Chapter 292 - 291: I Want to Be the First Person to Say Happy Birthday to You

In the car.

Yvonne Lowell freed her hand and looked at the man beside her. "Where are you planning to take me today?"

"First, we’ll get you styled, then we’ll go celebrate your birthday."

Leo Grant took her small hand again, playing with it in his palm.

"Good radish, good radish, chop, chop, chop. Bad radish, bad radish, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze..." (Just kidding.)

A hint of confusion appeared in Yvonne Lowell’s eyes. "Birthday? But my birthday isn’t today."

The birthday on her official documents was the day she was rescued by Kai Preston. The same went for Nina Jennings. That day was still more than half a month away.

She didn’t know when her real birthday was, and after coming back, she never made a point of asking the Lowells about it.

But she hadn’t celebrated her birthday in a long time. In fact, it felt like she never had.

Even Tidalview, which was her coming-of-age gift to herself, was just a formality. Its construction had been completed a long time in advance.

’Perhaps. Anyway, I don’t really remember anymore.’ That string of numbers was just an ID number she had to memorize.

Leo Grant saw the change in her expression. Hiding the ache in his eyes, he stroked her head and said softly,

"The birthday I’m talking about is the day you truly, in the realest sense, came into this world."

Yvonne Lowell was stunned for a moment, then she smiled. "So it’s today? You seem to know more about me than I do."

’When did he find out, though? And speaking of birthdays, I don’t think my parents ever mentioned this.’

’Could it be that what Adrian Lowell said back then—about celebrating her birthday every year without the guest of honor present—was a lie?’

Adrian Lowell: ...’Is this the legendary "blame falling from the heavens while I’m just sitting at home"?’

’Young Master Justin can’t take the fall for this! Seriously, now I have one more reason to hate Grant the Dog~’

"I asked Aunt Sutton in advance. To be precise, it’s actually tomorrow at 12:16 AM. But I couldn’t manage to steal your schedule for tomorrow from the Lowell family, so I had to celebrate with you early."

Leo Grant lowered his head and lightly kissed the back of her hand. "Because I want to be the first person to wish you a happy birthday."

Yvonne Lowell took the opportunity to playfully scratch his chin with her fingertips. "My, how romantic. Alright then, I’ll give you this chance."

"I’m grateful for Eldest Miss Lowell’s grace."

Leo Grant brought Yvonne Lowell to a highly renowned styling studio in Kingsland. A man who looked like a manager hurried over to greet them.

"Boss, Miss Lowell. You’ve both arrived. Everything is ready."

Yvonne Lowell raised an eyebrow. "Boss? How many more businesses do you have that I don’t know about?"

"I can’t quite remember. If you want to know, I can have Ian Lynch put together a list for your review later?" Leo Grant asked, leaning down as if they were the only two people in the room.

Ian Lynch: ’My living ancestor! So you admit you have too many to remember! Then can’t you show a little concern for whether I live or die?! AHH!!!’

"Sure, but let’s take care of the main event first," Yvonne Lowell readily agreed.

’Modest refusals? What are those? She didn’t know how, nor would she learn. She would only accept it all.’

"This way, please, you two."

The manager at the side immediately understood and led the way, his head bowed so low it nearly disappeared into the floor.

’I heard nothing, I saw nothing, I know nothing!’

’In my eyes, the boss is still that aloof, decisive, and untamable domineering president!’

’Yes, that’s right. That’s all I know. Please don’t silence me!!’

When they arrived at the dressing room, the stylists and makeup artists were already waiting inside. They were all top-tier artists, the kind who were usually impossible to book and charged exorbitant fees.

"Boss, Miss Lowell."

In the most conspicuous spot in the dressing room stood a mannequin displaying a pale purple haute couture gown.

Its spaghetti-strap, mermaid-tail design, adorned with genuine Purple Diamonds, simply radiated wealth.

But what surprised Yvonne Lowell even more wasn’t the beauty of the dress, but the fact that... this was a goddamn piece she had designed years ago!!

The dress was named Gliese 581g, after a purple planet in The Milky Way Galaxy.

A while ago, the manager of ilpianeta had contacted her, saying a mysterious businessman was offering thirty million US dollars to buy this dress, and had even said he could add more if it wasn’t enough.

Acting on the principle that only an idiot would turn down free money, she had her people negotiate back and forth with the buyer, finally closing the deal at forty million US dollars. The money had barely even warmed up in her account yet.

’So it turns out that sucker... I mean, mysterious businessman, was my man?’

’Thanks to President Grant for the pocket change!’

Leo Grant said softly, "You get ready first. I’ll be next door. Come find me when you’re done."

"Okay."

The moment Leo Grant left, Yvonne Lowell inexplicably felt the air in the room relax considerably.

’What’s up with that? Is he really that intimidating?’

Yvonne Lowell had just finished a facial spa, which took about an hour in total, when Leo Grant, already finished with his own preparations, came over.

He didn’t look much different from usual, really—he’d just changed into a suit and had his hair styled.

However, the cuffs of his suit and his tie were both a shade of purple that complemented Yvonne’s dress, just a little deeper than the color of the Gliese 581g.

He didn’t say much after arriving, simply finding a spot where he could look up and see the vanity table, and started working quietly.

The makeup artist stared at the exquisitely perfect face before her, suddenly feeling at a loss for where to begin. She was afraid that her skills, which she usually took great pride in, would be entirely superfluous on such a canvas.

’Not to mention, she’s a die-hard solo stan of Yvonne Lowell! AHHH, my little sister!! My little sister is so gorgeous!! Her boss isn’t worthy of her!!’

Thinking the makeup artist was intimidated by Leo Grant’s presence, Yvonne Lowell lifted her gaze to look at her and said reassuringly,

"Don’t be nervous. Trust in the skills that earn you a seven-figure salary. Just give me some light makeup that you think suits the gown."

"Okay, thank you, Miss Lowell."

The makeup artist gave her a grateful look and began to work, following the concept she had already formed in her mind.

’This is my dear little sister! I have to do a perfect job!’

Yvonne Lowell sat like a marionette, letting them work their magic on her. She felt like she was being perfected from the flakes on her scalp down to the skin on her feet.

In the end, she declined their offer to accompany her and went into the fitting room to change on her own.

The moment she pulled back the curtain, Leo Grant looked up at the sound and was instantly frozen in place, stunned.

The team of stylists and makeup artists who had just worked on Yvonne Lowell weren’t faring much better. She was just too beautiful!

’Are our skills really that good? Is her skin really in such good condition? Is the makeup really this suitable? Is the hairstyle really this perfect?!’

Yvonne Lowell: ...’Stop tooting your own horns, ladies. It’s because I’m naturally beautiful.’

"What? Stunned into silence?"

Yvonne Lowell walked up to him and waved a hand in front of his face. Only then did Leo Grant barely manage to snap out of it.

His already deep eyes seemed to grow even deeper. He stood up and said in a hoarse voice, "Yes. Very beautiful."

So beautiful that he wanted to clear the venue on the spot, kick everyone out of Falling Valley Mountain Villa, and only then take her there.

"I know that even if you don’t say it. Let’s go."

Yvonne Lowell took the initiative to loop her arm through his, said goodbye to the others, and left.