Chapter 1277

Deanna's excitement was impossible to miss, and Alex caught it right away.

"You look pretty happy-waiting for something special?" Alex teased, flashing her a grin.

Deanna's smile wavered, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Well, this is our first time working together. That's something to celebrate, right? Of course I'm happy."

Her laughter was contagious, and soon Alex was laughing right along with her.

The bridal runway show kicked off.

Josefina stood at the edge of the stage, Oliver at her side as they watched the show unfold.

Soft mist spilled across the runway, and then a girl in a white wedding dress emerged, gliding through the haze. She looked almost unreal-pure, graceful, like something out of a dream.

People in the audience couldn't stop admiring the dress. “It's gorgeous, really—just magical," someone whispered.

"It's as good as anything Anya designs," another murmured.

"Who would've thought a small company could make wedding dresses this beautiful? It almost makes me want to get married again."

“Would your John agree to that?" a friend teased.

"My lazy husband? I might just leave him, find someone new, and buy my next dress here-custom made!" The two women giggled, their gossip getting bolder.

"I heard this little company is backed by Anya's headquarters. No wonder they can pull off designs like this," one whispered.

"Every single dress is stunning. I love them all," the other agreed.

But then, right as the show was hitting its stride, two models suddenly collapsed on the runway.

The crowd gasped. "What happened?"

"Maybe they're just low on blood sugar?"

"That looked bad. You think it could be something else?"

Speculation buzzed through the room. Alex and Deanna didn't hesitate-they

rushed onto the stage, helping the fainted models backstage.

The host tried to keep things together, sending out the next models and urging the show forward.

But then, more models started to faint, one after another.

Josefina's heart dropped. This was serious.

Fainting on stage could send people into a panic. Things could get out of hand very quickly.

Oliver stayed close, guiding Josefina backstage.

Josefina checked the models' pulses, frowning as she spotted small red dots on their arms and necks.

"Were they poisoned?" Oliver asked, his voice low and tense.

Alex looked shell-shocked, still trying to process what was happening. These models worked with their main office all the time-it didn't make sense that anyone would sabotage things on purpose.

Deanna was anxious, her words tumbling out. "They were totally fine before the show. No one was sick or felt off."

Lynn, clearly rattled, offered her guess. "Could it be some kind of skin allergy?"

Josefina moved quickly, lifting the hem of one model's dress and sniffing the fabric. Her expression hardened. The fabric was the problem.

She shot a sharp look at Alex and Deanna, making Alex's heart race.

What was going on? Why did it feel like everyone thought he and Deanna were responsible for this mess?

Alex felt panic rising. He wanted to defend himself, but with so many people around, he decided to wait until he could talk to Josefina in private.

"We need to get them to the hospital. The show's on

hold-nothing's more important than their safety Josefma's voice was steady, no room for argument.

If someone died, this would be a disaster.

Just then, Hattie hurried in, catching what Josefina said. "Josie, don't stress about the venue. Your grandparents are already talking. the guests. If we can't keep the

sho

going, we'll figure something else out. But we can't just send everyone home."