Chapter 476
Maeve was unaware that her greatest weakness had fallen into Byron's hands. She was communicating with a customer about the poor sales of her “Wings of Love” wedding gown. The customer, Ella, hailed from Tikia and cherished traditional, retro wedding dresses. Ella often heard stories from her grandmother about her great-grandparents. Her great-grandfather, a tailor, had rescued her great-grandmother from a restaurant fire, forging a connection between two disparate families. Ella’s great-grandmother’s parents vehemently opposed the relationship, mocking her great-grandfather for his humble profession and inability to afford a proper wedding dress. Undeterred, he spent two years painstakingly embroidering a complete set of wedding gowns, sacrificing sleep and rest, hoping to win over her family, but ultimately failing. The war separated the couple, but they eventually reunited and remained together until the end of their lives, passing the wedding gown down to Ella’s grandmother. Sadly, the gown was lost in later turmoil, leaving only a photograph as a memento.
When Ella saw “Wings of Love” on Dreamscape’s website, she recognized its resemblance to her great-grandfather’s creation. Next week was her grandmother’s eightieth birthday, and Ella longed to recreate the wedding day her grandmother had missed. While Ella would likely have been refused if she had asked to purchase the gown for her own wedding, given that it wasn’t for sale, her request was different. Her grandmother was ill, and Ella's filial piety compelled her to fulfill this wish, a request no one could refuse.
“I’m sorry, but ‘Wings of Love’ is not for sale,” Maeve said after some deliberation. “However, you can rent it.”
The initial disappointment in Ella’s eyes was palpable. She hadn't expected this alternative. In the past, she would have walked away, finding the idea of wearing rented clothing unacceptable. However, her attempts to find a comparable gown had been unsuccessful; everything fell far short of “Wings of Love.”
“Can I see ‘Wings of Love’?” Ella asked, barely concealing her excitement.
Maeve nodded and led her to the innermost exhibition room. The four glass walls displayed Dreamscape’s most striking fashions and wedding gowns, arranged in two facing rows. “Oh, my god, these are even better than the ones in the luxury brands I shop at overseas!” Ella exclaimed in awe.
“Can I buy these?”
“These are not for sale,” Maeve explained, guiding Ella to the glass cabinet containing “Wings of Love.” The gown lay flat on velvet, its exquisite collar, cuffs, and golden embroidery arresting. Ella stood mesmerized.
“How beautiful… My great-grandmother married my great-grandfather in a gown just like this.” She added wistfully, “If someone could embroider a gown like this for me, I would marry him without hesitation.”
“Ms. Reese,” Ella said, “I want to rent it. How long can I rent it, and what’s the cost?”
Maeve provided the details. “A maximum of half a month. The gown is insured, so please take good care of it.”
“Of course!”
After signing the rental agreement, Ella inquired about custom designs. Her wedding was planned for later in the year, but she disliked the designs her designer had provided, her preferences shaped by her grandmother’s taste for traditional gowns. Maeve, not planning to create any new gowns soon, declined.
“May I ask why?” Ella inquired.
“I injured my hand a while ago, so I can’t do this meticulous work for the time being.”
Ella expressed sympathy. “Ah, I see. There’s no rush; my wedding is in the second half of the year. I’m happy to pay a deposit and wait until you recover. After seeing ‘Wings of Love,’ no other wedding gown will do. Besides,” she continued brightly, “don’t designers say ‘one day of idleness leads to a hundred steps back’? You can practice with my wedding gown. This way, my wedding gown might be ready once you recover.”
Maeve was stunned. The thought, ‘One day of idleness leads to falling behind,’ resonated deeply. She realized her reluctance to create again stemmed from her unaddressed trauma. ‘One who stands still will never reach where one wants to go!’ A sudden clarity washed over her. She looked at Ella, her eyes shining. “Thank you for helping me see this. Alright, I’ll accept your request. Tell me your specific requirements.”
Ella, startled by Maeve’s bright smile, blushed. “I… I just said that casually. I’m glad you don’t think I’ve offended you.”
Maeve and Ella spent the afternoon talking, connecting easily. They went to a café before Maeve finally took down Ella’s detailed requirements.
After leaving the café, Maeve went to the McDaniel Group with two cups of coffee. She’d just received a message from Byron, explaining that he was unexpectedly delayed in a meeting and would pick her up later. The café was close to the McDaniel Group, so she decided to wait there.
Exiting the elevator, Maeve chuckled at the coffee in her hand. ‘I wanted to avoid him this morning, and now I’ve come to his company. He’ll tease me mercilessly,’ she thought.
Overhearing snippets of conversation, Maeve froze.
“You’re talking about Molly, the newcomer? She’s capable and does as she’s told, but… isn’t she incredibly scatterbrained? She even makes the wrong coffee.”
“That’s right. Mr. McDaniel only drinks hand-ground coffee. Tina had to work for over a month to meet his standards. She trained Molly, yet Molly dared to give Mr. McDaniel instant coffee. And he wasn’t even angry! It’s strange.”
“Yesterday, I asked Molly to deliver a document, and she bumped into Mr. McDaniel, scattering the papers everywhere. It was her final mistake, surely? I thought she’d be fired, but nothing happened.”
“Mr. McDaniel’s tolerance for Molly is excessive. I bet she’s a relative of his. Let’s…” Maeve’s ears picked up the hushed tones of gossip.