Chapter 325 Formal Attire
"Do my styling?" Diana frowned as she repeated the word.
The woman nodded quickly and continued, "I'm today's makeup artist, Julia."
Diana's confusion deepened.
Wasn't this Billy's engagement party? Why would she need such an extravagant look? What was Charles thinking?
Diana sat up and waved her hand dismissively. "I don't need this. I'm not the star of this party."
A girl behind Julia spoke up softly, "Ms. Spencer, Mr. Percy paid us to be here. If you refuse, it puts us in a tough spot."
Diana rolled her eyes. She hated when people used Charles to pressure her. "What does that have to do with me? I don't want to do it."
Sensing the tension, Julia quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "I'm sorry, Ms. Spencer. She's new and doesn't know how to speak properly."
"I understand your concerns. Rest assured, we won't let you overshadow the bride. Mr. Percy asked us to come because you'll be attending the engagement party with him this afternoon."
With that, she signaled to someone nearby, who opened a box to reveal a red dress.
The top was simple, but the waist gathered into cloud-like ruffles that flared into a wide skirt, adorned with sparkling diamonds.
Bronte couldn't help but exclaim, "It's beautiful!"
Julia felt a surge of pride at the compliment.
No woman could resist a beautiful dress, especially one flown in from abroad, designed by a famous designer from Horizonia, with every diamond hand-sewn.
Diana, however, turned away, her tone cold. "Find something simpler."
Julia's expression shifted slightly; it was clear she hadn't expected this client to be so difficult.
"Ms. Spencer, we'd love to, but Mr. Percy personally chose this dress."
"Then tell him I won't wear it," Diana insisted.
The dress was too extravagant for Billy's engagement party. She didn't want to draw attention.
Julia felt a wave of frustration but managed a weak smile. "Ms. Spencer, this is our job. Please, be reasonable."
Just as Diana was about to respond, the door opened. Charles entered, followed by Nolan, both dressed impeccably.
Charles wore a dark gray suit, his hair neatly styled, giving him a composed and reserved appearance.
Julia, seeing a lifeline, quickly spoke up. "Mr. Percy, Ms. Spencer seems to have different ideas about her look. Perhaps we should let her decide."
Charles walked over, raising an eyebrow at the comment. "What do you prefer?"
"Something simple. This is Billy's engagement party. If I wear something this fancy, is he supposed to propose to me?"
Diana's bluntness showed no regard for Charles' feelings.
Nolan, taken aback, admired Diana's fearless nature.
Charles' expression darkened with a hint of anger. "I chose this dress because it suits you."
"I'll be the judge of that. I'm not wearing it," Diana retorted firmly.
Nolan quickly intervened to ease the tension.
"Mr. Percy, Ms. Spencer's concerns are valid. I'll check what Mr. Richardson's fiancée is wearing. If there's a color clash, Ms. Spencer can change later."
His words were very tactful, both reassuring Charles and providing Diana with a solution.
Charles' expression eased slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Go check."
Nolan nodded and stepped out to make a flurry of phone calls.
Five minutes later, he returned with a smile. "Ms. Spencer, I confirmed that Mr. Richardson's fiancée is wearing white. There's no need to change colors."
Diana frowned slightly. She wanted to move quickly and didn't want to wear something so cumbersome.
But Charles gave her no chance to argue. "You don't need to worry. Go change."
The stylists seized the opportunity to usher Diana away, coaxing her, "Yes, Ms. Spencer, trust us."
Reluctantly, Diana was pushed into changing into the dress.
When she emerged, Charles' breath caught. His gaze was fixed on her, unable to look away.
Her long hair cascaded down her back, her eyes cold and clear like a mountain spring, exuding an ethereal and aloof aura.
The once vibrant dress now seemed more dignified.
The dress's hem wasn't entirely floor-length but had an asymmetrical design.
As Diana walked, her anklet peeked out. She frowned, displeased. "Take this off."
Charles snapped out of his daze, his eyes falling to her ankle.
The gold anklet complemented the red dress, highlighting Diana's smooth skin. "It matches perfectly. No need to remove it."
Julia nodded in agreement. "Yes, Ms. Spencer, the design is clever. It would be a shame to take it off."
Diana glanced down.
The bells on the anklet had been stuffed to silence them, but the metal still reminded her of shackles, a constant reminder of her captivity by Charles.
Her opinions were never valued.
Closing her eyes briefly, she opened them with a calm resolve. "Fine, let's get on with the styling. You're ready, aren't you?"
Julia was overjoyed, glancing at Charles for approval. Seeing him nod, she quickly responded, "Yes, Ms. Spencer!"
The team set to work, transforming the room into a makeshift salon. Diana sat quietly, letting them apply makeup.
Charles watched silently, as if admiring a doll.
Julia occasionally asked for Diana's input, "Do you like this color? How about this?"
Diana's responses were always indifferent. "Whatever."
It was clear she had lost interest in her appearance, knowing her preferences would be overridden by Charles.
Her compliance made Julia's job easier.
Soon, Julia stepped back, turning Diana to face Charles. "Mr. Percy, we just need to style Ms. Spencer's hair. Would you like to try?"
As she spoke, she lifted Diana's long hair with one hand, letting the strands slowly fall back down, looking incredibly soft.
Doing someone's hair is an intimate act between a man and a woman.
Fingers running through the strands would brush against the skin, leaving behind a hint of fragrance.
Charles' index finger twitched slightly as his gaze shifted to Diana.
Her expression was calm, seemingly indifferent to the situation.
"Mr. Percy? Would you like to give it a try? If not, we'll proceed," Julia continued.
Charles didn't say a word, but he pressed his lips together and stepped forward, answering her with his actions.
Julia cooperatively stepped aside and took a hair tool from her bag.
Lifting Diana's hair, Julia demonstrated how to pin it up. "It's quite simple. If you find it difficult, you can ask me."
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