After sending the message, Maria pocketed her cellphone and continued to gaze at Dolores on stage, a sneer curling her lips.
As the lights brightened and the background music started playing, the models took the stage for the final and most important section of the show.
And the grand finale was a wedding dress designed by Mrs. William.
It had been a while since Mrs. William had created any clothing. This wedding dress was specially designed for the opening ceremony of LEO Corporation.
White, the purest of colors, adorned the entire dress, radiating a luminescent glow akin to snow. Layers of delicate veil, soft satin, woven roses, and shimmering gems adorned the gown, exuding both elegance and splendor that left the audience breathless.
Dolores gazed at the dress, lost in her thoughts.
A wedding dress always carried the hopes and dreams of love and happiness.
Despite being married, Dolores had never worn a wedding dress. There was no wedding ceremony, no gown for her. She hadn’t even gone to the civil affairs bureau together with her “husband” to obtain a marriage certificate.
“Excuse me, Lola,” Theresa approached, handing Dolores her cellphone. “Your phone.”
Since Dolores had been on stage, Theresa had held onto her phone.
Dolores took it, and Theresa reminded her, “It looks like you received a message just now.”
Dolores unlocked her screen and read the message. Her face instantly drained of color, and she could hear her heart pounding violently. It felt as if her heart might shatter from the pain, causing her to tremble.
“Lola, what’s wrong?” Theresa noticed that something was amiss and helped Dolores steady herself. “Are you feeling unwell?”
Dolores shook her head. “I’m fine.”
She left the vibrant crowd, holding the phone tightly in her hand.
Observing Dolores’ panicked departure, Maria’s lips curled into an ironic smile.
Thanks to Dolores, Maria had obtained those photos. When Dolores had asked Sampson to investigate matters in Country A, he had retrieved surveillance footage from the hotel, which Maria now possessed.
Maria wanted to express her gratitude.
She wondered how shocked and horrified Dolores would feel if she discovered that it was all because of her.
Maria sneered.
Alone, Dolores ascended the stairs to the second floor.
It was quiet there, shielding her from the noise outside.
She felt drained, collapsing to the floor as her strength seemed to fade away.
Scenes from that night replayed in her mind like a vivid movie, complete with sound and color.
She lowered her head and unlocked the phone, the photo revealing her face, capturing the same shame and vivid memories from that fateful night.
She had once dreamt of giving her virginity to a man she loved, but…
Pak!
A tear fell onto the phone screen.
Her heart plunged into an endless abyss alongside it.
In that moment, she forgot about everything else, consumed by panic and fear.
She didn’t want to relive this matter, but it was thrust upon her, a firm reminder that it was a stain and nightmare that would haunt her for life.
She rarely cried. Since giving birth to her two children, tears had been a rarity, for she was both a mother and a daughter. She carried the weight of raising her children and taking care of her mother on her shoulders, leaving no room for tears or weakness.
But at that moment, she couldn’t hold back. A sharp pain pierced her heart, making it difficult to breathe.
The sunlight gradually faded from the floor, plunging her into a dark shadow.
“Are you crying?”
Dolores hastily wiped away her tears and placed the phone face-down on the ground. “No. I’m, I’m not crying.”
Matthew stood above her, his gaze fixed on her.
Since she had left the crowd, he had sensed that something was wrong. With the ceremony nearing its end and Armand and Boyce having departed, he had come upstairs to find her.
And now he saw her shedding tears, her face stained with the evidence, yet she denied it. Did she think he was blind?
He squatted down, ensuring she met his eyes. “What happened to you?”
Her eyes were still moist, tear tracks visible as if he could feel their warmth.
Her vision obscured, she couldn’t make out the expression on the man’s face. She felt lost, as if her blood and flesh had been drained, leaving only a lifeless skeleton.
Matthew gently wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes with warm fingers, cradling her face with concern. Her demeanor worried him greatly. “Tell me. What happened?”
Dolores embraced him, burying her face in his chest. “I ran into Randolph today, and it reminded me of how he abandoned my mother and me…”
She lied to cover up her loss of composure.
Matthew stroked her back, offering comfort. “It’s alright, my dear. Don’t be afraid. You have me now, and I’ll be there for you.”
Dolores, having regained some composure, teared up again upon hearing his words.
In the past, she had cared for her younger brother and mother. Later, she became a mother herself, shouldering the responsibility of raising her children. But no one had ever told her that she would have him in her future.
It wasn’t a grand proclamation or a flowery declaration. It was simple, reaching deep into her heart and poking the most tender part.
“Hey, Lola.” Theresa’s voice echoed from the staircase, indicating her search for Dolores after her prolonged absence from the ceremony.
Matthew wiped away Dolores’ tears and smoothed her disheveled hair. “Stop crying. It wouldn’t be good if others see you like this.”
“Okay.” Sniffing, Dolores checked the time. “It’s almost over now. You can go home first. I might be quite busy today.”
“I’ll come to pick you up in the evening.”
“Sure!”
“Lola,” Theresa called out as she walked up the stairs. Dolores quickly composed herself, straightening up. Theresa couldn’t help but wonder if she had interrupted something between Dolores and Matthew, seeing that they were the only ones upstairs.
“Well, uh… Mrs. William is leaving,” Theresa stammered.
“So soon? What about the guests downstairs?” Dolores walked over. “Let’s go downstairs and check on them.”
She glanced back at Matthew, who had a solemn expression while talking on the phone.
“What’s wrong?” Dolores inquired.
After saying “I got it” on the phone, Matthew ended the call. His gaze darkened as he looked at Dolores.
It was a call from Boyce just now. He informed Matthew that Beulah had passed away, having taken her own life. Boyce was currently investigating the matter.
This issue wasn’t simple, and it seemed to involve Dolores as well.
Instead of letting Dolores worry, Matthew wanted to gather all the facts and resolve the problem. “It’s related to the company. I have to go.”
“Okay.” Dolores didn’t dwell on it.
Theresa rarely probed into Dolores’ personal matters. However, with Matthew’s presence, she could sense that the relationship between this man and Dolores was not a simple one.
Observing Matthew’s tall and upright figure, she remarked, “Lola, is he Samuel and Simona’s father? I noticed the striking resemblance between them, especially in their eyes and foreheads. No wonder your children are so good-looking. They inherited good genes.”
Dolores’ expression immediately soured.
She didn’t want to pursue this topic because Samuel and Simona had no connection to Matthew.
“Are there still people downstairs?” Dolores deliberately changed the subject.
“Mrs. William has already bid farewell to some guests. I escorted the rest of them out on your behalf. I don’t think there are any more guests now. The cleaners are tidying up the hall. Mrs. William is waiting for you,” Theresa replied, sensing Dolores’ reluctance to discuss the previous topic.
“I see,” Dolores responded lightly.
As they descended the stairs, they found that most of the guests had left, leaving the hall empty. The tables were in disarray, with leftover desserts and drinks scattered about.
“It’s been a long day, but we accomplished a lot. All the dresses from the fashion show were sold out, including Mrs. William’s wedding dress. Can you guess how much it was sold for?” Theresa asked.
“How much was it?” Dolores wasn’t particularly interested, but since Theresa raised the question, she felt compelled to answer.
Theresa held up three fingers. “Three million.”
Dolores wasn’t surprised. Mrs. William’s designs always commanded high prices, and three million for a wedding dress was not exorbitant.
However, she couldn’t help but be curious about the buyer. “Who purchased it?”
“Maria Herbert, the daughter of the Herbert family. She said she will wear it for her wedding,” Theresa revealed.
Dolores turned to Theresa. “Maria Herbert?”
“Yes,” Theresa confirmed. “Is there something wrong?”
Dolores couldn’t shake off a strange feeling. It hadn’t been long since Maria and Matthew called off their engagement, and there hadn’t been any news about her getting married or having a boyfriend.
Would she really wear it for her wedding?
Who would she be marrying?