Anne's expression remained calm. "The engagement?"
Olivia's lips curved into a smile. "Jason and I are getting engaged soon."
For the briefest moment, something changed in Anne's expression. It was so subtle that almost no one noticed.
Almost.
Eva noticed. She saw the tiny pause. The slight change in Anne's eyes.
The momentary stillness in her expression. But it disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared.
Anne composed herself. "Oh."
She smiled politely. "Congratulations on your engagement."
Olivia watched her carefully. "Thank you, Sister."
Anne simply nodded. But Olivia wasn't finished. She wanted to see more. She wanted to know whether the news affected Anne. So she smiled again. "I hope you'll come."
Anne looked at her for a moment. Then she answered calmly. "Of course."
There was no hesitation in her voice. "I'll be there."
Olivia's smile widened slightly. "Thank you, Sister."
Anne gave another small nod. Then her attention shifted toward Clara.
Clara had been standing nearby, quietly watching the entire interaction. The moment Anne looked at her, Clara's expression brightened. "Anne!"
Unlike Olivia, there was no hesitation in Clara's voice.
She immediately walked toward Anne.
Anne's face softened into a genuine smile. "Clara."
Clara reached her and immediately linked her arm with Anne's. "I was just trying on the gown you recommended."
Anne's eyes moved toward the pink gown.
She smiled. "It looks perfect on you."
Clara beamed. "I love it."
She looked down at the gown happily. "I'm definitely taking it."
"Good." Anne turned toward Nina.
"Please make sure it's prepared properly. Clara is wearing it for her birthday celebration."
"Of course, Miss Anne." Nina immediately nodded. "I'll take care of it personally."
Clara looked at herself in the mirror again, clearly pleased with the gown. She gently touched the fabric and smiled at her reflection.
Meanwhile, Olivia's eyes moved slowly from Clara to Anne.
Her expression remained pleasant.
But her thoughts were anything but pleasant. She had wanted that gown.
She had been denied access to it. And now she was beginning to understand something that bothered her even more.
Clara hadn't simply been given the gown because she was a premium customer.
Anne knew Clara. Anne had personally recommended the gown.
And Anne's employees treated Clara with the kind of familiarity that suggested Clara belonged in this place.
Olivia's eyes narrowed slightly.
She looked at Anne again.
For the first time, she began to wonder just how much of Anne's world she had never known about.
And that realization made the jealousy burning quietly inside her grow even stronger.
The smile on Olivia's face remained perfectly in place.
But beneath it, something inside her tightened. The gown she had wanted so badly was now being worn by Clara. And somehow, Anne had been the one who had chosen it for her.
Olivia lowered her gaze for a moment, pretending to examine the dress she was wearing. But her thoughts were elsewhere.
She couldn't stop thinking about what she had just witnessed. The way the employees reacted when Anne arrived.
The respect in their voices.
The familiarity in their expressions.
The effortless confidence with which Anne moved through the store.
Anne hadn't simply walked into a place she owned. She belonged here. This wasn't merely a business that carried her name.
It was a world she had created.
And Olivia suddenly realized that there were probably many things about Anne's life that she knew nothing about.
Her gaze slowly moved around the store.
The employees respected Anne.
Madison looked at her with unmistakable pride.
Eva clearly cared about her.
And Clara... Clara wasn't treated like an ordinary customer. She was treated like someone who belonged. Someone special.
Then Olivia understood. Anne hadn't randomly allowed Clara access to the premium collection. The gown hadn't simply been available to her because of her membership.
It had been selected for her.
Reserved for her.
Anne had chosen it.
Clara wasn't simply another customer.
She was someone Anne personally knew.
Someone Anne valued.
Someone who clearly held an important place in her life.
Olivia's expression remained pleasant.
But another feeling slowly began to grow inside her.
Everyone seems to have a place in Anne's world.
Her eyes moved from one person to another. Everyone seemed connected to Anne in some way. Everyone seemed to have a relationship with her.
And Olivia suddenly found herself wondering something she had never seriously considered before.
Where exactly do I stand in Anne's world?
The thought made her uncomfortable.
Before she could dwell on it any longer, Anne turned toward her. "You chose a dress already?"
Olivia immediately looked at her. "Yes."
She smiled. "I was actually looking at the pink gown earlier."
Her eyes briefly shifted toward Clara. "But Clara got it first."
Anne followed her gaze toward Clara. A small smile appeared on her lips. "That gown was already reserved for her."
Olivia nodded. "I understand." She kept her voice pleasant.
Anne studied her expression for a moment.
Then, as if the matter were completely simple, she said, "If you like that style, I can have one made for you in another color."
Olivia's eyes widened slightly. "You would?"
"Of course." Anne's tone was completely sincere. "It's my store. I can have the design customized for you."
Olivia stared at her.
For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. She had expected Anne to be cold. She had expected her to dismiss her request.
Perhaps she had even expected Anne to enjoy telling her that the gown wasn't available. Instead, Anne had offered to make another one for her without hesitation.
"Thank you, Sister."
Anne smiled. "You're welcome."
Olivia returned the smile. But somehow, Anne's kindness made her even more uncomfortable. She had been prepared to deal with hostility. She hadn't been prepared for kindness.
Because kindness left her with nothing to fight against.
Across the room, Eva watched the exchange carefully. She noticed the way Olivia looked at Anne.
She also noticed something else. Olivia was smiling, but the smile never quite reached her eyes.
Eva had learned long ago that people's expressions didn't always reveal what was happening inside them, and something about Olivia's expression made her uneasy.
Before Olivia could say anything else, Clara stepped forward.
She looked down at the gown she was wearing, admiring the intricate details.
Then she turned toward Anne. "Anne, this gown is so beautiful."
She gently touched the fabric. "Where did you get the inspiration for it?"
Anne's gaze settled on the pink gown. For a moment, her expression became thoughtful. "I actually designed it when I was a teenager."
Clara's eyes widened with curiosity. "Really?"
Anne nodded. "I designed it for the engagement I dreamed about when I was younger."
Her voice remained calm. "Back then, I thought I would wear it for my own engagement someday."