Your Guise Is Slipping, Miss Pearl

“Oh, I’m fine. It’s just that my ankle hurts so bad,” the lady replied with a smile, though her expression

was tinged with sadness.

“I feel like I’ve seen you so many times. Since the first time you gave me flowers, you’ve always been

very mysterious. Now that we are meeting again, could you tell me your name, please?” Pearl asked

with a warm

smile.

“I… My last name is Ramsay.”

“You can’t tell me your name? That’s fine, I’ll just call you Madam Ramsay then.”

The woman nodded and didn’t say anything more.

After sending her to the hospital, Pearl told her to take care of herself and left. She returned to the

office but was summoned into a meeting before she could even take a moment to rest.

“Pearl, you have a new mission.” Richard turned around and placed a file on the desk, then slid it over.

“We plan to design an Angel & Devil series of bracelets for best friends, but we haven’t found a suitable

brand ambassador. I was wondering if we should use you for this.”

Pearl’s eyes went wide. “Why me again? Richard, I’m the design director, not a celebrity. Why don’t you

get a proper celebrity to do this?”

Richard

gave a practical reason, “We can save a lot of money if we go with you.”

Pearl smiled. Why would the Waldorfs fret over the small expense of hiring a brand ambassador? That

seemed ridiculous.

“Are you just trying to torture me, Richard?”

Richard didn’t deny it. “Of course not. I was just thinking from the company’s perspective.”

His main reason, of course, was that if Pearl had to be in the ads, he would have more opportunities to

spend

time with her. While she worked in the office, their conversations were limited to business matters.

Pearl wasn’t aware of his ulterior motive, so she hesitated. “But shouldn’t two people be involved in

promoting these best friend bracelets?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find someone to do it with you.” Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

Suddenly, Hanzel appeared out of nowhere. “Why didn’t you ask me to be part of the ads? Asking me

to find someone for you is so cruel.”

Hanzel pouted and looked quite unwilling.

“Cruel? You can’t do it. It’s not suitable for you,” Richard shot him down.

Hanzel wasn’t ready to give up and moved closer to Richard. “Why not? You said Pearl is going to be

in the ad. If she can, why can’t I? Are you doing this on purpose? I heard you confessed your feelings

to Pearl in front of her and Mom. Are you afraid that Pearl might catch feelings for me if we worked

together?”

Richard frowned. “Why would I be afraid of that?”

“Then why wouldn’t you let me be part of the campaign? Why do you need a woman?”

Pearl froze as she looked at Richard, then at Hanzel, and finally burst into laughter.

Hanzel was puzzled. “Why are you laughing?”

Richard explained to him, “Have you read the agreement?”

Hanzel hesitated because he hadn’t.

“It’s a bracelet for best friends. How can you, a man, be in the ad campaign?”

Hanzel’s expression turned awkward. “Uh, I was just thinking that I could go in drag and work with

Pearl. It could work…”

Pearl was rendered speechless.