Called Off the Wedding, Left Him Bankrupt novel Chapter 276

Watching her act as if none of this concerned her, Dominic felt a wave of irritation rise within him.

He ignored Miranda’s attempt at conversation and glanced away from the vanity mirror.

“Aren’t you going to get your makeup done?” he asked curtly.

Miranda caught the edge in his voice and hesitated for a moment, but quickly regained her composure and smiled.

“Of course.”

She turned to Vernon. “Vernon, how much longer will you be?”

“All done,” Vernon replied, having just finished Cynthia’s makeup.

He looked at Cynthia’s flawlessly made-up reflection in the mirror, momentarily tempted to snap a few photos for his portfolio. He was quite pleased with his handiwork, but with Miranda and Dominic both present, he thought better of it. Best not to risk offending either side.

As a man with a keen sense of women’s sensitivities, Vernon had picked up on the subtle barbs in Miranda’s earlier remarks. She’d been mocking Cynthia, painting her as a pampered songbird kept in a gilded cage by some man.

Vernon didn’t know Cynthia well, but from Juliet’s occasional confidences, he’d learned a bit about her. A girl this brave and defiant—how could she endure being insulted for supposedly living off a man?

He could clearly sense Cynthia’s restraint.

The Tremaines, just over a decade ago, had been one of the most respected families in the Capital. Cynthia’s upbringing was every bit as refined as the Kingsleys’. The Kingsleys had only recently made their comeback; before that, they’d survived off the fading glory of their ancestors, constantly touting their royal connections while hopping between wealthy families.

Vernon gave Cynthia’s tense shoulders a reassuring pat.

The assistant pulled Cynthia’s hair back into a sleek French chignon, revealing her delicate, pale neck. Cynthia had been worried the red marks along her collarbone would show, but Vernon had already covered them masterfully. Unless someone looked very closely, there was no sign of them at all.

Once everything was finished, Vernon’s assistant stepped back and couldn’t resist offering a few words of praise.

Cynthia gazed at her reflection, transported back to when she was seventeen. Her spirits lifted a little, and a faint smile curved her lips.

Dominic’s eyes lingered on the gentle arch of her brows and the soft smile playing on her face. With a lazy lift of his eyebrows, he stood from his chair.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay,” Cynthia replied, rising quickly and glancing at Dominic, her tone tentative. “Are we heading straight to the Raynes’ place, or should we wait for Miss Kingsley next door?”