CHAPTER 293: TO BE HIS DATE

Inside a luxury boutique.

"Please, this way, ma’am..."

Ella turned to look at Adrian who seemed to have made all the arrangements in advance.

Earlier at the dining table, when Ella questioned Adrian if he wanted to say something, he did not say anything for some time.

And when she thought that the matter was probably too serious for him to talk about it directly, he finally asked her a question—

’Do you want to try new outfits?’

Now, Ella found it extremely puzzling. Why did Adrian hesitate so much for something this simple?

But whatever! Which girl would say no to new clothes?

Moreover, ever since her rebirth, she hadn’t really shopped properly.

The cloakroom in the Eve Mansion already had all the latest trends stocked and she had been too busy to go out to shop.

Moreover, she even rarely dressed up in the Eve Mansion.

Most of her wardrobe contained oversized hoodies and black leggings when she was trying to lose weight.

Now, although she had not reached her previous weight, her body felt fitter and lithe now.

Although a few complications remain, Ruby has been settled. Ella was also earning decent revenues from her ’Lilac’ side hustle.

And things with Adrian had changed completely.

Perhaps, these can really be called her golden days.

So being a girl, born with the right to ’shop-when-you-can-shop-when-you-want’, she did not refuse Adrian’s offer to buy her clothes.

"Ma’am, please remove your clothes so we can help you with the outfits..."

Ella snapped out of her reverie. Remove her clothes? Thinking about what she had hidden under the turtleneck, she smiled at the staff member, "There’s no need. Just leave the outfits in the changing room. I can try them on."

The staff lady hesitated, "But..."

"Thank you,’’ Ella smiled politely. There was no way she would let anyone see Adrian’s artwork...

Just thinking about anybody glancing at the current state of her skin gave her a layer of goosebumps!

Ella waited for some 10 minutes before a couple of female staff members returned.

She was wondering why it was taking them so long but when she saw the kind of outfits they returned with, it all made sense.

"_"

"Are you sure... these are for me?"

A row of elegant and luxurious evening gowns were lined up in front of her.

"Yes," The staff members respectively bowed and retreated from the changing room.

Ella blinked. So, when he meant outfits, he meant these kinds of outfits? No wonder they offered help.

After going through some of the gowns, Ella picked up a midnight blue gown and put it on herself. But its corset style prevented her from wearing it properly.

She arched her back, reaching out to tie the strings only to fail miserably, "Ah..."

Ella doubled over to a nearby couch, panting heavily.

"Ma’am, do you need our help?"

Ella furrowed her brows. When she looked at her reflection in the mirror, the first thing that greeted her sight was a trail of hickeys that covered her neck to her chest.

"Cough... Can you send my boyfriend over?" Since these people treated them so respectfully, they probably knew who Adrian was so she was careful about revealing their relationship.

After a few seconds, the door opened with a ’click’.

Standing in front of the mirror, Ella glanced at her reflection until Adrian came into her view.

His eyes met hers in their reflection and then slowly, his gaze trailed down. The moment he saw her bare back, exposed to his view, his eyes slowly darkened.

Ella coughed, "Baby, why don’t you help me a bit? I can’t let anyone see..."

Before she finished her words, the man wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms.

Her back collided against his chest and his lips found her neck. He kissed and licked her skin before sucking onto the spot.

If not for the ache between her legs, Ella nearly let out a moan. But after last night, she made a new discovery...

Whenever she moaned... he went more feral.

Just as she was thinking, he moved her hair to one side and bit her earlobe.

"Ahh!" Ella trembled in his hold, forgetting all about her initial resolve.

And she felt him freeze.

Something hard poked against her waist.

Ella gulped.

But at this moment, Adrian pulled back from her, visibly determined.

A sheen of sweat covered his forehead as he tightened the strings of the corset, tying it just snugly enough to let her breathe.

Ella remained frozen in her spot for a while before she cleared her throat and twirled in front of Adrian, "How do I look?"

"Beautiful."

At Adrian’s compliment, Ella blinked. She had a feeling that he would say the same thing even if she wore a potato sack.

She paused in front of the mirror, eyeing the blue dress she had just tried on.

It was pretty, sure, but... "Maybe I should look around some more."

Adrian did not mind nor did he show any signs of impatience. He simply took a seat on the couch as if he had all the time of the world in his grasp.

Ella moved along the row of dresses, letting her fingers brush lightly over the fabrics, until her eyes landed on the last one.

Hidden mostly from plain view, a white gown seemed to glow under the soft boutique lighting. The pleats, the sleeves, the way it draped, the pearls, it was ethereal.

Ella’s breath hitched, "This..."

Adrian glanced over. Seeing the gown she was holding, his gaze shifted slightly.

When Ella started to put it on, Adrian did not show any intention to leave. His gaze seemed to trace every inch of her skin, setting it on fire as it trailed down.

He sat there, watching her.

The air between them was thick, charged.

When she failed to reach the zipper, she felt his presence behind her.

His hands moved with ease, fingers tugging up the zipper.

In the next moment, she felt his lips ghosting over her shoulder, "You like this one?"

Ella glanced at the stunning white dress, "Very much."

When he did not say anything, she turned to face him.

"How... do I look?" she murmured, a little nervous.

His eyes softened, "Like mine."

Ella’s heart skipped a few beats.

This-this-this-When did he get so good at flirting?

...

Later, as the boutique staff packed the dress, one of them leaned closer to Ella, whispering with a smile, "Sir picked this one out personally but for some reason, he asked us to put this gown in the last, out of your sight. But it’s no wonder you liked it."

Ella blinked. Adrian had... chosen it himself? And yet, he had hidden it in the back. Was it because... he was unsure if she would like it?

In the car, she adjusted in her seat. "I really love this dress," She observed his reactions as she spoke.

"Do you?" Adrian asked, his tone deceptively casual, though there was a sparkle in his eyes.

"A lot," a playful smirk tugged at her lips when she saw his eyes brighten even more. Such a sneaky man!

"Earlier, during lunch... you did not just want to ask me to come shopping. What else is on your mind?"

For a moment, Adrian was quiet.

Then, with a soft sigh, he said, "The King Empire’s Annual Ball... tomorrow. Would you... want to accompany me?"

Ella froze.

Her mind raced.

In their previous life, they had never attended any such huge scale event together.

Back then, she’d thought he kept her locked by his side for his own agenda.

And at the same time, she also was not very fond of herself.

She thought of herself as too low. Never imagining that any man, let alone Adrian, would take her out in public like this.

Not that she wanted it from him, but the thought of it also hadn’t crossed her mind.

Now... things seemed to have changed.

"So... Mr. King," she said slowly, "are you asking me to be your date... to this ball?"

"Yes," Adrian said simply.

But even in that calm of his voice, Ella could see the faint tension in his jaw, the thin line of his lips, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel as if unsure she’d agree.

Ella slowly sighed and leaned back on the car seat.