Chapter 129
Leonard thought Xanthea and Orion were cut from the same cloth, full of tricks and mischief.
Xanthea arched an eyebrow. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Leonardoodle. Shouldn’t you be comforting your cousin right now?”
“Her? No need for comfort. If she’s really over her crush on Orion, I might actually thank you on behalf of her parents.” Leonard started, then paused as if something just occurred to him. “Wait, what did you just call me?”
With a sly smile, Xanthea tucked her handkerchief into her pocket and turned to leave.
“Xanthea, you’re picking up Orion’s bad habits!” Leonard called after her, catching up. “Don’t use my nickname, got it?”
“Why not? I think it’s quite catchy, easy to pronounce.”
“Easy to pronounce?” Leonard looked at her in amazement. “Are you sure you don’t know Orion well?”
How could her thoughts about his name sound exactly like Orion’s?
“Of course, but I’m curious, why do you know so much about me?”
Leonard shrugged. “Because of something related to you, I guess.”
“You mean like enjoying The Masked Singer‘?”
Leonard laughed; he didn’t know what ‘The Masked Singer was, but he knew that the only song on Orion’s music playlist was “Butterfly,” sung by none other than Xanthea.
“Yeah, I’m a fan of yours!”
Indeed, Xanthea nodded.
“By the way, there’s a ‘Zoo‘ party happening on the back hill. Interested in going?”
“A ‘Zoo‘ party?
Xanthea glanced towards the brightly lit back hill. No wonder music had been drifting over from that direction; they were throwing a party.
“Is it full of animals?”
“Not exactly, it’s a costume party with an animal theme.”
“A costume party? Sounds fun, let’s check it out.”
“Sure, but” Leonard eyed her attire, “you can’t go dressed like that. Come upstairs with me and change into an evening gown.”
Xanthea looked down at herself.
Her neat casual outfit from the morning had become crumpled and dirty after encounters with overzealous fans. No wonder Queenie had been so judgmental earlier.
In the Whimsy Haven Estate, fourth floor.
-Leonard pressed a remote, and a vast, luxurious wardrobe slowly opened to reveal dozens of intricately
Chapter 129
designed evening gowns themed around various animals–bunnies, peacocks, ragdoll cats, deer, foxes.
Although Xanthea was prepared, she was still stunned by the sight.
These themed gowns weren’t the garish, over–the–top costumes you’d see at a typical comic con. Each was uniquely designed, meticulously tailored to blend the characteristics and habits of the animals with the model’s body proportions, achieving a harmonious and beautiful synergy between humans and nature. It was her first time appreciating the beauty of animal–themed gowns. Previously, such costumes had been tagged as ‘sexual‘ or ‘vulgar,‘ but these were different. And looking at the design ideas and sewing patterns, Xanthea found something familiar.
“This can’t be Matilda’s work, can it?” she asked, recognizing the signature style of the internationally renowned designer.
Leonard straightened up against the wall, a look of admiration flashing in his eyes. “You really are the Nightshade family’s heiress, your eye for detail is impeccable!”