Chapter 172: Dress With a Plunging Neckline

“Where? Which store? Tell me exactly where you saw her! I’ll book a flight right now!”

A deep, magnetic male voice cut in before the person on the other end could finish.

“Hold on, let me finish. Yes, I saw someone who looks like the photo, but the age doesn’t match up at all. According to what you told me, the woman in the photo should be in her fifties or sixties by now. But the girl I just saw couldn’t be more than twenty-something.”

The man’s eyes lingered in the direction where Claire had disappeared. Silence fell on the other end of the line.

“You okay there?” The man pulled the phone away to check if the call was still connected before asking.

“It’s fine. Probably just a coincidence—someone who happens to look similar.”

The voice on the other end had completely deflated, a stark contrast to its earlier excitement, like going from heaven to earth in a split second.

Meanwhile, Claire was oblivious to all this drama. Having picked up her evening gown, she headed back to the Halfmoon Manor. The journey would take about two hours, involving several bus transfers and a short cab ride. She’d likely get back in the afternoon, leaving enough time to prepare for Elizabeth’s birthday celebration at the Prescott Manor at 6 PM.

After returning to the Halfmoon Manor, she figured she’d just need a bit more time to get ready with Frederick. Frederick, however, was taking his sweet time. He’d gone straight to the Kingstown Security Department first thing in the morning, methodically wrapping up all his pending work before finally finishing around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

On his way back, stopped at a traffic light, he caught sight of a billboard featuring a woman in a seductive red dress with a plunging neckline. Out of nowhere, his mind conjured up an image of Claire in that same dress.

When he got back to the Halfmoon Manor, Claire had just returned and hadn’t had a chance to dress up yet.

“You’re planning to go to Elizabeth’s birthday party looking like that?”

He frowned at Claire’s casual outfit, her hair loose and unstyled, not a trace of makeup on her face.

“I… of course not…”

Claire glanced down at her outfit. She’d just picked up her clothes and hadn’t had time to get dolled up yet. Besides, even though she couldn’t attend a banquet looking like this, it wasn’t strictly out of the ordinary. She didn’t understand the disdain in Frederick’s eyes.

“Get me Kingstown’s most famous makeup artist right now.”

Frederick didn’t even let Claire finish speaking before dialing Richard’s number.

“That’s really not necessary…”

Claire tried to object, but Frederick cut her off. “I won’t have someone like you embarrassing me in public.”

Claire raised an eyebrow and smirked silently. Without another word, she pulled out her phone and sat on the bed, waiting for Frederick’s chosen stylist to arrive.

She figured she might as well roll with it—he was footing the bill, after all. Plus, she’d be the one looking gorgeous, turning heads at the birthday party. It was a win-win situation.

Initially, she’d been worried about what to wear to impress Elizabeth, debating whether to splurge on this season’s latest luxury fashion. Now, she didn’t have to worry about any of that! Things couldn’t have worked out better.

Two hours later, Frederick’s stylist had efficiently done Claire’s makeup and helped her into the red dress Frederick had selected. Claire studied herself in the mirror, pleased with what she saw. She had to admit that Frederick’s frequent attendance at high-society events and mingling in elite political and business circles had given him an eye for these things.

Smiling to herself, she grabbed her clutch and descended the stairs in her floor-length red mermaid gown. Halfway down, she noticed Frederick freeze in place at the sight of her. Richard stood beside him, equally stunned, and couldn’t help exclaiming, “Absolutely stunning!”

Frederick’s expression immediately darkened. “What kind of dress is that? Go change right now.”