"If Daddy ever bullies Mommy, I'll be on Mommy's side," Will said sternly. "But we don't know what happened back then, so it wouldn't be right to judge Daddy prematurely." He continued, "Besides, we're their children, and our main goal should be to support our parents' relationship and maintain a harmonious family. How can we just..."
Theo, overwhelmed, quickly covered Will's mouth. "Stop talking! Please, stop!" he pleaded, thinking, He's like a little preacher! Always lecturing! [The sentence about the website is irrelevant and should be removed.]
Will removed Theo's hand. "Alright, I'll stop."
Theo thought for a moment. "Will, I think your dad definitely won't let you return to Mommy. If he finds out about me, he might try to take me away, too."
"Why?" Will asked, frowning.
"It's simple," Theo reasoned. "If he liked Mommy, why would he have separated from her and forced her to leave? And don't forget, your dad has a fiancée!"
Will explained, "There's a reason for that. Daddy doesn't like Miss Anderson."
"No matter the reason, he can't deny he has a fiancée," Theo retorted.
Will fell silent, thinking, Indeed, from Mommy's perspective, this is where Daddy is wrong.
"So, until we figure out what he did to Mommy, we need to keep our situation secret," Theo added.
Will, though believing Byron might have reasons, agreed. He thought, Daddy has a fiancée and won't let me return to Mommy. This would only hurt her more.
"Okay, I know what to do," Will agreed. The two boys reached a consensus.
At Dreamscape Studio, Maeve put the untaken medicine in her bag and entered.
"Ms. Reese, you're finally back," her assistant, Paige Sims, said, approaching her. Lowering her voice, she added, "That guest is the daughter of the Maycus Estate and a streamer. She's difficult; please be careful."
Maeve nodded. "Thank you. Please bring two coffees later."
"Will do," Paige replied.
Maeve entered the reception area and saw a stylish girl in a red dress taking selfies and laughing. "Alright, I'll help you evaluate the royal designer today," the girl said. "I'm not lacking." Her comments section was mostly praise, with a few mentions of Dreamscape Studio.
Maeve's unexpected appearance silenced the comments, then caused an explosion of praise.
[Whoa! Who is this lady?] [This face—she needs to be in the entertainment industry!] [The screen looks so clean now!]
The livestream's viewership soared to five million. The girl, initially pleased with the praise, realized it was for Maeve, and became annoyed. She started to lash out, but stopped upon seeing Maeve. "Whoa! What a beautiful lady!" she thought.
"Sorry for the delay," Maeve apologized, sitting beside her. "Hello, I'm Maeve Reese, owner of Dreamscape Studio."
The girl shook Maeve's hand, blushing. "H-Hello, I'm Gwynn Olson. I'm twenty-four, and I prefer women."
The comments erupted with laughter.
[Gwynnie's fangirl mode is activated!] [I couldn't handle a beautiful lady shaking my hand!] [Gwynnie, snap out of it! You're here to cause trouble!]
Maeve smiled. "Your style is unique. You've put a personal touch on the classic Chanel look. You must always keep things special."
Gwynn's eyes lit up. "Exactly! I don't like being the same as everyone else, but I don't want to be too out there."
"Then a romantic vintage style would highlight your unique features," Maeve said, handing Gwynn her iPad. "Here are some of my works."
Gwynn, captivated by the golden wedding dresses, found the distinctiveness she sought.
"I like this style, but I don't want to wear the same thing as everyone else," Gwynn said.
Maeve smiled. "Of course! Our dresses are custom-made, one-on-one, and unique. Just like every girl."
The comments surged again.
[I'm hooked! She said I'm one of a kind!] [She's beautiful, sweet, and articulate!] [I want a dress! But the prices are insane!]
The high prices sparked complaints about the one-time wear.
Lost in conversation, Maeve and Gwynn ignored the livestream. Gwynn, remembering her purpose, stopped the conversation. Glancing at the comments, she asked, "Isn't the price inflated? Eternal Hope, a luxury brand, charges about the same."
"Our dresses are handcrafted with crewelwork, making them highly collectible," Maeve explained. "No other company uses crewelwork for wedding dresses."
Gwynn, comparing the crewelwork to her grandmother's million-dollar embroidery, was astonished by the relatively low price. "Goodness, what a surprising turn of events!"