Dolores glanced down at the delicate bracelet adorning her wrist, a slight smile playing on her lips. “So, do you have a particular fascination with women’s accessories?” she asked, her tone curious.
Charles hesitated for a moment, a lump forming in his throat. “Not really,” he replied softly.
“Then why did you inquire?” Dolores’s voice carried a sharp edge.
Had she not stumbled upon Victoria’s portrait in his study by chance, she wouldn’t have been so on guard.
This jade bracelet had been Victoria’s. Now that he was questioning her about it, Dolores couldn’t help but feel a subconscious wariness creep over her.
Silently clenching her fists, she wondered about Charles’s connection to Victoria.
Surely, no one would display a stranger’s photo in their study, right?
He placed the photo on the desk, clearly indicating that he often gazed upon it.
Charles rubbed his forehead and chuckled, attempting to break the tension. “Aren’t you tired of overthinking things?”
He was well aware of Dolores’s suspicions.
“I don’t personally know her. I’ve only seen her photo,” Charles confessed honestly. He had placed the photo on the desk to test if Dolores recognized her. It hadn’t been there before.
Fixing his gaze on the bracelet around her wrist, he continued, “I kept you here because this jade bracelet is identical to the one she wore. I speculate… you might be her daughter.”
Dolores was rendered speechless.
She couldn’t find the words to respond.
Charles didn’t press her further.
“Please, go and rest.”
Frowning, Dolores remained skeptical of his claims. “You don’t know her, yet you presumed I am her daughter and kept me here. Isn’t it all for her sake? Why would you do such a great favor for an unknown woman? Do you honestly think I’ll believe it?”
Dolores didn’t hide her curiosity about his identity. “What’s your connection to her? Is she a part of your family?”
In truth, she wanted to inquire if they were a mother and son.
She couldn’t conceive of any other explanation. The only possibility that came to mind was that Charles was Victoria’s son from a previous relationship before she married Jayden.
However, Dolores couldn’t reconcile this assumption with the image she held of Victoria.
Thus, she found herself thoroughly perplexed by this matter.
“Let’s strike a deal, shall we?” Charles suddenly proposed.
Dolores pondered for a moment before asking, “What kind of deal?”
She couldn’t afford to agree to any deal too hastily.
“You want to know who I am, and I can reveal it to you. But in exchange, you must answer one question honestly,” Charles proposed.
After brief consideration, Dolores responded, “Okay.”
She believed that Charles harbored more secrets than herself.
“Ladies first. Please ask,” Charles said, fully prepared for the proposed deal.
Dolores contemplated for a while before inquiring, “What are your parents’ names? Where are they from? And where are they now?”
Charles furrowed his brow. “Did you ask only one question?”
“Yes, I did,” Dolores replied with certainty, showing no hint of guilt. “I merely posed one question regarding your parents, didn’t I?”
Charles burst into laughter. He couldn’t refute Dolores’s explanation at all. She was indeed sharp-tongued.
Feeling somber, he answered, “I don’t know who my mother is because I was an orphan. My foster father’s name is Nathan White, a local resident of White City. He was also the heir to the White Group. Before his passing, he entrusted me with taking over the White Group. But there was a request he made of me…”
He paused, his eyes locked deeply onto Dolores’s. “He wished for me to marry the daughter of a woman named Victoria Forbis. I thought you were that girl.”
Dolores wondered if that was the true reason why he had saved her and kept her here.
Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder who this foster father, Nathan, was and what his connection to Victoria entailed.
“I have answered your question. Now it’s my turn,” Charles stated calmly. “Are you ready?”
Dolores’s mind raced, contemplating what he would ask and how she would respond.
“Are you ready?” Charles urged her.
“Yes,” Dolores replied, her gaze fixed upon him.
Charles arched an eyebrow, his voice laced with intrigue. “I have a business dinner this Saturday. Will you accompany me as my date?”
Dolores furrowed her brow, unsure if she had misheard him.
What did he just say?
He was asking her to be his date for a business dinner, right?
“Weren’t you going to ask me a question?” she countered.
“I don’t believe a single question can truly help me get to know you. So, I’d rather make the most of this opportunity,” he explained.
Dolores was left speechless.
“You can’t back out now. Integrity is an essential trait, isn’t it?” Charles said, a smug smile forming on his face.
“I won’t harm you. Perhaps I can even surprise you,” he added, winking mischievously.
Dolores didn’t hold high expectations. As long as it wasn’t a cause for panic, she would consider it a surprise and thank her lucky stars.
“Your condition goes against the rules. I can be your date, but you must promise me something as well,” Dolores asserted.
“I’ve answered your question,” Charles blinked, realizing that Dolores was not one to willingly suffer any losses.
“Then please ask me a question instead,” Dolores raised her head. Clearly, she was unwilling to cooperate with him. If he wouldn’t make her a promise, she wouldn’t agree to be his date.
Charles stared at her for a moment before speaking helplessly, “Alright. I can promise you one thing. Tell me what it is.”
“Let me make phone calls.”
As expected, Charles had anticipated her request.
“Yes, you may, but you can only contact your family after attending the business dinner with me,” he declared.
Dolores quickly calculated. There were still three or four days until Saturday. As long as she could contact her family, she was willing to wait and endure for a few more days.
“Get some rest,” Charles said with a bright smile.
The following days passed by swiftly. After receiving a professional massage from the doctor, Dolores’s ankle had nearly healed. She could walk properly now, but she couldn’t walk for extended periods as it hadn’t fully recovered.
“Ms. Flores, this is from Young Master,” Amelia entered the room carrying a delicate box.
Dolores was sitting on the edge of the bed, gently moving her ankle. Upon hearing Amelia’s words, she raised her head and inquired, “What’s in the box?”
Amelia shook her head, feeling envious of Dolores. Dolores had received a gift from Young Master.
“Ms. Flores, don’t you want to open it and see what’s inside?” Amelia stood beside the bed, holding the box in her hands. Looking at Dolores’s expressionless face, she added, “Young Master rarely gives gifts to others.”
She couldn’t understand why Dolores wasn’t excited.
At least, Amelia had never witnessed Young Master giving gifts to anyone before.
“You can open it,” Dolores replied indifferently.
Amelia widened her eyes in disbelief. “Do you want me to open the box for you?”
Dolores pondered for a moment. Although she didn’t expect any gift from Charles, she didn’t find it polite to ask someone else to open it. “I’ll do it myself.”
She reached out and opened the box.
Inside was a beautiful dress.
“Oh my goodness!” Amelia exclaimed. “Isn’t this the dress you designed last time? Young Master had the tailor make it!”
Dolores also noticed. She picked up the dress, feeling the soft, silky fabric that slid through her fingers.
“It’s stunning!” Amelia was in awe, touching the dress. “What material is this? It’s so smooth and luxurious.”
“It’s real watered gauze,” Dolores replied, not expecting Charles to have the dress made with this fabric.
There were many imitations of watered gauze on the market, but they couldn’t compare to the genuine cloth.
Watered gauze was known as a noble fabric in the textile industry. It had other names like “the soft gold” and “Fiber Queen.”
It was the highest-quality silk product, crafted with intricate techniques. There were only a few masters who could produce such fabric, and the art was on the verge of being lost.
Dolores had learned about this fabric from books and online sources. She had only seen one dress made of watered gauze in Mrs. William’s closet.
It was an exceptionally valuable and rare garment that only a few affluent individuals could possess.
She wondered where Charles had managed to find such fabric. It was a substantial piece since her design was an evening dress with a long hemline, requiring a significant amount of cloth.
Amelia didn’t understand the intricacies, but she could appreciate the beauty of the dress. She thought the style was elegant, graceful, and even a bit seductive, despite its long black silhouette.
“You’ll look absolutely beautiful in it,” Amelia concealed her envy.
“Do you like it?”
Dolores lifted her head upon hearing Charles’s voice, only to find him wearing a blue gingham suit with a light-colored necktie. Despite sitting in a wheelchair, he still looked incredibly handsome.