Chapter 3

Spencer was tall and attractive, while Joanne was petite and sweet. They looked like a match made in heaven.

For such events, most people normally adhered to the unspoken black-tie dress code. Women, especially, were decked in the most eye-catching evening gowns. In contrast, Joanne's white T-shirt and jeans seemed out of place—Spencer didn't care about such details.

But as Joanne looked at Ariana, who wore a stunning silver-gray gown that fit her body like a glove, she bit her lip. A hint of grievance and unease appeared on her pretty face.

"What's wrong?" Spencer asked, glancing down at her.

Joanne whispered, "They're all dressed so formally, especially Dr. Lubove. She's wearing such a beautiful dress."

Spencer's retracted gaze held a bit of displeasure.

The moment he entered, he saw Ariana laughing and chatting with Jensen in a carefree way. Jensen even ruffled her hair. She had just told him to mind his boundaries with other women, yet here she was, being a hypocrite.

Ariana frowned at Spencer's blatant refusal to keep his affair discreet. Her advice to him had fallen on deaf ears—he dared to bring Joanne with him to such a public event.

Nevertheless, Ariana was somewhat glad to have overheard Spencer introducing Joanne merely as his assistant. It was not uncommon for an assistant to occasionally accompany the boss.

As Ariana approached them, Joanne let go of Spencer's arm.

Joanne greeted timidly, "Dr. Lubove."

Spencer scrutinized Ariana from head to toe. He had to admit that she was a natural beauty with the perfect figure. The evening gown brought out the cool and ethereal quality of her looks.

Without a doubt, elegant clothing suited her more. Spencer couldn't quite understand why she had such poor taste in fashion on normal days.

He didn't even bother to spare Jensen a glance as he asked Ariana, "Which store did you get your dress from? Take Jojo there to buy a few dresses whenever you have time."

Before Ariana could respond, Joanne quickly said, "No, no. I couldn't possibly afford it."

Spencer smiled at her. "Silly girl, I'll buy it for you."

Joanne beamed brightly upon hearing that. There was a hint of coyness in her smile. "I… I couldn't possibly…"

"If it's something you like, I'll buy it for you," Spencer said, turning to Ariana. He then added, "Buy it with my card."

Ariana replied coldly, "Sorry. The dress is custom-made and isn't available for purchase."

As soon as her words fell, Joanne's eyes reddened out of disappointment. She gently tugged on Spencer's sleeve. "Forget it, Mr. Ulrich. How could I afford a custom-made gown?"

Jensen chimed in, "It seems some people are self-aware."

Spencer shot Jensen a frosty glare.

"Why not?" he said to Joanne.

Then, he turned to look at Ariana. "Where did you get your dress made? Take Jojo there… Never mind. Tell me where you bought your dress, and I'll take her there."

Ariana's fingers that were gripping her wine glass twitched slightly, but she kept smiling. "This evening dress is made by my exclusive designer. You may not be able to buy it at all."

"Your exclusive designer?" Spencer paused and thought for a moment. "Is it Sienna Jones?"

Sienna was Ariana's fashion designer friend. Ariana didn't expect Spencer to know it was her.

"Yes," Ariana replied, nodding lightly.

"If she can be your fashion designer, she can be Jojo's, too. Tell her to design a dress for Jojo," Spencer demanded.

"Forget it," Joanne said, biting her lip. Her eyes were a little red around the rims. "Don't put Dr. Lubove on the spot, Mr. Ulrich. If she's not willing to…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Spencer cut her off, "Are you not willing to talk to Sienna about this? I'm sending business her way. Why would she refuse?"

Ariana put down her wine glass and said, "Alright. I'll have a word with her."

"Tell the designer what you like, and she'll make it for you," Spencer said softly to Joanne.

Joanne glanced timidly at Ariana before saying, "I want… one just like Dr. Lubove's, if that's okay?"

"Of course—" Spencer began, but Jensen interrupted him.

He said, "It's fine to wear the same outfit because the uglier one will end up embarrassing themselves anyway. How bold of you to ask for the same outfit as if you could pull it off?"

Tears welled up in Joanne's eyes instantly.

"Jensen, you—" Spencer scolded in annoyance.

Ariana interrupted him, "This dress is a unique custom piece, so there's only one. You can ask her to design something else for you."

"You have a lot of dresses, don't you? Letting her have this one shouldn't be a big deal. I don't remember you being this petty," Spencer said angrily.

Let her have it? Was she expected to let Joanne have the dress as well as her husband?

Just as Jensen was about to say something, Ariana pulled him back with a smile.

"Sure," she said and turned to leave.

Spencer wanted to go after her, but Joanne held his arm and complained, "Spence, I'm not feeling well."

Jensen snorted and went after Ariana, taking long strides to catch up to her.

Spencer withdrew his gaze and looked down at Joanne. "I'll take you back since you're unwell."

…

For the next two days, Ariana didn't see Spencer. She went home once during that time.

The Lubove family was quite prominent in Nordenton. Otherwise, Ariana couldn't have married Spencer. They were childhood friends because the two families always had business dealings with each other.

But for some reason, Ariana never got along with Spencer and his group. She and Jensen led their group of friends, while Spencer was the head of his. They always clashed—sometimes with words, sometimes with fists.

Eventually, they stopped fighting as they grew up. Still, they disliked each other. So, both sides had something to say about her marrying Spencer.

For the Lubove family, Ariana marrying Spencer was a big deal. Spencer was undeniably the best among the heirs to the largest business empires in Nordenton.

Ariana didn't like going home much. Her insistence on studying medicine had caused significant conflict between her and her family.

Her parents thought she was destined to become a rich man's wife. Being a doctor was too challenging and demanding, especially with the frequent need to work overtime. To them, the lady of an affluent household working as a doctor was something unheard of.

Ariana's parents were only concerned about their gains. So, as she grew up, she didn't have much to say to them. After she married Spencer, her visits home became even fewer.

This time, it was her father, Kieran Lubove, who asked her to go home. He said they missed her and wanted her to come home for a meal.

However, Ariana knew that Kieran was busy making money. On the other hand, her mother, Winifred Brown, was vain and directed all her energy into socializing with other rich ladies. Both of them rarely showed much concern for her.

Sure enough, Ariana was right. After some small talk over dinner, Kieran got to the point. "Ari, is Spence still very busy?"

Ariana kept her head down as she ate. "Yes."

"Well, I guess that's to be expected since he's running such a big business. Take good care of him, okay?"

Ariana nodded.

Kieran then said, "He has a new project, which is perfect for one of our subsidiaries. Tell him about it when you go back later."

"Dad." Ariana looked up and stated plainly, "I never interfere with his business."

Winifred spoke up, "Not interfering is one thing. Talking to him is another. Our families are joined in marriage for our mutual benefit, right?"

"Exactly," Kieran said. "Our family must secure this project. Remember to tell him."

"He won't listen to me."

Seeing Ariana's indifference, Kieran slammed his fork down. "What's the point of you marrying into the Ulrich family if you can't even help us secure a project?"