Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

Working under Mr. Gunn, she was able to learn a great deal. She had experienced every step of the process firsthand, from the design sketches to the finished garment.

The gown was finally finished just before the exhibition.

On the day of the exhibition, Nancy Hughes had deliberately chosen to wear a long, strapless gown.

She had never worn such a formal gown, nor had she ever teetered on heels this high.

Just standing still, she was afraid she might lose her balance and fall at any moment.

Nancy Hughes had dressed up a bit and looked lovely. She had a delicate, striking beauty, and the bright yellow of the gown made her skin appear exceptionally fair.

She wasn’t used to the attention and felt as if everyone around her was staring.

Spotting Mr. Gunn, she lifted her skirt and walked over carefully.

"Mr. Gunn!"

"Hughes, perfect timing. This is Mr. Heston. Go on, say hello."

Dylan Heston was here. And he knew Mr. Gunn. This was completely unexpected.

"Mr. Heston, hello!" Nancy Hughes said, extending her hand.

Dylan Heston’s expression suddenly turned strange. He stared at Nancy, who felt a bit awkward. Her hand hovered in mid-air, and she didn’t know whether she should retract it or...

A second later, Dylan Heston took her hand. His voice sounded near her ear. "Hello."

The handshake was firm but brief.

Afterward, Dylan Heston and Mr. Gunn continued to talk. Nancy stole glances at Dylan Heston out of the corner of her eye. When speaking with Mr. Gunn, his expression was serious and held a measure of respect.

He was well-spoken and refined, not at all like a thug from the streets.

’This Dylan Heston is nothing like I imagined!’

She cleared her throat. "I’m going to get a glass of water."

Mr. Gunn glanced at her. "Go on."

Dylan Heston exuded an invisible pressure. Being near him made Nancy feel ill at ease, and she felt an urge to flee.

She walked over to a less crowded spot, picked up a glass of juice, and took a sip.

Her gaze drifted back toward Dylan Heston. He stood a full head taller than everyone else in the crowd, making him incredibly conspicuous.

She wasn’t the only one. Many of the women nearby were also looking his way.

A group of women nearby were excitedly discussing Elliot Sheridan and Dylan Heston.

Dylan Heston and Elliot Sheridan were cut from the same cloth, and rumor had it the two had always been close friends.

She’d seen Elliot Sheridan a few times and always found him too cold. It seemed impossible for anyone to ever win him over.

Dylan Heston also gave off a cold vibe, but ever since she saw him squatting by the road, coaxing a little girl with a lollipop, she remembered the faint, warm smile that had graced his lips.

A lot of people had come to the exhibition. After all, it was hosted by a top-tier company, so no one would pass up the chance to attend.

Following behind Mr. Gunn, Nancy Hughes inadvertently caught sight of Zane Lennox.

He was still the same person—the same dashing brows and eyes, the same high-bridged nose. His features hadn’t changed at all.

What had changed was the look in his eyes, his entire aura.

Perhaps from spending so long in the business world, his eyes had lost their former sunny disposition. Now, they held more indifference, and a faint, detached smile played on his lips.

It was the kind of smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and it made Nancy’s heart skip a beat.

’I really do still love him.’

Zane Lennox didn’t seem to notice her. He strode past, a cool draft in his wake, heading straight for Elliot Sheridan.

Nancy turned, her traitorous eyes following the sight of his retreating back.

’How long has it been since I last saw him in person? It feels like forever.’

Up ahead, Mr. Gunn called her name. "Hughes, what are you staring at?"

She blankly pulled her gaze back, shaking her head with a smile. "Nothing!"

"I’ve called you several times!"

Nancy listened absently as Mr. Gunn introduced her to other designers, her head turning once more to look in the direction Zane had gone.

Zane Lennox was gone.

Mr. Gunn was nearly fifty years old. He was highly experienced and knew many influential people.

Nancy followed beside him, offering a demure smile until the corners of her mouth grew stiff.

After making the rounds, she had been introduced to several faces she usually only saw on television.

Suddenly, she caught sight of Zane Lennox again. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say her gaze had been following him all night.

When she saw him heading for the exit, her body moved on its own, following him out before her brain could stop her.

Keeping her eyes on the exit Zane had just used, she said to Mr. Gunn, "Mr. Gunn, I need to make a phone call."

Without waiting for Mr. Gunn’s reply, she lifted her skirt and hurried off in the direction Zane had gone.

The moment Nancy left, Dylan Heston emerged from the crowd. "Why are you alone? Where’s your assistant?"

"You mean Hughes? She ran off in a hurry. Said she had to make a call, I think."

Dylan Heston grunted in acknowledgment. Mr. Gunn smiled. "You know Hughes? You’ve never shown interest in anyone else before."

"We’ve met once."

"She’s a good kid, very driven. She’s willing to humble herself and learn, and she’s smart, too."

"Is that so?" Dylan Heston replied, his tone indifferent.

Mr. Gunn smiled. "By the way, what brings you here today? I thought you disliked these kinds of events."

"Sharon asked me to come."

Nancy hurried out to the corridor and saw Zane Lennox on the phone.

His voice was loud and laced with anger. Nancy’s steps faltered.

’Zane is angry. If I approach him now, will it just make him even angrier?’

’He doesn’t like seeing me in the first place.’

The more she hesitated, the more her courage failed her.

’Besides, even if I did go over, what is there for us to even talk about?’

Her fingers, clasped tightly behind her back, dug into her palms. She couldn’t bring herself to tear her eyes away from him.

She had only taken a couple of steps to leave when Zane’s voice stopped her from behind.

Her stride hitched. She froze and turned to look behind her.

Zane had ended his call at some point. His gaze was glacial as it fell upon her, his tightly furrowed brows broadcasting his intense displeasure.

"You’re following me." It wasn’t a question, but a statement of fact.

"..." Her eyes darted away, unable to meet his gaze.

Her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and she couldn’t make a sound. A bitter feeling spread through her chest.

’I’ve made him angry again.’

He was right. She had followed him; there was no denying it.

Zane was already fuming, and seeing someone who irritated him was all it took for him to vent his anger on her. "Nancy Hughes, I told you to stay out of my sight. Did you not understand me?"

"I-I’m sorry," Nancy apologized, biting her lower lip.

"Nancy Hughes, I’ve never met a woman as shameless as you!" Zane was always merciless with his words toward people he disliked.

He never pulled his punches, no matter who he was talking to. Nancy lowered her head even further as her eyes began to sting.

"I’m sorry!" she said hurriedly, then gathered her skirt and fled.

Seeing Nancy flee in such a panic left Zane with an inexplicable feeling of unease.

He didn’t dwell on it, however. He just loosened his tie and headed outside.

Nancy hid in the restroom, shutting herself inside a stall to cry.

She cried until she was a mess. The sight of her reflection in the mirror startled her.

Her makeup was completely ruined. She looked pathetic.

Thankfully, she had brought some tissues. She cleaned herself up before finally emerging.

An unrequited love is a painful thing. It’s even more agonizing when the object of your affection despises you.

Wiping away the last of her tears, she stared at her reflection and swore to herself that she would never be so pathetic again.

She composed herself, let out a long sigh, and tried to relax.

Just as she stepped out of the women’s restroom, she heard someone call her name.

’Great. Just great.’

As she turned toward the voice, she forced a brilliant smile onto her face. "Yes? What is it?"

Nancy was still in a state of misery, so she didn’t even notice how pleasant the voice was.

She assumed it was one of her colleagues, but she never expected it to be him.

Dylan Heston was holding his phone, murmuring something softly into it. She saw the corner of his mouth lift slightly, and thought she heard him say the word "good."

He then hung up and strode in Nancy’s direction.

Nancy unconsciously straightened her posture. As the man drew closer, the feeling of being overwhelmed intensified.

For some reason, she always felt extremely nervous around Dylan Heston. Her mind would go numb, completely blank.

She swallowed hard and instinctively leaned back until she was pressed against the cold wall. "Um, Mr. Heston, did you need..."

"Why did you leave the other day without a word?"

"...Huh?"

Dylan Heston was standing far too close. It made Nancy extremely uncomfortable, and her mind was screaming at him not to come any nearer.

Her brain couldn’t process his words in time, and she just stared at him blankly.

’What is he talking about?’

Nancy wasn’t short, especially in her heels, but she was still dwarfed by Dylan Heston.

Dylan Heston looked down, and his gaze landed on her red-rimmed eyes. They were bloodshot.

Her bright, glistening eyes should have been beautiful, but all he could see in them was her distress.

"Have you been crying?" He switched topics, while Nancy was still stuck on his previous question.

His train of thought moved too quickly for her to follow.

"...No," Nancy denied.

"But your eyes are red."

"..."

"And you were wearing makeup earlier, but your face is clean now. Your hair is still damp, too..."

His voice was soft, but each word landed in Nancy’s ears like a thunderclap, shaking her to her core.

An indescribable feeling welled up inside her. Biting her lower lip hard, she said, "Sorry, I just remembered Mr. Gunn needed me for something!"