“Alright.Seems we’re square then.However, I must express my gratitude for your trust, Miss Hamilton.”
In response, Mandy straightened her posture, her tone laced with arrogance.
“Indeed, you should.It’s not often I place my trust in others.”
Natalie smiled.
“I consider it an honor.”
Mandy took a leisurely sip of her coffee, her nose crinkling slightly as she added,
“But remember, this trust won’t extend to our professional battlefield.Don’t let my victory in the design contest knock you off your feet.”
“Oh?”
Natalie rose to the challenge with a twinkle in her eye.
“Miss Hamilton, I’ll extend the same courtesy to you.I hope the competition doesn’t end prematurely for you.”
Her words stoked the competitive flame in Mandy.
“I’m not the one to be defeated! I’ve been honing my skills, gearing up to trump you at the next fashion show, proving my mettle to everyone!”
Natalie offered a graceful smile.
“Well, I’ll be eagerly awaiting the day you best me.”
The competitive banter tapered off soon, and Mandy found herself grappling with the main purpose of her visit.
Shuffling awkwardly, she ventured,
“Mind if we snap a few pictures together?”
Natalie caught on quickly.
Smoothing out her coat and running a hand through her hair, she offered a sincere
“Thank you.”
Mandy posed with elegance alongside Natalie, snapping a handful of pictures.
Ensuring her most flattering angles were captured along with the Logo of Natalie’s studio, she pocketed her phone, a satisfied grin playing on her lips.
The shared photograph soon made its way to Mandy’s social media, accompanied by a supportive post for Natalie.
It quickly gathered momentum among Mandy’s followers. At that moment, in the bustling W Marks studio, Draco, Elizabeth, and the rest rallied behind Natalie with their supportive posts. The backing from well-renowned designers improved Natalie’s standing in the industry.
Her reputation was on the mend, and her clientele was warming up to her once again. Natalie, however, remained oblivious to the show of solidarity from the W Marks team and the revival of her reputation. Once the photograph was posted, Mandy made her grand exit, trailed by her assistant and bodyguards.
A week swept past before anyone realized it. In the quietude of the evening, Lexi rapped lightly on Natalie’s office door.
“Enter.”
Natalie’s response, a tired whisper, wafted from within. Lexi swung the door open a fraction, her head peeking through.
“Mrs.Larson, we’re wrapping up for the day.Will you be heading out with us?”
Cradling her phone, Natalie seemed lost in thought.Her voice wavered as she glanced at Lexi, managing a weary smile.
“You all have been diligent; head home.
I have some matters to attend to.”
Lexi’s eyes widened in concern; it was the first time she saw Natalie so dispirited.
“Mrs.Larson, are you alright? The slew of cancelled orders isn’t weighing you down, is it? Don’t stress…”
“I’m okay.”
Natalie cut Lexi off mid-sentence with a comforting smile.
“We have enough orders to keep us afloat.I’m not troubled about that.Go on, don’t worry.”
Natalie fell silent for a moment, studying Lexi as if she wanted to pose a question. Lexi looked puzzled.
“Mrs.Larson, is there something you want to ask?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Natalie managed to mumble,
“I have a friend.Her relationship with her boyfriend has been a bit rocky recently.Any idea what could be the cause?”
Rubbing her chin in thought, Lexi suggested,
“Maybe he’s having an affair?”
Natalie felt a jolt of fear at the response, her voice trembling as she asked,
“Why would you say that”
Scratching her head with a grin, Lexi’s eyes sparkled with the thrill of gossip.
“Isn’t that how it goes in TV dramas? Love never fades; it merely shifts.”
Natalie was left dumbfounded.
Brushing off the awkwardness, she urged,
“Never mind.
You should get going.”
Lexi wanted to probe further, but the sight of Natalie’s deflated demeanor stopped her.
She bid her boss goodbye and exited the room. With Lexi’s departure, the studio fell into an eerie quiet, save for the distant honks and murmurs of the outside world.
The setting sun streamed through the glass, casting elongated shadows of Natalie across the room.
She stared at her phone, the chat history from the day before igniting a pang of loneliness. For the first time, she had gone a full day without hearing from Brandon. Their last conversation ended abruptly the day before.
Brandon’s final message had been a promise to pick her up after work that day.
And then, radio silenceNatalie gnawed at her lower lip, itching to send Brandon a message.
But after some hesitation, she set her phone aside. Given Brandon’s icy demeanor of late, she was at a loss about what message to send, not to mention whether reaching out might disrupt him further. In reality, the upheaval following Vivi’s death didn’t weigh heavily on Natalie. She had experienced the superficiality of the celebrity world but had also managed to discern genuine friends and those clients who truly appreciated her designs.
In her view, this was far from being a setback.
With Natalie lingered in the office for half an hour until darkness had fully settled.
It was already past the usual hour when Brandon would come to pick her up, but there was still no message from him. Finally, unable to contain her anxiety, she bit her lower lip and sent him a message.
“Have you made it home yet?”
Brandon replied swiftly,
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“Not yet.I have something to take care of.”
His tepid response left Natalie a touch frustrated as she put down her phone.
Almost immediately, however, Brandon sent another message.
“Aren’t you home yet?”
The unexpected concern lifted her spirits.
“No.I just finished work.Are you coming to get me?”
Brandon replied with an indifferent tone,
“I don’t have the time.I’ll send Sean to pick you up.”
His cool response extinguished her budding excitement once more.
Sean arrived shortly, ensuring Natalie’s wait was brief.
Observing the familiar car pull up to the curb, Natalie felt no happiness.
She greeted Sean and climbed into the vehicle. Sean, having served Brandon for a significant period, had developed a knack for reading people’s moods.
The moment Natalie entered the car, he noticed her expression was quite troubled. His heart gave a tiny lurch.
Just as he was about to feign obliviousness by turning his head, his gaze locked with Natalie’s. Natalie lifted her eyes to Sean, asking quietly,
“Has the Larson Group received a major order recently?”
Sean shook his head.
“No.”