Men really lose their IQ the moment they fall in love, don't they? It’s painful to watch.

The two girls finished their meal in peace.

"Can we go home now?"

"I say, Marcellus, what’s the rush? It’s not even dark yet," Damian teased, leaning back.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Evangeline nearly choked on her water. She glared at him. "Dr. Spencer, what kind of risqué things are you saying?"

Marcellus patted her back, his expression smug. "Ignore him. He’s just barking because he’s anxious."

Beside them, Remi, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly froze. A deep blush crawled from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.

"Evangeline, let’s head back to the studio!"

Evangeline swallowed a laugh. "Alright, let’s go. I’m exhausted."

"Evangeline!" "Remi!"

Both men spoke at once, their voices sharp and urgent. But the girls didn't care. They hooked arms and swept out of the private room with effortless grace, leaving the two men to stare at each other.

Damian shot Marcellus a glare. "That’s what you get for showing off! Serves you right."

"Right back at you."

Once outside the restaurant, Evangeline and Remi shared a look and burst into laughter. The sight of those two arrogant men left speechless was too good to pass up.

The next day, the finals arrived at the same venue. The staff was busy finalizing the stage layout. Today’s competition had no specific theme; designers were encouraged to showcase their absolute best work. Following the runway portion, there would be a special segment: an auction for those interested in the designs, provided the designers were willing to sell.

"Evangeline… I’m nervous," Remi confessed, her heart racing. Getting eliminated early would have been one thing, but making it to the final round was a different kind of pressure.

Evangeline gripped her shoulder, her gaze steady. "Remi, do your best and leave the rest to fate."

"Yeah," Remi nodded firmly.

The host’s voice echoed through the hall. "Thank you for your patience, everyone! Today is the final showdown. Which designer will take the crown? Let’s see the top three contestants from yesterday."

"Good luck, Remi!"

Bolstered by the encouragement, Remi stepped onto the stage with confidence. She wore a crystal tiara, her white wedding gown featuring an off-the-shoulder cut that accentuated her rounded shoulders. The fishbone-corseted waist created a delicate silhouette that contrasted perfectly with the voluminous skirt. Intricate floral embroidery and sequins caught the light, sparkling like a night sky.

The moment she appeared, the room erupted in applause.

Damian couldn't hear a thing around him. He stared at his princess with unadulterated longing. She looked ethereal, like a fairy draped in starlight, absolutely intoxicating.

"Wow! Our first-place designer certainly didn't disappoint! This piece is an absolute stunner. Now, let’s look at the second-place entry."

The second design was a mid-sleeve wedding dress made of heavy silk, accented with pearls and layered tulle. It was grand and sophisticated.

"A true battle of the titans! The second design is luxurious and high-end. I’m quite excited to see what the third place has in store."

The third design featured layers of sheer tulle, puffed sleeves that were both elegant and adorable, and a skirt adorned with floral appliqué. It was like a dream.

"All three designs have been showcased. Now for the tense scoring segment. We’ll be back in a moment."

"Our judges have finished their evaluation. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for! Entry No. 8 scores 96! Entry No. 9 scores 96! Entry No. 6 scores 90!"

"A fascinating turn of events! Entry 8 and 9 are tied! We’ll have to look at the total combined scores of all three designs to determine the winner. Let’s look at the big screen."

The designs and their respective scores appeared. Hearing the praise surrounding Evangeline’s work, Marcellus felt a surge of pride. He had once tried to chain her to his side, nearly causing her to lose the glory that made her shine so brightly.

Damian nudged his arm. "Looks like your Evangeline has the first-place spot in the bag."

"I was already aware of that."

"Heh, look at you, acting all high and mighty."

The host’s voice returned. "The scores are clear. The first-place winner is our Entry No. 8, with a total score of 288! Second place, Entry No. 9, with 280 points! Third place, Entry No. 6, with 272 points! Congratulations to our winner!"

Thunderous applause filled the room.

"We did it! Evangeline!" Remi hugged her, her voice thick with emotion, tears welling in her eyes.

"Don't cry," Evangeline chuckled, patting her back.

"And now, our final segment. All nine designs are exceptional. We’ll now consult the designers to see if they’re open to auctioning their work."

"Remi, do we want to sell ours? Or should we keep them as our shop’s signature pieces?" Evangeline asked.

Remi wiped her tears. "Sell them! With you around, *you* are the true signature of our shop!"

"Heh, alright." Evangeline turned to coordinate with the staff.

"Our three finalists have agreed to put their works up for auction. Except for Entry No. 8’s preliminary round piece, the rest will go to the highest bidder!"

"It seems everyone is quite interested in the 'not-for-sale' piece from Entry No. 8. Let me ask her: why is it not for sale?"

Evangeline took the microphone and smiled. "Thank you for the support. This piece is for my own collection. One day, I will wear it to marry the person I love."

The crowd cheered. Marcellus’s heart skipped a beat. His throat felt tight, and a warmth spread through his entire body.

"Oh, I see! In that case, we won't press her to part with it. Now, let’s start with the first-place design, *Deep-Sea Mermaid: Dawn*. Starting bid is $200,000!"

"220,000!"

"250,000!"

"280,000!"

...

"500,000!"

The crowd turned toward the source of the bid, gasping. Once they saw who had raised the paddle, the room fell silent. Who had the guts to snatch something away from the Little Demon King?

Evangeline was speechless. *Why is that man bidding? Is he just moving money from his left pocket to his right?*

"$500,000 going once! $500,000 going twice! $500,000 three times! Sold! Congratulations, sir!"

"Next, the final round design from Entry No. 8. Starting bid $200,000!"

Damian gave Marcellus a warning look. "Don't you dare compete with me for this one."

Marcellus understood his intent and chuckled. "Fine. I’ll let you have it."

"250,000!"

"270,000!"

"300,000!"

"500,000!"

The room erupted in shock again, looking at the man sitting beside the Little Demon King—a man just as powerful and poised. *Well, it’s not like anyone can mess with them!*

"$500,000 going once! $500,000 going twice! $500,000 three times! Sold! Congratulations, sir! Next, we have the work from our ninth-place designer…"

With Evangeline’s work settled, she pulled Remi back to the dressing room to pack up, with the two men following close behind.

On stage, a woman who had noticed the men hadn't even spared her or her work a glance, clenched her fists until her nails dug deep into her palms.

"Remi~ Dr. Spencer bought your dress!"

Ever since Remi saw Damian bidding on stage, her heart had been racing. Now, her face was as red as an apple.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"Are you girls finished yet?"

Hearing Marcellus’s voice at the door, Evangeline got up to open it.

"We’re done."

Evangeline handed the packed wedding dress to Damian and said with a grin, "Dr. Spencer, your auction item."

Damian took the gown and walked slowly toward Remi. "Remi, we haven't known each other long, and I know saying this now might be sudden, but I want you to know where my heart is. I want to… make you my wife."

Heaven knows what kind of flowers bloomed in Remi’s heart when she heard those words. She hesitated; saying yes this quickly felt too reckless.

Seeing that she didn't reply, Damian grew nervous. "I’m sorry, Remi. I’m being impatient. You don’t have to answer me now. We can take our time…"

Evangeline leaned against Marcellus’s chest, practically squealing with excitement. Watching other people fall in love was just too good.

"Just pack it away first," Remi said shyly. "We still need to finish the paperwork with the organizers."

"Right," Damian murmured, a hopeful smile playing on his lips.