Just then, a familiar female voice called out from behind her, "Nora."
It was a voice she knew all too well.
She turned around. "Maeve Sutton, what are you doing here?"
Maeve Sutton's eyes were red and swollen, as if she'd been crying. She'd tried to hide it with foundation, but not very successfully.
"Nora, how could I miss your wedding photoshoot? We're best friends, after all." She then turned to Leon Lynch, acting as if everything were normal. "Hello, I'm Maeve Sutton, Nora's best friend. We've met before, at a banquet."
Leon Lynch responded coolly before looking down at Nora Ainsworth. "Let's go inside."
Suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, Nora pursed her lips. She glanced at Maeve Sutton but said nothing and went inside with him.
Maeve Sutton followed them in as well.
The shop manager personally escorted Sharon Ainsworth and Nora Ainsworth to select their gowns. All sorts of luxurious wedding dresses were displayed on mannequins, and the two women listened intently to the manager's descriptions as they looked.
"Nora, I think this one's great," Maeve Sutton said, pointing to a white, V-neck wedding dress. "You'd look so elegant in it."
Nora wasn't a fan of that style. She shook her head. "Manager, I'd like that one—the strapless, lace-up one."
The manager smiled brightly. "That's a new arrival. Each of our gowns is part of a collection. Would you like to see the other pieces that go with the strapless, lace-up design?"
"No, that's alright," Nora Ainsworth said with a wave of her hand. "Whatever the manager arranges will be fine."
Sharon Ainsworth also picked out a dress she liked.
The manager was surprised by how down-to-earth Nora Ainsworth was—so easy to get along with. "In that case, Misses Ainsworth, please follow me. You'll change into the gowns first, and then we'll do your makeup."
As Nora carried the wedding dress into the fitting room with the manager, Maeve Sutton glared at her back. 'She's doing this on purpose,' she thought. 'That dress was obviously beautiful.'
But Maeve seemed to have forgotten that the plunging V-neck, which exposed almost her entire bust, wasn't Nora Ainsworth's style. Nora preferred something more conservative, especially for a photoshoot.
On impulse, Maeve Sutton took that very dress off the mannequin and headed for another fitting room.
When the Ainsworth sisters emerged from the fitting rooms, Quentin Grant and Leon Lynch, now in their formal suits, walked out from the opposite side. All four of them were dressed in white. The sight of the handsome men and beautiful women was like a picturesque scene, leaving the other shop assistants completely stunned.
Quentin Grant hadn't expected it, but Nora Ainsworth's petite frame was like a model's; the dress looked stunning on her.
He barely glanced at Sharon Ainsworth before turning away.
"Time for makeup?" the manager cautiously sought Quentin Grant's opinion.
"Mm, let's begin."
But to everyone's shock, just as Nora Ainsworth sat down at the vanity, she saw a reflection in the mirror: Maeve Sutton, slowly walking toward them, wearing the very wedding dress Nora had rejected. The sight left everyone in the room stunned. What in the world was happening?
"Why are you just wearing one of the dresses from here? Nora, what is your friend doing?!" Sharon Ainsworth knew these gowns weren't for anyone to just try on, but this woman was acting outrageously, thinking she could get away with it just because she was Nora's friend.
Quentin Grant, sitting on the sofa, pretended not to notice as he flipped through a magazine. He didn't need any makeup; he was already perfectly photogenic.
The manager didn't dare to confront Maeve Sutton directly and turned to him instead. "Mr. Grant, is she..."
Quentin Grant looked up, glanced coolly at Maeve Sutton, and said, "She's Miss Ainsworth's friend. Her personal actions are none of our concern."
Only then did the manager turn to Maeve Sutton, a faint coldness in her eyes. "Miss, you can't just try on our gowns without permission."