Bride To Be Not Me (Janice and Simon)

After dinner, the Moore couple lingered a bit before heading home.

Meanwhile, as the three greedy Fitzgeralds continued scheming, Janice made her way to the study in search of Edward.

"I sketched a few new designs over the past few days, and..." she trailed off when

she noticed a half-filled glass of red wine in front of him.

Pausing, she walked over. "Did you not eat enough? Want me to bring you something to go with the wine?"

Janice was gentle, attentive, and thoughtful by nature.

Edward looked up at her. His gaze was so unfamiliar that she momentarily froze.

"What's wrong?"

"I have a question."

"Go ahead."

Edward rolled an unlit cigarette between his fingers.

"Do you still have feelings for Simon?" His voice was devoid of hesitation.

Edward wasn't the type to pretend he hadn't heard things. If something affected

his judgment, he would rather confront it directly.

"What? Of course not." Janice frowned. "You don't believe me?"

"I was bringing you milk earlier when I overheard your phone call," Edward admitted flatly. "I'm sorry."

Did he hear it?

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Janice's face.

Edward felt a sudden tightness in his chest. Had he guessed right? Did she still have lingering feelings for Simon?

Janice pulled a chair over and sat down. "That was indeed Simon on the phone just now. He apologized to me and begged for my forgiveness."

At her words, Edwards' expression scrunched up. His grip on the wine glass firmed, and his jaw clenched slightly. He averted his gaze and took a deep sip of wine, saying nothing.

"But the only reason he's apologizing now is because he's desperate for money. He thinks a few sweet words will be enough to win me back and make me help him out. So, I played along, pretending to agree. Why would I help him clean up his mess?"

Edward's brow lifted slightly. "You're stringing him along?"

"Why not?" Janice arched her brow delicately.

"My money doesn't grow on trees. If I were to give it to anyone, I'd rather give it to you than to him."

The room went completely silent. Janice blinked, suddenly realizing how her words sounded. "I... I meant "

Edward cut in smoothly. "So, at least at this moment, I matter more to you than he does, right?"

She hesitated for a bit, but she couldn't deny it. Simon's character didn't even compare to Edward's.

"Yes." She nodded.

The tension in Edward's expression finally eased with the corner of his lips lifting ever so slightly. "What were you saying about those sketches earlier?"

Seeing how quickly his mood

shifted, Janice found him quitenoveldrama

adorable. He was just like a child. He

would voice his dissatisfaction

outright, and when he got an

answer, he would immediately feel

better. No headache-inducing guessing games were needed.

She handed him the sketches she had drawn during her free time.

As he flipped through them, he casually mentioned, "By the way, the National Crochet Union reached They said your piece for the international competition with the

Jasmine Stitch Crochet needs

name."

a new

A new name?

Janice nodded. "Alright."

Edward glanced up. "They also need a full write-up—an introduction to the piece,

its artistic concept, and the meaning behind it. Do you want me to get a copywriter from the planning team to help?"

Janice smoothed her long, silky hair before tilting her head slightly. "Mr. Moore, I've competed internationally before, you know?"

Edward blinked, then let out a soft laugh. "Fair enough."

After reviewing the designs, he pointed at one. "If you use the Jasmine Stitch

Crochet technique, can you capture all the intricate details?"

Most crochet works revolved around floral and animal motifs. But the design Janice had drawn was that of a person. It was a side profile of someone turned slightly away. It was a highly technical challenge.

She pondered for a moment. "I've crocheted figures before, but I'm not sure about

double-sided crochet. I'll have to test it out."

"Alright. No one has ever attempted a human portrait in an international competition. If you can pull it off, you'll be sure to win."

Janice wasn't focused on winning. What she saw was a new path forward.