Chapter 101
At that moment, Lucinda was in the side room.
She stood before the full-length mirror, glancing down at her dress.
On the left side of the black gown was a faint water stain—splashed there by Allegra earlier.
She frowned.
This dress had been a casual grab from her studio—nothing valuable, but it didn't deserve this kind of treatment either.
More importantly, she didn't want to sit through the entire awards ceremony in a half-damp dress. And she definitely didn't want the Douglas parents to notice and worry over her.
She pulled out her phone, opened a chat, and typed out a quick message.
[Does the Maple Street store have any ready-made evening gowns? Send one to Starlight City International Convention Center, side room. Dark color, simple style, nothing flashy.]
The reply came instantly.
[Yes yes yes! Boss, just wait—I'll be right there!]
Lucinda's mouth curved slightly. She didn't reply further, leaned back on the sofa, and closed her eyes to rest.
Soon, a light knock sounded at the side room door.
"Come in."
A young woman pushed the door open.
She was Lucinda's store manager at the Maple Street shop—Bianca Williams. She'd been there since the store opened, always efficient and never dropped the ball.
"Boss, the dress you wanted."
It was a deep blue gown, matte satin fabric with no excessive patterns or embellishments. Only a thin belt in the same color wrapped loosely around the waist, tied in a simple knot.
Lucinda glanced at it and nodded. "This one's fine."
Bianca helped her take the dress off its hanger and hung it on a nearby rack, then stepped aside to wait.
Lucinda didn't bother with modesty. She removed the water-stained black gown and slipped into the deep blue dress.
Bianca stood off to the side. At first, she waited calmly. Then her eyes grew brighter and brighter, her mouth falling slightly open. Finally, she froze in place like someone had pressed pause on her, completely motionless.
Lucinda glanced at her in the mirror. "What's wrong?"
Bianca opened her mouth. "Boss… you look… absolutely stunning in that dress…"
She took a deep breath, but her voice still trembled with suppressed excitement. "Boss, I'm not exaggerating. You dress so casually all the time—you have no idea how gorgeous you look in formal wear. All those socialites and heiresses out there? Put them next to you, and they'll all fade into the background."
Lucinda's mouth curved slightly as she picked up her handbag. "Alright, enough flattery. Take the wet dress back and get it cleaned."
Bianca took the black gown. As she reached the door, she couldn't help but turn back for one more look at her boss's silhouette.
The deep blue hem shimmered softly under the lights, swaying gently with each step—like the surface of a midnight sea, calm and profound.
She pulled her gaze away, clutched the dress, and hurried toward the parking lot. As she walked, she pulled out her phone and sent a message to the work group chat.
[Boss wore the dress I brought today. She looked SO gorgeous. I need to screenshot this moment for posterity.]
The group chat exploded instantly.
[Where's the photo?]
[What good is telling us without a photo?]
[Bianca, if you don't post a picture, I'm camping outside the store tomorrow!]
Bianca watched the flood of messages on her screen, grinning so wide she couldn't contain it. She typed back: [Didn't take one. But trust me—seriously, she looked incredible.]
She pocketed her phone and got into her car, humming a tune.
Outside the side room at the venue, Lucinda adjusted her handbag and pushed the door open.
The hallway was quiet, the lighting soft and unobtrusive.
Her heels barely made a sound on the carpet.
She deliberately walked along the edge, trying not to draw attention.
But some people simply can't hide.
The moment she stepped into the venue, the lights fell perfectly on that deep blue hem.
The satin sheen rippled under the warm yellow glow.
Countless eyes turned in unison.
People paused mid-conversation. Some even leaned forward slightly, wanting a better look.
Allegra was on Marshall's arm, smiling as she spoke to Emily.
She felt the person beside her stiffen slightly. She turned her head and found Marshall's gaze locked on the other side of the venue, his entire body frozen as if something had seized him. Even his breathing seemed to slow.
She followed his line of sight.
Lucinda was walking in from the side entrance.
Deep blue gown. Hair cascading over her shoulders. Cool, distant eyes. Unhurried steps.
She walked along the far edge, head down, seemingly looking at her phone, completely unaware she'd become the focal point of the entire venue.
Marshall's gaze was nailed to her. He couldn't look away.
His Adam's apple bobbed. His fingers unconsciously loosened from Allegra's arm, slowly curling into a fist.
He'd seen Lucinda many times. Back at the Wipere Villa, she'd always worn plain clothes, quietly staying in the corners.
Later, at the mall, the restaurant, the resort—he'd seen her in casual wear, a bathrobe, a trench coat.
Each time, she'd looked better than the last.
But today, right now, in that deep blue gown under the lights—he realized this woman was beautiful to the point of making his chest tighten.
Allegra saw Marshall's expression. Her face changed instantly.
Her arm suddenly felt empty, as if something holding her up had been yanked away.
She bit her lip. Her fingers slowly clenched on her knee, nails digging into her palm.
Lucinda again.
Wearing an ordinary gown. An ordinary watch. Not a single piece of noteworthy jewelry.
Yet standing there, she outshone every meticulously dressed woman in the room.
Allegra's gaze tracked that deep blue figure relentlessly, her fingers tightening on her knee.
She saw the look in Marshall's eyes as he stared at Lucinda. It felt like someone had punched her square in the chest—suffocating, leaving her gasping for air.
The dress Lucinda wore was at least ten times more stunning than her own haute couture gown.
No diamonds. No beading. No elaborate embellishments. But that design—pared down to its essence—made Lucinda look like she'd stepped straight out of a painting.
Meanwhile, Allegra had spent an entire morning on her hair and makeup, tried on seven or eight dresses before settling on this one—and in the end, everyone's attention was still stolen by a woman in an ordinary dress.
Her nails dug into her palm. The pain shot up her arm, making it tremble slightly.
But she didn't let anyone see.
She released her clenched fingers, curved her lips into a perfectly measured smile, turned to Marshall, her voice gentle. "Marshall, Lucinda looks really beautiful today, doesn't she?"
Marshall's fingers paused. He didn't respond.
Allegra sighed, her gaze landing in Lucinda's direction, her tone tinged with concern. "Though, she's being awfully bold. Seducing two men at once—right now she's with the Douglas family patriarch. And just earlier, I saw her talking to Ollie, the competition organizer."
"I'm just worried that if she's playing both of them, and it comes to light—she'll really suffer."
Marshall's brow furrowed sharply. He turned to look at her. "What did you say?"
"I just saw it earlier." Allegra's voice dropped very low as she leaned closer to Marshall. "Right now, she's sitting with that Douglas family patriarch—chatting and laughing together. I saw it with my own eyes. He even handed her snacks. They were sitting so close, not even trying to hide it."