"Siena? Didn't you say Marcellus was your boyfriend?"

Siena Spencer kept her head down, offering no reply.

"Are you kidding me? You used me to get to him?"

"No, Khloe! I swear, my family is actually arranging for me to marry Marcellus."

Khloe Simpson rolled her eyes with venomous disdain. "Don't ever call me again."

She stormed off, leaving Siena standing alone in the middle of the sidewalk. She gnashed her teeth. What did Evangeline Montgomery have besides a pretty face? She was just a glorified shop girl. Who did she think she was? And surely, Marcellus wouldn't actually do anything to me just because of her, would he?

With that delusional comfort, Siena headed home.

***

"Evangeline, you weren't lying when you said Marcellus was the one?" Remi Crawford asked, eyes wide with gossip as they sat in their studio.

"Exactly," Evangeline replied.

Remi gasped. "So, he was the one who swept you away last night?"

"Yes."

"Evangeline, if you’re being held hostage, blink twice!"

Evangeline laughed, rolling her eyes at her best friend's dramatics. "He’s fine, Remi. Don't worry about it."

"How can I not? The way he looked at you last night... he looked like he wanted to devour you, and—" Remi stopped abruptly, her face heating up.

"And what?"

"Never mind. It’s just... you got caught by your boyfriend while hiring a male escort, didn't you?" Remi covered her mouth, looking horrified.

Evangeline sighed. "Don't remind me. I had to spend the whole night making it up to him."

"How did you make it up to him? Do tell."

Evangeline looked at Remi, whose eyes were practically sparkling with illicit curiosity. She reached out and flicked her forehead. "Remi, for the love of God, clear the trash out of your brain."

"Fine, fine! If you won't tell, you won't tell."

The conversation shifted, but it planted a seed in Evangeline’s mind. Last night hadn't exactly ended with everything resolved. She decided she needed to get him a proper gift.

"Remi, I'm staying late at the studio tonight."

"Everything is already finished, isn't it? Have you got another spark of inspiration?"

"No, I’m going to hand-stitch a suit for him. Tonight."

"Wow, Evangeline. You’ve really fallen hard, haven’t you?"

"Stop teasing. I’m heading up to the drafting table now. Order us some takeout when you're ready for dinner."

"I'm staying with you. We'll order delivery."

"Deal."

They had been partners since college, surviving countless sleepless nights together. Evangeline loved the rhythm of working with Remi, the way their designs came to life. There was nothing quite as cathartic as the exhaustion of a job well done.

***

Meanwhile, back at the Spencer residence, Jorge Spencer was losing his mind. "Tell me! What the hell did you do?"

Siena knelt on the carpet, trembling violently. Damian Spencer, her brother, sat on the sofa nearby, sipping his tea with detached, cold amusement.

"Speak!"

"Dad, I... I..." Siena sobbed, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"She’s been running around town telling everyone she’s Marcellus Alexander’s girlfriend," Damian said, his voice smooth and effortless. "She even went to his office today to flaunt it."

Jorge’s face turned a dangerous shade of purple. "I’ve been courting that contract for over a month! We were supposed to sign the deal tomorrow, and I just got a call saying the whole thing is off. I dug into it, and the only reason is that the Alexander brat is sabotaging me! He left me one message: 'Keep your daughter on a leash.' You’re constantly causing trouble and wasting my time! Your allowance is cut for the next three months!"

Jorge pointed a shaking finger at his daughter, his rage leaving him gasping for air.

"Dad, I’m sorry! I’ll go apologize to Marcellus!"

"Don't," Damian interrupted sharply. "Don't go and make an even bigger fool of yourself."

"Brother, you're friends with him. Please, put in a good word for me..." Siena begged.

"Business is business, and Marcellus has his principles. You crossed a line he doesn't tolerate. The fact that he didn't ruin us completely is only because of whatever sliver of history we used to have."

Jorge slumped back into the sofa, waving his hand dismissively. "Get out of my sight. Go to your room and think about how stupid you’ve been."

Siena stumbled upstairs, tears streaming down her face.

"Son," Jorge murmured, looking at Damian. "Is there really nothing you can do?"

"Don't bother. I’m not saying a word. I’ll find you another investor, but keep her under control. I don't know how she ended up so dim-witted." Damian stood up and walked out, his patience exhausted.

***

Deep into the night, the C&R Atelier was still glowing with light. Evangeline and Remi had been at it for five hours, their hands moving in a blur as they finished the fine details of the fabric.

"Remi, my hands feel so stiff. I'm moving like a snail."

"We don't usually do the grunt work ourselves anymore, so it’s normal. Just keep the stitching precise."

"Right. Thanks for sticking this out with me, Remi."

"Less talking, more sewing!"

"On it!"

The next morning, when their shop assistant Jemma arrived, she gasped. "Remi, Evangeline? You two have been here all night?"

Remi, nursing dark circles under her eyes, gestured weakly. "Jemma, please, go grab us two bacon and egg bagels and some iced lattes. We're dying."

"On it!"

Twenty minutes later, Jemma returned breathless. Evangeline devoured her breakfast, feeling the caffeine and grease finally bring her back to life. They spent the next two hours finishing the final lapels.

"Remi, you need to go sleep."

"What about you?"

"I’m delivering this before I crash."

"You're obsessed! Sleep here, deliver it when you wake up."

"I can't. I can't wait to see his face." Evangeline smiled.

"You're a total simp! Hopeless!" Remi teased. She signaled to Jemma. "Take her in the car. Don't let her drive in this state."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Jemma dropped Evangeline off at the Alexander Corp tower. "Evangeline, call me if you need a ride home."

"Will do. Get home safe."

When Evangeline reached the executive floor, Preston Wright jumped, nearly dropping his tablet. "Ms. Montgomery? Did you get into a fight with a lawnmower?"

"Is it that bad?"

"It’s certainly a look."

Marcellus, hearing the commotion, opened his office door. "Come in."

Evangeline walked in with a lopsided smile. "Hey, Marcellus."

The man didn't look up from his desk.

"Marcellus?"

Still, silence.

"Marcellus Alexander!" Evangeline grumbled, feigning irritation.

Finally, he looked up, his gaze raking over her disheveled state. "You look like you've been hollowed out by a pack of wild animals."

Right. He was still salty about last night.

Evangeline pouted, walking over to him. "I’ve been trying to apologize. I haven't slept since yesterday—I made this for you by hand."

Marcellus froze. The irritation he’d felt all day over her silence vanished, replaced by a sudden, warmth in his chest. He pulled her onto his lap, his expression softening instantly. "You don't have to work this hard. I'm very easy to appease."

"Do you want to see if it fits?"

"Fine." He stood up, shrugging off his blazer.

Evangeline helped him into the new suit. She stepped back, eyes scanning the silhouette. The sharp, peaked lapels and the tailored fit accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making him look untouchable.

"Do you like it?"

Marcellus pulled her into a tight embrace, kissing the top of her hair. "I love it."

He was genuinely touched. She had been worried about his mood, and she had spent her precious energy to make him a surprise. He realized he was hopelessly in love with this woman.

"I haven't done much tailoring lately, so it might be a bit rough. I’ll make you much better ones in the future."

"That’s fine."

His voice sounded thick, almost choked with emotion, but Evangeline was too exhausted to analyze it.

"Marcellus, I’m going to crash in your lounge for a bit. I’m dead on my feet."

"Go ahead."

Once she was asleep, Marcellus turned to Preston. "No one is to be let into this office for the rest of the day. Call me if the building is on fire, otherwise, stay out."

"Understood, sir."