Chapter 8 - That Voice... It couldn't Be...

Once they landed at Modestria, a car was already waiting for them. They went straight to the Moonlight Hotel, another hotel owned by the Huxley Group.

When they arrived at the hotel, Gerard and Mia waited in the lounge while William went to get their keys.

While they were waiting, suddenly, a man, a butler, approached Gerard.

“Mr. Huxley, I am the butler of Senator Morgan. He heard of your arrival at Modestria and would like to invite you to his birthday banquet tonight,” the butler bowed a little as he handed an invitation card to Gerard with both hands.

Gerard took the invitation languidly and had a mind to refuse, but then the butler added, “It is a special banquet. Senator Morgan will introduce his wife for the first time to the invitees. He hopes Mr. Huxley could attend as the representative of the Huxley Group.”

Gerard raised an eyebrow. Senator Sebastian had taken a wife? He knew then this was important, so he had no choice but to agree to attend.

Once the butler heard his words, he bowed respectfully before leaving.

William arrived just as the butler was leaving. Gerard handed him the invitation and said, “We’ll be attending the Senator’s birthday banquet tonight.”

Mia, who had been silent throughout the exchange, was wide-eyed. Gerard was so well-known even in Modestria that the Senator himself invited him personally to his birthday banquet.

She didn't hesitate to voice out, “Gerard, can I go with you?”

Gerard looked at her and thought it would be a pity that she came here with him, but he wouldn't be able to accompany her. Maybe he should take her so as not to make her feel lonely.

With that thought, Gerard agreed to bring her to the banquet.

Mia was overjoyed that Gerard agreed. If she arrived together with him at the banquet, people would think that she was Gerard’s partner!

“Oh, but I didn't bring any evening gown,” Mia pouted, making her face look cute, but it had no effect whatsoever on Gerard.

“Let's settle in our rooms first,” Gerard said as he stood up and led the way to the elevator.

Mia quickly followed him and William and saw North already waiting by the elevator.

They went straight to the topmost floor, where the presidential suite was located.

Mia’s heart was pounding. She knew every presidential suite in a hotel owned by the Huxley Group had two rooms inside. She thought, would she stay in the presidential suite with Gerard? She suddenly felt giddy and had to stop the giggle that was threatening to erupt from her mouth.

Gerard instinctively went to the presidential suit when they arrived at the topmost floor. William swiped the key so he could enter the room.

Mia was about to follow when William stopped her.

“Miss Gant, you’ll be staying at the suite next to Mr. Huxley.” William handed her a room key card, and her face fell.

She thought she would stay with Gerard, but who would have thought he didn't allow it? She wanted to stomp her foot in anger but instead showed a smile.

“Alright. Can you escort me to my room?” Mia asked William softly.

William rolled his eyes inwardly. Such a spoiled woman. The room was located next to the presidential suit; why would she need to be escorted?

But William smiled and gestured toward the other side with his hand. Mia went in that direction, and William followed. Once Mia stepped into her room, William told her that her luggage would be delivered shortly.

Mia thanked him with a gentle smile which William found pretentious, but he could only smile back before escaping back to Gerard’s room.

Nearing lunchtime, Gerard and William were ready to go to the scheduled meeting.

Gerard knocked on Mia’s room, and Mia opened the door with a bright expectant smile. “Are we going to lunch now, Gerard?”

“I have a lunch meeting. You said you don't have a dress for tonight; you can have lunch and buy one at the Trinity Plaza. North will go with you and pay for your dress,” Gerard told her.

Mia was once again disappointed, but she remembered Gerard said he wouldn't be able to accompany her as he came here to work. It was good enough that he wanted to bring her to the Senator's birthday banquet. So her disappointment was replaced with joy.

She smiled her usual sweet smile. “Alright. Thank you, Gerard.”

Gerard only nodded briefly before turning to leave with William.

Mia looked at Gerard’s departing back with longing until North spoke. “Miss Gant, are you ready to go?”

Mia quickly adjusted her mood and expression and nodded sweetly.

North led her to the car that had been stationed at the entrance of the hotel and drove toward Trinity Plaza.

North went to the VIP parking lot and parked the car there. He led Mia to the VIP elevator that would only stop at the fourth floor, where all the luxurious brands were located.

When Mia exited the elevator, her eyes went huge. She hadn't realized how upscale the plaza was. Rows and rows of luxurious brands could be seen; even those that couldn't be found at Artea were available here.

North, who saw her reaction, explained to her, “Trinity Plaza is the largest plaza in Modestria. Me. Huxley used to bring Mrs. Huxley here, and he was considered a VIP here.”

Hearing North mention how Gerard used to bring Ivy here and that they were VIPs here meant that Gerard spent a lot of money on Ivy, and it annoyed her. She swore in her heart that she would choose an expensive dress just for tonight, not wanting to lose from Ivy. She would make sure she would be the one looking the best at tonight’s banquet.

At that thought, Mia calmed down and started walking around, going into each and every store, with North following silently behind.

It was past lunchtime, and North’s stomach had been rumbling for some time, begging for food, yet Mia had no intention of stopping searching for the perfect dress. Is she not hungry? North thought.

North sighed in his heart. He couldn't help but remember Ivy. Whenever Ivy went out, she always considered the conditions of those who followed her. Whether it was lunchtime or dinnertime, she would always stop whatever it was she was doing and treat them to lunch or dinner. He really missed the kind Ivy. She would forever be Mrs. Huxley in his heart.

He shouldn't have left after dropping her off at the hotel that day. If he didn't, she might still be alive. His boss wasn't the only one feeling guilty and regretful. North felt it too. But there was no point in it now.

Mia finally stopped at one of the most expensive stores in the plaza when she saw a pretty blue chiffon dress. The materials were stacked together with different shades of blue, and had small off shoulders sleeves that would hang loosely on the side of her arms. It was just her kind of dress. Flowy and pretty.

“Can I try this on?” Mia asked one of the sales assistants as she caressed the dress.

The sales assistant happily took the dress and led Mia to one of the changing rooms. Every dress in the store was expensive, and if the sales assistant could make a sale, she would get a high bonus.

The dress was actually quite tricky to put on; it would need another person to help her get into it. The bodice was made from satin corset-like material with lace at the back to tighten it up to create a lovely silhouette of a tiny waist. But when worn, it would be hidden under all the chiffon materials, and no one would be able to see the satin corset-like bodice.

The shop assistant was helping Mia to tighten the lace when suddenly Mia heard a conversation between women from the changing room next door.

“It’s emerald in color, and the bodice would push my breasts up and make my waist slimmer. The bottom part flowed out, kind of like an A-line dress. I really like it. I think it suits me really well,” a woman’s voice sounded.

The next voice that sounded made Mia freeze in her spot.

It started with soft laughter, and next, a soft voice said, “If you really like it, why do you need me to come with you, Ella?”

Mia’s heart started pounding. That voice... It couldn't be... She should be dead. But Mia wouldn't mistake that soft voice for anyone else. Even though it had lost a bit of its cheerfulness, she was sure it was the voice of the woman Gerard had loved with all his heart - Ivy. There was no mistaking it.

“Oh, come on, Amelie. You know I need your opinion on each dress I bought,” the first woman, Ella, whined. “Come one, Amelie, touch it.”

Amelie? Not Ivy? Mia thought, and her pounding heart started to calm down, but then she felt restless. Could two people have the same voice? Other than for the voice, even the laugh and the way Amelie talked were too identical to Ivy!

“Hmm... The material is good. And it really pushed up your breasts and made your waist smaller!” Amelie exclaimed and laughed.

Mia became more nervous and restless. She wanted to go to their changing room and see for herself that the person was not Ivy! But the sales assistant was still helping her, and she couldn't move. It would also be impolite to barge into someone who was changing, so Mia calmed herself down and stayed put.

It wouldn't be Ivy. She was dead. She had been dead for three years. Mia kept repeating the sentence to herself.

“Alright, let's get you out of the dress and pay for it,” Amelie’s voice sounded, and Mia froze again.

North was standing at the entrance of the store. If it were Ivy, he would surely recognize her. Then what should Mia do?