Hailee, who had been a little gloomy, glanced over and couldn’t help but smile. “What’s got you in such a good mood?” she asked.

At first, the driver seemed annoyed by the sight of someone he found plain-looking. But Elliana’s laughter was oddly infectious, and before long, even he couldn’t help cracking a smile.

Right after Hailee finished talking, the driver chuckled and asked, “You’re in such high spirits. Don’t tell me—you’re finally getting married?”

The driver had no clue that the woman sitting behind him was married to the richest man around. All he saw was a frizzy-haired girl’s challenge to get hitched. So in his mind, her joy could only mean one thing—someone had finally agreed to marry her.

Sharp as ever, Elliana figured out what he was thinking almost instantly. Still, his assumptions didn’t bother her. She was in too good a mood to care. With a playful grin, she fluffed her untamed wig and replied, “Nope. It’s even better than that.”

That made Hailee laugh. “Now I’m seriously curious. What happened?”

Elliana’s voice took on a teasing edge. “I finally got payback on that walking headache!”

Yes, she was referring to Merlin—the same man who had made her life difficult since day one.

The driver gave a small shake of his head, chuckling quietly. Hailee nudged Elliana with a smirk. “You’re so funny.” After that, the car ride went quiet.

Once back at the hotel, Hailee noticed a neat stack of elegant boxes arranged on the table—deliveries Elliana had ordered earlier. She glanced over, curiosity getting the better of her. “Elliana, what’s inside these?”

“Open them and see for yourself,” Elliana replied, nodding toward the boxes with a sly smile.

Hailee didn’t hesitate. She walked up and flipped the lids open one by one…

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Inside the box lay a stunning crimson evening gown, accompanied by elegant heels and a perfectly matched set of jewelry.

One glance at the logo was enough—Hailee immediately recognized the pieces as part of Rosa’s exclusive line. Her eyes widened as she turned to Elliana. “Wait… Is this one of your latest designs?”

Holding the gown up against Hailee’s frame, Elliana nodded, assessing the fit. “Custom-made. I designed it just for you. Now hop in the shower and change into it.”

Hailee blinked. “What?” Shock spread across her face. “Elliana, this stuff costs a fortune. I can’t just throw it on like it’s no big deal.”

A sly smile played on Elliana’s lips. “You can when it’s a gift. And you will. We’re crashing that engagement party tonight, and if we’re going to make waves, you need to look like you own the room.”

Realizing Elliana’s intent, Hailee let the protest die in her throat. She gave a small nod and headed for the bathroom.

Tonight’s engagement party would be a runway of glitz and status. The women in attendance would be dressed to impress—especially Hester, who would be draped in the kind of elegance meant to steal every glance in the room. Elliana refused to let Hailee blend into the background.

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