Chapter 32 Made for Isabella
After speaking those words, Laura immediately felt a pang of regret.
Making such an abrupt demand in front of everyone had drawn some rather strange looks her way.
But these were words that Laura herself had impulsively blurted out in front of the entire crowd in a moment of desperation.
Even if people were giving her odd stares, she had no choice but to endure it.
Isabella readily agreed. "I'll go upstairs to change, and I'll take this dress off and return it to you right away."
A gown that was already stained, especially one ruined at such an important occasion—even if Laura got it back, there would be no opportunity to wear it again.
Laura had been forced into buying it out of sheer desperation.
She'd spent that hundred and fifty thousand dollars feeling utterly resentful, so she wasn't about to let Isabella off easy.
Zara, having been publicly humiliated, watched Isabella's retreating figure. Seeing that she was about to leave, Zara reluctantly shouted after her.
"Don't all business deals operate on the principle of immediate exchange—money for goods? Laura already transferred the money to you, but you keep making excuses and dragging your feet. Don't tell me you're planning to stiff her!"
Zara's malicious gaze swept over Isabella before she smirked and added, "Who knows if you'll try to swap it out for a fake? With such an expensive dress, it's safer if you take it off right here in front of everyone."
The word "safer" sounded completely out of place among this crowd.
None of these people was the type to tear each other apart over a few hundred thousand dollars.
But what truly disgusted everyone was Zara's naked malice.
"Give it a rest already. You get a tiny bit of power and immediately start thinking about how to make other people's lives difficult?" The young woman who'd spoken up for Isabella earlier chimed in again.
She did not attempt to hide her contempt for Zara, expressing her feelings far more directly than anyone else present.
"Wasn't Ms. Smith just trying to mediate earlier when she volunteered to take responsibility for the compensation? If this is all just to give me a hard time, isn't a hundred and fifty thousand dollars a pretty steep price to pay?"
The corner of Isabella's mouth curved upward in a somewhat mocking smile.
The best thing about having Zara as a supporter was that Laura didn't need to waste energy manipulating her.
Zara was impulsive and just charged ahead without thinking.
Having someone like Zara do the dirty work meant Laura could reap the benefits from behind the scenes.
But that was only under ideal circumstances.
In reality, if not handled properly, Zara's presence became Laura's biggest liability.
In a situation that required careful maneuvering and strategy, Laura not only had to deal with Isabella but also clean up Zara's messes, which was proving quite exhausting.
After all that talking, instead of achieving any positive results, she'd only made the onlookers think Laura was a manipulative schemer.
The money was spent, but she hadn't achieved any of the desired effects. Laura was so frustrated she nearly choked on her own blood, though she could only maintain her composure on the surface.
Laura shot Zara a resentful sideways glare, suddenly regretting her hasty decision to recruit her as an ally and push her forward.
With no one stopping her now, Isabella followed a server to one of the hotel rooms on the second floor of the venue.
Generally, people attending evening galas prepared backup options to avoid exactly this kind of embarrassing situation.
Once upstairs, Isabella called Richard, asking if he could help by bringing her a change of clothes.
Richard quickly knocked on the door. He'd come up personally, carrying an evening gown in a protective garment bag.
After a brief moment of eye contact with Isabella, Richard handed her the garment bag.
After delivering the dress, Richard politely told Isabella he'd wait for her downstairs, then turned and left like a perfect gentleman.
His assistance warmed Isabella's heart.
The new evening gown Richard had brought was red.
The moment Isabella opened the garment bag, she was somewhat stunned by its beauty.
The dress in her hands was incredibly soft throughout, but decorated with sequins that shimmered like rippling water under the lights. The bodice and neckline featured rose details that looked both exquisite and alluring.
Paired with sparkling diamonds on the ties, it resembled morning dew on roses, making the dress even more breathtaking.
What surprised Isabella most was that this gown Richard had brought on short notice was exactly her size, fitting her perfectly and comfortably.
After placing the white mermaid gown in the garment bag, Isabella took the elevator in her heels and re-entered the ballroom through the back entrance.
The moment she appeared, she caught everyone's attention and made their eyes light up.
At galas like this, almost everyone pursued elegance and sophistication—rarely did anyone wear such bold, brilliant red.
When Isabella appeared, she effortlessly captured everyone's gaze.
That striking red dress actually drew even more attention than Laura had earlier.
Walking through the crowd's stares, Isabella approached Richard.
When he saw her, his eyes were filled with the same amazement as everyone else's.
This dress seemed made specifically for Isabella. Seeing her wear it, Richard could no longer imagine how it would look on anyone else.
The woman before him was radiant, truly like a rose in bloom.
Having someone deliver the changed dress to Laura, Isabella proactively thanked Richard, "Thank you, Mr. Spencer. The dress you brought fits perfectly."
Richard's lips curved in a subtle smile, "I never imagined this dress would suit you so well."
Because of the earlier commotion, quite a few people were openly and secretly observing her and Richard, speculating about their relationship in their minds.
This included William and Laura.
Neither showed any emotion on their faces, but the aura surrounding them had grown so dark it seemed frozen at the breaking point.
It was impossible to ignore.
"I designed this dress myself," Richard said.
This revelation greatly surprised Isabella. "Mr. Spencer, do you have a hobby in fashion design?"
His aesthetic taste was indeed excellent—Isabella loved both the design and the cut of this dress.
"Just sketching for fun. I didn't have any spare formal wear prepared today, so I had to use this as a substitute."
This unexpected disclosure had created Isabella's stunning entrance tonight.
Their conversation wasn't quiet—people standing nearby could hear them.
William's expression darkened even more, his eyes turning almost black as they fixed on Isabella with a scrutinizing stare.
When the gala ended, the man who'd been chatting enthusiastically with Richard earlier approached, "Mr. Spencer, would you care to join us for some after-party entertainment?"
Compared to the gala where everyone wore fake masks, the next venue would be much more relaxed.
Only close friends and acquaintances would invite each other to continue the evening together.
Isabella didn't refuse. Under Richard's inquiring gaze, she nodded in agreement.
Then the two went upstairs together to change clothes.
After wearing formal wear and heels all evening, Isabella felt instantly relieved when she changed into a pure white t-shirt and jeans.
The after-party location was at a private club chosen by their business partners.
Upon arrival, Isabella discovered that William and Laura were there, too.
Despite all their maneuvering, she still couldn't avoid encountering him.
The private room at the club wasn't very large, making it impossible to pretend she didn't see William.
Shortly after arriving, Richard's phone suddenly rang—an urgent call from his company.
He'd just stepped out to take the call when William walked straight toward Isabella.
Without a word, he grabbed Isabella's arm and pulled her aside.