Chapter 47\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedar\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you enjoying the view? I finally snapped, my embarrassment manifesting as anger. \u201cThis is highly inappropriate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His expression shuttered immediately. There\u2019s nothing particularly remarkable to see, Ms. Wright.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The casual dismissal stung more than it should have. I opened my mouth to retort, but Ridley had already moved behind me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYour hair is caught in the zipper,\u2018 he stated matter\u2013of\u2013factly. \u2018Hold still.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1 froze as his fingers worked at the tangled strands with surprising dexterity. Each accidental brush against my skin sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine. I focused on the carpet pattern, willing my heart to stop racing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have unusually fine hair, he commented, his voice closer to my ear than I expected. \u201cIt tangles easily.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t trust myself to respond.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After what felt like an eternity, I felt the zipper glide smoothly upward, securing the dress in place. His hands lingered at the top of the zipper for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere,\u201d he said, his voice oddly softer. \u201cTurn around.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I complied reluctantly, keeping my eyes fixed somewhere near his collar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt fits you well,\u201d Ridley observed after a moment of silence. \u201cBetter than I anticipated.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The unexpected compliment drew my gaze up to his face. His expression had changed subtly\u2013the cold assessment replaced by something I couldn\u2019t quite identify.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d I managed, unsure how to respond to this sudden shift. \u201cI appreciate the loan of the dress.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded once, then checked his watch. \u201cWe have ninety minutes. My styling team is waiting in the other room to finish your preparation.\u201d He started toward the door, then paused. \u201cThe dress is yours to keep, by the way. Consider it a welcome gift from Sterling Design Group.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could fully process what was happening, my mind raced. Wait\u2013this dress was a gift from him? This puzzling boss of mine who seemed to delight in mocking me at my most awkward moments, yet somehow appeared with a helping hand when I needed it most. How had I become so entangled with him? And now, accepting expensive dresses?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought this was company\u2013provided attire,\u201d I said, feeling my resolve strengthen. \u201cIf it\u2019s personal, I can\u2019t accept it, Mr. Sterling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His expression didn\u2019t change. \u2018It\u2019s not for you specifically. It\u2019s to ensure my companion for the evening looks appropriate for someone of my position. Consider it something I purchased for myself. Is that acceptable?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
So that was it\u2013just appropriate window dressing for whoever happened to be on his arm tonight. It happened to be me, but it could have been anyone. A strange mix of relief and unexpected disappointment washed over me, I met his gaze, nodding with a distant expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I still felt sorry for not being able to wear the dress from Oliver, and the shoes and accessories from Aiden. It was true that this outfit was more suitable for the gala. But their gestures meant the world to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 47\u00a0<\/p>\n
I watched as Ridley\u2019s perfectly sculpted lips parted, his words coming out with cool detachment. \u2018Let\u2019s go. You need to get styled.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knew tonight\u2019s charity gala was crucial for the Sterling Design Group, so I didn\u2019t dare protest further. I quietly followed Ridley toward a styling studio.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Well, well! What cosmic event brought the great Ridley Sterling to my humble domain?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A tall man with an expertly tailored suit approached us, his perpetual smirk firmly in place. When he noticed me standing beside Ridley, his eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHas hell frozen over? The notorious bachelor Ridley Sterling actually brought a woman to an event?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ridley fixed him with an icy stare. \u201cYour commentary isn\u2019t required, Jack.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jack Carter, the notorious wealthy playboy whose family had long\u2013standing ties with the Sterlings, seemed completely unfazed by Ridley\u2019s coldness. His\u00a0<\/p>\n
styling studio was more of a passion project and social diversion than any real business venture, catering exclusively to the city\u2019s elite.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sidled up to me with practiced charm. \u201cAnd who might you be, connecting with our untouchable design mogul?\u2018\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had attended enough high\u2013society events during my years with Elara to recognize Jack immediately. He was a fixture in Gold Coast social circles, known as\u00a0<\/p>\n
much for his womanizing as for his styling expertise. I recalled how Elara had once attempted to \u201cintroduce me to Jack at a gala, clearly hoping to gain his patronage through my companionship.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Sky Remembered the Touch of Our Uninished Goodbyes by Lysa Orion Rehn 47 Chapter 47\u00a0 Cedar\u2019s POV\u00a0 \u201cAre you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zero-stars-for-daddy-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30446"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30446\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}