TDLVSC 23
On a pleasant autumn afternoon, with the sunlight just right, paired with warm red tea and a comfortable armchair, Noland should have been in a good mood. However, as he casually flipped through some documents, he came across the name that made his blood boil.
No matter how many times he tried to calm himself, telling himself that it was all in the past and that such things would never happen again in this world, the anger still surged inside him. Simply seeing that woman's name in the file, alongside her colored photo, almost made Noland lose control. The nearly thirty years of temperance he had practiced almost slipped away in that instant.
Noland took a sip of his red tea and took a deep breath, forcing himself back into a more controlled state. However, he had indeed lost his composure. The resume with "Jiang Shiyu" written on it had been crumpled in his hand and was now almost unrecognizable.
He tossed it aside, and Olivia picked it up, placing a new version of the document on the tea table next to him.
Having been with Noland for so long, Olivia had seen his moments of frustration. But after he turned twenty, such blatant and raw expressions of anger had become rare. She quickly glanced at the document and noted down the name "Jiang Shiyu” in her head. She didn’t pay much attention to it, knowing that with Noland’s character, this person wouldn’t last long in his presence.
Noland had always lacked patience for things he disliked. Unless circumstances were beyond his control, he would suppress his feelings. But Olivia knew that while he may have concealed his anger, he was still deeply uncomfortable.
At times like this, something was needed to divert his attention, and Olivia was adept at doing just that.
"Sir, Mr. Louis sent over the gown design sketches this morning. A simplified version has been prepared. Would you like to take a look?"
Louis worked quickly. Noland had only learned the day before that Louis had started on the project, yet there was a draft already. Olivia, too, worked swiftly, and the simplified version was ready.
Noland pondered for a moment, then replied, "Find someone to try it on."
Olivia nodded and left the small lounge. Moments later, she returned with a maid who was wearing the gown.
The maid's figure was similar to Jin Shiya's, and she wore a necklace with a sapphire pendant, though it was not as luxurious or beautiful as the one being transported on the plane.
Noland stood up from his armchair and walked over to the maid. He stood in front of her, his fingers resting thoughtfully on his chin.
Without thinking, he reached out and gently twisted a strand of the maid's long chestnut-colored hair around his finger. He felt a sense of dissatisfaction with her appearance. She had long, brown hair, while Jin Shiya's hair was neatly short and black. The difference was stark. While the maid’s figure was comparable, her appearance made her look like a sweet princess, whereas Noland only wanted Jin Shiya to embody the regal aura of a queen.
After all, Jin Shiya was supposed to wear this gown to attend Noland's thirtieth birthday party, playing the role of the host’s companion. She should stand above the crowd, receiving homage from the guests, not resembling a little girl playing princess.
As a result, even the design by Louis, which he had originally found quite satisfactory, now seemed full of flaws.
"Tell Louis that this design is unacceptable. Tell him to start over. If he doesn’t know what a queen is, let him go meet my cousin."
The Harris family’s upbringing made every family member incredibly proud. Noland's cousin was not only proud but also obsessive and stubborn. She had developed a romantic attachment to Louis and was quite relentless in her pursuit, which made Louis dread her presence. Furthermore, Louis felt she was too old, and that was why he hid under Noland's protection, staying as far away from her as possible.
If Louis didn’t want to be tormented by Noland's cousin, he would have to give his absolute best in this gown design.