Calliope explained, “I can assure you that the dress is completely clean. I washed it myself, so you don’t need to worry about it!” The salesperson sneered, “You washed it yourself? I mean, you only rented it for your wedding for one day. Why would you wash it? You didn’t wear it for farm work, did you?” Calliope felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment when she heard the derisive remark. On her wedding day, she was forced to trudge through the muddied path of the village in the pouring rain. In a way, the experience was reminiscent of a farming experience. As a result, her pristine white shoes were left with permanent stains, and her feet were left sore and blistered. The salesperson continuously fiddled with the hem of the wedding dress while shooting her disdainful glances, her expression conveying her obvious disapproval. “Miss, even if you must clean this wedding dress, you need to take it to the dry cleaner. You do know what dry cleaning is, right?” As Calliope seemed innocent, the salesperson deliberately mocked, “We’ve only ever sold wedding dresses since we opened, and this is the first time we’ve ever rented one out. Why bother getting married if you can’t even afford to buy a dress?” “Is there any law that stipulates that a couple must purchase a wedding dress in order to be legally wed?” An icy voice suddenly rang out. Stunned, Calliope turned around to see Dominic striding into the boutique. His gaze was frosty, and his demeanor was distinctly intimidating. As he made his way toward Calliope, his brows were knitted in a slight frown. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he cast a piercing gaze at the salesperson and declared coldly, “Is it possible that you didn’t notice the words ‘wedding dress rental’ on your door? Do you think we’re all blind?” “You—” “In addition, the wedding gowns here look ordinary and are of subpar quality. It is not worth investing in a dress from this particular store.” The salesperson rolled her eyes and snapped back, “You don’t need to be so defensive. We all know you can’t afford it, so just be honest with us. How dare you accuse us instead? We sell designer dresses here too, you know!” Dominic arched his brow as he spotted the fishtail wedding dress on the model in the middle of the boutique. The garment was expertly sewn with gold threads and featured some dazzling crystals adorning the chest area. Anyone who wore it could be sure to accentuate their curves in a beautiful and stylish way. The design was breathtakingly beautiful, but it was insignificant when compared to the quality stuff he was accustomed to. “Stop staring!” the salesperson sneered. “You can’t afford it no matter how hard you stare. It’s a shame, really. Miss, you have such a beautiful face, but you chose the wrong man for a partner. What a waste of your good looks!” “You’re an outsider, so stop meddling in our affairs!” Calliope’s sudden retort took Dominic by surprise. He was used to her docile appearance, so it was shocking to see her arguing with someone angrily. Calliope stepped forward and glowered at the salesperson. “I can dry clean the wedding dress and return it at a later date, but you must apologize to my husband!” “What?” Calliope might be soft-spoken, but that wasn’t always the case. She was able to tolerate getting bullied but refused to let anyone bully someone close to her. Even though she had only married Dominic yesterday, she’d do her very best to defend him. Her cheeks were flushed as she demanded, “I said, apologize to my husband!” The salesperson rolled her eyes and ignored Calliope. “No need for that.” A smile nudged Dominic’s lips as he lowered his head to look at her. “Do you like that wedding dress?” “What?” Calliope’s gaze followed the direction in which he was indicating. When her eyes settled upon the exquisite wedding gown that was displayed in the center of the store, she felt her heart swell with emotion. Nevertheless, she still had no idea what he was getting at. Dominic fished out a card and placed it on the counter. “My wife likes that wedding dress, so I’ll purchase it now,” he drawled with a half-smile. It was as if time had come to a complete standstill. The salesperson gazed at him incredulously, and Calliope was clearly flummoxed. “Dominic, what are you doing?” She tugged at his sleeve and reminded him softly, “We’re already married!” “Even if our wedding has ended, we can buy the dress as a keepsake,” Dominic replied calmly. “This is a designer dress that would need to be tailor-made. Do you have someone qualified to take her measurements?” The salesperson belatedly regained her composure and quickly flashed a flattering smile. She folded her arms and gave a polite bow. “Sir, are you sure that you want it?” “Yes, I’m sure. Take my wife’s measurements now.” “I’ll call the designer right away—” “Miss,” Dominic interjected as he arched a brow. “Can’t you do it?” The salesperson froze at his request. “If you aren’t the one taking the measurements, I won’t purchase the dress.” The salesperson panicked at his intimidating presence. However, it was rare for them to meet a generous client. Besides, she was supposed to take measurements for her clients, too. Thus, she got the measuring tape and went to Calliope. “Miss, I’ll take your measurements—” “Can you measure the hem like that?” Dominic asked scornfully as he glared at the salesperson, his expression cold and unyielding. “If you want to get accurate measurements, you’ll have to get on your knees to do it!”