Chapter 96 Mr. Ward's Thoughtful Affection

Carl shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes narrowing. "You got amnesia or something?"

Ciara was caught off guard but quickly corrected herself, "Mr. Ward!"

Trying to dodge the awkwardness, Ciara smiled and asked, "So, where you headed? I'm going out too. Maybe we're going the same way, and we could..."

"Not a chance!" Carl cut her off before she could finish.

Ciara had only said that because she spotted Louis pulling up in a Lamborghini at the company entrance and wanted to make an impression.

Quinn, eavesdropping from the doorway, couldn't help but chuckle.

Carl turned, his face lighting up upon seeing her, but he swiftly composed himself with a calm expression, mindful of being at work.

Quinn walked over just as Ciara was about to leave, looking disappointed.

Louis greeted Quinn with a smile. "Mrs... Miss Sullivan, hello!"

Ciara froze, watching as Quinn nodded at Louis and slipped into the Lamborghini. Carl took the driver's seat while Louis, after closing the door, hurried back to his Porsche. As the Lamborghini roared to life, Louis followed closely behind, leaving Ciara utterly stunned.

What was going on? This had to be a dream!

She stood at the company entrance like a statue, her mouth slightly open, unable to snap out of it.

Inside the Lamborghini, Carl spoke softly, "How long are we gonna keep this secret marriage thing going?"

Quinn, fiddling with her phone, thought for a moment. "Let's just see how it goes. For now, Nola, your aunt, and Charles know, right? Everyone else will find out eventually."

Carl nodded. "Alright, we'll go with the flow then." He was thinking he couldn't let people say she was pregnant before marriage. If possible, he wanted to give her a grand wedding, so no one could talk behind her back.

Naturally, he was convinced that Lucy would witness their wedding in the news. By that time, regret would surely set in! He hoped that in the dead of night, she would be heartbroken and sleepless because of her past choices.

The Lamborghini pulled up in front of a dress shop.

"Mr. Ward, Miss Sullivan, please come in." Quinn followed him out of the car and into the shop, led by a sales assistant.

Quinn smiled and nodded, touched by Carl's thoughtful gesture of providing her information to the shop.

Inside, she found the shop empty, which was unusual given there was an event tonight. The only explanation was that Carl had cleared the place.

Quinn was dazzled by the array of stunning dresses on display.

"Miss Sullivan, this way, please!" A well-dressed and elegant receptionist greeted her with a sweet smile.

Quinn was puzzled until the woman spoke, "Ms. Scott's new 'Shine' collection has just arrived, especially the centerpiece dress, Midnight Sparkle, which perfectly matches your style. It's also the most precious dress in our store."

"Ms. Scott? You mean Sienna?" Quinn asked in surprise.

The woman nodded. "Yes, it's she."

Quinn said, "Oh wow, I remember her works are always limited editions and highly sought after."

As a designer, Quinn had to keep up with the industry. Sienna was very famous but rarely appeared at events, adding to her mystique.

"Yes, Ms. Scott's creations, whether clothing or jewelry, are always in high demand and quite expensive, truly leading the trends."

Carl, holding her shoulder affectionately, said, "Go try it on. If you like it, we'll buy it."

Quinn noticed the receptionist's name tag identifying her as the store manager and followed her to the fitting room. Ten minutes later, Quinn emerged in the dress, stunning Carl into silence. Her flawless skin, even without makeup, gave her a goddess-like aura. Smiling, she walked towards Carl in high heels, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down.

The black off-shoulder dress perfectly highlighted Quinn's collarbones and delicate shoulders.

The V-neck was both classy and soft, paired with the exposed collarbones, giving her an elegant vibe.

Quinn twirled in front of Carl and playfully asked, "How do I look?"

Carl nodded. "This understated style suits you perfectly, like it was made just for you."

"Miss Sullivan looks like a model in this dress. If Ms. Scott saw you, she would definitely praise you. It's perfect, as if it were tailor-made for Miss Sullivan. Stylish and elegant, simply stunning!" The store manager couldn't take her eyes off Quinn, showering her with compliments.

Quinn, flattered by their praise, thanked them with a smile. "Thank you!"

Carl suddenly looked at Quinn's feet and, with his chin resting on his hand, told the manager, "Get her a pair of suitable shoes too. The heels should be thicker and lower, and they must be non-slip."

"Of course, Mr. Ward. Please wait a moment, I'll bring a few pairs for you to choose from." The manager turned and left, while other sales assistants brought coffee and snacks to Carl and Quinn.

"Please enjoy some refreshments. The manager will be back shortly."

Quinn was deeply touched by Carl's thoughtfulness and shyly averted her gaze. After the elevator incident and with the baby on the way, she realized she had completely fallen for him. Just looking at him made her heart race and her cheeks flush.

Carl's eyes held a newfound calmness and composure, unlike anything she had seen before.

Quinn couldn't guess what he was thinking.

She only knew that Carl had agreed to let her keep the baby and promised to be a good father.

"Sorry, Miss Grace, but our store is booked for today. If you want to try on dresses, please come back tomorrow."

Ciara frowned. "What? Booking the whole store for a day must cost a lot, right?"

While not the largest dress shop in Sunrise City, it gained renown for its numerous collaborations with renowned designers.

"Yes, so we apologize for the inconvenience."

Ciara, denied service, sighed and envied the person who could book the whole store. "Alright, I'll check out other stores then."

Inside, Quinn sat enjoying snacks and coffee as Carl knelt to change her shoes, eliciting envious glances from the manager and staff. Carl's love for Quinn was evident, and she was truly fortunate to have him.

Quinn said, "Thank you!"

After Carl finished changing her shoes, Quinn thanked him, feeling a bit strange since it was her first time experiencing such treatment from Carl.

"Take a few steps to try them out." Carl helped her stand and walk a few steps, which felt stable.

The height and the dress matched perfectly.

The manager said, "Miss Sullivan has a great figure and even better temperament. She looks good in anything!" Facing the manager's praise, Carl took out his card. "Charge it!"

He didn't even ask the price.

"Of course, please wait a moment!" The manager respectfully took the card.

Quinn was about to return to the fitting room but was stopped by Carl, who held her waist. "Where are you going?"

Quinn felt shy, especially with the staff watching.

Carl, however, didn't care and spoke dominantly, "Aren't you not going back to the office this afternoon? Then go home and rest. I'll have someone come over to do your makeup."

Quinn nodded. "Okay!"

She was happy to follow Carl's arrangements.

After all, as Mrs. Ward, if she dressed herself, it might not meet Carl's standards. So she decided to let Carl handle everything.

As Quinn, dressed in the gown, walked out of the store with Carl, she was spotted by Ciara, who had just gotten into her car across the street.

Ciara's mind went blank, filled with disbelief.