Loretta breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that having a bodyguard could keep her safe even from her mother.
Loretta shot her mum a triumphant glance and got ready to leave.
"Let's go," Loretta said, stepping around her mother, but Collins stopped her.
"We can't," he said.
Although he did not let Mrs. Gladstone hit Loretta, he also could not let her leave. Even without being instructed, he knew his boss wanted her to stay in the Gladstone Residence until the engagement party.
Loretta blinked.
Evil man.... No wonder he is cursed. Loretta could only say those words in her heart. She did not dare voice them in front of Collins.
Left with no choice, she had to go into the house, Collins still holding her bag.
A housekeeper stepped forward to collect the bag. He let go and turned to Mrs. Gladstone.
"If it is not too much trouble, I would like to stay in a room close to Miss Gladstone," he said.
Mrs. Gladstone also realized a problem. Loretta's room was on the left wing with the maids.
"Well, that would be a bit of a problem," Mrs. Gladstone said. Then she turned to Loretta. "How about moving to the guest room on the first floor? That way your bodyguard can stay next door," she said.
Loretta smiled. Her mother was always trying to save face. She wanted to say the room next to hers was the storage room and that it was free, but she changed her mind.
"Anything you arrange," she said.
In a short while, two rooms on the first floor were prepared.
Loretta went upstairs with Collins. He took the second room while she entered the first. Loretta's bag was already in the room. Since she would be staying for another five to six days, she decided to arrange her things.
She had just hung the first piece of clothing when there was a knock on the door, and without waiting for Loretta to answer, the door was pushed open.
Loretta turned to see who was so rude.
"Sister." Isabella wore an innocent smile, but Loretta simply ignored her.
Isabella had only been three years old when their parents got married, yet she knew how to constantly remind Loretta that this was her house.
Over the years, with Mrs. Gladstone's favoritism, she had become bolder, daring to frame Loretta at every turn while putting on an innocent act.
"You are in the wrong room," Loretta said as she continued arranging her clothes.
Isabella pretended not to hear her and walked over to the bed before sitting down.
"It seems my mistake landed you a good husband," Isabella said.
She had felt jealous when the bodyguard protected Loretta earlier. Besides, Kevin was a handsome man. Today was the first time she had seen him in person at such close range.
She felt a little regretful.
"I can give him back. Let's tell Mr. Goodman the truth," Loretta said. She truly did not want to be close to that cold man.
"You..." Isabella did not expect Loretta to be so willing. She looked at her and wondered if she had misunderstood something.
"Please leave. I am busy," Loretta said, unwilling to entertain her.
Isabella wanted to curse at her, but remembering there was a bodyguard in the house, she held her tongue. After all, even with good soundproofing, she had heard that most elite bodyguards had exceptional hearing.
....
That evening, just before dinner, the Gladstone Residence suddenly became lively.
A luxury black car stopped outside the mansion.
Not long after, a woman dressed neatly in a cream suit entered with two assistants following behind her. Each assistant carefully carried large garment boxes.
Mrs. Gladstone quickly stood up in confusion.
"May I ask who you are?"
The woman smiled politely. "Good evening. We are from Bellevienne Bridal."
The moment those words were spoken, Mrs. Gladstone was stunned.
Bellevienne Bridal was one of the biggest bridal brands in the country. Ordinary wealthy families could not even get appointments there.
The woman continued smiling professionally. "Mr. Kevin Goodman made a reservation for Miss Loretta Gladstone. We came to confirm the fitting date and preferred styles for the wedding dress."
Loretta, who had just walked downstairs, froze.
"For me?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yes, Miss Gladstone." The woman guessed she was Loretta and respectfully handed over a golden appointment card. "President Goodman specifically instructed us to adjust our schedule according to your convenience."
Mrs. Gladstone's eyes widened slightly.
Even she knew this level of treatment was not something money alone could buy.
Before the family could recover from the shock, another luxury car arrived outside.
This time, several people entered while carefully carrying black velvet cases.
"Good evening. We are from Eternal Hearts Jewelry."
The cases were opened one after another.
Diamond necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
The gems sparkled so brightly under the lights that Isabella nearly stopped breathing.
"We are here to confirm Miss Gladstone's preferred jewelry set for the engagement and wedding."
Mrs. Gladstone nearly lost her composure. She had only seen this brand in magazines before. Their prices were so high that she had never dared visit.
But the shock was not over yet.
Barely ten minutes later, while Loretta was confirming styles and dates with the two groups, a third group arrived.
This time, the atmosphere became even more serious.
The moment the elegant older woman entered the living room, Mrs. Gladstone immediately recognized her.
She was one of the top designers from Maison Étoile, a famous brand known for designing dresses for royalty, celebrities, and international red carpet events.
The assistants behind her carefully carried sketchbooks and fabric samples.
"Miss Loretta Gladstone," the woman said warmly. She easily identified her because the other brand representatives surrounded her. "President Goodman requested that we personally create a custom engagement dress for you."
Loretta stood there completely stunned.
Even Collins, who stood quietly at the side, looked slightly surprised.
Meanwhile, Isabella's face had already turned pale with jealousy.
Her eyes moved from the jewelry to the bridal staff and then to the custom designers.
Every single thing there should have belonged to her.
If she had not suddenly been stupid enough to hand it over to Loretta.
Suddenly, Isabella's eyes turned red.
"I want the marriage switched back!" she cried loudly.
The entire living room instantly fell silent.
Mrs. Gladstone's expression changed immediately. "Isabella!"
But Isabella had already lost control. Tears streamed down her face as she pointed toward Loretta.
"She stole my life!" Isabella shouted emotionally. "Kevin Goodman was supposed to be mine!"
Loretta looked at her quietly without speaking.
Mr. Gladstone's face darkened instantly. "Enough!" He quickly signaled the housekeeper.
The housekeeper moved quickly, but Isabella continued crying hysterically.
"What did I say wrong—"
The housekeeper quickly covered her mouth.
"Miss, there are others present," she whispered to Isabella, hoping she would get the hint.
Isabella looked around and, seeing that everyone was staring at her, felt embarrassed and followed the housekeeper away.
"My daughter is just being childish," Mrs. Gladstone said with a forced smile.
The brand representatives, already used to seeing all manner of family drama, smiled back. No one knew the real reason behind the marriage, and they did not dare speculate about Kevin, so they all pretended they had heard nothing.
Loretta confirmed the time and date with the groups and sent them away.
Mrs. Gladstone felt extremely embarrassed, but for the sake of the family's reputation, she forced herself to keep smiling. She even specially prepared gifts for everyone, saying they were tokens of appreciation, but everyone present was smart enough to understand that she did not want news of Isabella's behavior to spread.