“When the young miss draws clothes for the dolls, we take them to the seamstress to make them exactly the same.”

I alternately looked at the drawing and the clothes the doll was wearing.

My goodness. Are these clothes actually designed by Gabrielle?

My mouth fell open. The clothes were fashionable, sophisticated, and unique.

Right now they’re just doll clothes, but this design would be very popular if made for people.

‘This would be good for our department store’s ready-made clothing designs!’

Currently, the ready-made clothing section is only used by commoners for its cheap prices, while nobles accustomed to custom-made clothes don’t even glance at it. Even to me, ready-made clothes lacked aesthetic appeal. It was difficult to find good talent because all skilled designers opened custom clothing shops under their own names.

‘With some modifications, these could become fashionable clothes.’

We can’t attach real jewels to ready-made clothes like this doll has. That would increase the unit cost. But what if we made them according to Gabrielle’s sketches, even using cheap beads?

A gold mine. Yes, this is a gold mine.

I looked at her with a grin.

“Gabrielle. Would you like to visit our department store?”

Gabrielle’s eyes sparkled.

* * *

Michael wasn’t at the mansion. Thanks to that, I could easily take Gabrielle out of the Marquis’s residence. Of course, the butler was horrified, but he couldn’t break my stubbornness. Besides, Gabrielle was so happy to hear about going out that she even danced.

Eventually, the butler provided the Paine family’s splendid carriage. A maid named Olive who attended to Gabrielle did accompany us, but she was a quiet woman, so it wasn’t bothersome.

“Have you been to our department store before?”

Gabrielle shook her head from side to side.

“There are many delicious things and sparkling pretty items there. People love my department store so much they say it’s like a palace.”

“Palace? Where princesses live?”

“Yes. You’ll like it too when you see it.”

I know how much girls her age love my department store. They beg their parents to take them there on their days off and come in groups with friends to feast their eyes.

‘First, let me show her around my department store and make her want to visit often.’

If she wanted, I could even prepare a separate space just for Gabrielle right next to my office. Of course, I’d have to first verify if her design skills were genuine. If customers liked her designs enough to open their wallets, I was willing to entrust Gabrielle with the ready-made clothing designs.

I thought she was an annoying burden tied to me by contract, but she turned out to be a raw gem.

I had to meet Gabrielle frequently and be her companion anyway. Since we’re meeting, I might as well discover her hidden talents while increasing my department store sales. Wouldn’t that be a good deal for both of us?

After getting out of the carriage, Gabrielle stuck close to the display window glass, unable to hide her excitement.

“Amazing!”

The item displayed in the show window today was a scarf with mustard-colored lace. With black velvet making the background dark, people’s attention was drawn to the item. Below, imitation jewels were scattered, making the inside of the show window dazzlingly bright.

Gabrielle exclaimed in admiration with her mouth wide open.

“I’ve never seen such a big doll before!”

Perhaps seeing a mannequin for the first time, she tugged at my collar with one hand while pointing at the displayed mannequin with the other.

Cedric, who heard the news of my arrival, came down to the first floor.

“Boss, is that Marquis Paine’s younger sister?”

“Yes. Today I promised to show her around the department store.”

“She’s pretty.”

Cedric couldn’t take his eyes off Gabrielle for a while. And for good reason.

Bright, glowing skin, curly blonde hair, and red, moist lips even without rouge. Anyone would be captivated by Gabrielle’s appearance. People from the Paine family were generally superior in looks.

Seeing him unable to take his eyes off Gabrielle, I felt a surge of pettiness.

“Why, has your taste changed all of a sudden?”

At my words, Cedric’s expression turned to shock.

“She’s still a child.”

“She’s a blooming young lady. She may be a teenager now, but in a few years, she’ll be of marriageable age.”

“Ahem! Still, she’s not my type.”

I’m sure that’s the case. You prefer men after all.

Wait, my secretary’s pupils definitely shook when he first saw Gabrielle. If that’s the case, could Cedric’s type be Michael, who looks exactly like Gabrielle……?

‘Yes. He’s been picking fights strangely since they first met.’

When Cedric argued with Marquis Paine before an important contract, I thought it was just an action to gain the upper hand in the contract. But what if the reason he picked that fight was because he liked Michael?

It happens sometimes. Immature people who can’t properly express their feelings to someone they like and instead just pick fights.

As soon as I realized this, I sighed.

Cedric Whisker, you fool. Michael likes women. It’s obvious you’ll only hurt yourself in this hopeless one-sided love. My poor secretary, what should I do?

Although I couldn’t have him for myself, I had the generosity to wish for the happiness of someone I once liked.

“What is it? What’s with that look?”

Did my sympathetic expression show through? Cedric was openly displeased.

“It’s nothing like that.”

I patted his shoulder.

“It’s okay. I can understand everything.”

“Really, it’s not like that.”

“You’re my precious employee. You know that, right?”

He grabbed my hand to lower it and sighed heavily.

“Boss, you’re really dense to this extent……”

Just then, a shout was heard from far away.

“Charlotte Liv! How dare you cheat me?”

When I turned my head toward the loud noise, Jeffrey Danvers was running toward us, clutching a paper in his hand.

“He came later than expected.”

“I know. I thought he’d come to argue in the morning.”

I guess Jeffrey, being lazy and fond of alcohol, probably woke up late due to a hangover.

“Should I get security to chase him away?”

“No. Why create unnecessary commotion? Let’s just take him to my office.”

There were many watching eyes in the plaza in front of the department store. Among the passing customers were quite a few nobles with loose lips. Gabrielle, frightened by Jeffrey who was approaching while shouting, grabbed my waist and hid behind my back. I gently stroked her blonde hair.

“It’s okay. There’s nothing to be afraid of. That man is like poop.”

“Poop?”

“Yes. He’s not scary, but he’s the kind of existence people hate because he’s dirty.”

Gabrielle covered her mouth with her hand and burst into laughter. I asked the maid, Olive, to take care of Gabrielle.

“Could you take Gabrielle to look around the accessories section? If she wants anything, use my name to get it. And come up to the fourth floor office in about 30 minutes.”

By then, Jeffrey had approached me. Cedric restrained the excited man to make him control himself, and we all went up to the office together. As people’s attention was drawn to us, Jeffrey too just fumed without continuing his outburst.

As soon as we entered the office, Jeffrey confronted me.

“What is this? Did you forge my signature yesterday?”

The paper in Jeffrey’s hand was a copy of the contract he had signed yesterday. The document where he agreed to transfer his 2% stake in the department store to me.

“What are you talking about? Don’t you remember yesterday? You said you’d be on my side and agreed to transfer all your shares to me.”

“No, no matter what, this isn’t right! I cancel it, cancel!”

He tore up the document right in front of my eyes.

“You know the original is with me, so that’s useless, right?”

A glance showed that Jeffrey had come here empty-handed except for the torn paper. Cedric must have sent a carriage loaded with money to his house in the morning. When I narrowed my eyes and looked at my secretary, Cedric understood my meaning and nodded slightly.

To come and argue empty-handed after taking the money for the shares…… Jeffrey is truly a shameless man.

“I also stopped by a lawyer’s office. They said that signing something while drunk and unconscious can be invalidated! Have you heard of a state of mental disability?”

“Hmm. Then I guess we’ll have to meet in court. Besides, the person who wants to cancel the contract has swallowed my money without returning it.”

“Ahem! Well, that. My father needed money for the factory, so I lent it to him temporarily. Isn’t your money my money and my money your money anyway?”

“What do you mean?”

“Charlotte, if you and I get engaged, we become one family. Think of it as earning points with my parents in advance.”

What is this person saying? I like men for their looks! And points? This isn’t a stadium or a gambling den, why should I earn points?

Barely suppressing my indignation, I smiled at him.

“Why would I like a man who went to a lawyer threatening to sue me?”

Jeffrey’s face turned pale as if he realized his mistake.

“I’m sorry about that too. I might still be not sober, I’m not thinking straight. Okay, how about this. I’ll concede this share issue for your sake. So you should come to our house to pay your respects. You should at least show your face to my father and mother before our engagement.”

Cedric entered the office with quick steps. My secretary placed a teacup on the table with a sound and slightly furrowed his brow.

“Our boss has very picky standards when it comes to men.”

“What?”

“She has just one criterion when looking at men—they must be incredibly handsome.”

Wait, that’s true, but it’s not something you should be saying, is it? It would be less embarrassing if I said it myself. My face flushed with embarrassment for a moment.

Jeffrey retorted, not backing down.

“Aren’t I handsome enough?”

“You’re not handsome. You need to look in the mirror properly. Or perhaps your eyesight is poor?”

Now that he was no longer a department store investor, Cedric openly spoke harshly to Jeffrey.

“And why would a successful businesswoman like our boss need to be with someone like you, Jeffrey? She has good looks and intelligence. Her personality is a bit more…… no, she’s honest, so she needs a broad-minded man who can accept that.”

Hey. Were you just about to say I have a nasty personality?

When I glared at Cedric, he avoided my gaze. Jeffrey fumed alone.

“What’s wrong with me? Honestly, I’m a nobleman, and you should be grateful that I’m interested in a mere orphan of commoner origin.”

“Commoner origin? Our boss was the daughter of General Daniel Liv, who was originally a baronet. Moreover, she now has a baron title bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor, unlike someone who doesn’t have any title yet.”