[EVE]

I woke up not to the jarring sound of my alarm, but to something thick and sticky being licked onto my face.

Groggily, I cracked open an eye to see Sebastian''s big, cheerful face hovering over me, tail wagging in his typical, happy way.

"Mm . . . what? It''s the weekend," I mumbled, pulling the covers up in protest. "Why are you waking me up this early?"

Sebastian was unbothered by my groggy state, and nudged his nose against the alarm clock on my nightstand, as if he were trying to point something out.

"What? Are you hungry?" I yawned, peeking at the clock. "It''s only ten in the morning, Sebastian. Can''t you let me sleep until eleven? It''s the weekends"

Just as I started to close my eyes again, a sudden thought jolted me awake.

The

auction

!

"Oh shoot!" I scrambled out of bed, grabbing the alarm clock and staring at the time. "The auction''s at one!"

And here I was, still half-asleep. With the travel time, getting ready would take me at least two hours. I groaned, glancing at Sebastian as he wagged his tail and barked as if agreeing.

"Sebastian, why didn''t you wake me up sooner?" I huffed, mock-accusingly. He tilted his head, then nosed his empty food bowl.

"Oh, right. You''re probably starving," I said, feeling a pang of guilt.

If Sinclair found out I''d been late feeding his beloved dog, I''d probably won''t hear the end of it.

"Let''s just keep this little detail to ourselves, alright?" I muttered as I filled up Sebastian''s bowl. He barked cheerfully, wagging his tail as if nodding in agreement.

Sometimes, I swear this dog understands every word I say.

As he dug into his food, I dashed into the shower, determined to get ready as fast as possible. My usual leisurely morning routine was out the window; there was no time to waste.

The fitting and display area was a crisp, clean white, with color brought in only by the dresses carefully displayed.

I didn''t need anything extravagant, just something that had that perfect mix of elegance and simplicity.

"Eve?" Hyun''s voice broke my train of thought.

I turned, and there he was—though he looked almost like a different person. He was taller now, standing straight instead of his usual slouch, and his hair was freshly styled, dyed in a way that brought out his features.

Gone was the shy, boyish look I remembered; now he looked confident, with a playful, charming edge.

"Hyun?" I blinked, barely recognizing him. "Wow . . . I almost didn''t recognize you! You look incredible!"

Hyun''s cheeks tinted slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, well, Genevieve''s been on my case about standing up straight, skincare routines, the works. I figured I should get serious with the opening coming up. I don''t want to make you look bad."

I laughed, patting his shoulder. "You''re doing great, honestly. You''re going to impress everyone, trust me."

His eyes sparkled with excitement, and he flashed a beaming smile. "I won''t let you down!"

Ah . . . my heart is healed . . .

"By the way, have you had breakfast yet? I don''t have much, but I can grab something for you if you''re hungry."

"Oh! Actually, I''m here because I need a dress. Just something simple and elegant—do you happen to have anything I could borrow? A spare maybe?"

Hyun chuckled and shook his head. "Borrow? Spare? Eve, come with me."

Without another word, he led me further into the studio, where seamstress were busy creating and adjusting different clothes.

Dresses at all stages of completion filled the room, but one piece at the center immediately caught my eye. It was stunning.

"Oh, wow . . ." I could barely breathe at the sight.

Hyun took my hand gently. "I designed this with you in mind, Eve. I hope that''s alright."

I stared at him, my heart warming. "Hyun, it''s beautiful! It''s exactly what I need—can I burrow it?"

He raised my hand to his lips in a quiet gesture, making me freeze, feeling my pulse quicken. "It''s yours."