That afternoon, Quentin personally escorted Amanda to a renowned boutique to select a formal outfit.
Amanda went back and forth with the consultant, trying to find the perfect look. Quentin, feeling entirely out of his element, could do little more than sit to the side, wait, and eventually swipe his card.
Amanda eventually chose a pale yellow, floor-length dress that she loved. She happily followed the staff to the fitting room, and when she emerged, she ran straight to Quentin for his opinion. "What do you think? Is it beautiful?"
Quentin set his phone aside to focus on her. It had to be said that Amanda had an excellent eye for aesthetics; on her, the dress looked like exquisite art. He looked at her radiant face and said with a hint of genuine excitement:
"Very beautiful."
Whether he meant the dress or the woman wearing it, he didn't specify.
Amanda was thrilled by his reaction. "Then I'll take this one," she said with a smile, turning back toward the dressing room. Only then did Quentin catch a clear view of the back of the dress. He sharply inhaled.
"Wait!"
His sudden outburst left Amanda bewildered. She turned to look at him. "What is it?"
Quentin stood up and drew her into his arms, his hand resting precisely on the exposed small of her back. He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Now that I look closer, this dress doesn't suit you at all."
Amanda frowned, clearly unconvinced. "That makes no sense!"
She started to argue, but then she felt his large hand restlessly stroking her back. A slight tremor ran through her body. Quentin, the shameless guy, knew exactly where she was most sensitive, yet he deliberately teased her anyway.
Amanda bit her lip and stammered, "If... if you don't think it suits me, I'll just change into something else."
Satisfied by how limp she had become in his arms, Quentin finally let her go.
"I'll go change then," she murmured.
Quentin smiled gently and pointed to a different gown, instruction the staff, "Let my wife try that one."
The employee immediately stepped forward. "Yes, Mr. Harris."
Having escaped the "wolf's" grip, Amanda looked at his choice. It was a purple halter-neck dress—much more modest than the previous one, but no less luxurious. She shot a resentful glance at the man who dared to tease her in broad daylight before disappearing into the dressing room again.
A few minutes later, she emerged. Her long hair was now delicately swept into a small bun secured by a jade hairpin. The long purple silk hugged her graceful curves perfectly. She looked like an ethereal beauty capable of stopping hearts. Seeing the way he stared, Amanda felt a wave of self-consciousness and waved a hand in front of his face.
"Hey, you're making me blush!"
Quentin regained his composure and smiled, pulling her down to sit beside him. "This dress suits you perfectly." Brushing a few stray hairs from her forehead, he added softly, "It's still early. Rest for a moment; I'll have the staff bring you some pastries."
At the mention of food, Amanda realized she was hungry. Seeing a small plate of chocolate cake on the table, she unceremoniously took a spoonful. "Why is it always chocolate cake?" she asked curiously, remembering all the other times he'd given her the same flavor.
Quentin responded calmly, "Don't you like it?"
Amanda smiled and held a spoonful to his lips. "Do you think you know me that well? Try a bite."
Quentin frowned slightly at the offering but opened his mouth anyway. After swallowing, he said leisurely, "Experience tells me so. Every time I saw you as a kid, you'd stuff a half-eaten chocolate cake into my hand and force me to finish it."
Amanda felt a lump in her throat. He remembered childhood details she had long since forgotten.
The two didn't linger at the store. They headed to a private resort near the southern suburbs for the event. By the time they arrived, night had fallen. Amanda took Quentin's arm as they entered the banquet hall, immediately drawing the attention of the crowd.
The host quickly arrived to welcome them. Amanda recognized several faces; her father, Kevin Solis, had adored her since she was a child and had taken her everywhere to show her off. Following Quentin's lead, she smiled brightly and chatted with several family friends.
However, she was frustrated to discover that everyone who met Quentin respectfully referred to him as "Demon Tin."
Earlier that afternoon, she had vowed to beat anyone who called him that to death. Now, faced with a room full of people doing exactly that, she felt like she wanted to fight the entire party.
Noticing her ruffled feathers, Quentin did his best to soothe her. He politely declined further conversation and led her to a quiet corner.
"Look, I'm perfectly fine. Don't be angry," he said, caught between a laugh and a sigh at her discouraged expression. He gently cupped her face. "Let me see a smile."
Amanda pouted and made a face at him. "I can't fight all of them. What am I supposed to do?" She felt like she had failed miserably in her first attempt to protect him.
"I've been looking for you. It turns out you're over here hiding with your wife."
A voice rang out. Amanda looked up to see two figures approaching. The first was Jasper, looking grumpy as usual. But when her eyes landed on the man in front of him, her eyes widened in disbelief.
Derrick Kent. The eldest son of the Kent family from Nam City.