Chapter 425: Ms. Sander

Hayley’s POV:

In the afternoon, right on schedule, a poised and graceful middle-aged Beta woman walked into the room.

“Ms. Carson, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she greeted me with a friendly smile, her voice warm and respectful. She didn’t look down on me because of my Omega status, offering a polite handshake instead.

“Hello,” I responded, shaking her hand in return.

She settled into a chair with a soft smile on her lips. “Please, just call me Winifred.”

“Alright, Winifred. Let’s get to it,” I said, eager to move the conversation along.

“Of course, Ms. Carson. I’m here on behalf of my employer. She has seen your work and is quite impressed. She would like you to design her wedding gown,” Winifred explained smoothly.

“Who is your employer?” I asked, a bit confused by the sudden introduction.

Winifred pulled out her phone and handed it to me, showing a photo. “This is my employer, Freya Sander.”

I glanced at the image—Freya appeared to be in her early twenties, with delicate, almost ethereal features, like a porcelain doll brought to life.

“She’s beautiful,” I commented honestly, admiring the young woman’s grace.

“Thank you! Ms. Sander is planning her wedding at the end of the year, so we’ll need you to give the gown a lot of thought,” Winifred replied, her tone earnest.

I quickly spoke, “She clearly has an eye for detail. What kind of design does she want? As a designer, I need to understand her preferences first.”

“You’re right, Ms. Carson. Ms. Sander already provided her instructions,” Winifred said, handing me a sheet of paper. “Here are her guidelines. You can just design the dress according to this document.”

I unfolded the paper, expecting to see a list of requirements. But to my surprise, it was completely blank—nothing written at all.

“Winifred, there’s nothing on this page?” I asked, my brow furrowing in confusion.

Winifred smiled gently, as if she was expecting my reaction. “I’m not sure what’s going on either, but Ms. Sander assured me that this paper contains her instructions.”

I double-checked the page, but still found it empty. Just as I was about to ask for clarification, Winifred added, “Ms. Sander said if you can decipher the meaning behind the blank paper, you’ll know exactly how to design the gown. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me now.”

I bit my lip, perplexed by the unusual request. What could a blank sheet of paper possibly signify?

“Wait, just to confirm,” I said, my voice tinged with uncertainty, “You want me to design based on this blank A4 paper?”

“I understand you’ll be heading to New College next month. We live in Cryving, where your university is. How about once you arrive, you can bring us the first draft of your design? What do you think?”

A month seemed like plenty of time to create a wedding gown, but the real question was the mystery behind the blank paper.

I considered it briefly and then replied, “I’ll do my best, Winifred! If the first draft doesn’t meet your expectations, I’ll offer a full refund.”

“Of course, Ms. Carson! We have complete faith in you,” Winifred said enthusiastically. She then turned to Tanner. “Mr. Tanner, here’s the deposit.”

She handed over a check, and Tanner took a look at it, clearly surprised. “This amount is quite high—it’s more than what we usually charge for custom designs.”

Winifred remained calm. “Ms. Sander believes Ms. Carson is worth every penny. We also hope the design will be of equal value.”

Tanner hesitated for a moment, glancing at me to gauge my response. “Hayley, do you feel confident about this wedding gown?”

I looked at the blank sheet in my hand and nodded, determined. “I’ll give it a shot!”

With that, Tanner accepted the deposit from Winifred.

Before she left, Winifred looked at me one last time and said, “Ms. Carson, we’re excited to meet you in Cryving. We look forward to seeing your design!”

I smiled, assuring her, “Thank you! I’ll do my best to get it right.”

“Thank you,” Winifred replied. “Here’s our contact information. Once you’re in Cryving, feel free to reach out at any time.” She handed me a business card.

I accepted it and slipped it into my pocket.

After sending Winifred on her way, I couldn’t stop thinking about the blank sheet of paper in my hand. What was its hidden meaning?

Curious, I asked Hera, “Hera, with your sharp instincts, have you noticed anything unusual?”