn with over a thousand top–grade Australian pearls–a collector’s item, with only two in existence
worldwide.
One had been custom–made for the Queen of Frostvale’s coronation gala.
The other was now on Niamh.
Niamh never cared about couture and didn’t bother to learn more.
But Marina did.
Just moments ago, Marina had realized Devon had chosen Niamh’s design, not hers–and now, she’d been upstaged again, this time by Niamh’s gown.
Marina’s fingers curled so tightly around her red coral bracelet she nearly snapped
- it.
“Wow… Is that the same designer gown the Queen wore?”
A slim, elegant woman in a black evening dress approached, her voice full of
14:03
Chaprer
admiration.
Niamh turned at the sound, unfamiliar with the woman–but she recognized the
woman’s companion.
Chapter 145
