Chapter 401: A Mysterious Studio
From the moment Frederick gave his orders that morning, Richard had already dispatched someone to guard the entrance of Halfmoon Manor. The person guarding the villa was Callum Edler, a veteran military scout. Since the matter involved Claire’s fall from the cliff, Richard couldn’t afford to be careless and thus sent his best surveillance expert.
Callum saw Caroline emerge from the villa and hail a taxi. She appeared to be preparing to go out, so he followed. He didn’t drive his car or wait at the villa entrance, as that would attract too much attention. Instead, he hid discreetly in a corner. When the taxi arrived, he noted the car’s license plate number. Frederick controlled the entire Kingstown Security Department, making it easy for Callum to track the car's movements through the system. He input the license plate number, and the GPS immediately pinpointed its location. He then called for a taxi to follow.
Caroline was unaware she was being monitored. All she could think about was explaining things once she arrived at Zachary’s villa. Soon, she arrived at the image design studio she had selected, though she hadn’t expected it to be so remote. The storefront appeared quite large and street-facing, but the area was sparsely populated. For some reason, when she got out of the car and saw the black sign above the door, a slight sense of unease washed over her. The black sign itself wasn't particularly concerning, but the studio’s name was scrawled in jumbled, indecipherable white letters. The letters didn’t form any coherent words, looking more like a chaotic mess—almost an abstract Impressionist painting. The letters even seemed to create a face, laughing wildly.
For a moment, Caroline considered leaving and finding another studio, but then remembered that, having checked on her phone earlier, this studio most closely matched her requirements. She took a closer look. Aside from the sign, everything else seemed fine. The glass door was transparent, and through it, she could see various clothes hanging inside. After some thought, she decided to go in.
Once inside, she was taken aback by the clothes. According to the studio’s introduction, these garments were all designed by the owner, each one-of-a-kind. It certainly seemed true, and the clothes looked even more beautiful than in the photos.
“Oh, my dear princess, hello! Welcome to my studio. I’m Jay Bickley, and all the lovely guests here call me Jay,” a young man, about thirty, said as he walked out. He wore a well-tailored tuxedo and black hat. He spoke gently, his movements graceful, like a knight from an animated movie. He approached and extended his hand.
“Hello, Jay,” Caroline replied, shaking his hand.
“Oh, your hand feels so warm,” Jay said. “Come, my dear princess. What brings you here today? Are you just looking for a simple makeover, or do you want a complete transformation? What’s the occasion?”
“Are you attending a reunion? A blind date? Perhaps a music festival? Or is it to meet your beloved boyfriend?” He circled Caroline, carefully observing her.
“Hmm… I’m going to meet my boyfriend. I’ve made him angry, so I need to make it up to him. I’ve always dressed very purely around him, but this time, I want to look more seductive. You know, we’re going to be together,” Caroline replied thoughtfully. Zachary was a rather perverse person, so she needed some seductive outfits. She couldn’t hide her real intention.
“Ah! I understand, my dear princess. Come with me,” Jay said, his voice full of meaning. Like a knight, he took Caroline’s hand and led her further into the studio. It was then that Caroline noticed a long, dimly lit hallway behind the clothes. The light in the corridor was a deep burgundy, and for some reason, it reminded her of Zachary’s basement, making her nervous.