Chapter 24 Buying a Gown
“Just book another one.” Baird Lane waved his hand carelessly, his voice cool and muted.
Now that Molly can’t dance and can’t play the White Swan on stage, it’s hard not to be touched by the sight of the necklace, so she might as well give it to Christine White.
“I know.” Baird Lane had said so, so naturally, Assistant Gates had no problem with it and pushed his glasses to do as he was told.
In the afternoon, Baird Lane finished his paperwork and put on his coat for the hospital.
Assistant Gates came in sweating, holding a bunch of gift boxes, “President Lane!”
“What’s going on?” Baird Lane looked at him.
Assistant Gates placed the gift box on the couch, “Ms. White is not at the villa.”
“No?” Baird Lane frowned.
“Yes, Aunt Lucy said Miss White went shopping.”
“Shopping?” Baird Lane’s expression darkened a little.
He gave her a half day’s vacation so she could go back and rest.
She’s good, she actually went shopping.
Baird Lane pursed his thin lips and pulled out his cell phone to call Christine White over.
The phone was quickly answered and Christine White’s surprised voice came through, “President Lane?”
“Where are you?” Baird Lane spoke in a cold voice.
Christine White looked at the environment she was in and half covered her cell phone to lower the volume, “I’m out shopping for a tux.”
“You have money?” Baird Lane raised an eyebrow.
If he remembered correctly, she gave all her money to her mom.
“Uh …,” Christine White choked out, scratching the back of her head a little uncertainly as she returned, “I should be able to get a cheap one… …”
“Whatever then.”
Assistant Gates, who heard the call, hesitated for a few seconds and pointed to the pile of gift boxes on the couch, “President Lane, what about these?”
Baird Lane glanced over, “Put it in my car.”
“Okay.” Assistant Gates picked up the pile of gift boxes again and went out.
Christine White, vaguely listening to Baird Lane talking to someone, was quiet enough not to interrupt, and waited until he had finished before tentatively asking, “President Lane, what did you want to see me about?”
“Nothing.” Baird Lane threw out a bland statement and cut off the communication.
“Christine, who’s calling?” Debby York came back from picking out her clothes and saw Christine White sitting on the couch fidgeting with her cell phone and walked over and touched her gently.
Christine White looked back, put away her cell phone and smiled, “My husband.”
“Your husband?” Debby York’s eyes lit up with interest, “You keep saying you’re married, but I’ve never met your husband, when are you going to bring him out so I can meet him.”
“When you get a chance.” Christine White’s eyes flickered sheepishly, and her smile was much more forced.
She also wants to squarely announce that Baird Lane is her husband.
But Baird Lane wouldn’t allow it.
She remembered that he had warned her on their wedding night that she was not to reveal their relationship to the public.
“So mysterious, huh?” Debby York frowned, obviously less than pleased with the answer, but didn’t press the issue, just asked curiously, “What’s your husband calling you for?”
“I don’t know!” Christine White shrugged her shoulders.
She couldn’t believe it when she got the call from Baird Lane.
For three years, he never called her, he didn’t even save her number, and she was puzzled when he suddenly called just now, just to ask her a question about where she was.
“Che, I see you just don’t want to tell me.” Debby York skimmed her lips in feigned displeasure.
Christine White cried and laughed, “I really don’t know …”
“Okay, okay.” Debby York waved her hand, “I’m not mad, I’m teasing you on purpose, okay enough of that, how about you try this on?”
She picked up a selection of pink gowns and compared them to Christine White, “I picked them out just for you yet, you have a soft and gentle personality, they look great in pink.”
“How much for a set?” Christine White asked as she stood up.
Debby York handed her the hang tag directly in front of her.
Christine White took a look and gasped in shock, her volume plummeting, “Ten … hundred thousand dollars?”
“Keep your voice down!” Debby York saw this and hastily covered her mouth, looked around and saw that no one had noticed this side, then sighed in relief, “What are you fussing for, let people think we’re unseasoned bumpkins ah.”
Christine White rolled her eyes and poked the back of Debby York’s hand, signaling her to let go of herself.
“Letting go of you is fine, so stop yelling.”
Christine White nodded repeatedly.
Debby York then released her.
Getting free, Christine White let out a soft breath, her small face filled with bitterness, “Debby , where can we afford such an expensive gown.”
“Of course I know we can’t afford it.” Debby York returned unperturbed.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
The corner of Christine White’s mouth twitched, “So you’re still …”
“Stupid!” Debby York tapped her forehead, “If we can’t afford to buy it, we can rent it, I learned before I came here that you can rent a gown for about $100, 000 for $5, 000.”
“Five thousand …” Christine White covered her face, “But I can’t even afford to rent it.”
Debby York’s movement to straighten her gown jerked to a halt as she looked at her incredulously, “You’ve saved tens of thousands of dollars, how can you not afford to rent?”
“I gave it all to my mom.”
“All of it?”
Christine White hmmm’d.
Debby York suppressed her anger and took a deep breath, “Christine White, what do you want me to say about you?”
“What’s wrong?” Christine White blinked, not understanding why she was suddenly angry.
“And you ask me what’s wrong?” Debby York pointed at herself and laughed in exasperation, “Did I tell you to stop giving your mom money so easily, and you gave it all at once, do you realize that it feeds her appetite?”
“But she’s my mom and this time my brother he’s in trouble …”
“Come on!” Debby York grunted disdainfully, “Which time has your mom’s excuse for asking you for money not been something that happened to your brother? You’re the only one stupid enough to believe it, I’d say it’s only a matter of time before they suck all the blood out of you!”
“Don’t you say that.” Christine White wrinkled her nose.
She also knew her parents were patriarchal.
But she just couldn’t be cruel, no matter what, they were always her parents and brother.
“Okay, I’ll stop, but what about your dress? Should I lend you a couple thousand?” Debby York inquired as she slung her gown over her arm.
Christine White shook her head in thanks, “I’m not wearing a gown anymore, I’m going to get a slightly more expensive dress, that should be fine.”
“Then I’ll walk you to your selection later.”
“Uh-huh.”
After buying clothes, it was already dark.
Christine White glanced at the time and, with a cry of dread, hurriedly stopped a car and rushed to the hotel with Debby York.
The brightly lit banquet hall was bustling with people raising their glasses and mingling.
It was Christine White’s first time attending such an occasion, and she couldn’t help but look overwhelmed.
“Christine, I’m going to go say hi to the manager of our department and come find you later.”
“Good.” Christine White nodded.
After Debby York left, Christine White didn’t know what to do, she hardly knew anyone here and didn’t want to take the initiative to get acquainted, so she took a drink and went to sit in the corner and quietly watched the glittering crowd.
“Yo, who’s this, why are you dressed so rustic?” A contemptuous sneer suddenly sounded behind him.
Christine White craned her head to see that it was none other than the three men from the Secretarial Corps.
All three were dressed in expensive evening gowns, wearing exquisite makeup, and stood there in their best poses, looking at her with either disdain or derision.
“What’s the matter with you guys?” Christine White asked lightly as she stood up.
These three were targeting her at the office, and now they were coming over for sure nothing good.
“Nothing much, it’s just that we’re both President Lane’s secretaries, so we came over to say hi, but I suddenly realized we shouldn’t have come, look at what you’re wearing, you’re a disgrace to us secretaries!”
The secretary in the center took a step forward and tugged at Christine White’s sleeve with a look of disgust.
Christine White looked down at herself, “Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?”