The Heir's Secret Bride

It seemed people from Erancia were naturally inclined towards gentlemanly manners, and their words always made others feel comfortable. Maeve thanked him and then followed them into another car. After switching vehicles, the blonde man specifically asked the female assistant, who had been sitting in the passenger seat, to sit in the back.

Maeve could tell he was trying to ease her discomfort and awkwardness, and she felt grateful.

Just then, the blonde man pulled out a notepad and pen. With a gentle smile, he asked, "Could I get your autograph?"

"Me?" Maeve pointed at herself, hardly believing it.

"You could be a little more confident." The blonde man chuckled. "I mentioned earlier that I admire your work. You could say I'm a fan. I didn't tell you earlier because I didn't want to be too forward." Maeve had assumed he was just being polite. But to her surprise, he genuinely liked her designs. And he was her fan.

This was the first time she'd encountered such an older fan. She felt kind of amazing.

She took the notepad and pen he handed her. She signed it and asked, "May I ask your name?"

The blonde man replied, "Warren Richard."

Maeve paused. The name seemed familiar, but she couldn't recall where she'd heard it.

"You're probably my very first fan. Thank you for appreciating my work." Maeve handed the card back to Warren, curious. "May I ask, why do you like my designs? You're.my first male fan Warren smiled. "Good designs transcend gender, don't they? But if I had to give a reason, it's probably because I was supposed to have a daughter."

Maeve was confused. "Supposed to?"

"She passed away in an accident, so she's not with me." Warren's smile carried a trace of nostalgia. "If she were, she would've loved the clothes I picked for her."

"I'm sorry for bringing up something so painful," Maeve said, feeling sorry.

Warren said, "It's alright. When I do these things for her, I feel like a father."

Maeve suddenly felt a bit envious. "You are a great dad."

"Don't let my son hear that. He always says I'm biased," Warren quipped with a humorous tone.

Maeve couldn't help but laugh.

When they arrived at the Pearl Tower, Maeve said goodbye to Warren and hurried into the venue.

The exhibition had already started, and all the lights in the hall were focused on the U-shaped runway.

The theme of this summer collection was "Mermaid."

The designs by Eternal Hope featured a pearlescent white color palette, exuding simplicity and elegance, a sensuality paired with innocence.

As for Dreamscape's designs...

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Warren had just taken his seat when he overheard an exclamation from the VIP section behind him. "Isn't Dreamscape primarily known for wedding dresses? How come they're doing fashion now?"

"Didn't you read the program? Dreamscape's Maeve used to be a designer for the Erancia royal family. Every five years, Gradelle University holds a selection, and out of hundreds of top designers worldwide, only five are chosen to work for the royal family. Maeve's just like Eternal Hope's founder, a genius in her own right."

"That doesn't mean much. What if her designs went downhill after she left the royal family? It'd be embarrassing if her new work didn't live up to her old standards."

"Eternal Hope must be doing some charity work, right? Out of all the companies, why would they choose to collaborate with an unknown studio? Doesn't that bring their reputation down?"

The mixed opinions in the VIP section could be heard clearly, and Warren's fingers fidgeted with the ring on his hand. His expression turned cold.

As the stage lights shifted from a soft white to a cool white, Dreamscape's first model stepped onto the runway.

The room fell silent.

Eternal Hope interpreted "Mermaid" as pure and delicate beauty blossoming in the depths of the ocean, like a rare and exquisite pearl.

Dreamscape, however, was entirely different. It exuded a cool, mysterious allure, like a siren whose song lured sailors into the depths of the sea. It had a wild, untamed sensuality and an aggressively captivating beauty.

The fabric mimicked the ethereal lightness of shark silk, its oceanic blue fading into hints of soft purple, shimmering under the lights.

The hem of the dress was asymmetrical, undulating like waves as the model walked, making her seem like she was standing at the heart of a cresting wave.

As the model turned, the hem of her dress accidentally brushed against a female VIP sitting near the runway. Instinctively, the woman grabbed for it, but the fabric slipped through her fingers like water. "My goodness!"

"What is this material? It feels so luxurious, light yet substantial. I've never seen anything like it before."

"The catalog says Dreamscape had it custom-made specifically for this show. You probably won't find it on the market."

"So, when will it be available for purchase? I've been a VIP with Eternal Hope for five years. Pre-ordering three outfits isn't too much to ask."

"Dream on! I've been a VIP for ten years and still can't get special treatment."

"Anyone got Maeve's contact info?"

The discussions continued.

Warren turned to his assistant and said, "Get in touch with the person in charge of Eternal Hope. I want this entire collection from Dreamscape."

The assistant nodded. "Okay."

After the presentation, Maeve and the designer from Eternal Hope stepped forward to give their thanks.

Next, the votes from the attending VIPs would determine which collection would be released first. In the end, out of the 265 VIPS present, nearly 70% of the votes went to Dreamscape.

Eternal Hope's designer looked regretful. He looked at Maeve, who was smiling sweetly beside him and felt bitter.

He felt unlucky to exhibit at the same event as Maeve.

He couldn't even beat her four years ago when she was a newcomer, let alone now. He admitted defeat.

-5

After the voting results were announced, Eternal Hope's higher-ups were supposed to present flowers to the designers. But for some reason, Alex stepped up instead.

He sent flowers to his designer and stopped in front of Maeve in less than three seconds. His gaze was as gentle as ever.

"Congratulations on winning this battle," he said softly.

Maeve smiled up at him. "I should be thanking you for believing in me from the very beginning."

Noticing a piece of confetti caught in her hair, Alex chuckled. "Hold still. You've got something in your hair."

Maeve was about to say she could take care of it herself, but seeing him already reaching out, she swallowed her words.

Just then, her gaze shifted beyond Alex's shoulder, locking eyes with Byron standing at the edge of the stage, his expression icy and severe. The chill in his stare made her shiver. Maeve instinctively pulled back and hurriedly said to Alex, "Alex, someone's here to pick me up. I won't be attending the celebration party later, but you all have fun!"

Alex watched her leave, words caught on the tip of his tongue. Her long hair, tied back, flew behind her in a graceful arc as she darted away.

For a moment, an emptiness settled in his chest.

Maeve ran over to Byron. The floor was slick, and she couldn't stop in time, so she crashed into him, still holding her flowers.

Byron discreetly caught her in his arms, though his voice was somewhat cool. "Why the rush? Aren't you worried your friend from the stage might get jealous?"