His grip on her hands was strong, steady.
His eyes—cold, unreadable—locked onto hers as she hovered just above the floor, her heel barely supporting her weight.
Her pulse quickened.
It isn't time to meet, she thought, swallowing hard.
Yet here he was.
Standing in front of her.
Kevin Gael.
"My goodness," Abigail gasped, covering her mouth as she took in the scene.
Kevin Gael narrowed his eyes at Lynette, and in that instant, a chill ran through her body.
She couldn't move. Couldn't speak.
Then, without a word, he released her hands and walked past her.
Lynette felt herself losing balance, gravity pulling her toward the floor.
Before she could hit the ground, Abigail darted forward, sliding onto the floor and positioning herself just in time.
Lynette landed on Abigail's back, her weight pressing into her.
Abigail squeezed her eyes shut for a brief moment, absorbing the pain, but she didn't make a sound.
"Young miss, are you okay?" she asked, still lying on the ground.
The boutique assistants and the designer rushed over, their voices overlapping in concern.
"Are you alright?"
"That must have hurt!"
"How can a man be so cruel?"
Lynette barely registered their words.
Her mind was reeling, stuck in that moment.
Kevin Gael. His presence had shaken her, left her frozen.
Her heart was still pounding, her breath unsteady as she struggled to regain composure.
Then, she turned to Abigail, who was slowly stretching her back, and remembered that she had asked a question.
"Oh... I'm fine," Lynette murmured, guilt creeping in.
"I'm so sorry—I landed on you. Are you alright?"
She winced, imagining the pain Abigail must have felt.
"And thank you, all of you, for caring," she added, glancing at the worried faces around her.
In her past life, if something like this had happened, no one would have even blinked.
Abigail simply chuckled, rolling her shoulders.
"Abigail is always fine. My body is like a machine," she said with a grin, continuing to stretch, her bones making soft cracking sounds as she moved.
Abigail straightened, still smiling. "Well, I didn't expect Mr. Gael to be here, but that won't stop us from seeing what the designer has for you."
The designer, stylishly dressed despite his bald head, stepped forward with enthusiasm.
"Viens par ici, ma plus belle dame," he said, motioning toward Lynette before starting to walk.
Lynette glanced at Abigail as they followed him. She had no idea what he had just said, but from his gestures, it was clear she was supposed to follow.
After a few moments of walking, the designer opened the door to another room.
Inside, a silver dress rested on a mannequin—stunningly elegant.
It glittered under the lights, catching every angle perfectly, and at the back, silk cascaded gracefully.
Lynette's eyes widened. She had never imagined herself in a dress like this before.
"Young miss, do you like this one? I can already picture you in it!" Abigail said excitedly.
"Anything Lynette wears always fits her. She's an angel! This is one of my greatest designs. When I created it, I had her in mind," the designer said passionately.
"Do try it on. I can't wait to see you in it."
Lynette could barely contain her excitement. "Should I really try it... on?" she asked, hesitant but eager.
"Do you even need to ask? Quickly! Assistants, escort her and help her into it," the designer instructed.
His assistants gently removed the dress from the mannequin and led Lynette to the changing room.
Inside, a grand mirror—as large as the one in her closet—reflected her every move.
Lynette smiled throughout the fitting, watching as the fabric molded to her shape.
When they finished, the assistants showered her with compliments, their admiration clear in their words.
She gazed at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing herself. The transformation was nothing short of breathtaking.
When she stepped out of the fitting room, the reactions were instant—and dramatic.
The designer stood frozen, mouth agape, as if words had abandoned him entirely.
Abigail, on the other hand, fainted on the spot, collapsing to the floor with exaggerated flair—only to spring right back up as if nothing had happened.
"Young miss!" she gasped, eyes shimmering with emotion. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"I must have done something truly good in my past life to be blessed with the honor of serving you!"
Hand pressed firmly against her chest, she looked at Lynette with pure admiration.
Lynette blinked, absorbing the over-the-top reactions. Had she really changed that much?
But as she looked down at herself, feeling the smooth silk and glittering fabric drape elegantly around her, she couldn't deny it—she had truly become someone else.
**********
After the dress was packaged, Abigail used Lynette's card to pay for it. The price—a staggering 50,000 dollars.
Soon, they returned to the Daelan estate, where Arian lived.
He wasn't around, out for work as usual.
But something felt different when Lynette arrived.
The once-empty residence was now bustling—maids and security guards had been reinstated, just as Arian had promised.
She was hungry, and the chefs immediately began preparing dinner for her. While she waited, the maids fed her grapes, placing them directly into her mouth.
It felt strange at first, unfamiliar.
She was uncomfortable with the idea of being fed like this, but she knew she had to get used to it.
Surprisingly, after a while, she relaxed—and even enjoyed it.
As they fed her, some of the maids began massaging her feet, saying she had walked too much and must be sore.
The sensation was unfamiliar but oddly pleasant.
Later, she drifted into sleep in her room, only to be gently woken by Abigail to start getting ready.
When she checked the time, it was already 7 PM.
The maids offered to help her bath, but she politely declined.
After taking a bath and slipping into her undergarments, Abigail took over—doing her makeup and hairstyling while she sat in the bathtub.
Once she was ready, the maids helped her into the silver dress and heels.
As she looked at herself, she knew—she looked breathtaking.
As Lynette stepped out of her room, her gaze drifted toward the staircase.
Standing at the bottom, Arian was on the phone, dressed in a sleek black suit that fit him perfectly. His wavy, medium-length black hair had been styled with care, giving him an air of effortless elegance. He looked like a prince.
Mid-call, his eyes flicked up to her.
He froze.
Adjusting his glasses, he struggled to focus on the conversation, but his mind had already drifted elsewhere.
The man on the other end of the line kept repeating, Hello? But Arian wasn't listening.
Without thinking, he ended the call.
His entire attention was on Lynette—like he had just witnessed an angel descending.
She seemed to glow in his eyes.
Abigail guided Lynette down the stairs, her movements slow and graceful.
Arian never looked away.
As she reached the last step, he lifted his arm slightly.
Lynette saw the way he looked at her, and warmth flooded her cheeks. She tried to suppress her smile before finally placing her hand gently on his arm.
He stared, completely captivated.
"You… you are… words… can't describe—" he stuttered.
Lynette's lips curled into a teasing smile.
"Mr. Csepel, have I turned you into a stammerer?" she quipped.
"You look handsome. I almost thought you were a prince."
She nudged him lightly, coaxing him to move so they could finally head to the venue.