When Rose got to her office, she found rissa standing stiffly, waiting for her. "Are you rissa


    Sparks?"


    At the sound of her name, rissa hurriedly rose to her feet. "Ms. Emerson."


    Rose studied her with surprise. She had expected the matriarch of the Schmidt family to exude grace


    and authority, not the demeanor she encountered.


    rissa only wore a simple white suit with her hair in a neat bun. Though her makeup was impably


    applied, it couldn''t hide the exhaustion etched on her face.


    "Ms. Sparks, please take a seat," Rose said, masking her initial resentment toward a meeting with a


    member of the Schmidt family. She decided to withhold her emotions and assess the situation first.


    "Ms. Emerson, I apologize for this sudden visit, but I desperately need your help in designing an


    evening gown," rissa pleaded. "Money is no object. I can pay you double or even triple what others


    would offer. All I ask is for your expertise. Please, I implore you!"


    "Ms. Sparks, I am merely a designer. It seems excessive for you to beg," Rose remarked, noticing


    rissa''s trembling hand as she held her cup. It was evident she was not in a stable state of mind.


    Rose softened her tone. "Since establishing my workshop, I have always operated by appointment


    only. Making exceptions would disrupt our production schedule andpromise the quality of our


    work, which wouldn''t be fair to our clients or our reputation. Therefore, I hope you understand—"


    Before Rose could finish, rissa sank to her knees before her.


    "What are you doing, Ms. Sparks?" Rose panicked and quickly went to pull her up.


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    As she pulled rissa up, rissa''s sleeves slid up.


    Rose unintentionally caught a glimpse of a fewrge bruises and bloody marks on her arm.


    Rose''s mind reeled from the shock.


    As Rose witnessed rissa''s distress, her thoughts drifted to her own past, where her mother endured


    humiliation to provide her with a better life. The haunting image of her abusive father shed through


    her mind, a reminder of the pain her mother endured.


    "I need to ce an order for an evening gown. Only a masterpiece from you can surpass all others.


    Your designs would overshadow them all."


    rissa shuddered. She wanted to cry, but she was without tears. "I won''t get up until you agree to


    help me."


    "Please don''t do this. Get up, and we''ll talk."


    Despite the tumult of emotions within her, Roseposed herself. Her voice strained with emotion as


    she spoke, "Very well, I will help you. Please, stand up. Let me take your measurements and see if we


    have anything suitable avable."


    rissa gripped her hand tightly. Tears filled her reddened eyes. "Thank you..."


    After dismissing her staff and assistant, Rose attended to rissa personally, carefully taking her


    measurements. Once done, she presented three evening gowns that she believed would suit rissa.


    "How do you find these three options, Ms. Sparks? If none are to your liking, I can certainly offer more


    selections," Rose offered.


    But rissa didn''t deliberate long. Hastily, she grasped a dark green dress as if afraid Rose might


    retract her offer. "There''s no need to trouble you further. I''ll take this one. It''s perfect," she said, her


    voice tight with emotion.


    Rose observed rissa''s tension with a pang of sadness. "Ready-made garments may not offer the


    same fit as bespoke ones. There might be some adjustments needed. I rmend trying it on in the


    fitting room for the best result. If alterations are necessary, I''ll take care of it."


    rissa hesitated briefly before she walked into the fitting room.