Chapter 250: Ignoring Austin Lockwood’s Stiff Expression

Chapter 250: Chapter 250: Ignoring Austin Lockwood’s Stiff Expression

Estelle Lockwood narrowed her eyes. Why did it feel like this client was looking for trouble?

Over the video call, the woman on the screen started nitpicking. "Design another version of this hairpin. I don’t like this one. And draw three different variations for these earrings."

"Ma’am, what exactly are you dissatisfied with?" Estelle asked, her tone even.

The woman scoffed. "Are you the designer, or am I? Can’t you see what’s wrong with your own eyes?"

There seemed to be quite a few people talking around her. The woman rattled off a few points and haughtily commanded, "These are the areas I’m not happy with."

From the moment she opened her mouth, Estelle could tell she was just picking a fight.

As a designer, she was always happy to accommodate a regular client’s reasonable requests. Even if she had to scrap a design entirely and start from scratch, she wouldn’t complain. However, this woman had been looking for a reason to argue from the very beginning. The specific issues she raised didn’t even exist in the draft Estelle had provided.

The woman felt like a fake who knew nothing about design but was pretending to be an expert just to find faults.

"Ma’am, if you feel the main color of the hairpin is unappealing..." Estelle trailed off, genuinely puzzled. "The hairpin is made of violet jadeite, which was provided by your side. Given the stone’s natural color, the hairpin can only be purple. Do you have an issue with that?"

Earlier, the woman had complained that the hairpin’s shade of purple was hideous, questioning how Estelle could possibly pair colors like that.

If Estelle had total creative freedom, she naturally could have played around with the palette. But the Prince’s side had laid down a strict condition for this piece—it had to be made entirely of solid purple jadeite.

Factoring in the jadeite’s hardness, Estelle had opted for a wisteria flower design. The woman hadn’t complained about the style or the motif. Even if she wanted to change the size or the direction the wisteria blossoms draped, Estelle would have adjusted it without a fuss.

After all, she had taken over this high-end custom order for Penelope Sullivan. As the designer, it was her duty to fulfill the client’s requests. But complaining about the color? What was that supposed to mean?

The woman on the screen choked on her words, suddenly at a loss, and angrily ended the video call.

Beside her, Penelope rolled her eyes and quickly apologized. "My bad. I shouldn’t have taken this order without asking you first."

Back when they worked abroad, they used to cover for each other’s commissions, but this was the first time Penelope had seen someone so snobbish and deliberately difficult. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted it. However, canceling the order now would not only cost them a ruinous penalty fee, but it would also drag their studio’s reputation through the mud.

Just then, the phone rang again. It was the butler.

"I am so terribly sorry, Miss Lockwood. The young lady you just spoke to is our little princess. This jewelry set is being designed for her grandmother, so she’s been a bit overly critical.

"But please rest assured, you may continue designing according to your own vision. Violet jadeite is Her Majesty the Queen’s favorite gemstone. You don’t need to pay attention to our little princess’s opinions."

Estelle understood now. The jewelry set was a gift the Prince intended to present to the Queen of Britain. Since the little princess was the Queen’s granddaughter, it made sense that she was acting overly picky.

"So, this little princess isn’t actually my client?" Estelle asked flatly.

"That’s correct. Your client is His Royal Highness, the Prince."

"Then please explain things clearly to your little princess," Estelle said. "If there’s a next time, I won’t be so polite."

"Understood, Miss Lockwood. Our Prince has reviewed your designs and finds them quite excellent. Please continue with your work."

As the call ended, Penelope let out a long sigh of relief. "Phew... At least the Prince is reasonable. Still, it’s a bit strange. Why would they want an Innerland-style design for a gift to their Queen?"

Estelle shook her head. The minor incident was over.

Meanwhile, at the Lockwoods’ home.

Ever since Noelle Lockwood realized she truly couldn’t win Nathaniel Sloan back, she had been sunk in a deep depression. Seeing her moping around all day broke Rose Lowell’s heart. She blamed everything on Estelle, wishing she could just kill the girl herself.

"Is this the Lockwood residence?" a disdainful female voice suddenly rang out.

Rose lashed out instantly. "Who do you think you are?! Don’t you know it’s illegal to trespass on private property?!"

Instead of backing down, the elegantly dressed noblewoman sneered. Surrounded by a detail of bodyguards and accompanied by a grotesquely obese man, she looked at Rose with pure contempt. "I am the Princess Consort of Britain. You dare lecture me about the law?"

Princess Consort? Rose was dumbfounded.

Austin Lockwood, however, suddenly recalled Old Mr. Lockwood’s words about trying to get in touch with some contacts in Britain. Realization dawned on him. Could this be the savior his father had mentioned? The one who could rescue the Lockwood family?

Rose was still shrieking. "So what if you’re the Princess Consort?! Does being a Princess Consort give you the right to trespass?!"

The Princess Consort looked at Rose like she was an idiot, her face full of disgust. "Are you Estelle Lockwood’s parents?"

"Who wants to be the parents of that jinx?!" Rose cursed loudly. "Don’t you dare bring up that little tramp in my house—"

"I am here to discuss a matter with you." The Princess Consort cut her off, though her tone held absolutely no room for discussion.

The bodyguards helped the obese man over to a chair. He was so fat he barely looked human, and his beady, lecherous eyes made Rose shudder with disgust.

"This is my son. Do you see him?" the Princess Consort said slowly. "My son has taken a liking to your daughter. As long as you marry her off to him, restoring the Lockwood family to its former glory will be child’s play. I can even make you the number one family in Crestfall."

The color instantly drained from Rose and Noelle’s faces.

Noelle bit her lower lip, tears welling in her eyes as if she were about to faint on the spot.

Rose’s mind went blank with panic before she let out a piercing scream. "No! My daughter can’t marry him! I won’t allow it! Absolutely not!"

This man was a morbidly obese, hideous pig who panted just from walking two steps! Her precious Noelle deserved the best man in the world! This swine wasn’t worthy of her!

"Insolence!" the Princess Consort snapped coldly. "Not worthy?! Who does Estelle Lockwood think she is to be considered out of my son’s league? He is the Prince’s eldest son and the future heir to the title! If he hadn’t taken a fancy to her, do you honestly think I would let him marry a woman who has already been married?!"

Wait... Estelle?

The realization hit Rose like a lightning bolt. The "daughter" the Princess Consort was talking about was Estelle, not Noelle!

If she could hand Estelle over to this pig of a man... A twisted wave of pleasure surged in Rose’s heart.

"Mom," Noelle chimed in, her voice soft and sweet. "I think the Madam is right. Catching the eye of the Prince’s eldest son is a true blessing for my sister."

"Not bad. Your adopted daughter is quite sensible," the Princess Consort remarked. "My son wishes to marry Austin Lockwood’s biological daughter. Do you have any objections?"

In Rose’s mind, Austin’s biological daughter was obviously Estelle, while Noelle was the one she had brought back from the orphanage. She nodded eagerly.

In her excitement, she completely missed Austin’s stiff, unnatural expression.