His Coy Lover

Zelda wandered through the second floor of The Beauty, finding the dresses there indeed superior to those on the first floor, albeit more expensive. As Charles had said, despite her return to the aristocratic lifestyle for over a year, she still got overwhelmed by the prices, reaching tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands for a single dress.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and when she turned, she saw a young woman approaching with a smile. Despite the smile, Zelda could sense a critical undertone in the woman’s eyes as they rested on her.

“Boss.”

The employee’s address informed Zelda that the woman was The Beauty’s owner. In the past, Zelda had accompanied her mother here, and at most, she was personally attended to by the manager. She had never met The Beauty herself.

“Zelda.”

Approaching Zelda, The Beauty extended her right hand with a smile, introducing herself, “I am The Beauty, the owner of this establishment. Everyone calls me The Beauty, same as the shop’s name. It’s my pleasure to meet you.”

Zelda gracefully shook her hand, returning the smile. “The pleasure is mine, I should be the one saying that.”

The Beauty laughed, “Do you have any dresses in mind, Zelda? Do you need help picking a few that suit you?”

She assessed Zelda’s figure-elegant curves, a well-proportioned body, and a decent facial appearance. Contrary to the rumors, Zelda didn’t look like a country bumpkin at all, especially with her waist-length hair.

“I appreciate it. To be honest, I got a bit dazzled. I didn’t know which one to choose.”

The Beauty led Zelda to a white Western-style dress. “I think this dress suits you very well. Would you like to try it?”

Zelda had actually set her eyes on this dress when she first came upstairs, but after looking at many others, her eyes got tired, and her mind got confused.

“Sure, I’ll go with your recommendation.”

The Beauty promptly took the dress off the rack and handed it to Zelda, instructing her to change. When Zelda emerged in the new dress, The Beauty observed without blinking. She thought to herself that even though Zelda had lived in the countryside, the inherent nobility that came with being the true heiress of the Roscente family couldn’t be erased. Dressed in luxurious attire, Zelda looked like a princess.

“Take a few steps for me.”

Following the instruction, Zelda walked a few steps and asked, “How is it?”

The Beauty grinned, “Excellent. This dress suits you perfectly.”

Zelda decisively said, “Then, I’ll take this one.”

“Don’t rush. Try a few more.”

The Beauty brought out several more dresses for Zelda to try. After going through them one by one, The Beauty became even more enthusiastic. She contemplated asking Zelda to become her exclusive model; Zelda’s skin, temperament, and body were perfect for showcasing the beauty of the dresses. She believed Zelda could surpass the current models she employed.

However, The Beauty didn’t directly propose this idea to Zelda. She wanted to avoid making Zelda feel pressured. She called the sales associate who had assisted Zelda earlier, instructing her to take Zelda downstairs for payment. The Beauty specifically told the employee to give Zelda a discount, and upon hearing the word “discount,” the employee’s eyes widened. Dresses at The Beauty were never discounted.

The Beauty provided a reasonable excuse to Zelda, “Miss, my staff showed poor attitude earlier, and I’m aware of it. Rest assured, I will take care of them.”

Zelda and the employee believed that the discount was an apology from the owner for the unpleasant incident on the first floor.

After Zelda and the employee descended to the first floor, The Beauty headed towards the elevator and, after a few minutes, returned to sit opposite Charles.

“Charles, I’ve done as you instructed. Can you tell me why it’s her?”

The owner’s words carried a hint of envy and jealousy. Zelda was the first woman whom Charles regarded differently, and The Beauty had sensed it.

Charles responded indifferently, “No particular reason.”

He rose from the sofa and wheeled himself back into the wheelchair. As he pushed it, he continued, “I will have Nina Winston come here to order a few dresses.” As a repayment to The Beauty.

Nina Winston was his younger sister and the only heiress of the Winston family in this generation, eight years his junior.

The Winstons, while prosperous, had more sons than daughters. For five generations, no daughters were born until Charles’s mother unexpectedly became pregnant at the age of thirty-six and gave birth to Nina.

Nina’s birth had caused quite a stir in the Winston family, and the company’s employees even received substantial red envelopes to celebrate. The Beauty had designed all of Nina’s dresses.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The Beauty saw Charles off until the elevator and watched as the doors closed. Only then did she turn back, heading inside.

“Charles, I would like to invite Zelda to be my exclusive model. How much should I offer her?”

Charles didn’t hesitate to answer, “She won’t model for you.”

The Beauty questioned, “How do you know she won’t? Charles isn’t her.”

Charles didn’t answer her question. He could tell that Zelda’s health had improved significantly. It was time to bring her back to the Winston family, and he would take responsibility for her.

Without receiving a response, The Beauty wasn’t upset; it was typical of Charles. If he didn’t answer a question, he wouldn’t. If it weren’t for him…

The Beauty looked at his legs. If it weren’t for his accident, she would have tried everything to marry him. Even though she seemed shallow, considering a lifetime of living together, who would willingly become a widow?

Charles, what a pity!

After leaving the office, Charles’s bodyguard immediately moved behind the wheelchair and began pushing him. The others silently followed.

The Beauty escorted them to the elevator, watched them enter it, and only turned back after the doors closed.