Chapter 435
The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride
Janet blinked several times, thinking that she had misheard him.
She awkwardly ran her fingers through her hair and clutched the blanket that was draped around her body. âWhatââ she choked, then had to clear her throat. âWhat wedding dress?â
Ethan smiled at her patiently and spoke slowly, as one would with a child. âWe married in a rather shabby ceremony. You wore a simple white dress, and not much happened besides us exchanging vows. I always thought you may not have a good memory of our wedding day.â
Janet didnât expect Ethan to still remember these trivial things, much less care about them. Her heart softened despite herself.
She could be so easy sometimes.
Luckily, she snapped back to her senses a moment later. âForget it, Ethan. That would be too much trouble.â
He insisted, of course. âThe wedding day is one of the most important events in a womanâs life, this much I know. And it is important to me. Now that you know my other identity, I want to pledge myself to you again, this time as Brandon Larson.â
Janet was stunned speechless at his smooth declaration. In the end, she could only nod in agreement.
*******
South Pole was the most expensive wedding gown shop in Seacisco, catering mostly to custom-made orders for the upper society.
They were proud of their clientele, too, as evidenced by an advertisement they had once run on TV.
Hence, it was known as a luxury brand that only serviced the wealthiest ladies the city could offer.
And today, Janet was going to get that full, exclusive experience.
Ethan and Janet walked into the store hand in hand.
She was still opposed to the whole idea, especially since she was still mad at him.
But now that they were here, she couldnât just flee and make Ethan lose face in public.
âMr. Larson! Why have you come so early? Isnât your appointment for three oâclock this afternoon?â A woman who looked to be in her forties greeted them at the door, wearing heavy makeup and chunky jewelry. As she drew closer, however, Janet realized that it was actually a man. She tried not to stare at his fake lashes and his Adamâs apple.
âThis is Mr. Jarvis,â Ethan introduced the man. âHe is the chief wedding gown designer of South Pole.
Heâll take you to get your measurements, and then browse around the shop. If you encounter any problems, just let him know. Heâll take care of everything.â
Janet barely nodded before she was whisked away by the zealous designer.
âI never imagined that Brandon was really married! I thought he was just kidding when he called me.â
Mr. Jarvis put a hand over his mouth and chuckled demurely. His gestures were more coquettish than most ladies Janet had met. He narrowed his eyes and peered at her.
âYou have a small face and such dainty features. Do you want to try a sexy, backless dress? Or would you like an evening gown style that shows off your cleavage? What color are we thinking, by the way?
White is too common in this day and age. How about champagne or rose pink?â He chattered on as he rounded Janet and looked her up and down. She had a slender waist and all the right curves. She would probably look splendid in any type of dress.
Janet, on the other hand, was in a daze. The rows of dazzling dresses overwhelmed her. It was like she had stepped into designer heaven.
It was obvious that each garment had been crafted carefully, with their exquisite details and all kinds of jewels inlaid in the fabric. One corner seemed to be dedicated to the simpler, sweeter styles, while another corner burst with shades of pink. The first one boasted of satin and lace dresses with pearls and sewn flowerettes as accents. The second one had massive dresses with layers of tulle and ruffles.
But the most remarkable of all was the line-up of traditional wedding dresses from different countries.
This shop truly had it all; they had even thought about the possibility of having foreign customers.
âAre those displayed behind the glass for sale?â Janet nodded at a long cabinet lining an entire wall.
âOr are they off-limits?â The dress in the center had caught her eye. It had an intricately embroidered bodice that tapered down to a full skirt peppered with tiny tulips.
Mr. Jarvis giggled meaningfully. âNothing is off-limits when it comes to Brandon. Those dresses are from the âTrue Loveâ series that was released earlier this year. Each element was handmade by professional craftsmen.â
Hearing that, Janet surmised that the price they fetched must be over the roof.
Her frugal nature kicked in, and she immediately looked away.
There were a lot of other amazing dresses to choose from anyway. Soon enough, she began to wish that they werenât all so gorgeous, since it made for a very difficult choice.
Four hours later, Ethan knocked on the door to the fitting lounge and let himself in.
âSo impatient!â Mr. Jarvis chided good-naturedly. He could tell what Ethan was thinking at a glance.
âYou were taking so long that I started to worry you might have done something to my precious lady.â
There was a long corridor connecting the female dressing room and the male dressing room here.
Ethan leaned against the door frame and quietly watched Janet. The black suit he was wearing was pretty simple, albeit finely tailored to his figure. Even so, he made it look like a million bucks, Janet tried on a few more dresses, only to realize that she liked everything so far. Eventually, even she thought that she was taking too long. She helplessly turned to Ethan and gave him a pleading look.
In response, he stared at the cabinet display and settled for the dress encrusted with diamonds.
âJarvis, take that one out and box it up. Send it to my villa along with every dress my wife has tried on.â
He was a man of action, after all. He strode over and put an arm around Janetâs shoulders. âFrom now on, you donât have to push yourself to choose one over the other. If you like something, just buy it. You can get whatever you want.â
Mr. Jarvis clapped his hands with glee. âOh my, how generous of you, Mr. Larson.â
He then turned to a panic-stricken Janet and said, âMiss, you definitely made the right decision marrying this man!â