The phone rang only for a moment before a voice answered on the other end.
"Miss Lillian."
Rnd''s voice came through, warm and smiling like a gentle stream, momentarily catching M off guard.
She quickly regained herposure, greeted him politely, and got straight to the point.
"Sir, about your invitation-I''m a bit confused."
M paused for a couple of seconds, then tactfully declined, "I thought our coboration ended once the dress was delivered."
Knowing he was the eldest from the Lockwood family made her even more reluctant to engage further.
Whether it was the unsettling scent of blood she once noticed on him or his notoriously reckless younger brother, M preferred to keep her distance. The whole family seemed to have issues.
A soft chuckle came from the other end, clearly catching the meaning behind her words.
"Ms. Suthend."
Rnd addressed her by her real name this time, his tone still light as he continued, "I''m delighted with your dress. This is just a family gathering, a gesture of thanks. Could you grant me this small favor?"
He was being direct and open now.
His manner remained gentle and polite, but there was an undeniable firmness in his words.
M realized that, in some ways, the Lockwood brothers were quite simr- equally assertive. However, the elder Lockwood was evidently more mature and tactful.
With such a request, she found it hard to refuse. But still...
M hesitated for a few seconds before she asked, "Mr. Lockwood, our only connection is a dress. A family gathering is such a personal event, isn''t it a bit inappropriate for an outsider like me to attend?"
Her marriage to Lysander was a secret, never publicly announced. The world knew Lysander was married, but his wife''s identity was a mystery. Only close friends within the Montgomery family circle were aware, as Lysander rarely brought her to social events, making her a stranger in those circles.
Though the Montgomerys and the Lockwoods were on good terms, M had no direct dealings with the Lockwoods, especially since Ryan, the younger brother, disliked her.
Rnd had been abroad for many years, and this was their first interaction. She assumed he knew nothing about her.
But now, he could call her by name, indicating he had looked into her, even though the invitation was addressed to her designer pseudonym: Lillian.
This meant he was inviting her personally, not as Lysander''s wife, which made it all the more puzzling.
She had only met this client once and had no other connection, let alone any friendship. An ordinary party invite was one thing, but a family gathering?
Rnd''s response remained calm and steady, "I admire Ms. Suthend."
M thought, "Really? What do you know about me to admire? Sure, my custom fashion designs are excellent."
She was confident in her artistic talents, but her instincts told her Rnd''s admiration wasn''t that straightforward.
Perhaps sensing his answer was a bit unsatisfactory, Rnd chuckled softly and added, "Ms. Suthend, you''ll understand more when you attend the event."
M wanted to press further, but she could tell his tone, though still courteous,
had cooled since the start of the call. He was losing patience.
As she hung up, M frowned and stood in ce for a moment, thumbing through her phone book.
She was still puzzled.
She decided to consult the friend who had introduced her to this lucrativemission.
That initial million-dor project had been referred by a friend from the high society circles. Because they had a good rtionship, and the friend had rmended a few decent clients before, she had epted this mysterious client without much question.
But now, she really needed to ask how this big job came about.
Just as M was about to make the call, she heard a soft voice calling from afar, "M! M! Over here."
It was her mother-inw, Felicity Fontaine.
Looking up, M saw a graceful and elegant woman in a long white down coat waving at her, walking briskly in her direction, with two security guards in ck suits following closely behind.