Chapter 754: Chapter 754 Do I look like someone who works for money?

"Your dress is ready."

Bella received the message from Miss J two days before the annual day. Her heart leaped. She had been waiting for this, thinking about it, and dreaming about it. She had imagined the dress a hundred times in her head, but nothing compared to actually seeing it.

She went to the studio right after class, not even stopping to eat or change.

The pink flower trees were still dropping petals in the courtyard, scattering across the gray stones like confetti. The air smelled sweet, like spring and something else, something that made her heart feel light. Bella walked through the gate, her steps quick, almost running, her bag bouncing against her hip.

Miss J was waiting for her inside. The dress was hanging on a mannequin in the center of the room, bathed in soft afternoon light that streamed through the tall windows.

Bella stopped.

Her eyes went wide. Her breath caught in her throat. She pressed her hand to her chest.

The dress was beautiful, more beautiful than she had imagined. The fabric flowed like water, soft and light, catching the light in ways she could not describe.

It was the color of pale champagne, almost golden, with undertones of pink that shifted when she moved. The fit was perfect, the straps delicate, and the neckline elegant but not too revealing.

The skirt would move when she danced, flowing around her like a cloud. Tiny flowers were scattered across the hem, hand painted in pale pink and gold, each one unique, each one perfect.

"It is super beautiful," Bella breathed. "Super, super beautiful. I do not have words. I do not think words exist for this."

She turned to Miss J, her face glowing, her eyes shining with tears she refused to let fall. "Miss J, it is perfect. Thank you. Thank you so much."

Miss J smiled, her eyes warm and crinkled.

Bella looked at the dress again, then back at Miss J. Her heart was full, but her practical mind was already working. Miss J had spent hours on this. She had used expensive fabric. She had enlisted Theo and Freya to help. She deserved to be compensated.

"How much, Miss J?" Bella asked.

Miss J’s smile disappeared.

Her face went cold. Her eyes, which had been warm and crinkled, went flat. Her lips pressed together into a thin line. The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Bella’s heart skipped a beat. She felt cold wash over her.

"Bella," Miss J said, her voice icy, sharp as glass. "Do I look like someone who works for money?"

Bella’s eyes widened. She shook her head quickly. No. No, that was not what she meant. Miss J was an artist, a painter, a designer. She did not do this for money. She did it because she loved it. But she had worked hard. She had spent hours sketching, measuring, sewing, and pinning. She had turned her studio upside down for this dress. She deserved to be paid. Did she not?

Bella’s mind raced. Had she said something wrong? Offended her? Miss J had not called her "sweet girl." Her voice was cold. Her eyes were hard.

Bella’s lower lip trembled.

Miss J stared at her. Bella stared back, clueless, her brown eyes wide and confused and a little bit scared. She looked like a lost puppy, like a child who had been scolded and did not understand why.

Miss J’s hard expression cracked. Her shoulders sagged. She sighed, a long, slow exhale.

"Bella," she said, stepping closer. "I did this for you. Not for money. Do you understand? Not for payment. Not for recognition. Not for anything except the joy of seeing you happy."

She reached out and pinched Bella’s cheeks, soft and playful, her fingers gentle.

Bella blinked, frozen.

Miss J shook her head, but she was smiling now. "How can any girl be so cute?" she murmured, her voice warm again. "Your cheeks are so soft. I could pinch them forever. I would pinch them all day if you let me."

Bella’s cheeks flushed pink. "But Miss J—"

"No buts." Miss J released her cheeks and stepped back. "The dress is a gift. From me to you. A gift means you do not pay for it. That is the definition of a gift."

Bella’s eyes filled with tears. "I cannot—"

"You can." Miss J’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "And you will. End of discussion."

Bella nodded, not trusting her voice. If she opened her mouth, she would cry.

Miss J pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around Bella’s small frame. Bella hugged her back, burying her face in Miss J’s shoulder, breathing in the soft scent of her perfume.

"Thank you," Bella whispered into her shoulder.

Miss J patted her back, slow and soothing. "You are welcome, sweet girl."

Bella smiled against her shoulder, her tears soaking into the fabric.

Later That Night – Bella’s PC Room

"You never did this for me," Leo said.

He was sitting in Bella’s PC room chair, his body relaxed, his legs spread wide, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. Bella was sitting on his lap, her laptop open on the desk in front of them, her fingers moving across the keyboard.

She was working on preparing a gift for Miss J, something he did not understand. Her screen was filled with codes and scripts and windows that looked like alien language to him, strings of numbers and symbols that meant nothing to his eyes.

Leo’s head was tucked into the crook of her neck. His nose brushed against her skin, warm and soft. His breath was slow and warm, fanning across her collarbone. He watched her work, but he was not really watching. He was feeling. The warmth of her body against his. The softness of her skin beneath his lips. The way she fit perfectly in his arms like she had been made to be there.

"So what?" Bella said, not stopping her typing. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, line after line of code.

"Miss J is very kind to me. She made me a dress. She spent hours on it. She did not even let me pay her. I want to give her back something I am good at. Something that shows her my sincerity. Something that shows her I care."