"Ha, Miss Ye? Mrs. Fu? So you’ve forgotten me already, huh? Back at S University’s auditorium, you acted like I didn’t even exist. Now you’re pretending not to know me again."

"Tch, I heard you were an orphanage kid too. Now that you’re rich, you look down on everyone else?"

Xu Ran raised an eyebrow, slowly approaching with a defiant glint in her eyes.

Finally, Cecilia recalled her, but she frowned and paid no attention to Xu Ran’s provocation. She was here to help Yao Yao pick out wedding dresses—she had no time for this.

"Oh, Miss Xu? Did you want something?"

"Haha, nothing really. I just wanted to ask—did you come here to help someone else try on wedding dresses today?"

"Mm."

Xu Ran smiled, her brightly painted lips oddly unsettling. "Are you jealous, Miss Ye? I heard you didn’t even have a wedding when you married Mr. Fu. Did you ever get to wear a wedding dress?

They say every girl dreams of her wedding gown. When you look back later, won’t you regret not having any beautiful memories of your own wedding?"

Cecilia looked her way, her beautiful eyes calm as a still lake. "...It’s true, I haven’t worn a wedding dress. So what? We’re happy now."

"You call yourself happy with a man who didn’t even give you a wedding? Miss Ye, you sure are something," Xu Ran finally found a chink in Cecilia Ye’s armor, latching on and refusing to let go.

The door was half open when Mia Moore, freshly changed into her gown, came out. Not seeing Cecilia, she looked around and headed over, her skirt held up by a clerk. She’d overheard Xu Ran’s last two snide remarks.

"What the hell is wrong with you? What business is it of yours whether she wears a wedding dress or not? We have money! Anything Cecilia wants to wear, she can buy herself!"

Mia Moore barked out even before reaching them. Her wedding gown was enormous, so Cecilia hurried forward to steady her, worried she’d trip.

Xu Ran’s eyes flashed with jealousy as she saw the luxurious gown on Mia Moore. She sniffed, "What’s the point if you buy it yourself? Wedding dresses are supposed to be a gift from the man you love."

"Oh, and where’s the man you love? Care to parade him for us? Is he better than Fu Zhiyue? If you’re mentally unwell, get treated. Don’t make a scene here."

The staff tried to step in, but the two sides were too heated. Cecilia couldn’t help but laugh at Mia Moore’s retorts.

Seeing both women disregard her, Xu Ran flushed crimson with rage, jabbing a red-nailed finger in Cecilia's face, shouting, "Cecilia Ye, you only got a second look from the Fu family because you gave them a son! Otherwise, you wouldn’t even get a proper wedding or gown—you’re just a stray mutt they picked up!"

"Oh? Did you just call my wife a dog?"

A glacial voice came from behind. Fu Zhiyue’s face was stone-cold, with rage seething beneath the surface as he strode over.

"Or perhaps," another voice chimed in, "you’re calling Charles Chase’s sister a dog?"

Behind Fu Zhiyue stood Charles Chase—two men, both close to 1.9 meters tall, now forming a wall in front of Cecilia and Mia Moore.

Xu Ran, who had been so bold a moment ago, shrank back and fell silent.

"Seriously, Fu Zhiyue, you guys took your sweet time! Now even stray cats and dogs think they can mess with our Cecilia!" Mia Moore glared at the men.

Charles Chase gently ruffled Cecilia’s hair. She just smiled to indicate it was nothing.

Cecilia handed Mia Moore over to Charles Chase, then went to stand by Fu Zhiyue’s side.

Charles Chase’s eyes lingered on Mia Moore’s gown—he was clearly dazzled. He pulled her into his arms.

"Don’t be upset, let Fu Zhiyue handle this."

Fu Zhiyue glared frostily at Xu Ran, his tone tinged with menace: "Miss, do you have anything else to say?"

"I—I’m only saying what everyone knows. After all, you two never had a wedding. Anyone could hear about it, even someone just back from abroad like me," Xu Ran blustered, trying to downplay her fear. "It’s the truth—Cecilia Ye never had a wedding dress. Why shouldn’t people talk about it?"

"Oh, is that so?" Fu Zhiyue signaled the staff, who quickly opened the door to another private suite—just as spacious and opulent as the one Mia Moore was using, with a dazzling display of extravagant wedding gowns inside.

"Sorry, but everything my wife missed before, I’ll make up for her a hundred times over. Don’t bother worrying about it," Fu Zhiyue retorted with a cold smile.

Xu Ran stared at the roomful of luxurious dresses, her face twisted with jealousy. She opened and closed her mouth but couldn’t speak a word.

"Seems like you still haven’t learned your lesson from last time?" Fu Zhiyue tilted his head and addressed the staff. "Would you please escort this lady out?"

The clerk looked troubled—sure, Fu Zhiyue was the CEO of the Fu Group, but Xu Ran had booked the fitting properly. She couldn’t just throw a customer out without cause.

Fu Zhiyue picked up on it, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. "Is there a problem?"

"What’s the issue? I’ll just call Lanv," Mia Moore said, pulling out her phone. She dialed up the designer directly. Lanv was an old friend, but Mia Moore never felt the need to brag about it.

It was late at night where Lanv was, but he picked up quickly. "Honey, oh my! Why are you calling me at this hour?"

Mia Moore put him on speaker—it was meant for the staff, but she’d forgotten how over-the-top Lanv always sounded on the phone.

Charles Chase’s face darkened as Mia Moore ignored his grip at her waist and continued, "Lanv, you’ve got a lunatic at your bridal shop. Could you please have your staff throw her out?"

"What the hell? Some nutcase in my shop?" Lanv immediately dropped his pretentious English accent, switching to a gruff local brogue.

"Uh-huh! I swear, she talks like she’s choking on something, wailing and saying she’s gonna hit me—wah wah wah!" Mia Moore mimicked Lanv’s overdramatic style, having far too much fun.

Xu Ran’s face just kept darkening by the second... Who’s the one putting on airs here...

"Out! I’ll get someone to drag her out—out, right now!" Lanv barked.

The staff heard their boss’s booming long-distance order and promptly said, "Yes, yes, boss, I’ll take care of it right away!"

"Ugh, you put me on speaker?!" Lanv coughed, switching seamlessly back to his suave tone. "Of course, not 'escort out'—actually throw out."

The call ended. Mia Moore shot Fu Zhiyue a look, wordless but clear—see, your methods don’t cut it.

Immediately, two staff members took Xu Ran by the arms and marched her outside.

"You’re crazy! Let go— I can walk myself! You’re all the lunatics!" Even from the hallway, Xu Ran’s cursing could still be heard.

Mia Moore collapsed into Charles Chase’s arms, laughing uncontrollably. "Hahaha, Fu Zhiyue, see? You’re just not as effective. Looks like our Cecilia still needs her heroic best friend to save the day."

Cecilia playfully pinched Mia Moore’s cheek. "You and your big mouth! The baby can hear everything."

"Oh right!" Mia Moore quickly pressed both hands to her belly. "Bad words don’t count, baby’s sound asleep, nothing to hear here!"

Cecilia laughed and let Fu Zhiyue pull her into his arms. He looked at her apologetically. "Sorry, sweetheart, I got here too late."

She shook her head, beaming. "It’s fine! Even if you guys hadn’t shown up, we could’ve handled it ourselves. Our Yao Yao’s got skills."

Fu Zhiyue just looked at his increasingly mischievous wife, feeling utterly defeated—but what could he do? This was all his doing, after all.

"So… you really prepared *that* many wedding dresses…?" Cecilia craned her neck to peek into the suite behind him.

"Mm. Whatever you missed before, I’ll give you—and then some."

Without another word, he bent down, scooped her up, and strode toward the next room.

Mia Moore tried to follow, "Hey! Can I see too? Cecilia’s wedding dresses!"

Charles Chase grabbed her wrist. "Babe. Lanv? Honey? Got anything to explain?"