Bella carried the box to her room and tore it open, curiosity burning through her.
Inside lay a breathtaking black yard dress. Short, sleek, and dusted with black crystals that shimmered like starlight, it looked as if it belonged behind bulletproof glass in a fashion museum. A slim card peeked out from the folds.
Bella picked it up.
"What?!" she gasped. "A limited edition dress from Hailey?"
Her eyes widened. Hailey. The most exclusive women's fashion house in the country. This wasn't just a dress; it was a piece of history. Only a handful of people on the planet ever owned a limited edition Hailey.
"This must have cost millions," she whispered.
As she lifted the dress, another card slipped from between the folds. She bent, picked it up, and read:
Wear this. I hope you like it. Be ready at seven.
Bella's lips curled into an exasperated smile. "Chris." She rolled her eyes, but her heart raced.
She checked her phone. It was already past six.
"I have about an hour." She darted into the bathroom.
By the time Vera peeked into her room, Bella was blow-drying her hair.
"Unnie!" Raquel came running up the stairs.
"Hi, Mum. Hi, baby," Bella called out.
Both of them froze when they saw the dress laid across the bed.
"Wow," Raquel squealed, clutching her chest. "That's... gorgeous."
"That's more than gorgeous," Vera added. "It looks expensive."
"It's Hailey," Bella admitted, stepping out of the bathroom. "Chris sent it."
Her mum's eyes widened. "Hailey? The Hailey?"
"Limited edition." Bella sighed. "He invited me on a date and insisted I wear it."
"Unnie, you're one lucky girl," Raquel teased, grinning from ear to ear.
Bella shook her head, trying to hide her own smile.
"What time?" Vera asked.
"Seven. I don't even know where we're going."
She slipped into the dress, paired it with wine-red heels and a tiny clutch, then let her hair fall loose around her shoulders. When she looked in the mirror, she hardly recognised herself.
The doorbell rang. Seven sharp.
Raquel bolted to the door. "Hello, Mr Hampson," she greeted with the broadest grin.
"Hi," Chris replied with a polite smile. "Where's Christal?"
"I'm right here."
Bella descended the staircase slowly, each step echoing like a drum. Chris looked up — and froze. His jaw actually dropped.
"Wow," he muttered.
"Just wow," Raquel echoed.
"Hello, Mr Hampson," Bella teased, arching a brow.
"You're drooling, man," she added with a smirk.
Chris laughed under his breath, still unable to take his eyes off her.
"Miss Walter," he greeted Vera, shaking her hand.
"How are you?" Vera asked warmly.
"Very well, thank you. And you?"
"I'm fine. Just... make sure my daughter is safe."
"You have my word," Chris promised before opening the door for Bella.
As soon as they stepped outside, she turned to him. "How did you even get my address?"
He shrugged. "I have my ways."
His black Lexus LFA purred like a panther as he held the door for her. The interior glowed with quiet luxury. Bella sat stiffly, too aware of him beside her.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"It's a surprise."
"Thanks for the dress," she said, "but I'll be returning it."
"It wasn't a purchase," Chris replied smoothly. "It was a gift. From Hailey herself."
Bella frowned. "And I'm supposed to be the special someone?"
Chris's lips curved. "Not supposed to be. You are. To me, you're someone special."
Bella looked away, unsettled. Special? They had kissed once, yes, but since then? Nothing. This was confusing territory.
"So what's your connection to Hailey?" she asked. "Everyone knows the brand is all about women's fashion."
"The owner of Hailey is actually my elder sister," he said.
Bella's eyes widened. "What? Hailey is your sister?"
"Yes. The brand carries her name, and she built it from the ground up. She's always had a sharp eye for fashion, while I leaned into business and aviation." He smirked. "Between the two of us, we keep the European tabloids busy."
Bella's mouth dropped slightly. "Wow. I read about her once in a magazine, but her last name wasn't Hampson."
"She's married," Chris explained. "That's why she goes by Hailey Whales now."
Bella nodded slowly, piecing it together.
"So how come you didn't know?" Chris teased. "It's been on every blog."
"I don't stalk people's lives," Bella shot back with a shrug. "Especially not yours. You're not exactly my area of interest."
"Seriously?" Chris chuckled. "So what is your area of interest?"
"For years, it's been one thing aircraft. That's all I cared about."
"Then why a stewardess and not a pilot?"
Bella rolled her eyes. "Why do I feel like I'm in another interview?"
"Oops. Sorry," he said with a sheepish laugh.
She softened. "I was just teasing."
But then she glanced down at the dress again and sighed. "Still, I can't keep this. It's too expensive."
Chris smirked. "It would be useless to return it. The dress was made with your name stitched in."
"What?"
"Check the hem."
Bella bent forward, fingers brushing the lower edge. Her breath caught. There it was Ella embroidered in elegant crystal letters.
Her eyes widened. "So everyone else who has this design"
"Who told you there are others?" Chris cut in, smiling.
Bella looked at him, stunned. "What do you mean?"
"There's only one dress like this in the world," he said, his voice low, confident.
And for the first time that evening, Bella's heart skipped a beat.
"Wait what? You mean this is the only one of this dress in the world?" Bella asked, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Chris's lips tugged into a knowing smile. "Yes, you heard me right. One of one. No duplicates."
Bella's heart skipped. She reached down to touch the hem of the glittering Hailey gown again, her fingers trembling. "I can't wear this. Please, Chris, just take me home. I'm not comfortable wearing something like this."
Chris's voice softened. "Christal, calm down. It's yours."
Bella shook her head frantically. "What if I trip and fall? Or the fabric catches on a nail? Or"
"It's fine," Chris cut in, his tone firm but reassuring. "It belongs to you now. You can wear it, frame it, burn it whatever you like. It's yours."
He reached over and took her hand before she could argue again. His touch startled her warm, grounding. For a moment, she wanted to pull away, but something in his steady grip calmed the storm in her chest.
"Your hand is cold," Chris observed, glancing at her before turning back to the road. "Are you nervous?"
Bella shook her head quickly. "No. Just cold. The AC is"
"Haaachoo!" She sneezed before she could finish, sniffing with an embarrassed laugh.
Chris chuckled, immediately switching off the air conditioner. "Sorry. I should have asked if it was too cold."
"It's fine," Bella mumbled, but her nose wrinkled as another sneeze escaped.
Chris frowned. "Now I feel like I gave you a cold."
Bella gave him a quick smile. "Don't flatter yourself, Hampson. I'll live."
A few minutes later, his sleek car rolled into the driveway of one of the city's most exclusive restaurants—an establishment whispered about in magazines, always glittering with the elite.
"Wow..." Bella's breath caught.
Chris parked smoothly, unbuckled, and hurried around to open her door. "Careful," he murmured, holding out his hand.
The moment Bella stepped down, her ankle wobbled. Pain shot through her leg and she gasped.
"Ouch!" she cried, clutching his arm.
Chris's face tightened in concern. "Are you alright?" He guided her to sit on a bench near the entrance.
"I—I think I sprained my ankle," Bella admitted through clenched teeth. "It hurts so much."
Chris crouched in front of her, ignoring the curious stares of passersby. He gently removed her heel, his strong hands massaging her ankle with surprising tenderness.
Bella froze, watching him. She couldn't remember the last time someone had cared for her like this—aside from her mother and siblings. The contrast of his power and his gentleness made her chest ache in a way she couldn't explain.
"Better?" Chris's voice broke through her trance.
She blinked, realizing she'd been staring at him the whole time. Heat rushed to her cheeks.
"Y-yeah. It doesn't hurt as much now. Thank you."
Chris smirked and handed her shoe back. "Good. Though I'll be carrying you if it starts again."
Bella slipped the heel on, muttering, "I'll manage," but her eyes refused to leave his face.
"Do I have something on my face?" Chris teased with a grin.
Bella startled, clearing her throat before straightening. "No. Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
Inside, the maître d' led them to a private table, and Chris kept Bella's hand in his as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Bella wanted to pull away, but a part of her... didn't.
Whispers rose around them.
"Isn't that the Hailey limited-edition dress?" A woman in her sixties whispered to her friend.
"I tried everything to buy it. Mrs Whales refused to sell," her companion said bitterly.
"They say it's one of a kind. Makes sense that Hailey's brother's woman would wear it."
The first woman narrowed her eyes at Bella. "I always wanted Chris to marry my Thelma. Mark my words, I'll make it happen. That girl he's with who even is she? What family is she from?"
"Don't worry about who she is. If you want Chris for your daughter, you'll need to win over Cassandra his mother."
"Yes," the woman murmured with determination. "But first we'll ruin that girl's reputation. That will make it easier."
Meanwhile, Bella was oblivious to the plotting. She was too focused on the red velvet cake in front of her, savoring each bite as if it were heaven. Chris watched her with quiet amusement, his eyes lingering longer than necessary.
Later, as he drove her home, the silence between them was... comfortable. Almost intimate.
"Thanks for dinner," Bella said softly, stepping out of the car with a smile.
"My pleasure," Chris replied, following her out. "Thank you for not refusing me."
Bella laughed. "Honestly, it would've been my loss if I had. Besides, I can never say no to free food."
Chris chuckled, studying her in the dim streetlight. "You're really beautiful." The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Bella froze, caught off guard. "Oh... thank you," she whispered, her lips curving into a shy smile.
Chris cleared his throat. "I guess I should go now."
"Yeah," Bella said, hugging her arms to herself. "Goodnight."
"See you tomorrow?" he asked hopefully.
She smirked. "Nope. Unlike some bosses' boss, I actually have work."
Chris grinned. "Fair enough. Then I'll call you."
Bella raised a brow. "You might want to give me your number first, Hampson. I'd rather not have you storming into my workplace like a madman again."
"Although I find that very offensive," Chris teased, "I'll forgive you since it means I get to call you whenever I want."
Bella rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her.