Chapter 426 Not Giving
"I don't care about any brand deals!" Phoenix snapped, clearly uninterested in Emma's explanation. She shoved Emma aside, grabbed the dress, and smirked. "This dress is mine now!"
Just as she was about to leave, a cold voice echoed from the doorway, "What do you think you're doing?"
Phoenix froze and looked up to see George standing at the door, his eyes icy and filled with displeasure. His presence, commanding and formidable in a black suit, was so powerful it felt like the room's temperature had dropped.
"George, you're back?" Phoenix felt a pang of guilt but tried to maintain her composure, smiling as she approached him. "I was just chatting with Emma."
"Chatting?" George sneered, his gaze falling on the dress in her hand, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Your idea of chatting is stealing Emma's dress?"
Phoenix's face stiffened, and she retorted, "Stealing? We're family! What's wrong with taking one of her dresses? She has so many, she can't possibly wear them all. What's wrong with giving one to Phoenix?"
George's eyes grew colder, and he said, "Phoenix? Mom, have you forgotten what she did to Emma, to my child? Just because you don't hold her accountable doesn't mean I've forgotten. She has no right to wear Emma's clothes."
Phoenix was infuriated by his attitude, her voice rising. "George, what kind of attitude is this? I'm your mother! Is this how you talk to me? Do you even respect me as your mother?"
"How much have you done for Phoenix compared to what you've done for me? Now you want to use your status as my mother to steal Emma's things? How dare you?"
Phoenix was left speechless by his rebuttal, her face turning pale with anger, her body trembling. "You ungrateful bastard! I raised you with so much effort, and this is how you repay me? Is Emma the only one you care about? Do you even see me as your mother?"
"In my heart, Emma will always come first. As for you, if you behave, I'll show you some respect. But if you dare to bully her again, don't blame me for being harsh."
Phoenix stomped her foot in frustration, pointing at George's nose and shouting, "You ungrateful bastard! I wasted my efforts raising you!"
George couldn't be bothered to argue further. He walked up to her, snatched the dress from her hand, and said coldly, "This dress belongs to Emma. Neither you nor Phoenix have any right to touch it. Now, please leave."
Phoenix was furious but knew that causing a scene would only make things worse. She shot Emma a venomous glare and gritted her teeth, "Fine, you two are teaming up against me. I'll remember this! Just you wait!"
With that, she stormed out, her high heels clacking loudly against the floor.
Emma watched her leave, feeling conflicted. She walked over to George and said softly, "George, wasn't that a bit too harsh? She is your mother, after all."
George turned to her, his expression softening instantly. He gently caressed her cheek and spoke tenderly, "Emma, don't worry about her. You're the most important person to me. I won't let anyone, not even her, bully you."
Emma leaned into his embrace and whispered, "Thank you, George."
George kissed her forehead, "Silly girl, there's no need for thanks between us. I'll always protect you, forever."
The room was filled with warmth and tranquility. Outside, Phoenix's anger continued to simmer.
She was determined to get that dress!
Emma nestled her head against George's chest, a smile playing on her lips.
She thought, 'Scarlett is so predictable; the more I tell her not to do something, the more she wants to do it. This dress is meant for her.'
On the day of the competition, the sun was shining brightly, and there was a hint of tension in the air. Emma was in her room, perfecting her makeup and accessories, preparing to attend the event in her best form. Suddenly, there was a frantic knock on the door.
"Emma, are you in there?" Phoenix's voice came from outside, sounding anxious.
Emma raised an eyebrow, already guessing what was going on, but she walked over and opened the door. "Mom, what's wrong?"
Phoenix stood at the door, looking worried. "Emma, I just saw your car, and it looks like someone scratched it. You should go check it out!"
"Scratched my car?" Emma feigned surprise, but inwardly she was smirking. She knew Phoenix was trying to lure her out.
"Yes, I just came back from outside and saw someone acting suspicious near your car. You should go check it out!" Phoenix's tone was urgent, but her eyes were shifty.
Emma nodded, pretending to be concerned. "Alright, I'll go take a look."
She turned and quickly walked out the door, making sure to glance back at her wardrobe with a knowing smile.
Once Phoenix was sure Emma had gone, she slipped into the room and headed straight for the wardrobe. Opening the door, she immediately spotted the Lunora couture dress, her eyes lighting up.
"Emma, you think you can protect this dress? It's mine now!" Phoenix muttered triumphantly, carefully taking the dress off the hanger and folding it into her bag.
She quickly closed the wardrobe and tiptoed out of the room, feeling victorious.
Little did she know, everything was under Emma's control.
Emma stood outside the villa, watching Scarlett's hurried departure from a distance, a cold smile on her lips.
She turned back to her room, opened the wardrobe, and retrieved another dress from a hidden compartment. It was a backup dress from Lunora, not as luxurious as the couture piece, but equally elegant.
Emma put on the dress, adjusted her makeup in the mirror, and smiled confidently. "The game has just begun."
Meanwhile, Phoenix was already in her car, clutching the stolen dress, her face full of smug satisfaction. She was planning to show everyone at the competition how stunning she looked in the dress.
Phoenix, being a contestant, headed to the registration desk, gracefully handing her invitation to the staff, her tone laced with arrogance. "I'm Phoenix, here to collect my entry pass."
The staff took the invitation, quickly verified the information, and respectfully handed her the pass. "Ms. Lewis, here's your entry pass. The contestant entrance is over there; you can enter with the pass."
Phoenix took the pass, nodded in satisfaction, and turned towards the contestant entrance. She scanned the names on the list, specifically looking for Emma's name. However, after several passes, she couldn't find it.
"Emma, you didn't even qualify to compete. You acted so high and mighty, meeting with the judges, but you didn't even make it. What a joke!"
Feeling triumphant, she walked into the venue with confident strides.
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