Ch. 31..40

Chapter 31 Did She Bribe The Judges

Half an hour passed, and a heavy silence slowly descended over the space. It feels as though we’re trapped in some ancient and mysterious corner of the world, and no one knows we’re here. If another half an hour passes. the oxygen in this tiny space will probably all be gone.

A thin sheen of sweat covered Christina’s forehead. In such an environment, a person’s fear of the dark would grow and intensify slowly but surely like sand through an hourglass.

Feeling dizzy. Tina walked over to the doors, raised her hands, and pounded on them. “Are you all dead? Why isn’t anyone coming to save me!”

After a while, her hands started to hurt so much that she switched to kicking. The doors were made entirely of solid steel, so she would be unable to make a crack even if she broke a bone.

With all the pent-up anger bubbling inside her, Tina pointed at the figure in the corner and lashed out at her. “It’s all your fault, Christina Steele! Someone must’ve been trying to prank you, and that’s why we got caught up in this mess!”

It was not the first time someone had played a prank on Christina in the office. Sometimes it was just one person, and sometimes there were more. Everyone knew about it, but no one said anything and quietly allowed such behavior to carry on.

Christina felt a suffocating sensation in her chest, and she started to panic. The last time she had felt like that was while kissing Nathaniel on the bed in a hotel. However, the sensation felt way more uncomfortable now.

The sound of Tina’s voice yapping away made her feel even more frustrated, so she turned away and ignored the former. Although she had been standing in a corner at first, she gradually felt weak and

slumped to the floor in a heap. She stared into space, her eyes unfocused. It was impossible to guess what was running through her mind.

Time continued ticking by, then suddenly, they heard a deep voice on the other side of the doors. “Christina, are you in there?”

It was Nathaniel’s voice!

Christina sprang up from the floor with a thud like an arrow released from a taut bowstring, then rushed to the doors. “Nathaniel. it’s me! I’m inside!”

No one knew that her mind had already been gripped with fear for her life just a second before. She was overcome with emotion, so much so that her eyes instantly brimmed with tears.

“Don’t be afraid, and don’t come close to the doors. I’m going to get you out of there immediately!”

“Okay.” She could tell that his voice sounded just as anxious as hers.

She took a few steps backward and stood far away from the doors. For one minute, everything was quiet outside. Then, they heard the sound of something heavy being dragged.

It only took several minutes for a few security guards to pry open the heavy steel doors, and those inside the elevator could finally breathe some fresh air as a gust of wind blew in

Nathaniel strode in, and before Christina could say anything, he scooped her up in his arms and quickly walked back out.

That scene left the other two people inside the elevator dumbfounded. Wasn’t that good-looking guy the boss of Radiant Corporation? He personally came to rescue Christina, so how can they still say

nothing is going on between them?

Meanwhile, the wind had also blown away the heavy, suffocating feeling in Christina’s chest. She could finally breathe easily, and her mind started to clear.

When she noticed Nathaniel was carrying her out of the parking lot, she jumped out of his arms like a frightened cat. “Where are you taking me?”

Nathaniel furrowed his brows at the sudden feeling of emptiness in his arms. “To the hospital for a thorough checkup.”

Seeing that it was almost ten o’clock, she hurriedly waved her hand in refusal. “I’m fine. I’ve got to hurry back for the competition.”

If I don’t get there in time, they’ll take it as a voluntary withdrawal from the competition! I don’t have time to chit-chat! Turning around, she started walking back.

As Nathaniel followed behind her, he observed that she did not seem out of breath and was walking faster than him. He sighed quietly, then hurried after her.

The competition had already begun by the time she arrived at the venue. She hastily prepared the clothes and approached a staff member to ask for her model.

The staff member asked for her name, checked the list, and said brusquely, “You were late, so the model left.”

Christina stared at the person in disbelief and asked frantically. “Left? Then what am I going to do?”

“How am I supposed to know that? The rules are clear. Anyone who’s late won’t get a model. Why are you blaming me for having no concept of time?” The staff member gave a cold snort and bustled away.

Even while stuck in that elevator, I didn’t have such a sense of despair. However, now that I don’t have a model, it feels as though my whole world is crashing down! One shouldn’t underestimate the effect of how a model carries an

outfit. Someone with a tall, thin frame and fair skin will give off an entirely different vibe from someone with darker skin and shorter stature. What am I to do now that I don’t have a model?

Tina, who was helping her model into her gown, cast Christina a mocking glance out of the corner of

eye. Even the heavens can’t save you this time. I’ve got this in the bag!

her

At that moment, a staff member walked over and hollered, “Get ready to go on. Tina! Next up is Christina!”

Tina uttered an acknowledgment and led her model backstage to prepare.

Meanwhile, Christina stared at the gown inside the black bag and fell silent.

Radiant Corporation announced the design competition on its official website a week ago, attracting the attention of many young people. The venue was packed with spectators, and seated in the front row were the judges-Gina, Yosef, Zachary, and lan-who could be considered relatively high-ranking. in the company

Tina’s model strutted down the runway, and the judges quickly gave their scores.

Then, the host announced. “Now, let’s welcome our next designer, Christina Steele, to showcase her design!”

The music continued blaring, but no one appeared at the top of the runway for a long time.

What’s going on? Even if they’re slow, there can’t possibly still be nobody there even after ten seconds! The host lowered his head and was about to announce the next designer when gasps and exclamations of surprise went up from the audience.

Everyone’s gaze was locked on the runway.

Under the blinding white lights, a slender figure emerged. The gown had multiple layers of pale pink chiffon and white organza under the bottom half, giving the skirt its fuller volume, while the top featured a strapless design in a champagne color. The woman slowly walked toward the center of the

stage.

She wore no makeup on her delicate face. Her skin was fair and flawless, her eyes sparkled like diamonds, she had a straight nose, and her lips were rosy red. She was simply beautiful beyond compare. With the rays of light shining upon her, the audience thought they had seen an angel. Everyone whipped out their phones and began snapping photos of her in a frenzy.

The designers backstage were also dumbfounded. Didn’t they say Christina’s model left?

However, a closer look revealed that the woman walking down the runway was none other than Christina herself!

She had not bothered with makeup, not even applying any foundation to her face. Instead, she had only swiped on some lipstick and let her long hair flow down to her waist. Even so, she was more beautiful than the other models who had dolled up meticulously.

Christina walked off the stage, and several other designers proceeded to showcase their designs. After that, the competition came to an end.

The host took the list containing the name of that night’s winner from the judges. When he called out Christina’s name, the audience erupted into cheers.

There was no suspense in the results. Even those in the audience who did not understand the first thing about design had already chosen Christina as the winner in their hearts.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd stood up and pointed at Christina while yelling angrily. “This woman played dirty! She must’ve bribed the judges or comes from a privileged background. Hurry, let’s all report her!”

The man was holding his phone and live-streaming the scene, which instantly stirred up a commotion. Even though several security guards stepped forward to stop him, he continued shouting. “That gown she designed is a piece of garbage! Are the judges blind?”

 

Chapter 32 Appear In Three Seconds

The man’s voice was so loud that almost everyone in the venue could hear him.

They couldn’t deny that the female winner was indeed young, but could there be more to the situation than met the eye as the man had suggested?

The latter, who had an easily recognizable square face and booming voice, continued his tirade. “Radiant Corporation has disrespected all fashion designers by randomly picking a winner. What an utterly disgusting company!

Now that the company’s reputation had been called into question, the judges’ faces instantly darkened.

“What should we do now?” Gina whispered as she turned her head.

Yosef hadn’t once lost his cool since the heckler made those outrageous claims, nor was he about to let his decision be swayed. Christina’s design was undoubtedly the best among everyone else’s! Whether it was her choice and matching of colors or her tailoring skills, she outshone them all!

Meanwhile, lan had ordered the security guards to take the man away. After all, how could they change the winner for no rhyme or reason?

It’d be ridiculous if they did!

The security guards quickly approached the heckler, but the latter refused to budge and even began. screaming at the top of his lungs, “Get off the stage, Christina Steele! You’re not worthy!”

As the incandescent light shone harshly on Christina’s face and revealed the glint in her eye, she fixed the man with a cold, hard stare.

Hushed whispers constantly rang out around her, and she knew her competitors also believed she didn’t deserve to win.

After all, she was nowhere near their level of qualifications and experience when it came to fashion design.

Tina curled her lips into a half smile and gave Christina a side-eye. “I can’t believe you still have the nerve to remain on stage. You sure are thick-skinned, aren’t you?”

“Exactly. I’d be running off in shame if I were her.”

“Perhaps being shameless is what she’s good at. It’s bad enough to be hooking up with the boss, but she has even resorted to cheating with the judges. How disgusting.

Christina, on the other hand, merely scoffed. Ha! These people have such wild imaginations! They should quit being designers and become screenwriters instead. How would I, an individual who had only just stepped into society, have the power to bribe the judges?

Just then, her sharp gaze fell on the heckler below the stage. This face… Why does it seem so familiar?

Not only was the man tall and burly, but he also barely flinched when the security guards tried to hold

him down.

With the way he had his phone out while vilifying Christina, those who didn’t know any better might even think he was venting his anger because of unrequited love.

At the start, he only said Christina cheated, but it didn’t take long before he escalated the issue and dragged Radiant Corporation through the mud.

Needless to say, the crowd soon broke out into jeers.

What shocked them, however, was when the woman standing in the limelight suddenly turned around and walked off the stage.

Oh, my. Has the embarrassment gotten to her, or is she ashamed that her cheating scandal has been exposed? Either way, being ridiculed and insulted while on a public stage can’t be fun. Anyone in her shoes would feel mortified too.

Naturally, the four judges were just as shocked. They hadn’t been bribed, and Christina had won the competition fair and square. Why was there a need to get off the stage, then? Wouldn’t her actions. suggest she was guilty like the man had claimed?

Then again, Christina was merely a young lady in her twenties. What more could they expect from

her?

Meanwhile, Zachary had had enough of how things were developing. If the man continued to spew accusations about Radiant Corporation, their company’s reputation would undoubtedly go down the drain.

Just then, Christina suddenly returned to the stage.

After borrowing the host’s microphone, she flashed a work pass to the audience and turned her attention to the man.

“Sir, is this your work pass?”

Stunned, the latter quickly looked away. “T-This…

Thanks to the bright lights, everyone could see that the photo on the work pass was that of the heckler. Even though he didn’t admit it, those in the crowd had already confirmed his identity.

It was clear as day that the work pass belonged to the square-faced man. Not only was his name on it. but his company logo was also hard to miss.

“You’re an employee of Modern Fashionista, and as everyone knows, Radiant Corporation and Modern Fashionista have been the fiercest competitors in the fashion industry in recent years. However, I can’t believe you’d use such underhanded tactics to attack Radiant Corporation’s designers!”

When it came to domestic fashion brands, Modern Fashionista used to be the biggest name until Radiant Corporation gradually surpassed them over the years.

There were even a few occasions when Modern Fashionista plagiarized Radiant Corporation’s designs. resulting in countless lawsuits between the two companies. Although those were eventually settled out of court, Modern Fashionista continued to look for opportunities to bring Radiant Corporation down.

With that, the square-faced man’s intentions had become apparent.

A smirk crept across Christina’s face. “No matter who the winner is, you’d still raise your objections. Isn’t that right?”

Upon hearing that, the man’s face turned deathly pale. Sh’t. My plan to stir up trouble has been exposed! I

can’t believe I dropped my work pass while tinkering with the elevator earlier. Worst of all, this b*tch was the one who picked it up. How infuriating!

The next second, he pushed the security guards away in an attempt to leave. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Hands off me! I’m leaving this instance.”

At the same time, Zachary stood up and ordered the security guards to apprehend the man. “Leaving so soon? You spread malicious falsehoods about Radiant Corporation and expect me to turn a blind eye to it? No way. I’m holding you accountable for it.”

After the security guards had led the troublemaker away and handed him to the police, the crowd finally quietened down.

Since Christina had proven that she won the competition on her own merits, the other designers knew better than to continue mocking her. They instantly fell silent, not at all daring to mess with the talented young lady,

Once the competition ended, the contestants promptly returned backstage to pack up. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Christina lugged her big bag and left to look for lan

“Thank you for trusting me, Mr. Zimmerman,” she said with a polite bow. “Also, thank you for hosting this competition so I can showcase my skills to the world.”

Back then, lan was the only one who had stepped forward to help her when everyone else questioned her ability. If it weren’t for him, people would truly think she made her way up by selling her body, and she’d be reduced to nothing more than an embarrassment in the fashion industry.

Ian had recently taken to wearing a black shirt that was both flattering and also lent him an almost mysterious and cold aura.

“The person you should be thanking isn’t me. It’s Nathaniel Hadley,” he said smilingly.

Christina’s eyes widened as she stared at the man in confusion. “Huh?”

“He called me the day after your scandal broke and instructed me to put on this act of rescuing a damsel in distress. He was also the one who paid for all of the competition’s expenses.”

After lan had taken his leave, Christina remained speechless and frozen to her spot.

The day after the scandal… Wasn’t Nathaniel overseas, then? He still cared so much about me even though he was bury, huh?

Christina felt all warm and fuzzy in her heart, which instantly dispelled her prejudice against. Nathaniel.

When she finally got out of her daze, she fished out her phone and dialed the latter’s number. Within seconds, the call went through. “Where are you?” she asked. “I want to meet you.”

Nathaniel had been quietly monitoring the entire situation and even considered intervening as soon as things took a turn for the worse. To his surprise, Christina saved the day herself.

One thing was for sure-the young lady was not to be underestimated.

“What’s the matter? Do you miss me?” Nathaniel teased, his voice so silky smooth that there was no way one could be mad at him

Christina pursed her lips. Oh gosh. How is he always flirting with me, regardless of the situation?

“I’ll give you three seconds. If you can appear before the time is up, I’ll admit I miss you, she replied checkily

With that, she craned her neck to look at the entrances on either side of the building. At that moment, there was nothing but emptiness and pin-drop silence.

Nathaniel chuckled. “Start counting”

m

Chapter 33 Couple Watches

Bathed in the warm glow of the street lights, Christina walked down the deserted streets and looked around her.

The next second, she spoke into the phone. “Three, two, one.

As soon as she finished counting down, a sleek, black Jaguar suddenly skidded to a halt in front of her, the gust of wind causing her skirt to fly up. It was, without a doubt, quite a sight to behold.

Everything happened so fast that Christina jumped in shock, heaving a sigh of relief only when she saw Nathaniel stepping out of the driver’s seat.

Argh. I forgot that Nathaniel has many cars and changes them frequently. Sometimes I don’t even recognize them….

Ever the gentleman, Nathaniel strode toward Christina and opened the passenger door for her.

The inside of the car was slightly cold, and while Christina was fastening her seat belt, Nathaniel whipped out a beautiful gift box and placed it in her hand. “Open it and have a look.”

Christina did as instructed, only to find an exquisite custom-made watch nestled within. With its bezel embellished with several brilliant-cut diamonds, it was both luxurious and tastefully elegant.

“Thank you. Isn’t this really expensive, though? I don’t think I can accept it.”

Upon hearing that, Nathaniel pulled up his sleeve to reveal a similarly designed watch around his left wrist. “These are couple watches. What am I supposed to do if you don’t wear yours? Wear them both?”

Christina instantly burst into laughter.

She would’ve flatly refused Nathaniel’s gift in the past, but now, she was so touched by everything he had done for her that she couldn’t find a reason to turn him down.

With that thought in mind, she wore the watch on her right wrist to match Nathaniel.

When the car stopped at the traffic lights, Christina suddenly realized they weren’t headed toward her grandmother’s place. “Where are you taking me to?”

“Back to Scenic Garden Manor, Nathaniel replied matter-of-factly.

Christina immediately puffed up her cheeks like a hamster. “I haven’t agreed to move back in with you.”

Nathaniel turned his head to look at the woman, and for a moment, he was utterly mesmerized by how beautiful she was under the glow of the lights.

I can’t play hardball with her. I can’t play hardball with her. I can’t play hardball with her…

Having reminded himself, he gently pinched Christina’s chin and ran his thumb over her lips. “Please give up this stubborn resistance of yours as soon as possible. You’re mine.”

“And what if I don’t?” Christina retorted, looking especially bewitching with her fluttering lashes and cheeky grin.

Nathaniel moved his hand to the back of her head and lightly pulled her to him, his gaze dark and

intimidating.

The next second, he tilted his head and leaned into her car. “If you don’t, I’ll just have to badger you to death until you willingly come back to me.”

For a moment, Christina was stunned. Oh, my… What is this power that he has over me? Why does his voice always make me shudder uncontrollably? Besides, why does this love confession sound more like a ruthless businessman trying to force a deal?

When the traffic lights finally turned green, Nathaniel turned the car around and drove toward Evelyn’s

house in the eastern district.

Less than half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a small villa, its courtyard dimly lit with a warm yellow light

Christina unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to the driver’s seat. “You don’t have to get down. I can head inside myself. By the way, regarding the competition… Thank you.”

By then, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and it was clear to see she was somewhat embarrassed.

Nathaniel’s gaze darkened as he held the back of Christina’s head and leaned in to kiss her.

A while later, he let go of the woman in his arms, albeit with much reluctance. Christina, on the other hand, hastily said goodnight to him and stepped out of the car.

She jogged into the house, her heart pounding like a drum as she did. The man’s scent lingered on her lips, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get the sight of them locking lips out of her mind…

The next day, Christina had to make a mad dash to the office after having overslept.

Gina approached her and handed her an employment letter. “Congratulations! From today onward, you’re no longer an intern. You’re officially a designer at Radiant Corporation! Best of luck!”

“Thank you. Ms. Tanner, Christina replied as she stared at the official letterhead, happy that the company had finally recognized her abilities..

Becoming a designer was her first step forward, but the work of one was far from being a walk in the park.

Not only did Radiant Corporation create designs for its own brand, but it also collaborated with several other companies. As such, Gina assigned Christina to follow and learn from another designer, Anna.

“You’re in for a treat, Christina!” Anna said proudly. “Our next collaboration is with one of the biggest celebrities, Xandra Sullivan!”

It was undeniably an honor to work with an A-list celebrity, but to Christina, Xandra’s name was one that she dreaded hearing.

Previously, we parted ways on a sour note at the store. If Xandra finds out I’m in charge of designing her clothes now, I’m sure she’d make things difficult for me…

Despite that, Christina forced a smile and nodded. “Yes, Ms. Anna.”

As it turned out, it was also Anna’s first time working with a top celebrity, so her enthusiasm was palpable. “Pack your things. We’re going for a meeting in the conference room.”

“Huh? Is Xandra already here?” Christina muttered in shock. “Are we meeting her now?”

“Oh, you ignorant child. She may be a celebrity, but she’s still human. As her designers, it’s our job to meet with her and learn about her requirements,” Anna scoffed. Ha! This must be her first time meeting someone so famous. That’s why she’s scared.

Without further ado, she shoved a pile of documents into Christina’s hands and led her to the conference room.

Three people-Xandra, her assistant, and Zachary-were already seated and waiting inside.

Interestingly enough, Xandra showed no trace of surprise when she saw Christina walking in. Instead, she gazed at the latter like a hunter zeroing in on his prey.

Zachary smiled and wasted no time making the introductions. “This is Anna, one of our most experienced senior designers. I have no doubt she’d be able to design a dress to your liking”

He had known Xandra for as long as he knew Nathaniel, so one could say that they were all old friends.

To his surprise, Xandra threw a dress design draft onto the table. It was Anna’s sketch, and from the looks of it. Xandra wasn’t happy with the design.

“I don’t think Anna’s design suits my style. I want this other designer to do it,” Xandra said as she pointed a slender finger at Christina.

Naturally, Christina was shocked to be picked, while Anna felt embarrassed to have her designs shot down so brutally.

Meanwhile, Zachary was caught between a rock and a hard place. He saw how angry Anna was, but since Christina had performed exceptionally well at the competition, he decided to give in to Xandra. “All right. If there’s anything you aren’t satisfied with. I’ll get you another designer.”

Xandra curled her lips into an enigmatic smile. “Oh, I’m sure Ms. Steele will do her best. As for Ms. Anna, why don’t we assign her to be Ms. Steele’s assistant?”

After all, one person’s solo effort was never enough to complete an evening gown.

Anna instantly turned ashen-faced. It felt like she had fallen from grace, and the pain was excruciating

“No need. L…” Christina mumbled as a glint flashed across her eyes. Xandra sure has learned a lot from her acting roles… She’s become so good at scheming! This ploy of hers is to turn everyone around me int my enemy’

 

Chapter 34 Preferential Treatment

Before Christina could finish her words, Anna interrupted. “Okay. I’ll be Christina’s assistant. As long as we finish the job, it doesn’t matter who’s in charge.”

Zachary nodded in satisfaction. Yes. That’s the way it should be. We’re a company, and teamwork is what’s most important.

“That’s all, then. You guys can leave now,” he ordered, eyes roaming over Christina’s exquisite little face.

Xandra felt her brows twitch as she clenched her fists tightly, Christina Steele’s a viren! I can’t believe she’s seducing every man in her sight. According to the housekeepers I bribed at Scenic Garden Manor. Christina has already moved out… That must mean her relationship with Nathaniel has turned sour! Otherwise, why would she live elsewhere instead of in a sprawling mansion?

Just then, Xandra noticed a custom-made luxury watch on Christina’s wrist.

Ha. I know what Christina’s family background is like. There’s no way she can afford such an expensive watch. One of those men she seduced must’ve bought it for her.

Soon, Christina left the conference room with Anna.

Whether Xandra had purposefully intended for it or not, her actions would undeniably cause Christina to attract the wrath of her colleagues. How could tongues not wag when a newly hired intern shot up the ranks overnight to become a chief designer?

“Nathaniel has returned from his work trip, hasn’t he? Shall we meet for dinner tonight?” Xandra asked, grinning from ear to ear whenever she talked about Nathaniel.

“Sure, I’ll call him,” Zachary said before dialing the latter’s number and getting a reply in less than ten seconds. “Okay. He’s down for it.”

Xandra’s face immediately lit up as she called out to Christina. “I want to see the design first thing tomorrow morning. Would that be all right with you?”

It was no easy feat to complete a design sketch in a short amount of time, and Anna knew that well.

However, just as she was about to speak up for Christina, the latter stopped her.

Oh, I know what Xandra’s playing at. She’s having dinner with Nathaniel tonight and doesn’t want me to interfere. That’s why she’s making things difficult for me.

“Sure,” Christina answered before strutting out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Once she was back at her desk, she calmed her racing thoughts and prepared to work.

Anna, who was standing beside her, let out a heavy sigh. “Well, I didn’t know you guys were acquainted.”

“Huh?” Christina exclaimed before realizing what Anna meant and smiled. “Yes. She’s deliberately putting me in a spot. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Don’t worry about it. Carry on with your work,” Anna reassured and walked away.

Ah… After being in the fashion industry for so many years, this isn’t the first time I’ve been replaced or transferred. It’s no big deal. I’m already used to it.

As soon as Anna left, Christina threw herself back to work. She was now officially a designer, and letting personal grudges get in the way would be unprofessional.

Without further ado, she scoured the internet for photos of Xandra in evening gowns. The latter smiled brightly in all of them and carried herself with a regal bearing that fit her celebrity status. After analyzing her strengths and weaknesses, Christina finally had an idea for a dress.

Even though it had become popular to use tablets and design software for sketches, Christina still preferred the old-fashioned method.

After all, using the good old paper and pencil gave her the peace to think creatively.

Just like that, Christina sketched out draft after draft and made several changes to the details. By the time the outline was completed, it was already seven at night.

Her other colleagues had left, leaving her all alone in the office. She stretched herself out, feeling content that the only thing left to do was the coloring.

Having sat in her chair for an entire afternoon, Christina decided to grab a glass of water from the pantry when her phone suddenly rang.

Nathaniel’s deep voice rang out from the other end. “What are you doing?”

“I’m working overtime. What about you?” Christina replied as she stepped into the pantry and instinctively checked the time.

Hmm… He’s probably having dinner with his friends now.

“I’m about to have my dinner. Have you eaten?”

“No,” the woman answered before gulping her water and letting out a satisfied sigh.

The soft, pleasant sound was music to Nathaniel’s ears, and he couldn’t help but recall how pretty Christina’s lips were.

“I’ll go find you. We can have dinner together.”

Before the latter could turn him down, he hung up and turned off his phone.

Back in the private room, a spread of delectable dishes had been laid out on the table, and the fragrance of red wine permeated the air.

Upon entering the room, Nathaniel saw Zachary and lan sitting together, leaving an empty seat between themselves and Xandra.

“Here, Nathaniel. Take a seat,” Xandra urged.

She had gotten herself all dolled up for the occasion and even picked a beautiful diamond necklace to complement her low-cut black dress. One thing was for sure-she was every bit as pretty in real life as

she was on television.

Nathaniel merely glanced at Xandra and sat beside Ian.

Needless to say. Xandra was upset and embarrassed by the man’s outright rejection. Thankfully, Zachary took the initiative to break the awkward silence and sat beside her. “Nathaniel is such a bore, All women aren’t any different from men in his eyes.”

At least to them, that was the case. It was why Nathaniel was always cool as a cucumber in front of

Women

In response, Xandra merely smiled to hide her embarrassment. It’s not true that he treats all women the same… Christina, for one, gets treated very differently!

Throughout the dinner, Nathaniel barely ate anything and only had a few sips of water.

Ten minutes later, a server entered the room and handed Nathaniel several takeaway boxes.

With that, the latter stood up and excused himself. “I’ll be taking my leave now. I have another appointment.”

“Leaving just like that after packing so much food?” Zachary teased. “Be honest. Are you going on a date”

“Yes. Besides, you’re treating us, so I had to order the most expensive dishes, Nathaniel muttered before striding out of the room

Zachary, on the other hand, fumed in silence. Argh! Nathaniel’s such an insensitive jerk! How dare he make me pay for his dates!

Xandra didn’t snap out of her daze until the door to the room closed.

I-I saw the watch on Nathaniel’s wrist when he grabbed the takeaway boxes earlier… It’s the same as the one Christina had! He’s going to look for her! Oh, that wretched b*tch… What gives her the right to receive preferential treatment from Nathaniel? I’ll be sure to make life difficult for that b*tch tomorrow!

Back in the large, spacious office, it was mostly dark except for the area Christina was in.

She had been busy coloring the design draft and had just completed it when she heard the door opening.

Nathaniel was so tall that he towered over the desks, making it easy for Christina to spot his handsome face when she lifted her gaze.

With his neatly styled hair, black tailored suit, and that unmistakable glint in his eye, one look from him was enough to sweep countless young women off their feet.

The closer Nathaniel got to Christina, the more the latter could see the takeaway boxes in his hands.

Oh… So that’s what he meant when he suggested having dinner together. He was going to order takeout.

The next second, Christina hastily cleared the table and took the five big boxes from Nathaniel.

“Hmm… Are there no carbohydrates like potatoes or pasta?” she asked as she looked up at the man.

For a moment, Nathaniel was taken aback. “No.”

As could be seen, it was his first time ordering takeout, and he was utterly clueless about the need for a more substantial carbohydrate dish.

 

Chapter 35 Design Knowledge.

Christina chuckled softly. “It’s all good. Eating these without carbs can be just as satisfying as anything else.”

She offered him her seat and sat beside him. Eating just the food would make them thirsty, so she diligently poured two cups of warm water for the two of them.

Nathaniel had never experienced having a meal with plain water before, and his eyes were drawn to the pink cup. Curiosity bubbled up within him as he wondered if that was the cup Christina usually

used to drink water.

“Eat up.” she urged, putting a piece of meat on his plate.

In response, Nathaniel grunted in acknowledgment and retracted his gaze.

They were sitting so close to each other that if either of them moved their arms, it would cause them to come into contact with each other.

Nathaniel was too eye-catching, so Christina could not help but steal glances at his profile.

He was an exceptionally cultured person, and he ate his food at a leisurely pace. His teeth were grinding, but his mouth stayed closed. Due to his firm pectoral muscles, his broad chest seemed on the brink of bursting through the fabric of his crisp white shirt.

Nathaniel suddenly let out a soft cough, startling Christina so much that she quickly looked away.

Without saying a word, he reached out an arm and picked up the cup before bringing it to his lips and sipping at it.

The rim of the cup smelled faintly of Christina’s lipstick, and when he sipped from it, the water was delightfully sweet.

When Christina discovered he was using her cup and his lips were touching the lipstick stain she had left on it, she said, “You took the wrong cup. That’s mine.”

Nathaniel nonchalantly swept his gaze over the cup. There was no hint of astonishment in his demeanor as he placed the cup aside and remarked. “I don’t like using disposable cups.”

It was clear to her that he had not taken her cup wrongly. Instead, he had deliberately chosen to use her cup.

After they had finished lunch, Christina cleared the table and disposed of the rubbish in the bin before heading back to her office, where she found Nathaniel perusing her design.

“Do you have knowledge of design as well?” she asked curiously.

The man raised his head to give her an unfathomable look. “I’m the boss, after all.”

pantry’s

As the owner of Radiant Corporation, he was undoubtedly required to possess a comprehensive understanding of the fashion industry, Radiant Corporation had managed to take the fashion world by storm in a relatively short period, and its success was not merely attributable to a handful of talented designers.

Placing her arms behind her back, Christina regarded him with a sincere gaze as she inquired. “What

do you think about my design?”

In her opmon, her design was overall acceptable, but there was something lacking that she could not quite identity

Nathaniel pu her design down and stared at her. “I do have some opinions about it. Come closer to me, and I’ll tell you about it.”

There’s no one here Why would he need to whisper?

Despite her puzzlement, Christina stood on tiptoes as she leaned her head forward in an attempt to

close the distance between them.

This brings back memories. Back when I was still a student. I used to gossip with my classmates in this manner because we had to be wary of others.

As she moved closer, her bodily scent drifted into Nathaniel’s nostrils, filling him with an awareness of

her neartiesS.

Without warning, he tilted his head slightly and brushed his lips across her cheek in what seemed like an unintentional gesture

Caught by suprise, Christina delt her hackles rise as she believed he was taking advantage of her. She was about to respond with a scathing retort when he unexpectedly said, “I’ve gone ahead and edited the design for you.”

Christina huffed angrily as she picked up her draft. Indeed, there were marks of edits on the paper. Upon scrutiny, she noted that the majority of the changes had been to the color scheme. He had replaced her orignal colors with an elegant yellow and a stylish blue. The combination of those two colors created a stark contrast that looked high-fashion and modern.

Her design looked so much more aesthetically pleasing then.

Contented, Christina decided to drop the matter.

Once the duo packed up their things, they left the company together. Knowing that it was important to remain anonymous from their previous experience, she had the foresight to cover her face with a mask and pull a cap over her head to obscure her identity.

After shooting a glance at her, Nathaniel asked. “Is it that embarrassing to be seen with me?” He seemed displeased to see her all wrapped up.

“I don’t want to be gossiped about by others,” Christina replied. She had no interest in getting caught up in any kind of scandal, preferring instead to stay focused on her work.

At that, he quirked the corners of his lips into a smile. “Get in. I’ll give you a ride home”

The following day, Xandra arrived at the office early in the morning and demanded to see the design

Gina was present in the reception room as well. Right after walking through the door. Christina presented the design she had completed the night before.

Xandra took the design from her and threw it on the floor two seconds later. “What kind of design is this? It’s hideous”

Christina’s expression changed slightly. Without even taking the time to examine it closely, she carelessly threw away my design in less than three seconds and harshly criticized it.

Xandra’s ruthless action of stepping on the design that she had crafted with painstaking precision over the course of one day caused a wave of humiliation to wash over her, leaving her feeling as though her pride had been utterly wounded.

Christina clenched her teeth silently. At university, her lecturer taught them not to doubt their own designs as everyone had different tastes.

Patiently, she inquired, “Ms. Sullivan, could you please tell me what you dislike about the designi? 1 would be more than happy to make whatever alterations you require.”

With arms akimbo, Xandra replied carelessly. “I like nothing about it. Prepare another design for me.”

She was making trouble for Christina on purpose, being of the opinion that she was the client and clients were always right.

Serves you right for wearing a couple’s watch and taking Nathaniel away from my mealtime with him.

It thrilled Xandra immensely that she was able to release her pent-up frustrations onto Christing after being snubbed by Nathaniel.

Gina, who was watching from the side, could tell that Christina was in a tough spot, but she knew it was pointless to intervene in the situation at the moment. After all, Xandra was intent on making things as difficult as possible for Christina.

Although Gina had no idea what their conflict was, she felt that Christina was truly unlucky to get Xandra as her client.

“Okay. I’ll come up with another design,” Christina said as she bent down to pick up her draft, brushing off any dust that had gathered on it.

Thank goodness that it didn’t get dirty.

Raising her bright eyes, she met Xandra’s gaze and announced. “This gown was designed according to your figure, Ms. Sullivan. Since you dislike it, I shall hand it to Ms. Michelle Ledger, then. Anyway,

her figure is the same as yours, so I believe she’ll also look gorgeous in it,”

Michelle and Xandra both made their debuts during the same period, and their styles were strikingly similar as both were mature and sophisticated. As a result, they often found themselves in competition. for the same work opportunities.

Xandra had been overshadowed by Michelle on the red carpet a couple of times. If she were to lose another bout with her rival, she would undoubtedly become the laughingstock of the entire showbiz.

“How could you give the design I rejected to someone else?” Xandra scowled.

“That’s right. You rejected it, so why can’t I give it to someone else?” Christina felt as though she had heard a joke.

Aware of Christina’s intentions. Gina gave her a glance before chiming in, “Ms. Sullivan, we have the right to provide the design you rejected to other clients. Unless, of course, you would like to keep it for yourself.”

Christina was delighted to learn that her team leader was on her side.

Xandra clenched her teeth silently. While it was important for her to make things difficult for Christina, it would be worse if her rival were to steal her thunder.

Having made up her mind, she snatched the design from Christina and declared, “Your design isn’t particularly remarkable, but I’d look great in anything since Im pretty. This gown belongs to me!”

“Okay, then. We’ll do our best to complete the gown as soon as possible.” Christina retrieved the design and strode out of the reception room.

Back at her office, she could not help but allow a soft chuckle to escape her lips. The whole scenario of Michelle working in collaboration with them was merely a fabricated story on her end. During her

research, she discovered that Michelle and Xandra were often seen in competition with each other, with their feuds constantly making their way into the news headlines.

Hence, she had planned to use bring up Michelle should Xandra try to make things difficult for her.

The work day went exceptionally well for Christina. When it was about time to get off work, her mood was suddenly ruined by a phone call from the Steele residence.

“Christina Steele, get your butt back home now!”

 

Chapter 36 I Am Busy At Work

Hearing Gideon’s impatient voice at the other end of the line, Christina had to fight back the urge to hang up on him.

“What is this about? I’m busy at work,” she responded indifferently.

Gideon took a deep breath, and his voice turned grim as he said, “It’s already the end of a workday, so come back home now. This is about your mother.”

At the mention of her mother. Christina felt her heart leap to her throat. “I’ll come back home now.”

After hanging up, she quickly tidied her desk and left.

When Christina pulled up in a taxi to the Steele residence, the imposing black steel gates were already. wide open. She got out of the taxi and made her way into the house.

Before she even stepped into the house, she could hear Emilia’s coy voice. “Nathaniel, try some of the white strawberries. They were flown in this morning!”

Nathaniel was not at all interested in the fruits, so Miranda told the housekeeper to bring them some tea. “Nathaniel, have some tea. This is an expensive and delicious variety imported from Ustrana.”

Lounging on the ivory-white couch. Nathaniel had his legs crossed in a graceful manner. His top for the day was a white shirt and black vest that drew attention to his well-built body, and his pants were perfectly ironed out with no signs of creases. Like himself, his attire was cold and unapproachable.

His ebony eyes were slightly narrowed as he regarded the elegantly-dressed mother and daughter with a gleam of frostiness in his gaze.

The price of the snacks on the table is sufficient to pay for Christina’s tuition fees for an entire year. Just how do they usually bully my girl?

“You’re Emilia Steele, right?” Nathaniel suddenly spoke up.

Emilia grew excited to hear her name fall from the man’s lips. “You remember my name. Nathaniel?” she replied, nodding eagerly.

The man’s brows furrowed together. “You are both daughters of the Steele family, so why is Christina wearing such inexpensive clothing while you are dressed so extravagantly?”

He sounded as if he was interrogating prisoners, pressing them for immediate responses without allowing them a moment to pause and consider their replies.

Emilia was taken aback to hear Nathaniel pose such a sharp inquiry. After all, she had not anticipated him to do so before everyone else, nor was she as acute as Christina to be able to react to it immediately.

Since we were young. Mom never bought pretty clothes for Christina or treated her well. Despite being known to the public as the eldest daughter of the Steele family, Christina wears clothes that are cheaper than our housekeeper’s

Miranda offered a placating smile as she explained. “Nathaniel, you may not know this since you haven’t had many chances to spend time with Christina, but she has always been a hard-working girl and is used to living a frugal lifestyle. This is why she isn’t comfortable wearing clothes of famous

brands or living in luxury.”

In an instant, Emilia was filled with admiration for her mother and inwardly praised her for giving Nathaniel such a suitable explanation. “That’s right, Nathaniel Christina doesn’t like wearing expensive

clothes.”

Christina, standing in the doorway, never anticipated that she would hear such deceptive words as soon as she reached home.

How could she say I don’t like wearing expensive clothes? Miranda never bought me anything but always spoils Emilia with costly garments. Not only that, but she would often serve delicious meals to Emilia’s room while I would be subjected to her abuse in the form of yelling and physical punishments.

The childhood trauma left an unelidable mark in her heart.

Nathaniel was not foolish enough to trust their nonsense. “Christina doesn’t like wearing cheap brands. like these, so I make sure to provide her with clothes from international brands. Most importantly, Christina looks gorgeous in anythin

He was indirectly mocking that Emilia could never rival Christina in terms of beauty, regardless of how expensive her attire might have been.

To their consternation, Nathaniel sounded affectionate whenever he mentioned Christina’s name.

Miranda was observant enough to realize that Nathaniel was very protective of Christina. Any negative comments about her would likely be met with his displeasure.

With that, she gave Emilia a pinch covertly. When their eyes met, through her gaze, she hinted at the latter to cease antagonizing Nathaniel.

Afterward, she shot Nathaniel an apologetic smile. “You’re right, Nathaniel. Christina is indeed a sensible child.”

A faint smile slowly spread across the man’s face when he heard her words of praise for his wife. It was only then that his spirits were finally lifted.

Meanwhile, Christina felt warmth enveloping her heart, and she could not help but smile softly.

It came as a surprise to her that Nathaniel was willing to defend her to that extent. He even deliberately. satirized Miranda and Emilia, Well, to be honest, it’s quite exhilarating to see them be humiliated by him.

Just as she was about to head into the house, Gideon grabbed her arm from behind.

Christina looked over her shoulder and retracted her arm from his grip. “What is it, Dad?”

Gideon’s expression was solemn as he handed her a document. This is a project our company preparing to develop. I’d like to collaborate with Nathaniel, so have him sign this document.”

Oh, so this was why he summoned me back home. He wants me to get Nathaniel to sign this document. No wonder Nathaniel is here, too. They must’ve invited him here without informing me in advance.

Instead of accepting the document, Christina said, “I usually don’t interfere with his work affairs. If you have anything to discuss with him, do it yourself.”

Her tone was flat but was still surprisingly melodic and pleasant to the car.

Nevertheless, her face was expressionless, giving her a distant and detached air

Gideon had not expected Christina to reject his request Instinctively, he wanted to fly into a rage bur was forced to curb his temper and put on a fake smile upon glimpsing Nathaniel’s gaze on them

“I’m ashamed to ask for his help. You’re my daughter and Nathaniel’s wife, so I’m sure you’ll get him to. sign this easily, he explained, thrusting the document into her hands without waiting for her reply.

In that instant, Christina felt like a donkey being forced to dance. Her relationship with Nathaniel was far from intimate, in which the two of them could give of themselves selflessly to one another without a second thought.

Just as she intended to reject Gideon again, he had already stridden into the living room “Nathaniel, why don’t you join us for dinner?” he asked politely, standing next to the couch.

In the face of the Hadleys, who had a much greater social standing than them, the Steeles had to constantly maintain an ingratiating attitude, regardless of the time and place.

Christina felt disgusted by their behavior.

When she joined them in the living room, Nathaniel raised his head to look at her and asked, “Are you hungry?”

It was quite evident to everyone working in the Steele household that Nathaniel’s tone became considerably gentler when he spoke with Christina. They reckoned that he would not even consider setting foot in the Steele residence if it were not for her presence.

In fact, his behavior toward Christina made them surmise that he would forbid others from having dinner if she did not feel like eating.

Christina could not help but feel a slight sense of elation when she perceived Emilia glaring at her enviously from the corner of her eye.

Turning to Nathaniel, she flashed him a grin and replied, “Yes, I’m hungry

Her eyes were shining with a languid and adorable look. If not for the fact that they were in public, Nathaniel would not have been able to suppress the urge to take her in his arms and pinch her checks.

After getting to his feet, he took Christina’s hand and announced, “Let’s eat”

Gideon led them to the dining room, where they took their seats. During dinner, it was mostly he and his wife who did the talking.

Nathaniel rarely spoke as he was busy serving Christina food.

In the past Miranda would always go out of her way to serve Emilia first, but on that day, all the scrumptious dishes were placed on Christina’s plate. At that sight, Emilia could not help but feel that someone had taken over her rightful place.

A deep-seated sense of envy and jealousy raged in her heart. The anger she felt prompted her to grit her teeth so hard that her gums even began to bleed.

Thanks to Nathaniel, Christina had her first-ever filling meal at the Steele residence.

Just as she was about to munch on a piece of meat, something warm pressed against the outer side of

her thigh.

 

Chapter 37 Teach Her A Lesson

The family dinner was a solemn affair. However, beneath the table, there was something else happening between Christina and Nathaniel.

When the man’s warm hand came to rest on Christina’s knee, her body trembled in shock, and she nearly dropped the piece of meat.

Tilting her head, she glared at him surreptitiously to tell him to cut it out..

Yet, it only caused Nathaniel to be amused. Meeting her widened eyes, he found her anxious demeanor endearing and utterly adorable.

He then ignored the warning look in her eyes and continued eating in an elegant manner akin to a prince’s.

Christina was the most impressed by how he could maintain a tranquil expression throughout it all, as though he was not the one touching her knee beneath the table.

His mastery in masking his real emotions reminded her of an experienced magician.

When his hand stopped moving across her thigh, Christina assumed that he no longer found it fun, so she proceeded to ignore him.

No sooner had she crammed the meat into her mouth and began to chew than she suddenly coughed. and expelled the contents of her mouth onto the face of Emilia, who had been seated directly across from her.

A deathly hush fell over the dining table. No one expected Christina to be capable of doing something as rude as spitting out food during the meal.

Emilia came to her senses and belatedly realized that Christina had spat food on her face, causing her delicate makeup to be ruined entirely,

“Ah! Christina, why are you so uncouth? This is disgusting!” she screamed tearfully as she ran away.

At that sight, the housekeepers could not help but snicker among themselves.

Gideon had hoped to have Emilia showcase her best qualities in front of Nathaniel so as to make a good impression on the latter, but his hopes were dashed.

He glowered at the housekeepers to stop them from laughing at his beloved daughter.

Someone let out a derisive chuckle beside him.

At once, sheer anger washed over Gideon, and he vowed to fire the housekeeper who had the audacity to laugh at his daughter.

He shifted his gaze toward the source of that laughter, only to see Nathaniel propping his right arm on the table with his fingertips on his lips. One could not deny that the smirk on the latter’s face was downright mesmerizing.

Mr. Hadley was the one who snorted!

At that realization, Miranda and Gideon lapsed into silence, their expressions turning as black as thunder.

It was never Christina’s intention to humiliate Emilia. They might be at odds, but she was not uncivilized.

Then, she shot a discreet look at Nathaniel, the culprit. It was all his fault! I only spit out the food in my mouth because he frightened me by pinching my thigh when I was focused on eating!

Fury brimmed in Miranda’s eyes, but she dared not reveal her displeasure toward Christina as Nathaniel was still around.

Miranda waited until she finished her food before she headed to Emilia’s room to check on the latter. doing so under the excuse of needing the bathroom.

Emilia had washed her face, but her makeup was all smeared. She looked like she had just come out of the pool.

“Mom, Christina must have done that on purpose! Teach her a lesson on my behalf!” Emilia whined.

Heartbroken at how miserable Emilia looked, Miranda took her hand and comforted her, “Don’t be mad and quickly clean yourself up. Show them what you’re made of by taking Nathaniel away from her. I can’t help you if you stay in your room and wallow in despair.”

Emilia felt that her mother’s words made sense. Stealing Nathaniel away from Christina was her only way to take revenge on the latter.

After comforting Emilia, Miranda walked out of the bedroom.

By then. Christina had finished her meal and was about to leave with Nathaniel.

Since the start of the dinner, Christina had not mentioned a word about the collaboration to Nathaniel. so Gideon grew increasingly anxious and repeatedly gave her looks to remind her

Alas, Christina refused to meet his eyes and merely communicated with Nathaniel briefly.

A wave of fury crashed through Gideon, but he could not lash out at her. After some deliberation, he said. “Christina, you previously mentioned that you would discuss the collaboration with Nathaniel. How

did it go?”

Nathaniel tilted his head to look at the woman beside her. “What collaboration? You didn’t tell me anything about it.”

Christina wanted to leave after finishing the strawberries; she could not be bothered to mention the collaboration.

Having grown up without any monetary support from Gideon, she was not willing to assist the Steele family in any way that could potentially lead to their success. It was none of her concern, anyway

Christina popped a white strawberry into her mouth. As expected, imported strawberries are sweeter than locally sourced ones.

After Gideon glared at her for the second time, she answered slowly. “Steele Group wants to collaborate with Hadley Corporation, but I don’t think that is necessary. After all, Steele Group will be taking advantage of Hadley Corporation in the collaboration as they lack the financial resources and connections required to do things on their own. I’m trying to save Dad’s face and prevent others from

accusing our family of riding on Hadley Corporation’s coattails”

Never in Gideon’s wildest dreams did he think Christina would have the guts to be so blunt. He felt rage pulsing through his veins. Not only did she degrade Steele Group, but she also accused me of being shameless! That’s absurdly outrageous of her!

The tension crackled in the air. If Nathaniel were not present, Gideon would have long ordered. someone to fetch him a stick so that he could give his unfilial daughter a severe beating.

It was rare for Christina to be so bold as to go against Gideon fearlessly.

In the past, she had tried pleasing the Steele family and endured many grievances for her mother’s

sake.

She even allowed them to arrange her marriage, but they still did not change their attitudes and continued treating her badly,

Right then, Nathaniel picked up the document from the table and glanced at it. “We’re a family, so this is not taking advantage of me. I’ll bring this home to review it and will give you my answer as soon as possible.”

His words had a calming effect, like a bucket of water dousing the flames of rage that had been smoldering within the room.

Gideon’s face lit up with joy. “Sure thing! Take your time, Nathaniel. You can call me if you need clarification on anything, or I can visit your office and explain things if needed.”

Christina snorted inwardly. What a shameless dog.

Her smile never wavered, and she hid her annoyance deep in her heart. No one could tell her true emotions.

Her complexion was so luminous that it almost seemed as if a filter had been applied to her skin. Her silky, dark hair framed her small face, making her look like an enchanting fairy that had recently descended from the heavens.

Her beauty was precisely why people were envious of her.

Christina stretched lazily and pressed her hands on Nathaniel’s shoulder. Gazing at his handsome face, she said, “I’m tired. Can we go home and sleep now?”

Nathaniel was captivated by the inadvertent cuteness in her behavior. “Mm. Let’s go.”

Gideon saw them to the door in an obsequious manner. Right then, Emilia descended the stairs and hollered. “Wait up, Nathaniel!”

She took extra care with her appearance, having applied a new makeup look and chosen clothes that were more daring than usual. Since she was a few centimeters shorter than him, her deliberate outfit choice of an off-shoulder chiffon shirt made sure that he would get an eyeful of her cleavage if he were to lower his gaze.

Disgusted, Christina hurried Nathaniel along.

As Nathaniel walked away, Emilia grew anxious and hastened to catch up with him. She was sure she could outshine Christina in her pretty clothes.

Wait up, Nathaniel! Ah!”

Delighted that she had finally caught up with Nathaniel, Emilia reached out boldly to grab his arm.

Without any warning. Christina used her ankle to trip Emilia, causing the latter to fall head-first onto the pebbled path. The pain prompted her to yelp in pain.

 

Chapter 38 Afraid Of Me

Emilia’s newly done makeup was smudged, and she was even more humiliated than before.

“Haha! I know you can’t bear to watch me leave, Emilia, but you don’t have to give me such an epic farewell!” Christina laughed cheekily.

Nathaniel then held Christina’s hand and brought her into the Maybach before driving off

By the time Emilia had risen to her feet, the car was long gone, and she was left with a few swollen bruises on her forehead.

“I’ll get back at you, Christina!” Emilia was livid.

“Wow! I didn’t expect Ms. Steele to have such a nice figure!”

“It seems like Mr. and Mrs. Steele have been feeding their daughter well! Haha!”

Emilia only realized something was wrong when she heard sniggering and perverted remarks coming from around her. It turned out that her top had split open as a result of the fall

At that moment, her assets were for everyone to see, and needless to say, the male housekeepers in the courtyard were enjoying the view.

“Ah!” Emilia covered herself up with her hands and ran back into the house while screaming. hysterically.

Gideon shouted furiously when he saw his favorite daughter getting embarrassed. Although he ordered the housekeepers to keep their mouths shut, he couldn’t stop them from thinking about what they had seen.

After all, they already ingrained the memory of how fair her skin was in their minds.

Miranda heard Emilia’s wails, so she and Gideon immediately went into the room to check on Emilia.

Emilia was all wrapped up in her blanket, and she was crying her eyes out.

Miranda’s heart wrenched as she said. “Don’t cry, Emilia. You have the most beautiful eyes.

“This is all Christina’s fault! I hate her!” Emilia screamed at the top of her lungs.

Gideon was also trying to console Emilia by saying, “Cheer up, Emilia. Your mom and I will help you. get Nathaniel back. That brat can’t possibly beat the three of us.”

Although Christina had formed a connection with the Hadley family, they were still not reaping the benefits because Christina wouldn’t let Nathaniel help them. The only way the Steele family could do to change the situation was by pairing Emilia and Nathaniel up.

Therefore, Gideon knew they had to use some tricks to make it happen.

Soon, the car arrived at a place with white fences and a patch of grass.

The black Maybach came to a halt on the path in front of the courtyard, and Christina was unbuckling her seat belt and getting ready to get out of the car.

With a hand on the steering wheel, Nathaniel gazed at Christina’s pretty face and asked. “Mrs. Hadley. I’ve helped you again. Even if you’re not planning to reward me, shouldn’t you at least say something nice to praise me?”

Christina scoffed in annoyance, crossing her arms. “Who told you to promise Gideon you would cooperate with him? You didn’t need to stoop so low for my sake.”

She hated the fact that the Steele family was taking advantage of her relationship with Nathaniel.

“I was doing it for your own good,” Nathaniel answered in a meaningful tone.

When he was talking, he even deliberately used a deep and sexy voice.

Christina merely looked at him silently, waiting for him to provide an explanation.

“If I were to reject him, he would surely make your life difficult, no? Although I gave him a verbal agreement, it doesn’t mean I won’t stall him. In the meantime, he’ll get off your back on my account.”

Nathaniel’s explanation was reasonable, and realization finally dawned upon Christina.

“In that case, thank you. I’ll go now. Goodnight!”

With that, she quickly got out of the car.

The car was parked on the other side of the entrance, so she had to walk around the car to get to the entrance. As she was walking past the front of the car, Nathaniel suddenly grabbed her slim wrist.

Staring at her with a slight frown and a sharp gaze, he asked, “Why are you in such a hurry? It’s not like I’m a monster. Are you afraid I’ll eat you up?”

He bites, though. Christina sensed his terrifying aura, and she felt a chill go down her spine when their eyes met up close.

“Is there anything else? I’m tired, and I want to sleep.” She narrowed her eyes lazily, looking exceptionally adorable.

Nathaniel knew she wanted to flee, so he said, “You can only leave after you give me a kiss.”, wwwww

Christina knew she couldn’t talk her way out of it, so she had no choice but to comply with his domineering request.

She stood on her toes and gave him a perfunctory peck on his flawless cheek.

Right when she thought she had already fulfilled his wishes, Nathaniel suddenly held the back of her head and pushed her toward him. Their lips were pressed tightly against each other.

The lights from the car shone on them, elongating their overlapped shadows.

Christina was forced to tilt her head upward and reciprocate the kiss. Their breaths entangled as the kiss deepened.

All of a sudden. Nathaniel lifted her off her feet and carried her from the head of the car to the side. where the lights wouldn’t reach them. Amidst the dimness, the atmosphere between them changed swiftly.

Without the light, Christina felt as though she was doing something inappropriate, worried that they would get caught at any moment.

However, the passion and desire within her inexplicably grew even more intense under such circumstances.

In the end, she sprinted into the house and ran all the way into her room before hiding under the blanket.

She could finally feel how rapidly her heart was pounding when silence enshrouded her.

At the same time, all she could think about was Nathaniel’s kiss.

She used to think Nathaniel was either a boring and conservative person or an aloof and indifferent. man. However, he was constantly surprising her and debunking her perceptions of him.

Nathaniel, you’re just irresistible, aren’t you? His charm and seductiveness never failed to make the pure and innocent Christina feel restless.

The following day, Christina sat up from the large bed when the alarm woke her up. After having a good night’s rest, she could finally prevent her thoughts from running wild,

Nathaniel had prepared racks of garments for her, enough for her to wear a different attire every day for a whole year.

Upon arriving at the office, she started working-

The next major event for the company was the anniversary celebration. Xandra was the highlight of the event, and she was modeling the clothes designed by Christina.

Recently, the company executives decided to venture into the men’s suit market. The Public Relations. Department felt that the anniversary event was an opportunity to showcase the company’s products. Hence, they proposed to invite a male model to walk alongside Xandra during the fashion show.

Apart from having a pair of stunning models showcasing the clothes, they could also publish a variety of designs. With that, the company could become the talk of the town.

During the meeting. Gina suggested having Christina design the male suit as well. Since the male model was walking alongside Xandra, it would only make sense if the models were wearing matching outfits designed by the same designer.

The staff members in the design department agreed with the suggestion. After all, Christina had been. the center of attention in the company and was a highly sought-after designer.

Furthermore, they had only been designing outfits for females, so they were inexperienced in terms of designing men’s outfits. Even if they were to snatch the job from Christina, they would only end up getting criticized for underperforming.

In the workplace, not doing anything was better than making mistakes.

Christina accepted the task and focused all her attention on it for the following month.

Working overtime at night had become a norm for her. Fortunately, the company was very accommodating as it provided the employees with three enormous design and tailoring rooms.

In fact, it was every designer’s dream to have such facilities.

One evening. Christina had a simple dinner and brought her tools to the tailoring room after altering her design draft.

She was working on a piece of white cloth, and her fair and slender fingers handled the cloth deftly. and professionally. After a few cuts here and there, the plain white cloth transformed into a shirt for men.

While she was totally focused on her work, she didn’t even notice someone had pushed the glass door open.

 

Chapter 39 Strawberry Cake

A man in black entered the room, and by the time Christina realized someone was there, the man was already standing before her eyes.

“Yosef? Why are you still here?” she asked.

That day. Yosef was dressed in a black shirt and jeans that made him look even taller than he already was.

With a long thin coat made of chiffon on the outside, he looked nothing short of dashing. Moreover, his handsome facial features made him look like a model off the cover of a magazine.

Yosef then calmly asked in a concerned tone, “I was about to leave, but I noticed how you’ve been working overtime lately. Hence, I decided to come over to check on you.”

Being a designer himself, he couldn’t help but show another fellow design enthusiast some care.

Christina handed him her design draft and uttered. “I ran into some problems. Please let me know what changes I should make.”

Ever since he was a university undergraduate, Yosef had been working in the industry and representing the company in international design competitions. Within a few years, he gained a reputation for himself, and everyone in the industry knew who he was.

It would be too hypocritical of him if he were to behave modestly.

He took Christina’s design and checked it out thoroughly. It was a design of a men’s suit with a neat and elegant style.

Yosef put the draft aside and replied, “The design is great, but it lacks inspiration.”

“What do you mean?” Christina asked. Is he calling me a dull person?

“Once you have a suit design in mind, you should picture a model wearing it. Only then can you find. the inspiration you’re looking for,” Yosef reminded her earnestly.

Christina had an epiphany as she stared at her design draft.

Seeing that Christina had understood what he meant, Yosef patted her shoulder and said, “Keep up good work.”

With that, he left. the Christina let out a sigh while looking at her design draft. No wonder I kept feeling like it lacked something.

That’s because I need a clear idea of what I want it to look like. From the beginning. I’ve been using male models on posters to find inspiration.

However, those were people in pictures, so the inspiration I get could be vague. That’s why my design lacked uniqueness.

With the drawing board in hand, Christina stared at the piece of blank paper while sitting at her desk. searching her mind for the perfect model she could envision. That was when the door was once again pushed open.

Christina lifted her gaze and saw a man with a perfect body ratio coming in.

Under the faint yellow light, the man’s gaze seemed deep and dark, and he was exuding a prideful and elegant aura.

He was wearing a white shirt with its hem tucked in to show off his muscular body. As he walked, he was radiating male pheromone all over.

“What are you doing here, Nathaniel?” she asked.

Nathaniel lifted his chin and uttered in a slightly arrogant tone. “This is my company. From an official standpoint, I’m here to check on my employee. From a personal standpoint, however…”

He suddenly narrowed his eyes like a cunning fox targeting a delicious bunny, and Christina blushed in response. “You don’t have to consider this from a personal standpoint. Just treat me as your employee.”

Nathaniel shrugged and placed the strawberry cake that he had been carrying on the table. “In that case, should I regard this cake as an official or an unofficial gesture?”

The exquisite-looking box had the logo of Sweet Cheeks printed on it. Sweet Cheeks was the most famous bakery in the city, and only thirty cakes were sold each day. Hence, their cakes were hard to come by.

Christina almost started salivating upon seeing the delicious-looking cream through the transparent box. “It’s already so late. How did you manage to get your hands on a cake from Sweet Cheeks?”

Nathaniel’s mood improved when he saw how happy she was. With a handsome smile on his face, he removed the golden ribbon on the box and said. “Don’t you know how incredible your husband is? It’s a walk in the park for me to demand even a hundred cakes from them, let alone one.”

The moment the box was opened, the amazing aroma of dairy permeated the room. Besides, the fresh strawberries and exquisite decorations on the cake made it look even more tantalizing.

“I know you’re amazing. Mr. Hadley!” Smiling, Christina stood up to take the fork and the knife that came with the cake. Right when she was about to cut the cake, Nathaniel grabbed her wrist.

His palm was so warm that she felt her wrist burning.

Nathaniel took the knife from her and passed her a fork. “Why would you cut such a beautiful cake? Why can’t you just cat it whole?”

Christina was stumped. “Aren’t we supposed to cut and share the cake in slices?”

With a serious look on his face, Nathaniel replied, “I don’t cut my cakes. In fact, I don’t divide any of my things. If I can’t have it all to myself, I would rather not have it at all.”

Seriously? It’s just a cake. Does he have to be this possessive? Christina flashed a casual smile and said, “All right. Let’s not cut it, then. I hope you won’t mind my saliva

Nathaniel smiled. “It’s not like I’ve never had it.”

Christina blushed and ignored his shameless statement before tasting a mouthful of cream.

The silky-smooth cream complemented the strawberries’ sweetness and the cake’s texture magnificently. The combined taste of the different compartments of the cake was extremely delicious.

That was not the first time Christina saw a cake from Sweet Cheeks, but she never got the chance to taste it before this.

Miranda would often preorder cakes from Sweet Cheeks for Emilia, and they would then give their leftovers to the servants rather than share them with Christina.

From that moment on, Christina vowed to work hard and make money on her own so that she could buy herself cakes from Sweet Cheeks.

Obviously, she didn’t expect her first cake from Sweet Cheeks to be a gift from Nathaniel.

Christina then passed Nathaniel a new fork and asked, “Don’t you want some?”

She was still chewing strawberries when she talked, so her speech was a little slurred, sounding like an adorable kitten.

A mere cake is enough to satisfy her and cheer her up. Is she innocent or just naive? Well, I like her either tay. Hearing that, Nathaniel inched toward her and said. “Feed me.”

Christina brought the fork to his mouth and fed him some cake. In response, he gazed at her affectionately and smiled. “It’s good.”

After finishing the cake, Christina went to the pantry to make two glasses of lemonade to wash the cake down.

Suddenly, Nathaniel received a phone call and walked toward the window to answer it.

It was most probably a business call because he was talking about some documentation issues.

Now that her tummy was full, Christina glanced at Nathaniel’s straight back and could feel her inspiration come flooding in.

I found the perfect model I was looking for! Within twenty seconds, Christina figured out what style and color she wanted for the suit.

She then quickly picked up her pencil and started drafting as quickly as she could. By the time Nathaniel was done with his phone call, he returned to see her satisfied with the design she had come up with.

“Let’s head home,” Nathaniel said.

Christina nodded and kept her draft aside in satisfaction. When she turned around and stood up. accidentally fell into Nathaniel’s embrace, she Just like that, her soft body bumped into Nathaniel’s muscular chest. The man didn’t see that coming. and was also caught by surprise. After taking a step backward, he wrapped his arms around her slim waist

 

Chapter 40 Make My Heart Race

Both of them unexpectedly landed in each other’s arms.

A tinge of redness swiftly tainted Christina’s cheeks, and her porcelain skin only served to accentuate the rosiness. The overlapping of both colors made her cheek look as gorgeous as a pink apple.

Without a second thought, Nathaniel went in for the kiss and tasted the faint sweetness in her mouth. She makes my heart race without even doing anything! Before this, I thought I was only attracted to her because

body didn’t react the way it would when I was with other women. Now, however, I know that I’ve fallen madly in love with this woman. My mind is filled with the different expressions she wears on her face when she’s acting serious, when she talks, and when she’s in my arms. All those scenes are deeply engraved in my soul, affecting every cell in my body. In fact, my blood burns with passion whenever I see her.

“We’re in the office.” Christina frowned slightly and gave him a light nudge before gazing at the glass door behind him.

It was so dark outside that she felt as though they were isolated from the world.

“Don’t worry. I’m blocking you.”

With that, Nathaniel kissed her again.

Not only was he a lot taller than Christina, but he was also very muscular. Therefore, he had not problem blocking her completely from view.

Christina could feel her face heating up, and she was losing her rationality as she kissed him back.

They moved from the side of the table to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Christina was eventually pinned against the window. While her back was facing the city lights, the man that made her heart thump wildly within her chest was right before her eyes.

The scene was so breathtakingly beautiful and mesmerizing that one could easily get lost in it.

The next day, Christina was done drafting the design of the suit by the time she reached the company.

She busied herself making the suit in the tailoring room for the next two weeks. Normally, the designer would have to personally tailor the outfit for the first time based on the design. Hence, Christina made sure to be very careful. This is my first show in Radiant Corporation, I shouldn’t mess it up.

Nathaniel had likewise been busy as well. However, she wasn’t concerned with what he was busy with. He would occasionally bring supper to the office for her before bringing her home.

Although they were both so busy that they wouldn’t even get to see each other for a few days in a row at times. Christina liked the way things were between them. It would be so tiring if we had to be with each other every single day. I think it’s good that we both have our own careers and our own dreams to achieve. Furthermore, the show is happening next week. I still have to prepare the accessories, so I will have my hands full.

A day before the show, Gina went to check on Christina’s progress. She has managed to get everything done on her own within such a short period of time. She’s rather efficient, it seems,

“You have to be there early to get ready tomorrow afternoon. Make sure to arrange your time. properly,” Gina reminded.

“Yes, Ms. Tanner.”

After chatting for a short while. Christina continued selecting her accessories for the show. She only got off work that night after getting everything done and ready.

Early the next morning, Christina arrived at the venue. It was an exhibition hall belonging to the Hadley family.

Radiant Corporation’s retail store was located on the first floor of the venue. Since there was a show that day, quite a few consumers were seen shopping in the store earlier than usual.

A while later, the seats below the stage were slowly occupied, and it was filled up within half an hour.

At that moment, the scene backstage was hectic. Xandra was sitting in a separate dressing room and was very uncooperative since the beginning. In fact, she was deliberately making things difficult for the designer.

When the makeup artist went outside for a glass of water and a breather, she couldn’t help but complain to her assistant. “You ought to stay sharp later. Otherwise, Ms. Sullivan will try to find fault with us.”

The assistant pouted and grumbled, “You were merely praising her skin out of courtesy, but she really thought her skin was flawless. The fact is that it was so hard to apply makeup on her face! If it weren’t for your excellent skills, there would be no saving her face!”

The makeup artist shook her head helplessly in response. “She’s in very bad shape today. No matter how pretty the dress is, it still can’t conceal her weariness.

“When I was out with my friends at the bar last night. I saw Xandra. She and her group of friends had a wild night, and they only left when the bar closed in the morning. How could she possibly do well today?”

When those two ladies were whispering, Christina showed up. She then greeted them with a nod before entering the dressing room.

Xandra’s expression turned grim when she saw Christina in the dressing room, and she merely shot Christina a glance and kept mum.

Right then, an employee from the Public Relations Department entered the room with the event itinerary in her hands. With a polite tone, the employee asked Xandra. “Are you ready, Ms. Sullivan? We need to rehearse and familiarize ourselves with the scene.”

Normally, fashion show models were required to familiarize themselves with the scene in order to prevent mistakes from happening.

In response, however, Xandra let out a cold snort and mocked, “Are the people from Public Relations Department stupid or something? Why are you asking me to check out the scene personally? Are you looking down upon me?” It seemed like Xandra was directing her hatred for Christina at the employee from Public Relations Department.

In Xandra’s defense, experienced models weren’t required to do so. However, the employee was merely carrying out an order given by her superiors.

Upon getting scolded for no reason, the employee was so terrified that words cluded her.

Xandra wasn’t bothered when she saw how startled the employee was. After all, that wasn’t her first time reprimanding others in public. Not only was she used to seeing others looking dejected after getting scolded, but she also enjoyed it.

Xandra then picked up her comb and nonchalantly combed her curly hair. “I only agreed to attend this pathetic event for Mr. Sacchetti’s sake.”

With that. Xandra turned toward Christina and mocked, “With such a cheap-looking design, I’ll look like I’m wearing rags. After the event, I think I have to tell Mr. Sacchetti to get rid of some designers with horrible taste.”

As soon as those words fell. a long and awkward silence ensued.

A number of colleagues at the scene looked at Christina silently. Even a fool could tell that Xandra was obviously mocking Christina.

The white light showered on Christina, forming a slender shadow. At the same time, her gaze had turned cold, and she couldn’t wait to disassociate herself from “the designer with horrible taste” that Xandra was talking about.

Three seconds later, Christina raised her sharp gaze and uttered. “Since you don’t like the dress, Ms. Sullivan, please take it off.”

The look in Christina’s eyes was so cold that the atmosphere in the room suddenly became chilly.

Besides, the way she was speaking so calmly proved that she was serious about what she said.

Upon hearing those words, everyone in the room gasped. Has Christina gone mad? How could she ask Xandra, a superstar, to take off the dress designed by her? Even if the dress doesn’t look good, Christina could stili make a name for herself if her design has been donned by a superstar!