Ch. 21..30
Chapter 21
Chapter 21 A Small World
Peacock felt that the man before her was the devil incarnate. One glare from him was enough to kill somebody.
In less than a minute, Nathaniel’s hands were covered in red spots, and his heart rate started speeding up uncontrollably.
It seemed that his allergic reaction this time was worse than the last.
He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. Christina’
The first thing that Sebastian saw when he arrived at the hospital was Nathaniel receiving an IV drip. The latter had an icy look on his face as if the world owed him a great debt, which made Sebastian gulp
in fear.
He began. “Mr. Hadley, Mrs. Hadley has not returned to the mansion, nor has she gone to the Steele residence. We haven’t managed to locate her as of-
Before Sebastian could even finish his words, a wave of rage surged through Nathaniel, and he swept all the glasses on the table to the ground.
The cacophony of glass shattering and water splashing duly expressed the turmoil of displeasure he was feeling.
He growled. “Keep searching!
“Yes, Mr. Hadley.” Sebastian wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead and got to work immediately.
I can’t believe Mrs Hadley just up and left after poking the bear, leaving us to clean up her mess! What a pitiful life I’m living!
While Nathaniel was suffering in the hospital. Christina was leisurely drawing a design draft in her university dorm. She couldn’t help but admit that she felt rather happy about not seeing Nathaniel for the past few days,
I’m sure a mighty CEO like him will lose interest in me soon enough.
With graduation just around the corner, Christina decided to devote all her energy to her major.
After studying fashion design for four years, she had a solid foundation.
Upon opening the webpage, she filled in her information and design drawings before sending them to the industry’s most famous clothing company-Radiant Corporation-for an interview.
She reckoned a big company like that would take about a week to get back to her.
Since her job at the bar had fallen through, she had used her spare time and found a part-time job as a saleswoman at a luxury store.
Glancing at the time, she quickly changed into her work uniform and prepared herself for work. As most luxury stores have high requirements for their clerks, it was necessary for her to tie up her hair and put on some makeup.
When Christina arrived at the store, the store manager briefed her on what she should and should not
Due to the fact that luxury stores provide high-end services, the place was never busy most of the time, as they treated customers who were dressed normally with indifference.
Such behavior was considered the norm when it came to places like this.
“Ms. Sullivan, you haven’t been here for a long time. Why don’t I show you some of our newest collection?” The enthusiastic voice of a salesgirl echoed throughout the store.
Christina, who was busy putting out items, turned her head and saw Xandra, who was dressed stylishly,
What a small world. I can’t believe I bumped into her here
Not wanting to draw any attention to herself, Christina whipped her head back and continued with her
task
Meanwhile, Xandra was perusing the goods in the store without much interest, feeling disappointed about the lack of new items, when she noticed a slender figure in the corner just when she was abour to leave.
Isn’t that Christina? What is she doing here? Wouldn’t she become a laughingstock if others found out that the wife of the great Mr. Hadley is working as a saleswoman? It seems that Nathaniel doesn’t really care about her, huh? He’s probably only putting on a show for Mrs. Hadley before. But I guess that makes sense. After all, why would the heir of Hadley Corporation fall for a woman with no background and no status?
With that thought in mind, Xandra walked toward Christina and said contemptuously, “Is this one of your saleswomen?”
The store manager answered without delay, “She’s new here, so she’s not used to how things work here yet. Why don’t larrange for a more experienced saleswoman to-”
Before the store manager could finish. Xandra cut her off, “I want her to assist me.”
The store manager looked conflicted when she heard that. She had no idea what relationship Christina and Xandra shared and was worried that the former would offend the store’s esteemed customer.
Christina got to her feet calmly and said. “Feel free to tell me if you need anything, Ms. Sullivan
The two women gave each other an odd look before Xandra turned around and swept her gaze around the store, trying to come up with a way to embarrass Christina.
Finally, her gaze fell on a row of limited-edition high heels. “I want to try on this row of heels. My feet size is thirty-seven, so hurry up and get them for me.”
Since there were more than a dozen different types of heels on the rack, a salesperson beside Christina tried to help her out but was discouraged from doing so after receiving a glare from Xandra.
Naturally, Christina knew that Xandra was purposely making things difficult for her. Nonetheless, she didn’t say anything and simply turned around before making her way to the warehouse to look for the heels. Because of how petite she was, she had to make several trips in order to get all the different types
of heels.
When Kandra saw how the woman was getting out of breath, a feeling of glee filled her heart and she felt as if she had had her revenge. Subsequently, she kicked off her shoes arrogantly and ordered
coldly. “Help me try on each pair of these heels.”
Although it was the duty of a salesperson to help their customer try on shoes, those who were present could clearly tell that Xandra was deliberately making things difficult for Christina.
What can a celebrity and a fresh graduate have to do with each other? Is it because Christina is beautiful? I guess it’s true when they say it’s hard to grasp what makes a woman jealous.
Throughout the whole process, Christina didn’t make a single protest as she took the heels out for Xandra to try on. It was as if her calm demeanor would persist no matter how much trouble the latter was giving her.
With her hands on her waist and her head tilted to the side, Xandra struck a domineering pose that demanded attention. She thought that the high heels were of excellent quality, especially how the smooth surface was able to reflect the exquisite face that was more supple and beautiful than hers.
She raised her brows, and a look of disdain flitted across her eyes as she said. “Not bad. Let’s continue trying them on
Christina breathed a sigh of relief discreetly. Just when she reached out to touch the tip of Xandra’s shoes, the woman deliberately turned her ankle as if she was toying with her. The clear act of provocation instantly turned the atmosphere glacial.
Christina raised her eyes, her gaze flashing with slight annoyance, It wasn’t the first time she had encountered a difficult customer, and she knew that the more she cared, the more pleased Xandra would be.
Needless to say, she wouldn’t let the woman get her way.
A faint sneer appeared on her delicate face before she forcefully grabbed Xandra’s ankle and took off
her shoes.
Xandra furrowed her brows. How dare this b*tch get rough with me?
Just when Christina was helping her put on the second pair of heels, Xandra mustered her strength and stomped on the former’s fair and slender fingers.
The sharp, stabbing pain made Christina knit her brows as a dark look filled her eyes.
The more she tried to pull her fingers from the sole of Xandra’s shoe, the harder the latter stepped on them. It was as if she was determined to crush them.
Hostility filled the air as the two women engaged in a silent battle.
Christina gave one last tug and freed her fingers, causing Xandra to lose her balance and almost fell. for she didn’t expect the burst of strength from her.
Xandra’s face fell, and she fumed, “Are you trying to hurt me on purpose, Christina?”
Although everyone present could see that Xandra was the one giving Christina a hard time, there was nothing they could do about it.
After all, Xandra was the store’s esteemed customer and an A-list celebrity. Even if she was in the wrong, she still owned the moral high ground.
“I want Christina to kneel and apologize to me, or else I’ll make a complaint to your headquarters!”
Silence ensued, for nobody dared to utter a word. Even the store manager was hesitant about what she should say.
Just then, a steady set of footfalls echoed from the entrance.
Chapter 22
Chapter 22 Different Worlds.
The atmosphere at the scene grew tense.
Next, a shadow appeared in the silhouette of a tall man, and he was wearing a wrinkleless suit. That man was handsome and aloof.
“Sir?” the store manager greeted the man, but the man ignored her and walked straight toward the messy pile of shoe boxes.
Xandra’s heart skipped a beat when she saw that handsome man’s face. “Nathaniel? W-Why are you here?”
Xandra was wondering if Nathaniel saw her bullying Christina.
While looking at Christina’s reddened knuckles, Nathaniel frowned and asked Xandra, “Did you do this?”
When he entered the store earlier, he had already noticed the weird looks on the two women’s faces.
Feeling guilty. Xandra stammered, “I-I’m innocent! When I saw Christina working here, I came in just to help her make some sales!”
Xandra’s acting skills were so impressive that if the staff hadn’t seen her bullying Christina, they would’ve surely believed her words.
Meanwhile, Christina had a stone-cold expression on her face because she didn’t want Nathaniel to see the wretched state she was in. “I’m working here. Please leave.”
As she was saying that, she didn’t dare to look into Nathaniel’s dark gaze. Although she was talking in a cold tone, her flushed ears betrayed her feelings.
Nathaniel’s expression tensed when he heard that, and his innate arrogance instantly froze the atmosphere. Is she expecting me to leave and let her get bullied by others? This woman is ridiculous!
With that in mind, Nathaniel grabbed her wrist and demanded, “Come with me
His tone was so domineering that she couldn’t reject him.
Just like that, Christina was dragged toward the entrance. “I still need to work. How can you just drag me away?” she argued. This man doesn’t know what it’s like to work, does he? How can I leave work as I wish?
From the moment Nathaniel appeared until he brought Christina away, the store manager didn’t dare to utter a single word.
That was because she knew the man with an imposing presence was none other than the CEO of the mall. Although he had only appeared once during the opening ceremony, his aura and his handsome face left an unforgettable impression on her.
Suddenly, Nathaniel stopped in his tracks. With a stern expression, he pulled out a black card and gave it to the store manager. “I’m buying everything you have.”
With that, he dragged Christina along as he continued walking. “Now, you’re free to leave work”
Obviously, Christina wasn’t keen on leaving. However, that wasn’t up to her.
In fact, she knew that Nathaniel would always have a way to convince her to do whatever he wanted
her to do.
Xandra was livid as she watched the couple leave. She then vented her anger by kicking the new shoes. Why did Nathaniel show up and protect Christina? What’s so good about that country bumpkin?
Upon exiting the mall, Nathaniel shoved Christina into the back seat of the car before getting into the vehicle himself.
The atmosphere in the spacious car suddenly turned extremely tense and suffocating
Without saying anything to explain himself, Nathaniel pulled Christina into his embrace and kissed her on the lips.
As he was kissing her, her sweet and charming scent was taking his breath away.
When Christina finally regained her senses, she immediately shoved Nathaniel aside. “What are you doing. Nathaniel? Let go of me!” she fumed. Did he drag me out of my work and get me into the car just to kiss me? Does he have nothing better to do?
Instead of getting angry after being pushed aside, Nathaniel grinned and stared at Christina with his predatory gaze. “Since you had the guts to tease me, you should’ve known this would happen. How dare you swap with another woman? Have you forgotten about your identity. Christina?”
How could I have forgotten? I simply refuse to acknowledge it. While clenching her fists, Christina glared at him and said. “Nathaniel, do you really think I would dance on the stage? I told you before, didn’t E1 was merely substituting Peacock. What you bought was Peacock’s dance, not mine.”
In other words, she hadn’t done anything wrong.
Nathaniel instantly became upset. “Even so, you had no reason to give me another woman. Did you know you nearly killed me-
Nathaniel paused mid-sentence. Christina will surely misunderstand me if she were to find out that I’m allergic to all women except her. She’s going to think that I have no choice but to be with her.
Upon hearing that, Christina shot him a glare. How could he possibly die from that?
A brief silence ensued while Nathaniel just kept staring at her with his deep gaze.
Christina shied away, but she was feeling uneasy because Nathaniel was still grabbing her waist. “Pervert! Let go of me!” she yelled. Why must he always touch me whenever he sees me?
Nathaniel hugged her tighter when he heard her complaining.
Despite initially having little to no distance between them, Christina’s lips were even closer to Nathaniel’s chin after he pulled her in. At that moment, all she could see was his alluring Adam’s apple, and that instantly reminded her of what had happened that night.
With his sexy lips next to her ear, he whispered, “If I get called a pervert for hugging my own wife, does that mean I would get accused of rape when I have sex with you?”
Christina grew anxious, and she almost jumped in alarm. How could he say such a thing to an innocent lady? That’s rude!
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Christina was so upset that she could almost cry.
“All right. That’s enough. Let’s go home.” Nathaniel was amused and couldn’t help laughing when he saw how red she had gotten. I should be magnanimous and forget about what happened that night. After all, I need to be patient with my wife.
“I don’t want to go back! I must get back to my part-time job!” Christina was worried that her manager would fire her. Now that I think about it, even if the manager doesn’t mind, I don’t think Xandra will give
up so easily. It seems like I’m going to lose this part-time job as well.
Nathaniel’s gaze darkened, and he held her slender arm. “Why must you work? Do you like getting
mistreated?”
Christina was pissed off when she heard his last sentence. “What do you mean if I like getting mistreated? I’m doing it because I need money!”
Indeed, Christina needed money to take care of her mother and carry out her revenge. I don’t have a choice! Ugh! Why am I talking about money with a rich man? I’m just embarrassing myself, aren’t I?
“If that’s the case, why don’t you just stay home and be my wife? I can give you however much money you want! Nathaniel sounded so serious that it was as though he would give her all his money if she were to agree to it. Every woman wants to live a luxurious life, no? If hy does she not want that?
As Nathaniel was talking, there was a haughty look in his eyes that was telling her that he would be willing to give her the world as long as she was willing to please him.
In response, Christina heaved a sigh. What I want isn’t just money.
Despite raising her gaze to see Nathaniel looking back at her sternly, she couldn’t find the patience in her to explain herself. “Nathaniel, we’re from different worlds. We don’t have a future together.”
Nathaniel kept mum.
“Why don’t we just get a divorce sooner rather than later? I’ll sign the divorce agreement and pass it to you afterward,” she added.
Chapter 23 Suitability.
Nathaniel seemed increasingly agitated. “Why are you always talking about getting a divorce? Those who have no clue about what’s going on will think I’ve been mistreating you.”
Christina looked into his eyes and noticed a hint of anger in his gaze. “I didn’t say you aren’t treating me well. It’s just that we’re not suitable for each other. Don’t you understand what I’m saying?” she asked. Sometimes, the distance between two individuals could be an unbridgeable abyss. What can I do to make him understand that?
Nathaniel fell into deep thought after hearing what she said. Seeing that he was distracted, Christina quickly pulled herself away from his embrace.
“Please think it through. I’ll give you the document as soon as possible.”
With that, Christina left.
By the time Nathaniel snapped out of his reverie, she was already long gone.
Christina then went back to draft a divorce agreement, print it out, and send it to him by mail.
After getting the important matter over with, she moved out of the university dorm.
The Steele family was never going to take her in, and the only person she could rely on in the city was her grandmother.
With only a suitcase, she hailed a taxi after exiting the university and headed toward the east side of
the city.
On that side of the city, an old woman in a floral skirt was seen standing in front of a two-story mansion. With a cane in one hand, she was craning her neck and glancing around.
A green taxi soon arrived at the entrance of the mansion. Christina paid the taxi fare and hurried out of the car with her suitcase.
“Hi, Granny!” Christina greeted before throwing herself into her grandmother’s arms as if she were still a child. “I’ve missed you dearly! Did you miss me?”
Christina hadn’t been back in a while, so when she was hugging her grandmother, Evelyn Henderson. Christina felt the warmth of a family member once again.
“I’ve missed you too, Christina! Let’s go in. I’ll make you something tasty.” Evelyn smiled and brought Christina into the house.
I haven’t been back in a long time, but the interior decoration is still the same. There’s that decorative piece with carvings in the middle of the hall facing the main entrance, and she’s still playing the same song on the record player! Christina would feel at ease every time she visited Evelyn.
“Christina, bring your suitcase into the room. I’ll go to the kitchen to cook you dinner. Although Evelyn was in her sixties, she was a strong, healthy woman who loved singing and cooking.
Christina replied in the affirmative and went to the room with her suitcase.
The decoration in the room was simple. Evelyn had known Christina was coming back, so the elderly woman had put on brand new sheets with daisies printed on them After keeping her suitcase away.
Christina took out her laptop and started sending out her resume.
To be safe, she decided to send it out to multiple design companies at once. After sending out her resume, she texted her store manager to inform the latter of her resignation.
The store manager replied to Christina’s text almost immediately. That day. Xandra and Nathaniel had bought a lot of stuff from the store, so the manager ended up transferring Christina the salary and commission she had made over the past few days.
After receiving a large sum of money, Christina was over the moon and regarded it as the best thing that had happened to her that day. With this money. I won’t need to look for a job urgently while waiting for the responses from the companies. Instead, I can take my time drafting my designs.
Evelyn called out for Christina once dinner was ready. That evening, they had four dishes for dinner, and one of them was Christina’s favorite.
“I would be the happiest girl alive if I could eat the food you make every day, Granny!” Christina stuffed a spoonful of food into her mouth. If even Mom failed to learn how to cook like Granny, would it be too difficult for me?
“You’re a sweet talker, aren’t you, Christina?” Evelyn was elated after getting praised. After dinner, Christina helped clean up and do the dishes.
Christina had a rare good night’s sleep that night.
The next morning, Christina only got out of bed after lazing about for a while.
Upon entering the living room, she saw that Evelyn had left breakfast and a note on the table.
Evelyn had a good voice and had been invited to join a choir. There was a competition coming up, so she had gone out early in the morning for a rehearsal.
Christina ate her breakfast before drafting her designs in a small pavilion in the courtyard. At around noon, she changed into a skirt and went out.
Meanwhile, inside the Hadley residence. Nathaniel was wearing a stylish suit and a limited-edition Bulgari watch. He was exuding a rich heir aura, and his demeanor was as austere as ever. In fact, he seemed slightly unapproachable.
There were documents on Christina’s information from recent years on his desk. With a glass of milk in his hand, Nathaniel flipped through the documents with his slender fingers. Although she’s the eldest daughter of the Steele family, no one seems to be fond of her. Not only does she need to pay for her own university tuition fees, but she also needs to pay for her mother’s treatment on her own. How could a university student live with such pressure in life? No wonder she cares about money so much. She needs her income to stay alive!
Nathaniel couldn’t help but recall how resolute Christina was when she left him the other day. She must have been severely disappointed in me. I’ve never paid attention to her feelings or put myself in her shoes. She’s an extraordinary girl. Unlike most other women out there, there’s a sense of innocence in her, and her eyes are always so bright. My physical reaction aside, I still find her very attractive.
All of a sudden, Sebastian came rushing in before presenting Nathaniel with a document. “Mr. Hadley, this is a document from Ms. Christina”
With a slight frown, Nathaniel opened the document and saw that it was a divorce agreement.
The words were an utter eyesore to him. I didn’t expect her to have the guts to send me this. It seems like I need to straighten her out.
Nathaniel then let out a snort and strode toward the door with the document in his grip. “Get the car ready!”
Sebastian hummed in acknowledgment and ran after him,
At the same time, Christina had just finished shopping for groceries. Before returning home, she even bought herself an ice cream, and she was on cloud nine as she enjoyed her ice cream while walking
home.
Suddenly, a man in a white shirt appeared in her sight when she was walking along the path to the courtyard.
“Brayden?” Christina was stumped. How did he find me here?
Brayden was a bright and decent guy with fluffy hair and dark eyes.
He was the campus hunk because he was an utter gentleman, like a prince from the movies,
Like all the other girls, Christina also had a crush on Brayden.
“Hi, Christina.” Intense emotions surged in Brayden’s eyes when he saw the face he had been dreaming of day and night.
After going their separate ways at the bar that day, Brayden had thought things through. Over the four years that he had spent with Christina, he could tell that she was a nice girl. His heart would ache whenever he thought about the possibility of her disappearing from his world forever.
I read that it’s rather simple to find out if my feelings for her are real. If it hurts when I imagine not seeing her anymore for the rest of my life, that means I’ve fallen for her. Well, that’s exactly how I feel now.
With that in mind, he walked over to her and held her slender and soft wrist. “Ive been thinking about things over the past few days, and I don’t think I can give up on you. I don’t mind your past, so I hope
we can go out on a date.”
Chapter 25 Feeling Too Hot
The corners of Nathaniel’s lips lifted as he propped his chin with one hand, exuding a wicked charm. “You’re right. My wife looks good in anything”
Christma was slightly embarrassed by his praise. She suddenly felt that he was much more agreeable. when he wasn’t being intimidating.
Sounds of the door opening in the courtyard reached her ears, indicating that her grandmother was probably back home.
She pointed at the door to the backyard. “We’ll smooth out the agreement later. Hurry up and leave
now.”
Christina didn’t want her grandmother to discover Nathaniel’s existence. She’d kept their marriage low- key. As such, her grandmother was not aware of it.
It would complicate matters if she were caught together with a man.
Nathaniel’s expression crumbled as he felt like he was being cast aside. Christina couldn’t care less for his pettiness as she held on to his hand and pulled him out toward the courtyard.
“Come on, don’t just stand there.”
He got distracted by the warmth of her palm in his and was pulled along dazedly to the back door.
Christina released him and pushed open the gate. “That’s it. Go now,”
Nathaniel couldn’t help missing the feel of her soft and tiny hand in his. A sly idea struck him as he took in how anxious she was.
“How dare you see it fit for the CEO of Hadley Corporation to use the backdoor.” His face was full of loathing.
Christina was at her wit’s end at his inopportune display of stubbornness.
In place of fretting, she tried appeasing him so he’d leave.
“Could you please leave first? I beg of you?” Her humble pleas were like music to his ears.
Nathaniel smirked. His inky eyes were fathomless as he leaned toward Christina and whispered into her ear, “I’ll leave only if you give me a kiss.”
His warm breath tickled Christina, causing her heartbeat and blood pressure to skyrocket.
“You’re such a rogue!” Christina huffed as she turned her flushed face away.
“I hear the sounds of your granny unlocking the gate… Nathaniel was amused by her bashfulness and took another step closer.
Christina felt like a guilty child that feared their parent’s discovery of their misbehavior. Even her heart was thumping wildly in her chest.
“The only kiss you get is a peck on your cheek.” She had scarce options left but to cede to his demands.
“Deal, Nathaniel agreed. He would not overstep her boundaries.
He slightly angled his face away from her and raised his angular jawline. This simple gesture alone. emanated a mysterious masculine allure..
His posture was casual yet exhibited haughtiness. It was as if every single one of his pores oozed self- satisfaction. Christina couldn’t comprehend how a mere kiss made him feel as if he’d won the lottery.
She got onto her tippy-toes and was about to kiss Nathaniel’s cheek when he suddenly turned toward her out of impatience.
Both of them stopped breathing at the same time as their lips brushed. Christina’s eyes flew wide open. in surprise at such a coincidental happening.
She came to and hastily shoved Nathaniel out the door before shutting it behind her.
Nathaniel remained standing outside. His lips still bore the remains of Christina’s natural fragrance.
A chuckle bubbled up his throat as he savored the moment and wondered if it had been an intentional move by Christina.
At that moment. Evelyn was inside the house and had called out several times to no reply.
Christina made her way in from the backyard and replied guiltily, “Granny, I was too engrossed with my designs that I didn’t hear you.”
“Christina, why are you so flushed?” Evelyn inquired out of concern.
Christina covered her cheeks out of reflex and sensed how warm they were. The image of her kissing Nathaniel flashed in her mind.
She dashed toward her room as she explained, “I’m just feeling rather warm. Don’t worry.”
Christina ducked into her room like a stealthy feline. Just then, a chilly breeze blew in from the door.
It was a perfectly sunny day to head out the following day.
Evelyn had gone out for her morning exercise at the crack of dawn. Christina was nibbling on a piece of bread when the doorbell began ringing. She rushed to get the door.
“Are you Mrs. Hadley?” The person at the door was wearing a uniform belonging to the salesperson of a luxury brand.
Christina swallowed her bread before replying in confusion, “Yes, I am. What is-
“We’ve got the right person then.”
The woman smiled as she gestured to several of the staff behind her. They moved three mobile clothing racks full of the latest women’s attire from various brands.
“I did not purchase any clothes. Was there perhaps a mix-up?” Christina queried.
The women extended a proof of delivery after they finished moving the clothes. “Mr. Hadley has paid for these clothes, and we’ve delivered them to you. You’d be doing us a great favor by signing this”
Christina had predicted that only Nathaniel was capable of spending so lavishly. She felt uncomfortable rejecting the clothes since much effort was expended to move them all the way here.
The sales staff departed after she signed her name.
She pushed all three of the clothing racks into her room.
Her formerly spacious room immediately felt cramped. Christina frowned and was about to call Nathaniel to return the clothes when she realized she did not have his number.
She was astonished by the level of his extravagance. He’d sent three whole racks of new clothes her way when he’d only commented about how plain hers were the day before.
Christina did not want to leave such premium clothes to waste by not wearing them, so she picked a suit with a relatively simple design and headed out..
Radiant Corporation was a considerably well-known company in the fashion design sphere. It was even one of the top ten most recognized companies internationally in recent years.
The goal of all of the local fashion designers was to seek employment within Radiant Corporation. It wasn’t an exaggeration to claim that the designers who worked there were fully capable of making it on
their own.
Christina’s first stop was to report to the HR department. The recruits usually began as interns and were divided into two groups in the design department. Christina was assigned to Team A.
Christina’s delicate features immediately caught everyone’s attention the moment she stepped foot into the brightly-lit open-plan office.
Her team leader was Gina Tanner, a chic lady full of character and a head of chestnut curls whose preferred fragrance was Jo Malone’s wild bluebell cologne.
Christina was given a position and delegated duties promptly.
The first challenge Christina had to face was a competition between the interns. They would need to submit a draft of their designs, the best of which would be selected by their team leader.
Christina chose to submit a recent series of designs she’d been working on. The newbies usually were not required to participate in the design process as familiarizing themselves with the workings of the company’s various departments took precedence.
Gina’s favorite draft was posted on the announcement board when it was almost time to get off work. “This intern is highly-skilled. All current employees should buckle up. Otherwise, you might be pushed
out soon!”
The members of Team A gathered around to peer at the outstanding design chosen by their team. leader. It was indeed exceptionally creative, and right at the bottom of the draft paper was signed Christina’s name.
Chapter 26 Cornering The Newbie
The other interns working with Christina were amazed when they saw her designs, but their surprise quickly gave way to jealousy.
One of the designers went over to look out of curiosity and found Christina’s work to be rather creative. and appealing to young women, albeit not quite the company’s style.
Still, that level of design was above the mark for a rookie.
Standing in the crowd, Christina did not receive any applause. Instead, what she got were meaningful looks from a few people. It went without saying that having Gina stick her design up on the noticeboard was an invitation to disaster, for the shot always hit the bird that poked its head out first.
Because of what happened, all the interns who joined the company with Christina took her as their biggest competitor.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel had unprecedentedly left Christina uninterrupted for the first week since she started the internship so she could focus on work, given her hectic schedule.
On one occasion, Christina was almost running late for work and would have to clock in late if she missed the elevator, so she rushed toward the elevator, holding a carton of milk she had just bought.
“Wait up!”
Despite her cry, the female intern at the elevator door quickly pressed the “close” button, leaving Christina behind.
As the doors closed between them, Christina’s steps slowed down in disappointment. She felt ostracized when she noticed the smug expression on the woman’s face.
She recalled how Team A had strict rules about tardiness: anyone who turned up late for work twice would not receive any bonus.
At the thought, she swirled the milk still in her mouth as she came to terms with the finality of the situation, but the elevator door suddenly opened again.
“What are you waiting for?” a man voiced with slightly arched brows.
The man who opened the door had a closely-cut suit that fit his tall build perfectly and exuded a regal aura that bespelled Christina momentarily.
Still, the latter quickly snapped back to her senses and ran into the elevator as though a ray of light had shone down into the darkness for her. Thank you!”
The man glanced at her employee ID from the corner of his eyes and simply grunted curtly in
response.
Christina then stole a glimpse at the man’s ID clipped to his suit: Yosef Gunther-leader of Team B.
This name was no stranger to Christina, for even back at school, she had heard a lot about the designer who had won multiple international awards.
She did not expect to run into someone she had admired in the elevator-let alone work at the same
company as him. Christina felt that it must be the luckiest day of her life.
On a closer look, Yosef had a head of shoulder-length hair and a pair of enchanting upturned eyes. He was a total dreamboat with a high nose bridge and sculpted jaw that could charm just about anyone. To top that up, his six-foot-tall physique meant he could pull off any outfit and catch the spotlight effortlessly on the runway.
Their short-lived meeting came to an end when the elevator door opened again.
Christina headed to her office and was able to clock in just in time before work.
Just as she thought the day would unfold uneventfully, trouble set in when she arrived at a drenched office table with all the documents she had printed out soaked with water.
It was apparent that this was an ill-intentioned stunt.
Darting her sharp gaze around the office, Christina questioned her colleagues, “Who knocked my cup
over?”
Everyone stopped working and looked up, but in their hearts, they were secretly pleased to see the young lady with a red face fuming with anger.
As Christina expected, no one admitted their fault. Christina was not interested in identifying the culprit she just wanted to warn whoever did it, or else this kind of prank would only continue.
She did not back down despite being met with disdainful gazes from her colleagues. “I’ll get security to come in the next time this happens again.”
The whole office fell into silence. No one expected a greenhorn who had just stepped into society to be this shrewd, for those newbies bullied in the past would only endure everything in silence.
None of them had ever publicly stood up for themselves.
After the incident, Christina went to the pantry to calm herself before returning to work. When it was almost time to go home, Jade Salucci, the office assistant, came to talk to her.
“They need some help with cleaning the office on the top floor. Go over there, Jade ordered
Some cleaning work will surely bring you down a peg or two since you were so arrogant in the morning. Let’s see if you still dare to cross us after this.
Knowing that the assistant had come to make life difficult for her, Christina put aside her work and looked at her calmly. “I’m an intern designer. I’m not here for cleaning duty. Please get that through your head.”
As an experienced senior employee, Jade had come prepared with all the tricks she needed to put recruits in their places. “You have no work to attend to at the moment. Don’t tell me I should ask the busy designers to clean the office? Christina Steele, you should learn to follow orders here at the company, or else I’ll file a complaint against you.”
Christina was still an intern. She could not afford to have a complaint against her since it would have detrimental effects on her future confirmation to become a full-time employee.
“All right, then.”
With that said, Christina walked out of the office, got the cleaning tools, and took the elevator up to the top floor, where the CEO’s office was.
Having received an access card from the cleaning lady, she entered the office with a pail of water.
Since the boss seldom came in for work, the whole office was immaculate, except that the place felt slightly lonely and cold without anyone in it.
Having cleaned a piece of cloth, Christina began wiping the corners. After that, she went over to dust the cupboard on the right of the room.
Just then, three sets of footsteps echoed down the corridor.
The man who first opened the office door and entered was a man dressed in a red velvet suit called Zachary Sacchetti. The cutting of that fashion piece he wore was not something anyone could pull off. but it looked just right on the lanky man.
Like a model who had just gotten off a fashion show, the dashing man had a head of short ash-grey hair and some of the latest gold ornaments around his fingers.
Once he and the others entered, the whole company sat on the couch. Then, Zachary placed that quarter’s business performance report on the table, saying, “It’s only been half a month, and I’ve already exceeded my target by fifty percent.”
That was some incredible results.
Over on the single-seater couch, Nathaniel sat like a king with his spindly legs crossed as he rested his chin on his hand.
With a subtle smile, he answered, “You can be quite productive when you channel your energy to work instead of women.”
Nathaniel’s statement elicited a laugh from lan Zimmerman, sitting on his right. “I bet he must have some problem functioning normally down there, which is why he’s suddenly putting all his energy
into work.”
The man who had just spoken was clad in a tailored plain shirt. His exquisite collarbone way left exposed under the first two unbuttoned holes on his shirt, overlaid with a black vest that complimented his inverted triangle body shape.
He had a black car stud on one of his ears and had kept his eyes down, looking at his watch as he arranged it around his wrist while entering the room. The aura he exuded was gentlemanly yet professional
Among the three men, Zachary was most used to his friends’ teasing since he had the most happening in his love life. “I’m still functioning all right. I’m just a little lost now that I’m not seeing anyone interesting,” he replied, making a face that said he was too good for anyone.
Then he turned to Nathaniel and asked jokingly, “Why did you suddenly come to the office? Is it because the company has invited a few models, including Xandra, for the anniversary? Did you come on purpose to meet her?”
Nathaniel?
Christina jolted behind the cupboard at the mention of that name. Caught by surprise, she accidentally
bumped into a crystal ball next to her.
Thump!
Chapter 27 He Requests Your Company
The air berame tense as the three men trailed their gazes toward the rolling crystal ball until they eventually caught sight of a curvy and slim figure near the cupboard.
The woman they beheld had twinkling and bright eyes that reminded them of the stars With an over- knee length white dress that left half her fair legs uncovered, she appeared like a lost fairy who had landed in the human world by mistake
She’s beautiful!
Zachary was deeply impressed the moment he set eyes on Christina
Despite having dated numerous women in the past, Zachary had never been so captivated by a woman at first sight.
Certain that he had never met the girl, he asked, “Who are you?”
Christina did not answer but fixed her shimmering eyes on Nathaniel, shocked at the knowledge that Nathaniel was also Radiant Corporation’s boss
Just how big is his business empire? Does he owen every company in Durbaine?
Embarrassed, Christina picked up the pail of water and rushed toward the door without answering Zachary’s question.
She escaped from the office like an agile cat, but because she left in a hurry, she did not realize her employee ID lanyard was caught on the doorknob and had dropped to the floor
When Zachary ran after her, he could no longer see her at the door, though he spotted her ID
“Christina Steele?” he mumbled as he glanced at it
Although the photo on the ID was blurry, he could still tell that the woman was as beautiful as an angel. He held the card closer and could even smell a pleasing scent from it.
Now, since when did a beauty like her join the company? How come I was unaware?
Just as Zachary was about to keep the ID for himself to use it as an excuse to get to know Christina, Nathaniel snatched it away from him, warning coldly, “Not her.”
Zachary was astonished, but when he read Nathaniel’s serious face, he could not help but quip. “Man. don’t tell me you’re interested in her too!”
Without another word, Nathaniel glanced at Zachary and walked off with the employee ID.
Zachary had never seen Nathaniel, someone who found women repulsive, that worked up all because of a woman. “From my experience, he must have fallen for that girl he noted, looking back at fan
Equally confounded by what happened, lan replied, “I don’t think so, but regardless, you’d better keep your hands off her.”
Based on his judgment, things would not end well if an innocent woman like Christina became involved with a playboy like Zachary
Meanwhile, Christina managed to flee the office at last after a challenging run lugging the pail of water Closing the restroom door behind her, she felt like she had just made a narrow escape from the enemy’s base, but before she could even catch her breath, the door was pushed open from behind.
The movement was so forceful she was shoved into the restroom as the door pushed her forward.
Before she could do anything. Nathaniel had made his way in until his towering shadow stretched across the restroom floor. The light fell on his face, forming a stark contrast with the pair of dark and mesmerizing eyes on his face. Christina had never seen such eyes on other men before-even the lights flickered like glistening stars in his deep eyes.
Underneath that face, Christina saw a combination of a neatly-pressed black suit pulled over a flawless
white shirt.
His whole look and bearing gave off a chilling aloofness, reminding one of a blossoming flower in the
winter.
“Nathaniel! W-What are you doing here?” As the dominating shadow closed in on her, Christina shrunk away instinctively until she was pressed against the wall.
This is the female restroom! He can’t just walk in here so openly, even if this whole floor is off-limits to other employees!
Nathaniel pressed on toward Christina until he was so close his sturdy chest completely blocked her field of vision. She could even pick up the subtly pleasing scent from his body.
When Nathaniel finally put her employee ID around her neck, Christina realized she had dropped it back in the office when she left hastily
“Thank you.” She hunched her shoulders slightly as she expressed her thanks,
At her utterance. Nathaniel ran his fingers along her cheek before tucking her stray hair behind her cars “Well, you can’t just be paying lip service to me every time.”
Christina’s face flushed red at the intimacy, but unbeknownst to her, her shy fumbling only aroused his desire to have her.
Knowing he had an ulterior motive, Christina knitted her brows and bit her lip. “What do you want, then?”
“You need to show me with tangible action that you’re grateful.”
As his magnetic voice died away, Christina felt a wave of burning sensation overwhelm her. Before she could do anything. Nathaniel had already planted his thin lips on hers.
Christina’s mind went blank, and she could not even think straight.
Her heart beat uncontrollably fast, so much so that she felt like it was breaking out from her chest. When Nathaniel finally and reluctantly let go of her lips after a long, long kiss, the blushing woman glared at him in disgruntlement while covering her mouth.
So this is what he meant by a tangible act of gratitude? He’s clearly trying to fool around”
With Nathaniel’s strapping build blocking out all the light, it felt like he had complete command over the whole space.
“I’ll pick you up after work. We need to talk,” he informed calmly.
Is he bringing me back to the Hadley residence again?
Afraid he would keep bothering her, Christina evaded his gaze and uttered insincerely, “Sure.”
When Nathaniel caught the guilty look in her eyes, he raised her chin and reminded her. “Don’t even think about running away. I don’t mind picking you up from your office.”
What? That is no different from making an open statement about our relationship!
Christina knew Nathaniel meant what he said, so she could only do as he wished. “It’s still a long way until I finish work. Have fun waiting”
With that said, she slipped out of Nathaniel’s arms and left the restroom.
By the time Christina returned to work, she had completely forgotten about their exchange earlier. When it was about time to leave the office, Gina announced a new assignment for the team.
Since the first round of screening for fall designs had begun, each designer had to hand in a portfolio. of design drafts. The screening was also open to interns. If their design was selected, they stood a higher chance of becoming a permanent employee.
All charged up about the screening, Christina decided to spend that night coming up with some designs.
After work, she was heading toward the crossroad right around the corner of the company when at black Maybach pulled up in front of her.
Sebastian, who had just gotten off the auto, opened the backseat door and said politely, “Mrs. Hadley, Mr. Hadley requests your company
It was dark in the car, but just the sight of that pair of long legs and the neat suit was enough to deter her from entering.
Christina was hesitant, for she felt like she was stepping onto a minefield.
She was afraid her freedom would be curtailed after she went back with Nathaniel
“Mrs. Hadley?” Sebastian called out again. He found it perplexing that Christina always seemed to have
a hard time deciding to ride with Nathaniel when numerous women out there would die for an opportunity like that.
“Yeah.” Christina finally said before going in.
Closing the door behind her, Sebastian returned to the driver’s seat and drove off.
Chapter 28 Come Closer
The temperature inside the car was a little low.
Christina, remaining quiet like a child, sat up straight and placed her restless hands on her knees while waiting
for Nathaniel to speak. Will he find another excuse to bring me back to the Hadley residence and say my work will affect the Hadley family’s reputation because I’m showing myself publicly? I escaped that place with so much difficulty the last time. I doubt I’ll get to leave again if I am forced to return there this time.
Nathaniel sat beside her. His shirt was buttoned all the way up, accentuating the captivating outline of his manly Adam’s apple, muscular neck, and chiseled jawline.
A soft glow filtered in through the car window and illuminated his profile. Half of his extraordinarily handsome face was covered in shadows, adding a hint of indifference and mystery to his usual vibe.
Christina fell into a daze, watching him. How many women must he have enthralled with that bewitching face of his?
Sensing the admiration in her eyes, he curled his lips into a faint smile. “Feel free to look at me openly as you wish. After all, I’m considered yours.”
She blushed crimson after listening to his meaningful words. After getting caught red-handed for peeking at him, she became too embarrassed to gaze at him.
The temperature inside the car continued to drop, causing Christina to sneeze due to the cold. She was about to ask Sebastian to turn up the heat when a large palm grasped her slim shoulder.
Nathaniel gently pulled her into his embrace. “You won’t feel cold if you come a little closer.”
She lowered her head, not daring to meet his stunning countenance. Every moment spent with him felt like torture now.
He took in her demeanor and waited a long while before uttering nonchalantly, “How’s your new job?”
She was slightly taken aback. I can’t believe he’s expressing his concern about my work. Is this an opening speech before he asks me to go back to his house?
“It’s quite nice,” she answered truthfully.
The air seemed to turn chillier. Even her fingertips started feeling numb, and her thin shoulders. trembled from the cold. Creases formed on the hem of her skirt as she clutched her garment.
“Okay,” Nathaniel responded. He took off his coat and draped it over her.
A faint smell of cologne wafted into her nose. Nathaniel’s body warmth lingered on the piece of outerwear Christina found the sensation similar to how he embraced her that night.
He tenderly tidied the loose strands of her hair with his fingertips. His movements were gentle and affectionate, as though they were a married couple who had spent many years together.
Nathaniel retracted his arm and said, “In that case, keep working hard.”
Christina looked up at him in utter disbelief. He’s not going to bring me back? On the contrary, he appears to be very supportive of me working.
His response took Christina by surprise. She was stunned for a few seconds before coming to her senses. Smiling, she nodded. “Okay”
Nathaniel’s eyes gleamed when he noticed that was the first time she regarded him with fondness in her eyes. Forcing her to comply won’t work. Instead, I should let her do as she pleases. That way, she won’t resist
me as much.
He lightly cupped her petite face. “Instead of relying on your privileges as Mrs. Hadley, use your own abilities to prove to me that supporting you is the right thing to do.”
Christina turned into an obedient girl instantaneously. She lifted her head, bored her dazzling eyes. into him, and nodded firmly. “Sure!”
Sensing the overflowing positiveness she exuded, Nathaniel grinned. She’s indeed the woman who won my affection. This determination is one of her strong points.
He added. “I’m going on an overseas business trip to attend a summit meeting, so I won’t be in the country for some time.”
Complicated emotions churned within her after she heard that. Nathaniel is Hadley Corporation’s CEO as well as the future heir of the company, so he must be swamped with many work-related matters.
Not knowing how to respond, she merely hummed in acknowledgment.
At that moment, the car gradually came to a stop at its destination.
The quietness in the car’s interior grew more discernible after the engine was turned off.
Christina gazed out the window and noticed they had arrived at her grandmother’s house.
As it turned out, he never planned to bring her back to the Hadley residence from the beginning. The sudden realization caused her to feel a little guilty because she felt she had judged Nathaniel too quickly
“I-I’m getting out of the car, then.”
She removed his coat and turned to open the car door. Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm from behind.
Glancing over her shoulder, she met Nathaniel’s pensive dark gaze. The two were already sitting close to each other, to begin with. Now, the distance between them decreased further.
Her heart palpitated heavily against her chest as she felt his breath on her face. “W-What’s the matter?”
Nathaniel gazed longingly at her. “You must contact me at once if you face any trouble.” Ill be going somewhere far away from her. Even if I say this, how will I materialize before her when she needs me during a predicament?
Christina nodded compliantly again. Not daring to exhale, she held her breath and murmured a
response.
Only then did he let go of her arm. Then, he placed his palm on the back of her head, pulled her close, and kissed her forehead.
“Go back now.”
6
She had just recomposed herself, but after feeling his cool lips on her forehead, Christina’s heart began fluttering uncontrollably again. “Okay”
With that, she swiftly escaped into the night after opening the car door.
Upon returning to the house, she lay on the bed and covered herself with a blanket. The scenes from her interaction with Nathaniel earlier resurfaced in her mind. My heart is too weakto handle his flirtation.
After dinner, Christina sat at her desk and sketched her designs. She continued drawing even as midnight drew close.
For the subsequent few days, she went to the office during the day and worked on her designs after returning home.
Three days later, she submitted her completed draft to Gina before the deadline.
The next morning, Christina felt tired from lack of sleep after staying up late for a few nights in a row, so she went to the pantry to make herself a cup of coffee.
The jar of coffee beans was placed in the top cabinet, and she couldn’t reach it even after standing on her tiptoes. Right when she was about to move a chair over to give herself a boost, a tall figure appeared behind her.
That man stretched out his arm and effortlessly retrieved the jar of coffee beans. “Here.”
Christina looked up and realized it was Yosef, the man who helped her stop the elevator the other day.
“Thank you,” she uttered sheepishly.
Her shyness didn’t stem from her harboring feelings for him. Instead, it was because Yosef was renowned in the design field. Almost all the fashion design students were familiar with his name.
He was dressed in a black shirt that day, giving prominence to his physique. Wearing a trench coat as his outerwear, he emanated an ethereal aura.
Then, he hummed in response and left.
Most designers had an aloof nature, so Christina was unfazed by his distant behavior. She exited the pantry after making a cup of coffee.
Meanwhile, Gina completed her work with great efficiency. She selected the designs she was most satisfied with among all the excellent submissions, after which the chosen designers’ name list was sent to everyone’s mailbox.
Christina was thrilled when she saw her name on the list, as that proved she hadn’t burned the midnight lamp for those few nights in vain.
However, she didn’t realize how the other experienced designers would be jealous of her because a mere intern like her had outshone them.
Chapter 29 Shunning Christina
Christina left work in a cheerful mood and broke the news to Evelyn that her design had been selected by the company.
Evelyn was overjoyed, and she hurried into the kitchen to prepare a few more dishes to celebrate.
Christina went into her bedroom, kicked off her slippers, and sprawled on the bed to scroll through her phone when she received an international call.
A hypnotic male voice said, “Have you gotten off work?”
Christina stilled for a moment before returning. “Nathaniel?”
The hoarseness in his voice lent credence to how busy he had been for the past few days, but the fact that she didn’t recognize his voice darkened his mood.
He gave a low hum, and both of them fell silent. “Did anyone deliberately approach you in my absence?”
Christina’s brows drew together as she did not understand what he was implying.
“No,” she answered honestly.
Nathaniel said unemotionally. “Okay, I’m hanging up now.”
Before he disconnected, she heard someone in the background shouting about a meeting starting, as if he had carved out time from his hectic schedule to give her a call before resuming work.
Christina stared at the unfamiliar number and hesitated for a moment before saving it to her contacts.
Evelyn called her out for dinner a while later.
After a good night’s rest, Christina changed into a petite suit and went to work the next morning-
She felt eyes boring into her with contempt the moment she walked into the office as if she was everyone’s common enemy.
Why the drastic change after one night?
Christina felt like an alien in everyone’s eyes, a feeling that left a sour taste in her mouth.
She clicked on the company’s forum to figure out the problem and finally understood after reading the
headlines.
A Radiant Corporation intern hitched a ride in the director’s Mercedes after work!
She tarnished the reputation of Radiant Corporation by sleeping around!
Christina Steele has to be stopped!
It had been blown out of proportion, and practically every employee had shared the headline.
The news didn’t only spin a narration about her getting into the director’s car, but also on her dubious relationship with Yosef, leader of Team B.
Yosef was the prince charming in the circle of designers, and the director was the ultimate prize. It was a crime for Christina to sink her claws in both of them!
A chill seeped into her bones as she finished reading the article. Even her fingertips were cold.
They painted me as a woman who sleeps her way to the top because my designs made the cut despite me being new.
What a ridiculous joke!
But how do I clear up the rumors without inadvertently revealing that I’m Mrs. Hadley or having Nathaniel step forward?
Disgruntlement rendered her silent.
Christina could only grudgingly ignore this matter and hope it would pass.
Two days later, the rumors didn’t peter out as Christina had thought but were exacerbated instead, and every designer had voiced their desire to boycott her.
They would not tolerate a designer in Radiant Corporation using her beauty for an advantage or sexual favors.
It not only promoted a dangerous culture but was also an insult to the other hardworking designers.
When Christina arrived at the office in the morning, several designers demanding justice surrounded
her small desk.
It was too much of a frenzy, and the security guards immediately informed the CEO and vice CEO.
Zachary and lan came to the design department a few minutes later to find a small crowd had surrounded Christina and were clamoring for her resignation.
Tina, Team A’s assistant team leader, challenged, “Mr. Sacchetti, if Christina doesn’t turn in her resignation letter today, it will be an insult to the rest of the hardworking designers. Either she goes, or
we leave!”
Zachary had seen the photos online, but he wasn’t sure what the relationship between Nathaniel and Christina was. Even so, he had seen how differently Nathaniel treated her the other day.
First, Nathaniel warned me away, then this girl was photographed entering his car…
He’s a germaphobe who will nitpick every time someone gets into his car, even us, so maybe, as the internet
suggests…
Zachary could care less about this matter, but he had to resolve the worsening situation.
Currently, he was feeling conflicted as he was personally unwilling to fire a beautiful woman. His face twisted into an awkward expression. “Why don’t you take some time off, Christina? We’ll make a decision once I get to the bottom of this.”
It was the most polite way out for Christina.
It was pointless for Christina to resist and embarrass herself further now that he had spoken out.
I’m not in the wrong, yet I have to leave… Isn’t this indirectly admitting that I slept my way to the top?
The stain on her name and disgrace would follow her to every job, which was really unfair!
lan stood in the middle of the crowd, towering over everyone with his six-foot-tall height. “I don’t believe Christina did any of that. I’ve seen her designs, and they are fabulous.”
He tried to be objective and leafed through her designs again, still believing that they were better than others in terms of artistic conception.
A male voice from behind said, “I agree with Mr. Zimmerman that Christina’s designs are fantastic.”
Everyone whipped their head around to see Yosef standing there.
If a designer of his stature supported her, surely that proved Christina’s expertise.
The designers who had raised a racket wanting her gone all fell silent.
However, Tina didn’t relent and asked, “How do you know she didn’t commission those? I don’t believe. that a fresh grad designer possesses such skills.”
The designs are either a fraud, or she’s a true genius, and I’m going with the former
Christina knew a few words of support wouldn’t dispel their suspicion.
Then, lan suggested, “Why don’t we hold another week-long design competition? Everyone will be required to stay at the hotel, with the company covering all costs, to level the playing field.”
Now was as good a time as any to allay everyone’s suspicion and doubt
lan was dressed head to toe in white-on-black designer clothes, and a hint of his clavicle peeked out, causing all the ladies to gaze at him with lovelorn eyes.
Christina was the first to put in her name, determined to win the competition to prove herself.
The rest who wanted to bring her down followed suit.
Ian delegated the registration duties to Gina and informed the designers who entered the competition. to go home and pack before congregating at Golden Rose Holiday Hotel two hours later.
Christina quickly gathered her belongings and left the office, as did the rest of the designers.
Following that, lan sent out a memo requesting that any news regarding Christina be removed.
He had just returned to the office and sat down at his desk when he received a call from Nathaniel.
Chapter 30 The Theme Of The Competition
“How did things go?” The low and hoarse voice on the other end sounded as if it belonged to a smoker.
“I’ve done it your way,” responded lan hurriedly before he even had a chance to drink his water.
After a hum of acknowledgment from Nathaniel. Ian questioned curiously. “What’s Christina to you?”
Since Nathaniel never seemed interested in women, lan could not help but wonder about the relationship between Christina and the man.
As Nathaniel was involved in the matter, it was not appropriate for him to speak up. Hence, he had lan arrange the event for him instead.
“Mind your own business,” replied Nathaniel coldly before hanging up.
Staring at his phone, Ian felt like a tool being cast aside after it had outlived its usefulness. That’s ungrateful of him.
Christina told her grandmother that she was participating in a competition and that she would only return in a week. After that, she took her luggage with her and made her way to Golden Rose Holiday Hotel.
The rooms on the twenty-third floor were all reserved for the designers to rest and concentrate on work.
Gina was in charge of overseeing the competition. The theme of this competition is the coming-of- age gift for a young girl. Besides drafting the design, you also have to produce it. The winner will be decided in a week.”
After explaining the rules, Gina distributed the room cards to the participating designers, and Christina was assigned to room 2088.
Tina, who was assigned to the room next door, stared coldly at Christina and mocked, “Your luck has run out this time, Christina. I’ll beat you and get you kicked out of Radiant Corporation.”
Huh? Does Tina seriously believe that I just got lucky? Christina’s lips curled into a smirk as she responded, “Let’s make a bet, then. If you lose, you’ll get the hell out of Radiant Corporation!”
Tina had worked many years at Radiant Corporation and won countless awards, so she was convinced she would never lose to a fresh graduate.
On top of that, she was sure that Christina only got promoted because the woman was shown favor. “1 don’t see why not. Just be careful not to drown in your own tears when you lose.”
In response, Christina smirked at Tina once again before entering her room.
With the door closed behind her. Christina could smell a faint citrusy fragrance in the room. illuminated by the afternoon sunlight.
After settling her luggage, she took a pen, paper, and drawing board and began to work on her draft on the balcony.
As Christina basked in the sunlight, an elegant shadow was cast on the carpet. With her outline blurred by the light and her downcast eyes focused on her work, the woman looked as beautiful as a work of
art.
Christina refused to leave the room; she even had the staff deliver her meals straight to her room.
She spent the first three days on the draft and the next four days on the production. For the sake of fairness, the designers had to use fabrics and colors of the same quality.
Since Christina spent too much time on her draft, she had to burn the midnight oil to catch up.
On the seventh evening, she received a message from Gina informing her that she had to bring her outfit to the hall on the second floor by ten o’clock in the morning. Those who failed to do so would be disqualified.
After going through the text message, Christina shifted her attention back to her sewing, threading. and embellishing.
She was asleep at the foot of the bed when the morning light shone through the glass and onto the piece of furniture.
It was already eight o’clock when Christina awakened to wash up. Once she was done, she hurriedly put her hard work into a bag before rushing out of the room.
She knew she was already racing against time by then, but unexpectedly, two of her colleagues entered the elevator she was in.
All three of them were carrying their dresses for the competition in black bags, and after exchanging wary glances with each other. Christina pressed the button for the second floor.
As the elevator slowly descended, the three had their eyes fixed on the red number counting down.
The elevator stopped when it reached the second floor, but its door did not open as expected as the three got ready to hurry out.
Instead, the elevator continued to descend at a speed that was obviously much faster than before.
With their pupils dilated, the three lost their balance and fell due to the pressure of the rapid descent.
Before they could even react, they heard a loud noise before they were suddenly surrounded by dead silence. It was as though they had reached an uninhabited wasteland.
The three were utterly dumbfounded by the unforeseen incident, and it took a while before Christina realized that the elevator had gone out of control. It seems we’re stuck here.
The girl beside Christina climbed to her feet and screamed in pain because of the wound she hitting her forehead.
got
from
Tina tried to pry the elevator door open with her bare hands but eventually gave up since it remained. unmoving despite several attempts.
Christina hurriedly pressed the emergency button. Unfortunately, it was not working, so the three took out their phones in near unison to call for help but then realized there was no reception at all
At that moment, they felt like birds trapped in a cage.
“What do we do? We’re stuck!” The injured woman looked pitiful as blood continued to pour out of
her wound despite her efforts to stop it.
Christina then took a piece of tissue out of her bag and covered the injured woman’s wound with it. “Thank you,” uttered the injured woman guiltily with a red face.
The truth was that half the participating designers longed to prove themselves, while the other half wanted to work together to kick Christina out of Radiant Corporation.
The injured woman only felt guilty because she accepted help from her enemy, and Christina could
see that
Hence, Christina kept her distance after handing the tissue over.
“You don’t have to pretend to be nice here because that won’t earn you any mercy during the competition, scoffed Tina.
Being stuck in such a dangerous situation, Christina truly had no mood to argue with Tina. “We’re trapped inside an elevator with no exhaust fan, which means none of us will get out alive if nobody comes to our rescue in time.”
It was only after hearing Christina that the other two designers realized the seriousness of their
situation.
Logically, someone should notice that the elevator had malfunctioned soon and get help.
However, if that did not happen, the three would gradually become hypoxic and pass out when the oxygen in the confined space ran out.
Horrified to think what would happen afterward, Tina and the other designer began to panic. We’re still so young; there’s so much we haven’t done yet. This can’t be the end of us!
Then, Tina suddenly pointed her finger at Christina and cursed. “This is all your fault! We wouldn’t be in this situation if we didn’t share the elevator with you! You’re nothing but a jinx. If anything happens. to me. I’ll make sure you won’t live to regret it!”
With the light shining on her ice-cold visage, Christina seemed to be emitting a bone-chilling aura.
“The more you talk, the quicker we’ll run out of oxygen and die. If you value your life, shut up!” warned Christina, glaring at Tina.
Immediately. Tina and the other designer shrank into a corner and covered their mouths, afraid to say another word.
As time passed by, Christina had her obsidian eyes fixed on the signal bars on her phone screen as she waited for any sign of reception.