"They were bluffing—having surveillance doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll catch anyone. If someone really wanted to pull a trick, they’d definitely avoid the cameras. That staff member looked like it was her first time doing something like this; she couldn’t handle the bluff."
It was Xiaoqi who slipped the necklace into the staff member’s pocket. When Li Qiuchi went in to change clothes, Xiaoqi saw the staff member sneak in behind her—good thing Li Qiuchi caught on quickly, or they’d have fallen right into their trap.
After the press conference, Yancy Shaw had another surgery, so he headed back to the hospital.
There was still the company dinner to get through.
Most of the guests at the dinner were business partners and well-known designers—and of course, a few trust fund kids showed up just to bask in the excitement.
Lauren Shaw found the whole affair tedious and dull.
As a designer, she couldn’t skip this kind of event, but she knew barely anyone in the room.
Mandy Snow, glass in hand, flitted through the crowd. She was a big name in the design world, so she knew plenty of people and had far more experience than Lauren Shaw.
Lauren Shaw was still a fresh face in the industry—she wasn’t used to all the flattery and fake small talk, so she sat off to the side, ignored by most.
She found a quiet corner to settle in.
"Lauren Shaw." She heard someone call her name. Looking up, she saw it was Ian Lawrence.
"Why are you hiding over here? I’ve been looking for you all over." He sat down beside her. Tonight, he’d come to the dinner just for her. He’d missed the afternoon fashion show because he was still on the plane.
Lauren Shaw clinked her glass with his, tipping her head back to take a sip.
"You’re the star of the night—why are you sitting here?"
Across the room, Mandy Snow joked and laughed over drinks, easily chatting about the new products as if she were the guest of honor.
In comparison, Lauren Shaw looked completely unconcerned. She didn’t seem the least bit bothered. "It’s quieter here."
Ian Lawrence didn’t quite see it that way. "You’re the designer tonight. You should be out there meeting people—get your name and face known!"
Connections are everything for a designer, after all. There were tons of famed designers from international brands at the event—it could only help her to network.
"Don’t you have any ambition at all?" Watching her so indifferent, Ian Lawrence couldn’t help but worry.
Lauren Shaw just smiled faintly—she truly didn’t care.
All those people cozy up to Mandy Snow. Even if she went over, she’d only get the cold shoulder. She had no desire to force herself into their circle.
Ian Lawrence didn’t understand what was really going on. As he sighed, his gaze drifted past her and landed on a figure in a pale lavender dress heading their way, clutching her skirt.
"Damn, what’s the Young Miss doing here too?"
Lauren Shaw followed his line of sight and spotted the lively figure—who else could it be but Sophia Chandler.
"Sienna Shaw!" Sophia Chandler hurried over in heels. Lauren Shaw glanced to the side and noticed Ian Lawrence had already slipped away. Apparently, he was a bit intimidated by Sophia Chandler.
Not that Sophia Chandler noticed.
More and more familiar faces trickled in as the evening wore on.
Zhu Yurou arrived in a pristine white gown, her red lips bold and her aura formidable.
In the past, Lauren Shaw might have found her impressive—someone worthy of respect. Now, all she saw was a two-faced phony.
"When Zhu Yurou left the conference this afternoon, you should have seen her face—so dark even the stray dogs on the street steered clear," Sophia Chandler giggled at the memory, her mood instantly brightened.
A woman with a rich-lady aura suddenly stopped in front of them, eyes sharp as she glared at Sophia Chandler. "Sophia Chandler, what are you doing here?"
Sophia Chandler, in the middle of chatting with Lauren Shaw, was visibly annoyed at being interrupted.
"I’m just talking! Didn’t you tell me to get to know more people? That’s what I’m doing." She linked arms with Lauren Shaw, blinking her big, lively eyes.
The woman looked at her with open disdain. "I meant you should meet more of the rich young men here. Don’t mistake kindness for weakness."
"How am I ungrateful? I’ve met enough of the rich young masters for one night—do you want to kick me out now as well?"
The woman was so angry she couldn’t speak, and stomped off in the direction of Zhu Yurou.
Her name was Shang Min—her stepmother. Sophia Chandler was an illegitimate daughter who hadn’t been brought back to the Zhu family until she was eighteen, the same year she started college. Her mother, dying of cancer, had tracked down her biological father before she passed.
Sophia Chandler flashed a big, carefree smile. "I’m fine."
After a while, she got up, saying she needed to go to the restroom.
Once Sophia Chandler left, Lauren Shaw spotted a face she hadn’t seen in ages—Eva Snow.
Eva Snow’s look tonight was meticulously styled. She’d changed a lot in the time since they’d last met. Sensing someone’s gaze, Eva Snow turned and locked eyes with Lauren Shaw—for a brief second, their stares met.
She immediately looked away.
Lauren Shaw, seeing her dodging gaze, decided to leave her be. As long as Eva Snow didn’t cause trouble, Lauren Shaw didn’t care how she was doing.
"Hi, do you mind if I sit here?"
A soft voice brought her back to the present. Lauren Shaw glanced at the woman speaking to her.
"Do you remember me? We met outside the police station last time." It was He Shuang, Hugo Pierce’s girlfriend.
Lauren Shaw nodded warmly. "Of course."
He Shuang sat beside her, glancing at her out of the corner of her eye now and then, looking as if she had something to say.
Picking up on it, Lauren Shaw asked bluntly, "Did you want to ask about Hugo Pierce?"
He Shuang nodded. "Yeah, I was wondering… do you know what Hugo Pierce likes?"
Lauren Shaw was a little taken aback. Why ask her that? She barely knew Hugo Pierce herself.
"Don’t get me wrong! I’m just curious, that’s all."
He Shuang looked a bit shy, especially mentioning Hugo Pierce—her gentleness was written all over her face.
Lauren Shaw smiled. "Sorry, I’m not sure what Hugo Pierce likes." Weren’t they the couple? Shouldn’t she know his preferences better?
He Shuang seemed to guess her thoughts and explained, "Hugo Pierce doesn’t actually like me. We were introduced by our families, and we’re getting married next month. I hope you can come to our wedding."
Her words were soft, and it was clear she’d been sheltered all her life. She’d never really thought for herself about love—she just did whatever her family said.
Lauren Shaw was stunned. She and Claire Xu had been surprised when they’d heard Hugo Pierce was getting married soon—he’d never even seemed to have a girlfriend, and now suddenly there was a fiancée. So this was why.