The rain had stopped. Crowds cheered, recognizing him. So far, so good. Giving the crowd a short wave, he turned back to Tess. As he helped his wife out of the limo and onto the red carpet, cameras flashed and reporters shouted questions.
Ignoring them, Stefano looked down at his beautiful wife. He felt a flash of comfort. At least, no matter what, she was completely on his side.
Looking nervous but determined, Tess lifted her chin, then dropped the long black cape onto the red carpet.
Stefano’s jaw dropped as he saw her dress.
Not beige.
Not ragged.
Not Mercurio.
Tess wore a shimmering, diaphanous emerald dress that flattered both her figure and her coloring. Her green eyes sparkled in the light. Her red hair tumbled down her shoulders, and her full, sensual lips were the color of raspberries against her pale skin. She looked like a star on the red carpet.
There was a gasp, a sudden whirl of paparazzi frantically taking pictures.
“What a beautiful dress, Princess! Is that from Mercurio’s new spring collection?”
“Incredible!” another reporter shouted. “What a triumph!”
Slowly Tess turned to look at him, her eyes pleading. From the corner of his eye he saw their bodyguard collect her cape from the red carpet. Cameras flashed.
Stefano was frozen in shock.
His wife wasn’t wearing a dress from Mercurio’s new line. She wasn’t wearing Mercurio at all—or Fortuna or any of the Gioreale brands. She wasn’t even wearing Zacco.
He’d seen this exact dress in her suitcase. Seen her sighing over it once or twice, when she thought he wasn’t looking. He knew exactly what it was.
This amazing dress was Tess’s own design.
It was unheard-of to go rogue at an event like this. If you were an important guest of a fashion house’s runway show, you always wore their clothes even if they were borrowed from the company. You wore them as a mark of respect, to play the PR game.
So what did it say that the CEO’s new wife had snubbed the Mercurio brand to wear her own hand-stitched designs?
“Beautiful dress, Your Highness!” one of the reporters called to Tess. “So that’s a preview of tonight’s show?”
Tess blushed, looking more beautiful than ever. “No,” she said shyly, “actually, it’s—”
“It’s her design,” Stefano said, putting his arm around her shoulders. “My wife is an amazing new talent.”
Tess looked shocked, but not as shocked as the reporters. Stefano knew, in supporting Tess, he’d seem to be insulting his own company and his new designer. Not only was Tess wearing her own clothes, but Stefano was outright promoting them on the red carpet instead of Mercurio’s!
But what choice did he have? He set his jaw. How could Tess have put him in this position? How could she stab him in the back, injuring Mercurio’s reputation when everything was on the line?
Reporters surged breathlessly forward. “Prince Stefano, are you saying—”
“Is Caspar von Schreck’s job in jeopardy, Your Highness?”
“Is the spring collection a disappointment?”
Baring his teeth in a smile, Stefano said, “We’re very proud of Mercurio’s spring line. And tonight, you’ll see it for yourself. That’s all. Thank you.”
Gripping Tess’s arm, he walked her down the red carpet, not letting her stop for any other shouted questions.
“Thank you, oh, thank you, Stefano,” Tess whispered. She took a shuddering breath. “I was so scared what you’d say, but I couldn’t wear those dresses, I just couldn’t—”
“How could you, Tess?” he said under his breath. “The press think I am snubbing von Schreck and trying to launch you as a designer!”