The Fallen Heiress: Contract Marriage with the CEO Who Hates Me
Chapter 21: Ribbons and Threads

Chapter 21: Ribbons and Threads

The soft fabric of the silk blue ribbon felt nice and cool between Jane’s warm fingers. She raised her hand in front of her face and took a better look at it - it was as wide as two of her fingers and just long enough to be wrapped around her neck twice.

’And I’m supposed to embroider you how?’

The girl fidgeted with the silk ribbon for a few more moments before finally crumpling it in her fist as if it was mere trash. The thought of presenting it to someone as obnoxious as Vernon Lin was irritating enough and yet, Jane felt a strange sense of exhilaration, mainly because it was a bizarre experience that she would probably never have again.

***

"Mrs. Kim?"

The woman turned around as she heard Jane’s trembling voice and offered her a curious but still kind look.

"What is it, Miss Jane? Would you like something to drink?"

Jane hesitated. She was quite confident a few moments ago but now that she was actually about to ask Mrs. Kim for help, she could not help but feel anxious, like a child afraid of being reprimanded for seeking assistance.

Having noticed the woman’s reciprocating restless expression, the girl took a deep breath and finally decided to speak,

"I w-was wondering if you c-could help me with something."

"Of course, Miss Jane, what is it?"

Mrs. Kim’s kind voice helped Jane relax; she opened her palm and showed the woman a crumpled blue ribbon.

"I know you c-can embroider... C-can you teach me how t-to embroider too?"

Mrs. Kim carefully placed the ribbon onto her open palm, then inspected it with the curious look of a specialist, fixing her old-fashioned rectangular glasses with her long index finger, and once the silent inspection was finally over, shifted her dark eyes to Jane, and smiled.

"You want to embroider this? Silk is a rather delicate fabric, it will require quite a skilled hand to decorate it. One wrong move and the ribbon is ruined."

She handed the ribbon back to Jane and waited for her reaction, however, the girl was not very adamant about speaking again.

Was she really up for a challenge? What would happen if she failed? Everybody would know, and they would definitely talk about it, she would cease being the Belle of the Department and turn into the Failure of the Department instead.

She would be a failure again. She was genuinely scared.

Mrs. Kim felt like she upset the young woman and decided to make an attempt to fix the situation. She covered Jane’s hands with hers and looked into the girl’s darkened face, curling her soft lips into a friendly smile.

"Miss Jane, just because it will be difficult, does not mean you cannot do this! And I can help you! As you know, my mother was a very talented seamstress back in the day, and of course, she taught me everything she knew, including silk embroidery. So, how about we sit down together right now and start going over some basics? I think I can fish out a few spare ribbons from my kit."

Those words worked like magic and Jane’s smiling face was now shining brighter than the living room’s expensive crystal chandelier.

The housekeeper went to her room and a minute later, returned with a rather big red box filled with all kinds of ribbons, needles, threads, and other things that could be used for sewing, knitting, and embroidering. It was definitely quite overwhelming for someone as ignorant in the area of crafts as Jane Devold.

"So, why embroidery all of a sudden? Is this some kind of assignment? I don’t think you had to do it even in school."

Mrs. Kim threaded a needle with a thin silk thread and looked back at the girl with eyes full of genuine curiosity. Jane fixed her eyes on the needles in the woman’s hands as if she were hypnotized and replied, rather carelessly,

"It’s for the graduation ceremony. I was chosen to gift this ribbon to a graduate from my department, it’s a... tradition."

Mrs. Kim smiled at Jane’s innocent expression as her eyes were still carefully observing her every subtle move, then handed the girl both the ribbon and the needle, and let out a somewhat dreamy sigh.

"Oh my, how romantic! It reminds me of that old tradition when the ladies had to tie a ribbon around the hilt of the knight’s sword before sending them off to the battlefield. I feel butterflies swarming inside my belly just imagining it! You are so lucky, Miss Jane."

Jane shifted her gaze from the objects in her hands to the woman’s smiling face and could not help but wonder––was it really that romantic? Was she really that lucky?

"D-don’t you find it d-degrading?"

Mrs. Kim clasped her hands in front of her face and widened her eyes in obvious bewilderment.

"Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Jane! I am probably just old and not educated enough to understand it, the times have changed and perhaps forcing a young woman to do such a thing can be rendered as something demeaning."

The woman’s anxious reply made Jane feel bad about her own words. Truthfully, she did not really find it that degrading, on the contrary, it was somewhat intriguing, but that still did not mean that it was something good. She was confused again.

"No, d-don’t apologize. I just... D-don’t know how I feel ab-bout this myself."

Mrs. Kim offered Jane a kind look and let out another exhale.

"Miss Jane, I’m not sure how big of a deal this whole tradition is for your university, but all you need to know is whether you feel comfortable doing it or not. If you don’t like it or consider it demeaning, then by all means, don’t force yourself and walk away.

Nobody will think less of you because of your convictions, and if they do, then they are nothing but fools! And you know... If the person you have to give this ribbon to is not really a knight material, then perhaps he does not deserve the honor of receiving it from someone like you."

Jane, clearly touched by the woman’s reassuring words, could not help but smile. Mrs. Kim was by the girl’s side ever since she was born and was the kindest, most affectionate person she ever knew, she considered her an irreplaceable member of the Devold family, and a dear friend. And hearing her voice the words she was desperately hoping to hear at least from someone, planted the much-needed courage in her wavering heart.

There was only one thing she was still uncertain about.

’Vernon Lin, a knight? As if. Rude and impudent mercenary more like.’