Lu Tian's eyes slowly flutter open and he looks directly at his old man. In the next second, he leans back on the chair and raises his left hand to massage his forehead as he stares at the carpet under his feet.
"She doesn't know that we know. I haven't told her because Grandfather Ji said he will tell her."
Hearing that Yue Ling doesn't know anything, Old Lu felt a suffocating sensation inside him. He trembles a deep and despairing breath as he closes his eyes.
Out of every person in Grandfather Ji's life, Yue Ling should have been the first to know, but is she really going to be last?
He opens his eyes and turns his head to the window. He stares out to the lake that glistened under the setting sky.
"It's going to be hard for her when she learns of this news. Be sure to stay by her side as she will need you more than you think."
Lu Tian answers with an 'mm'. Even if his father did not tell him to, he will remain by his wife's side. He swore a promise to Grandfather Ji to take care of his wife and it is a promise he will not break again.
After the loss of their child, he made sure to always stay close to her. If he wasn't, he made sure to have those around his wife pay close attention. Whenever she is going somewhere, he cannot go, he would sneakily hack into Imperial's surveillances and see if she safe.
He turns his head and stares at the same scene as his father.
"I swear on my life to be there for her. Even if I have to follow her until the end of time."
The room turned into silence as the father and son gaze out at the lake. However, both men could hear the heartfelt laughter in the distance from their wives.
In the living room, Yue Ling and Madam Lu were oblivious to the deep conversation that had taken place in the other room.
Both women sat on one sofa with Madam Lu exceptionally closed to Yue Ling. Her arm that had locked onto the retired model since arrival had not once moved away.
"What do you think? I've gathered a list of all the famous designers in the world for you to see which one is to your liking."
Madam Lu exclaimed excitedly as she gestures with her free hand to the coffee table in front of them. Her eyes beamed with glistening lights that could be mistaken for stars in a night sky.
"So, do you see one you would like to work with?"
Being asked the question, Yue Ling didn't know how to respond. She looks at Madam Lu then down to the coffee table.
Scattered on top were stacks of paper with its own design of different wedding dresses. However, it was exactly as Madam Lu had said.
Each design is specially designed by famous designers from around the world. Amongst the many designs, there were even a few pieces from De L'amour.
"I…"
Yue Ling was only able to say one word as she was not informed that they would be discussing the wedding dress. She thought this was a simple dinner get together.
She stares at the many designs in front of her until she caught sight of one and her eyes trembled. Only a small part of the paper could be seen but she knew the design from a mile away.
Her heart shakes as her slightly trembling hand reaches to pick it up.
"This…"
The model in the portrait was none other than herself. She wore a dazzling wedding dress that began with an encrusted bodice embroiled with white pearl beads elaborated with laces. It extends effortlessly from the bodice onto the skirt as its layers in tulle run the length like a whisper-soft, yet extravagant train on the floor.
The dress is completed with another layer of lace appliques at the hen for a final touch of luxury.
"This dress, how…"
Seeing the change in her expression, Madam Lu felt a wave of unsettlement inside her, but glancing at the wedding dress Yue Ling had picked up, she understood.
Or so she thought she did.
A smile curls on her lip and she place a hand on Yue Ling's cheek then looks down at the piece of paper.
"It's the first wedding dress you ever designed."
She chuckles softly before lowering her hand and place her palm over Yue Ling's hand holding the paper.
"It's been three years, but even now, I still find this dress that you designed to be one of the best wedding dresses I have ever seen."
Although Madam Lu's words held no harm, Yue Ling felt each word were like sharp daggers that stabbed her in the heart. Even the air around her became harder to breathe.
However, despite feeling this way, she couldn't move her eyes away from the dress.
Like everything around her seemed to have slowed down, she could hear the slow beating of her heart.
Her other hand slowly raises, and she gently caresses the paper as if she could touch the dress.
This dress was indeed the first wedding dress she designed. It was made to define any woman's body and turn them into the happiest person in the world.
It was also the dress she designed for herself. The dress she wore on her and Shin's wedding, and the dress she locked away.
As the memories of that dreadful day slowly began to float in her mind, she closes her eyes. She did this not to remember but to rid of the memories from deepening.
She pulls herself together and opens her eyes to look at Madam Lu.
"This… How did you get this?"
Although this wedding dress was the first, she ever designed, it was also the only one made during that time. After Shin's death, she stopped all the processes from having this dress made and released in her fashion line.
It wasn't that she didn't want to be reminded of that day, it was because she didn't want any other women to wear the dress and fall into the same misfortune as her.
She did not want her curse to be spread onto another person.
But the question now is, how did Madam Lu get her hands on this design?
"It was your assistant."
Madam Lu answers without knowing Yue Ling's inner feelings. She smiles at the dress then looks at the retired model.
"I asked him to send me all the wedding dresses you have designed. When I saw this dress, I was in awe at how beautifully stunning it was."
She looks back at the dress and sighs a smile full of pride and proudness.
"I can tell at a glance that you put your entire heart into designing this dress to be perfect."
When she clicked her e-mail and saw the attachments Liu Shan had sent, she knew at a glance that this is the dress any woman would want to wear when marrying the love of their life.
However, when she questioned the assistant for more details about the dress, it was then that she learned there had been a mixed up.
The dress was actually sent by accident due to his busy schedule.
She sighs regretfully and gently caress the dress like she could feel the textures. As she did this, a thought came to mind and she looks back at Yue Ling.
"I don't know the full details why your assistant said there was mixed up in the e-mail. However, since the design is here, I can assume that you won't mind?"
She believes that since this dress was sent to her, it is meant to be worn by Yue Ling. Right?
Yue Ling stares into Madam Lu's deep brown eyes with mixed emotions. She felt angry that Liu Shan didn't tell her about this matter. However, at the same time, she can't help but feel a sense of relief.
It was like a part of her past had been lifted from her shoulders. Like the past she had been trying to lock away was slowly turning from grief to happiness.
She looks back down at the dress and a small smile curls on her lip. It was one that made one unable to read what she is thinking about.
"This dress… I am profoundly grateful that you also like it, but I do mind."
Normally, whenever she sees this dress, she will think about Shin, but at this moment, her mind could only be filled with Lu Tian.
Like the time he proposed to her with L���amour de ma vie, she knows that although he accepted the fact that the ring was designed by Shin, a part of him felt like the latter.
And for that, she doesn't want Lu Tian to ever think he is second in her life again.
Turning her head to face Madam Lu, her smile turns into one of bittersweetness.
"If possible, I would like to ask that we exclude this dress?"
