Jason spoke firmly, clarifying that there was no room for negotiation. After careful consideration, Alexis said, "I don't think someone like Maeve would give up so easily. She might shamelessly continue bothering Byron. I'll talk to her tomorrow and give her a warning."

"Alright, I'll leave her to you," Jason replied.

The next day, at Dreamscape Studio, Maeve received a condescending call from Alexis, ordering her to meet at the corner cafe and to hurry. Maeve hung up.

In the past, Maeve had considered Alexis's opinions—not out of fear, but because she was Byron's mother. Now, however, she couldn't care less.

Maeve had scheduled a meeting with Gwynn and her fiancé to review Gwynn's wedding dress. They were supposed to meet at 10:00 a.m., but arrived closer to 12:30 p.m.

Gwynn, looking upset, walked briskly ahead with her bag over her shoulder. Behind her, a well-dressed man in a suit spoke gently, but his eyes showed impatience.

"You know I've been swamped lately. Everything I'm doing is so you can live without worries and hold your head high in front of your parents and relatives. Stop being unreasonable. I'm here now, aren't I?" the man said. Gwynn stopped, her eyes reddening. "So, you're saying this is all my fault? My family is handling the venue, the catering, and everything else. I even picked out the rings. All I asked was for you to come with me to check the dress—what's wrong with that?"

"I never said you were wrong. Can you stop overthinking and blaming me for everything?" the man frowned. "Why have you been fighting with me over small matters lately?"

Gwynn nearly gasped. Choosing a wedding dress is a small matter? she thought.

"Hurry up and take a look. I still have to get back to the office. I'm not like you, a wealthy girl who can rely on others for everything," the man said sarcastically. "If your family background were less affluent, I wouldn't have to work so hard and would have more time with you."

Gwynn was used to these comments and even questioned whether she was being too demanding. Maeve, watching from the side, thought, She has poor judgment. "Please follow me," Maeve said, leading them to the workspace.

The wedding dress was unfinished, but its outline was clear. The embossed embroidery on the hem was vivid and captivating. Gwynn loved it. "How much is this wedding dress?" the man asked.

Maeve gave a rough estimate. The man frowned. "It's that expensive!"

"Sir, our wedding dresses are handcrafted, with genuine embellishments. They'll hold their value for ten years," Maeve smiled.

Gwynn tugged at the hem. "Is this embroidered with gold thread?"

"That's right," Maeve replied.

"You outdid yourselves," Gwynn exclaimed, admiring the dress. "It's so beautiful I wish we could have the wedding tomorrow!"

The man sneered. "What's the point of beauty if you only wear it once? Spending tens of thousands of dollars on something you can't wear daily seems like a waste."

Maeve twitched her lips. Gwynn retorted, "It's precisely because it only happens once that we must choose carefully. This is even more beautiful than my aunt's tens-of-millions-dollar one."

"Your aunt married an oil magnate," he said patiently. "As long as we're happy, material things don't matter, right?"

"Our happiness has nothing to do with whether you buy me this dress," she replied.

"The problem is spending tens of thousands of dollars on a dress you only wear for one day—do you need to be so extravagant?" he retorted. Maeve thought, Here we go again; they're about to argue.

Gwynn snapped, "Jaxen Horne, what do you mean by that? How is buying a wedding dress extravagant? If you don't want to buy it, say so! I can buy it myself!"

"Stop getting angry; I'm just talking to you," Jaxen said impatiently. "We could spend that money on our everyday life after the wedding—wouldn't that be better?"

He thought, How can they think a tens-of-thousands-dollar wedding dress is reasonable?

Gwynn laughed in frustration. "When I spent over two million dollars on a ring, you said nothing about saving money. Now that it's your turn, you want me to cut back?"

"Gwynnie, don't be unreasonable," Jaxen sighed. "I've put all my savings into giving you a grand wedding. You know my family isn't as well-off as yours, and we have debts to pay. What I can offer is everything I have."

Gwynn hesitated, seeing Jaxen's hurt expression. Maeve interjected, "If a wedding drains your savings, how will you live afterward? Are you planning to rely solely on Miss Olson's support?" She thought, He's getting a great deal—a walking ATM.

Gwynn's shoulders trembled. She and Jaxen had met in college; he had pursued her. She loved him deeply, but wondered if she could endure this for a lifetime.

"Why are you trying to stir up trouble?" Jaxen glared at Maeve, then softened his tone. "Gwynnie, don't listen to her. I wouldn't rely on you for support."

Gwynn forced herself to perk up. A loud knock came on the door. "Jaxen Horne! I need to ask you what this is all about. I'm pregnant with your child, and you're going to marry someone else!" A furious woman's voice echoed through the room.