Mysterious Mrs. Pansy

Jane firmly pushed Patrick out and shut the door in his face, leaving him seething with anger. It was the first time someone had dismissed him like this, and the person responsible was a woman. He had intended to assist her by having Monica hand over the Lady Fashion cooperation project to Jane, hoping it would offer her more opportunities to learn. Given that she was relatively new, Patrick had anticipated that she might struggle with such a significant project and wanted to guide her through any challenges. But instead, she had rejected him, making him question her gratitude.

Jane, on the other hand, was unaware of Patrick’s intentions. She would have been astonished if she had known he considered her unfamiliar with handling such projects. Instead of heading straight to bed, she retrieved a laptop from her suitcase and opened an encrypted file containing a new dress design she had created.

Jane was known in the fashion world as Loe, one of the most famous and mysterious designers. Loe had appeared out of nowhere two years ago, gaining worldwide recognition after designing a European princess’s wedding dress. This enigmatic designer had captured the fashion industry’s imagination, concealing their identity. All public interactions were managed by Nana, who oversaw Loe Studio.

Jane devoted herself to her work and made a few revisions to her design. When she was satisfied, she sent the drawings to Nana and messaged, “Launch the Elsa series immediately.”

“Got it!” came Nana’s swift response.

The weekend arrived, and Patrick escorted Jane to his grandfather’s house. The three-story villa was nestled amidst a vast mountainous landscape, with a river nearby, creating a serene and picturesque setting.

Mr. Maurice, the butler, warmly greeted Patrick and Jane as they entered the residence. Patrick inquired about his grandfather, and Mr. Maurice replied that Mike was inside. Jane, arm in arm with Patrick, followed him into the living room, where Mike Pansy, Patrick’s grandfather, was seated.

Patrick greeted his grandfather, and Jane, with a warm smile, followed suit. Mike’s affectionate gaze met Jane, and he noted how much she had grown since he last saw her five years ago when she was an immature teenager.

“How are you, Grandpa Mike? My grandfather has been concerned about your health,” Jane said as she assisted Mike in resuming his seat.

She observed Mike closely and recognized that he didn’t appear unwell. In fact, his complexion was healthy and far from that of an ailing person. It became evident to Jane that Mike was feigning illness. Patrick was a dutiful grandson, ready to go to great lengths to please his grandfather, a fact that Mike was aware of. Mike was taking advantage of Patrick’s devotion to force him into marrying Jane. Jane was pleased to have uncovered the truth but pitied Mike because he would be disappointed when she called off the engagement.

Jane glanced at Patrick, who wore a doting smile and held her hand. Her initial reaction was to retract her hand, but she remembered their conversation outside, where she had decided to play along. Smiling back at Patrick, Jane noticed Mike’s satisfied expression. He believed that the two of them were already in love, which brought him great joy.

Mr. Maurice hastily entered the room, announcing the arrival of Madame Beatrice and Miss Florence Doyle. Jane’s expression dimmed as she saw Beatrice and Florence.

“Dad, how are you? Are you feeling better? Florence has been worried sick about you, so I brought her to visit you,” Beatrice warmly greeted Mike.

Florence added, “Hello, Mr. Pansy. I wanted to visit you when I heard you were unwell, but I didn’t want to disturb you. Now that I’m here, I’m relieved to see that you’re recovering nicely.”

Mike’s smile waned slightly. He knew that Florence had feelings for Patrick, and he was well aware that his daughter-in-law, Beatrice, favored Florence and disapproved of Jane, likely due to her rural background. In Mike’s eyes, no one was better suited for Patrick than Jane, whom he considered a far superior match to Florence.

Patrick’s irritation flared when he saw Florence. He had brought Jane to visit his grandfather, and he couldn’t fathom why his mother had decided to show up with Florence today.

“What are you doing here, Mom?”

“Why can’t I be here? Florence is a well-mannered and filial young lady. She has always wanted to visit, and as luck would have it, she was available today.”

Beatrice’s ulterior motive was clear: she brought Florence to pressure Jane.

Jane couldn’t help but feel the weight of Beatrice’s intense disapproval of her. As Jane’s eyes fell on Florence, her face registered a faint frown.

Patrick’s irritation mounted, and he didn’t hide it. “Why are you here?”

“What? Can’t I visit? Florence is a well-mannered and respectful young lady, and she’s been eager to meet you,” Beatrice replied with a saccharine smile.

Mike’s own smile faded slightly as he observed the interaction between Florence and Patrick. He knew about Florence’s infatuation with his grandson, and he was well aware of the dynamics in his family. He held Jane in high regard, considering her a far better match for Patrick than Florence.

“Mom, we don’t have time. We’ve brought Jane here to visit Grandpa,” Patrick said dismissively.

“Visiting Mike Pansy is essential,” Florence chimed in, stepping between Patrick and Jane. She clung to Patrick and shamelessly edged her way in, attempting to provoke Jane’s jealousy.

Jane took it in stride and remained silent, refusing to take the bait.

Inwardly, Florence seethed with envy, even though she tried to hide her jealousy. She presented a small box to Mike, explaining that it contained tonics. “Mr. Pansy, I brought you some tonics. My grandfather had them shipped from abroad, especially for you.”

Mike’s smile faded a little. He knew that Florence held affection for Patrick, but he had a higher opinion of Jane. He believed that Jane was far more deserving of Patrick. Florence mentioned that her brother would return from abroad soon and proposed a gathering. However, Patrick declined, citing a lack of time due to work.

Seeing Patrick and Jane acting affectionate toward each other, Florence turned green with envy. Jane’s first impulse was to pull her hand away from Patrick, but she had agreed to play along. She continued to smile and leaned into Patrick’s embrace.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

Mike, oblivious to any tension, was content with the couple’s apparent affection.