Chapter 8 Hand-sewn Suit
As my birthday approached, my three brothers got busier and busier.
Two days before my birthday, I went to Elite Emporium alone to deliver two invitations to Julie.
One was from Platinum Haven Hotel inviting her boss behind the scenes, and the other was my personal invitation to Julie for the dinner party.
Although I wasn't familiar with Julie before, it wasn't too late to become friends starting now.
Julie accepted the invitations with a smile and promised she would definitely come.
After leaving Elite Emporium, I continued shopping around Regal Court Mall and somehow ended up at StitchKing Men's Wear, the store I'd visited most often over the past three years.
"Bella! Haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?" The store manager's sister Minna ran over enthusiastically as soon as she saw me, pulling me into conversation.
"I heard you got divorced? Lately all the ladies in town have been talking about you and Mr. Valeri's new lover!" Minna's words came fast and thick. "Rumor has it you have several lovers, is that true? If it is, that's amazing! Mr. Valeri only has one mistress, but you have three - you win!"
She clenched her fists excitedly. I smiled slightly. "It's not true."
"What a shame." Minna dropped her hands. "What are you buying today? Come to my workshop, we haven't chatted in ages."
"Minna." Just then, an elderly but strong voice came from behind the curtain at the checkout counter.
"I can't find my red pencil! Minna! Come help me find it!"
It was Minna's grandfather Kieran calling.
Minna smiled apologetically at me. "Browse around yourself first, we've got lots of new styles recently, you'll love them!"
I waved my hand, signaling her to go ahead.
I'd heard that the store name "StitchKing" was actually Kieran's nickname - his family had been in the clothing business for six generations. I really liked Minna and her brother's designs, and cheerfully picked out several ties, tie clips, and cufflinks. Then I suddenly realized I'd been choosing everything according to Lucas's taste.
Feeling frustrated, I put the brooch I'd just selected back in its place. A familiar, deep male voice suddenly came from behind me. "Why don't you want it?"
Lucas had somehow appeared behind me, and I'd been so lost in thought I hadn't noticed him at all!
Lucas's tall frame trapped me between his chest and the display shelf. I immediately tried to move away from him, but the corner of my windbreaker nearly swept the decorations off the table.
Lucas reacted quickly, wrapping one arm around my waist and catching the falling decoration with his other hand, placing it steadily back on the table.
"Let go of me!" I pushed him away forcefully.
Lucas released his arm from around my waist, but his other hand brushed past mine and took the brooch.
"Very nice, silver snake with emerald." He held it up to his chest a couple times, then handed it to me. "You were holding it and looking at it for quite a while. Don't you like it? Why don't you want it?"
"Looked okay from far away, but up close I realized I don't like it." I looked around but didn't see Amelia anywhere, which puzzled me. Lucas had always hated shopping at clothing stores, so why would he show up here alone at this time?
"You don't like it?" Lucas seemed quite fond of the brooch himself.
Last time at the arena, Marcus had punched Lucas in the face several times. It had looked pretty bad then, but he must have used the ointment I made - it had mostly healed, with just faint bruises remaining at his right temple and corner of his mouth.
I looked away and headed to check out. Lucas followed behind me.
I had to stop and ask in a distant tone. "What do you want?"
Lucas pointed at the boxes of ties in my hands, his tone also turning cold. "Who are you buying these for?"
"None of your business." I answered with a frown.
Lucas laughed coldly and pressed. "Marcus? Brian? Or the chairman of Platinum Haven Hotel?"
Since he'd already said it, I admitted frankly. "All of them, one for each of the three."
Lucas ground his back teeth and suddenly sneered. "Amelia said you had Alfred throw away her breakfast."
"You want to teach me a lesson for her?" I was confused - just minutes ago Lucas had seemed calm, like his old self, so why was he suddenly acting like he'd been provoked and starting trouble?
"I had Alfred send the food back to the restaurant, not throw it away - after all, wasting food is shameful." After explaining, I asked him. "How much longer until we get the divorce decree? You have good relationships with several judges at the court, right? Can't you ask them for a favor?"
"Are you that desperate to get divorced?" Lucas asked unhappily.
I stared at him speechlessly. Who was the one so eager to divorce in the first place?
"I'll push the court. Three to five days - you can wait that long." Lucas warned me coldly. "Amelia came here all alone, she has no one to rely on except me. Don't use your status as my wife to bully her anymore."
I rolled my eyes at him rudely.
Just then, Minna came over. "Bella, I almost forgot something important! The suit you custom-ordered for your wedding anniversary is finished. What do you want to do with it?"
Lucas looked stunned, staring at me intently.
I looked toward Minna and realized Lucas was blocked from her view by two mannequins, so she hadn't seen him.
She continued on her own. "Take the clothes back with you. Even though you're divorced and won't use them, you personally completed the design, fabric selection, cutting, sewing, and embroidery!"
Minna finally noticed Lucas and got quite a shock.
I rubbed my temples. "Just throw the clothes away."
"Give me the clothes." Lucas and I spoke at the same time.
I shouted. "Throw them away!"
Lucas replied, "Don't you dare throw them away!"
I added, "I paid for them, I made them, I can throw them away if I want!"
Lucas directly threatened Minna. "If you dare throw those clothes away, your whole family can forget about continuing to live in Starstream City!"
I laughed coldly in anger. "Fine, keep them as a divorce souvenir."
Minna awkwardly said "just a moment" and quickly ran into the workshop to retrieve a set of exquisitely crafted dark suit.
Lucas stared at the suit for a while, then said critically, "Just okay."
Then he took the suit and walked into the fitting room. I decisively took the opportunity to leave.
Alfred was guarding outside the store with a group of bodyguards, and my two bodyguards had been stopped by them. Alfred tried to persuade me not to leave. I glared at him angrily and strode forward.
Bodyguard Adrian took the initiative to apologize. "Ms. Sorelli, I'm very sorry, there were too many of them."
"It's fine, I don't blame you." I asked. "Did you fight with them? Are you hurt?"
"No." Adrian shook his head. "They just blocked us from going in, they didn't get physical."
I let out a soft breath. My other bodyguard Cole suddenly said. "Someone's following us."
I turned to look back. There were many cars in the parking lot, and I couldn't immediately find where the person tailing us was hiding.
"I see them, it's two kids." Cole rushed toward a white sedan after speaking and pulled out a teenage boy and girl.
"Ashley? Arthur?" I looked in surprise at the fourteen-year-old twins in front of me.
They were Lucas's cousins, and I had a pretty good relationship with them.
"What are you doing here? Why are you secretly following me?"
"School's on break, we came to Starstream City for vacation," Ashley said.
"Lucas was taking us shopping, then he saw you go into that store and just ditched us!" Arthur complained indignantly.