Chapter 11 Torn Dress

• “How stingy! You’re going in the same direction, but you still want me to pay the fare!” Cynthia complained under her breath as she watched James leave. Still, she had no choice but to follow him because it wasn’t an opportune time and place for hailing cabs.
• Deciding that the exhibition was much more important, Cynthia followed the man to a car parked not far away. Even though the hem of Cynthia’s navy dress only reached her knees, an extended part of her dress still touched the ground, no matter what she did. Hence, when she passed by the speed bump, the exquisite fabric that trailed behind her accidentally got caught on a nail.
• Cynthia looked at her stuck dress glumly, then carefully bent down in an attempt to rescue her dress.
• Noticing that Cynthia hadn’t caught up with him, James thought she was just too slow, so he asked without even looking back, “What are you dallying around for? Get in the car.”
• Hearing the man’s voice and seeing her still-stuck dress, Cynthia couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
• “My dress got stuck. I’ll be right there.” Even though this man requested to be paid, he was willing to let her hitch a ride regardless. Thinking of that, Cynthia replied to James’ question calmly.
• James was running late, and as he watched Cynthia figure out her dress with such care, he felt anxiety growing within him. He strode over to Cynthia and lifted the hem of her dress so that he could help her pull it loose. Seeing the man’s actions, Cynthia immediately went red in the face.
• “Thank you,” Cynthia managed to say softly.
• With a simple tug, James heard a ripping sound and found that Cynthia’s dress was torn. Cynthia’s originally shy smile froze on her face.
• James didn’t expect the dress to be torn with just some extra force, but he wasn’t too sorry when he looked at her. Cynthia looked at her torn dress, then at the time, and realized that it was too late to go back and change.
• Seeing James’ nonchalant face void of any apology, Cynthia got into his car while fuming inside.
• James watched as Cynthia got into the car just like that, and he asked in a low voice, “You’re going in that dress?”
• Cynthia looked at her dress, which was supposed to stop at her knees, but the tear had reached her thighs instead. A man was also sitting next to her, and she felt a blush coming on.
• She clearly couldn’t wear this dress to the exhibition, for it was simply unbecoming of her position as a fashion designer. She knew she had to fix it later. Cynthia thought for a bit, then she replied proudly, “I have my own ways.”
• A knowing grin appeared on her face.
• She was already thinking up ways to adjust the dress as she reached behind her in an attempt to pull down the zipper ever so slightly. However, the space in the car was quite small, and a man was sitting beside her, so she couldn’t move freely. She looked at James beside her and asked tentatively, “Can you help me pull down the back zipper a little?”
• James glanced at Cynthia with a weird look, then noticed her careful behavior. Mischief roused within him as he said jokingly, “Why, are you trying to flirt with me? I never knew you were so thirsty.”
• Hearing that, Cynthia had to refrain from rolling her eyes. “Thirsty? Hah! You’re the thirsty one here! I can’t believe you’re spouting such dirty talk while looking all pretty like that.”
• “Dirty? This isn’t even the worst I can do. Try me then.” James smiled wryly and suddenly leaned closer.
• Cynthia quickly backed away in fright and said in embarrassment and mild anger, “G-Get away from me.”
• “Are you sure? Don’t you need to get that zipper down?”
• “I can manage,” Cynthia quipped coldly, then reached for the zipper herself. However, after struggling for a good while, she still couldn’t reach it.
• James crossed his arms and watched her nonchalantly, as if he were watching a show. Cynthia felt his gaze on her, and her face grew hot in response. This b*stard…
• “Such a stubborn woman.” James saw the slight anger in Cynthia’s expression. Her cheeks were tinted red from either anger or embarrassment, and James actually found it quite cute. He decided to stop teasing her and helped her pull down her zipper.
• Realizing that the man was doing as he was told without any funny movements, Cynthia decided not to hold his mischief against him.
• After a quick thanks, Cynthia took out her handbag and retrieved her handy set of tools required for clothes-making, including a small pair of scissors, needles, and threads. Then, she began to carry out a set of actions that would dazzle even a tailor.
• Her slender porcelain fingers danced skillfully on her dress, leaving behind completely changed terrains as they went along. James couldn’t help but be impressed. Despite his surprise, he still watched calmly as Cynthia focused wholly on transforming her dress.
• More than 10 minutes had passed, and Cynthia finally completed her work. Her dress now looked even better than it was before. James was amazed, but still, he said in his usual calm voice, “I didn’t think you could do that.”
• Cynthia gazed in satisfaction at her altered dress as she replied, beaming in pride. “This is actually nothing. It is my profession, after all.”
• Seeing Cynthia’s joyful expression and her beautifully transformed dress, James felt even more interested in her. This woman truly gave him entirely different impressions every time they met, and he found it greatly intriguing.
• Just then, Charles, who was driving, suddenly hit the brakes. The car slowed down, thus interrupting James’ line of thought.
• James asked, irritated, “Why did you stop?”
• Charles could hear the irritation in his superior’s voice, but he could only grit his teeth and answer, “Young Master James, there’s a traffic jam on South-Central Avenue.”
• James pinched between his eyebrows in exasperation.
• Seeing the jam ahead of them, Cynthia grew anxious as she wondered when the jam would end. The time for the opening of Lewis Incorporated’s exhibition was drawing ever closer. Then, Cynthia realized they weren’t too far from the venue, and she could actually make it on foot.
• She decisively opened the door and got out of the car. Before closing the door, she said, “Thanks for the ride. I have to leave now.” Without waiting for a response, she hastily went her way.
• James looked up at Cynthia’s disappearing figure and narrowed his eyes. This woman is truly something.
• A few minutes later, Cynthia arrived at the entrance of the venue. She fished out her compact mirror from her handbag and fixed her makeup, which had faded slightly from all the walking. Then, she walked to the entrance.
• Cynthia was about to go in when the security guard at the entrance stopped her. “Miss, please show me your invitation card.”
• Cynthia stared blankly at the security guard. The security guard knew right away that Cynthia didn’t have any invitation cards on her, so he said in a polite manner, “I’m sorry, Miss, but you cannot enter without an invitation card.”
• Cynthia suddenly realized that she had forgotten about this aspect entirely. The exhibition staff had offered to fetch her here by car, but she declined because she thought it was too much of a hassle. The other party hadn’t mentioned anything about invitation cards in the call, hence bringing about this awkward scene at the entrance of the exhibition.
• The other guests witnessed the scene as they walked in, and Cynthia blushed as she felt their gazes on her.
• Just then, Shirley’s and Maureen’s car pulled up at the entrance of the venue. Shirley had seen Cynthia standing at the entrance early on, so her uncertainty in the car just now dissolved completely as she recognized Cynthia’s profile.
• It’s her! It’s Cynthia!