Ch. 401..410
Chapter 401 Must Wear It
After work, the two of them returned to Scenic Garden Manor
Lucas and Camila ran up to them “Mommy, are you done renovating the new home?”
“It’s done I can take you to see it during the weekend Christina stroked their heads.
When Nathaniel saw how Lucas and Camila were trying to climb onto Christina like little kangaroos, he bent down and carried them “That condominium is so small. It’s not even as big as the lawn in front of our house. There’s nothing fun about it”
“Mommy bought a bunk bed! I want to go!”
Camila’s eyes crinkled when she smiled. She looked so adorable that others would buy anything she wanted without hesitation.
“We’ll go together during the weekend,” Christina promised.
Christina sent her kids to the kindergarten early in the morning.
“Monimy, I have a ballet performance at five in the afternoon. You must come on time to watch me. okay?” Camila blinked expectantly.
Christina kissed her little forehead. “Okay, my little princess. I promise.”
“See you in the afternoon.”
Holding her brother’s hand, Camila entered the kindergarten happily.
After breakfast, Camila was summoned to the dance studio by her ballet teacher.
The woman gazed at her with a gentle look. “Camila, you are going to perform with me later. Have you remembered the dance moves?”
Camila smiled faintly, revealing her cute dimples. “I’ve remembered them all, Ms. Taggart.”
The sunlight poured into the spacious office while Christina sat at her desk and sketched some design drafts.
As she had a habit of getting lost in her work, she set an alarm in advance to remind herself to pick up the kids from kindergarten before five.
When lunchtime approached, someone pushed the office door open.
“Aren’t you going for lunch?” Nathaniel’s charismatic voice sounded above her head.
Christina was so focused on her work that she did not even look up. Sounding as languid as a cat bathing in the warm sun, she said, “I’m going to watch Camila’s performance in the afternoon, so I need to quickly finish today’s work first.”
“You still need to eat regardless of how busy you are.”
Nathaniel reached out and took the tablet in front of her.
Like a cat whose food had been stolen away, Christina whined and stood up from her seat.
She grabbed the tablet back and saved the document before putting it down
“Let’s have lunch in my office.”
A satisfied smile appeared on Nathaniel’s face as he held her hand and walked out.
When they reached the office, Christina barely had time to react before she was pinned against the wall. A passionate kiss then greeted her.
Hugging her slender waist with one hand, Nathaniel slipped his other hand into his pocket, which contained a small velvet bag with a diamond ring.
It was the ring he had specially bought after Christina left.
At the time, he had bought it with the thought of putting the ring on her finger after finding her to tie her to him so that she could never leave him again.
Arching her head, Christina met his kiss. Suddenly, she felt him grip her wrist and restrain it. A cool sensation then descended upon her fingertip.
When she lowered her head, she spotted a ring on her finger.
The five-carat diamond ring shone dazzlingly underneath the light.
“I wanted to buy a bigger one. However, since I was afraid it would inconvenience you during work, I chose a more casual style.”
Nathaniel stretched out his hand, revealing that he was also wearing a matching wedding ring on his ring finger.
Taking off the ring without any hesitation, Christina complained softly, “I don’t want to wear a ring. Besides, how is a five-carat diamond ring casual?”
He just wanted everyone to know that she was a married woman.
Nathaniel placed his hand over her hand, stopping her. “If you don’t wear a wedding ring, others will think you’re single. Those new male colleagues are looking at you like hungry wolves seeing a tender
little rabbit.”
Christina did not know how to react.
Is it necessary to be this nervous just because a new male colleague spoke a few words to me in the elevator this morning?
“There’s no need for this, right?”
“You must wear it.”
Nathaniel hugged her slender waist and pressed her against the glass window. Lowering his head, he pressed his lips on hers, taking her breath away.
Just when Christina became completely defenseless, he slipped the wedding ring over her finger again.
Christina found the huge diamond extremely dazzling. “The five-carat diamond is blinding me. Let’s pick a ring that doesn’t stand out too much another day.”
One without diamonds
A satisfied smile formed on Nathaniel’s lips when he saw that she was no longer resisting “Okay”
He lowered his head slightly and kissed her lips. She could feel the warmth of his breath spreading across her body.
Although there was no one in the spacious office, Christina’s heart was constantly gripped with fear. She felt anxious, as if she had smick into someone’s house to steal something.
“Stop fooling out! We’re in the office now.”
She pushed Nathaniel away, her lipstick smudged from his kisses.
Nathaniel raised his hand and gently wiped the lipstick off the corner of her mouth, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
Christina’s face was flushing from his kisses.
Because of what the man did, she said that she was returning to work immediately after eating a bowl of food for lunch.
When she went to her office downstairs, Rayne noticed her smudged lipstick and reminded softly. “You’re going to meet a client later. Do you want to touch up your makeup?”
Christina’s face turned even redder. “Thanks for reminding me. I’ll do it now.”
She walked into the office and closed the door behind her. The scene of her kissing Nathaniel circled her mind repeatedly.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her bag and took out a compact mirror. She then powdered her face. and reapplied her lipstick.
Her phone’s alarm went off on time. Christina tidied up her desk quickly and hurried out.
When she was heading there, she received a call from Bailey. They arranged to meet at the kindergarten
gate.
Bailey was even more excited than Christina. “I’m going to take the best photos for Camila later!”
Soon, the homeroom teacher walked over and led them to the dance studio in the kindergarten.
Many parents had come to watch the performance that day. Bailey and Christina soon found some random seats adjacent to each other and sat down.
Bailey raised her phone, ready to start filming.
At the drop of the music, a little girl wearing a pink, fluffy ballet dress emerged.
With her adorable and innocent face, Camila swayed with the melody, earning a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience.
At this moment, another figure in a pink ballet dress twirled toward Camila’s side.
Holding hands with each other, both dancers-one taller than the other-gazed at each other with wide smiles. It was a very heartwarming scene.
The moment the female teacher appeared on the stage, Christina recognized her to be Madison.
Why is she Camila’s ballet teacher?
When their gaze met, an invisible tension filled the air,
Bailey also sensed something was odd. She had seen Madison before and heard Christina mention her.
A grim expression immediately crossed her face as she stopped filming on her phone.
Chapter 402 Mad
“Madison. She can’t get close to Nathaniel, so she’s targeting a child. How despicable!” Bailey couldn’t stand that contemptible behavior.
With that, she was about to move forward and confront Madison.
Christina grabbed her hand and whispered, “Camila is performing. Be patient.”
She didn’t want to involve her child in the adults’ business.
Looking at Camila’s innocent face on the stage, Bailey could only grit her teeth and suppress her urge to step forward and slap Madison.
Those few short minutes felt more unbearable and lengthy than a century.
Some parents nearby praised obliviously, “It’s so nice to see a teacher and student perform together.”
“That little girl is very talented.”
“They look like mother and daughter.”
Hearing that, Christina felt a little uncomfortable. She grimaced and remained quiet.
Bailey, on the other hand, restlessly turned around and snapped. “The little girl’s mother is here. If you don’t know anything, don’t talk nonsense!”
“Bailey, that’s enough.” Christina pulled her over, noticing the displeased expression on those parents” faces.
After all the performances ended, there was a group photography session. Bailey dragged Christina onto the stage and deliberately raised her voice when she spoke. “Let’s take a photo of you mother- daughter duo!”
Delighted to see her mother, Camila wrapped her arms around Christina tightly.
“Your performance today was perfect, Camila.” Christina pecked Camila on the check as encouragement.
“Thank you, Mommy.” With a grin, Camila held the hem of her dress, crossed her legs, and slightly bent her knees, looking exactly like the princesses in a cartoon.
After the group photo was taken, Madison walked over.
Seeing that, Bailey immediately gave Christina a look. “Camila, your performance was great today. I prepared a gift for you. Let’s go retrieve it.”
She held Camila’s hand and strode outward as she spoke.
Madison stared at Christina with a triumphant smile. “Camila likes me a lot. Next time, I plan to bring her to participate in competitions.”
“Children will like any toys that can please them. You are no different from an object to her,” Christina uttered straightforwardly and coldly.
“I’m not the same as a toy. As long as I spend more time with her, I’ll make my way into her heart.” Madison said firmly.
Her earnest expression was met with Christina’s scoff “Have you accomplished that after staying by Nathaniel’s side for so long?”
Madison’s face darkened at once. That matter had become a permanent thorn in her flesh.
“I thought Nathaniel had already clearly expressed his stance with his attitude last time. It seems like you still don’t understand. I’ll have him call you to clarify this confusion later
With that, Christina turned around and left the dance studio.
Meanwhile, Bailey exited the kindergarten with Camila.
“Camila, do you know who the person dancing with you just now was?” Bailey asked with all seriousness.
Camila looked up naively. “Ms. Taggart is a ballet teacher! Why are you asking such a simple question?”
She felt that her godmother wasn’t that bright that day.
Bailey stomped her foot in exasperation. That despicable Madison is so adept at deceiving children! “She’s not a ballet teacher. She’s a bad woman who wants to snatch your daddy away from you and your mommy!”
Camila suddenly widened her sparkling eyes as if she had done something wrong. “No way! No one can take my daddy away!”
Bailey nodded and gave the little girl a thumbs-up. “That’s the right attitude. So, you should steer clear of Madison, that bad woman, got it?”
At that moment, she noticed Christina coming out.
Bailey placed a finger on her lips, gesturing at Camila to keep it a secret. “Don’t tell your mommy about this. Let’s keep this a secret.”
Camila blinked and mimicked the silence gesture.
“What are you two talking about?” Christina approached them.
Camila rearranged her facial expression and spread her hands. “Aunt Bailey, didn’t you say you have a present for me? Where is it?”
“I forgot to bring it. Let’s go buy one together.” Bailey quickly took Camila’s hand and got into the car.
Christina trailed behind them and got into the car too. Then, they headed to the mall.
Bailey bought many floral dresses for Camila, purchasing all the garments she found pleasing to her eyes.
“Bailey, these dresses are nearly a thousand each. Aren’t they too expensive?” Christina looked at the price tags and felt it was too costly.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it, but she felt there was no need to waste money like that. After all, kids grew up very fast, and the clothes wouldn’t fit them soon.
Bailey took the dress from her. “How is it a waste if the outfits look good on her? I’m buying them for Camila.”
Camila tugged at the hem of her godmother’s clothes and blinked. “Aunt Bailey, you’ve already bought a lot of dresses for me. Daddy also purchased plenty of dresses for me, and they’re all custom-made.”
The corner of Bailey’s mouth twitched. “I got it. You’re hinting that the dresses I bought are not custom- made and not as expensive as the ones your daddy bought
“Aunt Bailey, you shouldn’t compare yourself to Daddy. The dresses Daddy bought for me are indeed. pricier, and you should accept that,” Camila remarked carnestly.
She paused briefly before continuing. “No matter if the dresses are expensive or cheap, comfort takes precedence, and above all is your love for me.”
Bailey chuckled in amusement and reached out to pinch Camila’s check. “You’re such a sweet and likable child!”
She lifted Camila and kissed her several times. “How great would it be if you were my daughter? I really don’t want to part with you.”
Christina smiled. “If you two keep showing off your affection like this, we don’t even have to eat dessert. later because I’ll be getting diabetes from watching your interaction.”
At the mention of dessert, Camila turned serious. “Aunt Bailey, we can skip buying clothes, but having dessert is a must!”
“No problem. Let’s go.”
That night, Camila returned home with all kinds of delicious sweets.
Lucas jogged up to Christina and hugged her thigh. “Mommy, why didn’t you take me shopping? I’ve become a left-behind child now. Hmph!”
The bodyguard had picked him up and brought him home after school. Nathaniel wasn’t home, while Christina and Camila had gone shopping. As a result, no one kept him company at home.
“Didn’t I ask Daddy to pick you up?” Christina comforted Lucas while patting his head.
“Mister bodyguard mentioned Daddy had to attend a meeting,” Lucas grumbled with his arms crossed. The consequences will be dire if I get mad!
Camila took out a piece of candy and handed it to her brother. “Don’t be angry, Lucas. Let me treat you to
sweets.
“You’re the best, Camila. Let’s go upstairs and play with Legos.” Lucas received the piece of candy, unwrapped it, and put it into his mouth. Then, he grinned widely.
The two kids held hands and cheerily went upstairs.
Christina curled her lips into a smile, watching their petite retreating figures.
“What are you so happy about?” Nathaniel entered from behind, naturally wrapping his hand around her
slim waist.
Catching whiffs of Nathaniel’s faint fragrance, Christina took a few steps forward to avoid his touch. “Where were you? Why did you come back so late? You didn’t even pick up our son at school.”
Chapter 403 We Never Had Meals Alone
“I had to hold a meeting because something cropped up before the end of the workday,” Nathaniel explained, his tone devoid of confidence,
Christina narrowed her eyes. “Is that so? How come I was not aware of it?”
As Christina had worked as his secretary for a few days, she could track his schedule on her tablet.
“It was a last-minute meeting, so it wasn’t on the schedule. There’ll be more meetings for me to attend in the next few days,” Nathaniel said.
Christina shrugged, understanding that work matters could be unpredictable. She decided not to make a big deal out of it.
Upon hearing that, Sebastian whispered in Nathaniel’s ear, “Mr. Hadley, should we cancel Mrs. Hadley’s assistant account?”
He understood no man would enjoy being constantly monitored by their wife.
“It’s all right,” Nathaniel firmly declined. “You can go home now.”
Sebastian froze for a moment before agreeing and leaving Scenic Garden Manor.
Christina refrained from mentioning Madison in front of Nathaniel.
Even though it was not in their best interest to allow Camila to have frequent interactions with Madison, it would not be fair to remove Camila from the ballet class solely based on her skepticism toward Madison.. After all, Camila had a deep passion for ballet.
When Christina went upstairs, thinking of a way to explain things to Camila, her room door was pushed.
open.
The petite Camila stepped out, gazing up at Christina with her eyes twinkling like a princess in a fairytale “Mommy, I don’t want to attend ballet classes anymore.”
“What’s the matter? Didn’t you enjoy performing today?” Christina squatted down and asked out of curiosity.
Camila bit her lip. “Because I don’t like Ms. Taggart.”
Christina took a deep breath. Bailey must have said something to Camila.
“You should continue if you enjoy dancing. Don’t worry about the teacher, okay?” Christina stroked her head, her eyes brimming with tenderness.
Camila nodded, seemingly understanding her mother’s advice. “Mommy, please sign me up in a different dance studio then. My friend Shannara told me her mommy has also signed her up in a dance studio.”
“All right. I’ll definitely hire a professional teacher for you,” Christina agreed.
Camila inched closer and wrapped her hands around Christina’s neck. “Thank you, Mommy.”
Christina felt a wave of relief knowing that Camila could still participate in ballet classes without having to interact with Madison.
Sebastian walked over with a stack of documents, placing them on the desk. “Mr. Hadley, these are the documents about all the assets under Gibson Corporation”
Nathaniel picked up the top document and began scanning through the pages, his eyes gradually growing
darker.
He inquired. “So Gibson Corporation has a tile factory? And it seems they have had a business collaboration with Hadley Corporation in the past.”
Sebastian retrieved the file, took a closer look at the factory name, and searched for more information about it.
“Yes, we did, a few years ago. I’m surprised you still remember it, Mr. Hadley.” Sebastian was taken aback.
It was uncommon for someone to remember something that had happened so long ago.
Nathaniel’s eyes turned cold, and he spoke in a deep voice. “That’s because the tiles Hadley Corporation used from that company in one of our commercial complexes led to multiple complaints from tenants. We had to replace the tiles to resolve the issue.”
The incident made a lasting impact on him as Hadley Corporation had always upheld a strong reputation throughout the years.
He recalled how he had to deal with the procurement manager and issued an order that Hadley. Corporation would not engage in any future collaborations with that manufacturer.
Sebastian found himself caught in a dilemma. “But holding them accountable now would be difficult since so many years have passed.”
“I didn’t say I want to hold them accountable,” Nathaniel replied, crossing his arms and stroking his chin with one hand. A cold glint flashed in his eyes. “If they could make such profits once, they’ll surely
continue.”
Realization dawned on Sebastian right away. “I’ll investigate more about the factory now.”
Nathaniel responded with a deep hum.
Yerek had been trying to cause trouble for him, so he decided to give the former a taste of his own medicine.
At noon, Nathaniel took Christina to a nearby restaurant for lunch.
They chose a less crowded spot by the window that offered a view of the outside scenery.
Christina ordered several dishes she often enjoyed, while Nathaniel opted for only a few and added a bottle of fruit wine to go with their meal.
Soon, the dishes were served.
Christina looked at the foie gras in front of her and asked, “Did we order this?”
“Did they bring us the wrong order?” Nathaniel confirmed that he had not ordered it either.
When Christina was about to call the waiter to clarify the situation, a stunning figure appeared before them.
“Don’t bother asking the waiter. I ordered the foie gras for Nathaniel.” Madison walked over, dressed in at sexy cocktail dress, with heavy makeup and a hostile gaze.
Christina lowered her gaze. Why does this woman keep showing up everywhere?
Madison’s lips curled into a slight smile. “Nathaniel has always enjoyed pairing his red wine with foie gras. We’ve been to this restaurant together before.”
She wanted to assert her dominance right there, but Nathaniel’s indifference made her feel out of place.
Nathaniel’s face became increasingly tense, and his anger became more apparent.
Before he could say anything, Christina flashed a faint grin. “Thank you for your foie gras, and thanks for introducing such a wonderful restaurant to us. We’re going to enjoy our meal now.”
With that, she calmly shifted her gaze away and placed the plate of foie gras in front of her. She delicately cut a piece with her knife and fork and took a bite.
Madison wanted to teach Christina a lesson, but to her surprise, Christina remained unfazed. She even graciously accepted it as Madison’s act of kindness.
Nathaniel and Christina continued giving Madison the cold shoulder. Madison, who was on the verge of crying, had no choice but to leave the restaurant in frustration.
Once she left, Nathaniel said, “Sebastian was around when I had dinner with her. We were never alone.”
Christina paused for a moment. What’s with the explanation? I didn’t even question him.
She lifted her eyes and blinked. “All right. Got it.”
Nathaniel let out a subtle hum. Upon realizing she was genuinely unbothered by Madison’s remark, he resumed his meal.
After leaving the restaurant, Madison drove back to her apartment, her emotions spiraling out of control. She resorted to drowning her sorrows in alcohol.
Nathaniel’s handsome face kept popping into her mind. What is it about me that he doesn’t like? What does Christina have that I don’t? Why won’t Nathaniel even spare a glance at me?
The image of Christina’s sweet, innocent face only intensified Madison’s jealousy. She yearned to expose the falseness of that innocent façade, tearing it off without hesitation.
Suddenly, her doorbell rang. She set down the wine bottle and went to answer it.
“What are you doing here?” The look of disappointment was written all over Madison’s face as she turned. around and walked back in.
Sebastian followed right behind and entered the house.
He did not want to be there either. “Mr. Hadley sent me.”
Madison spun around with anticipation in her eyes, gripping his arm. “He wants me to return to work at Hadley Corporation, right? Or does he want to see me?”
Chapter 404 I Will Carry You
Sebastian appeared cold and austere “Madison, actually Mr. Hadley asked me to come because he wants you to stop getting in the way of his life.”
“Stop talking” Madison felt as if someone had sprinkled salt on her wound.
She could not take it anymore.
At that moment, she had lost all her pride and dignity. Tears kept flowing down her face, and she was trying very hard to catch her breath.
Sebastian sighed and advised her, “Madison, I never thought you were such an irrational person.”
“I don’t need you to judge me for that.” Madison gritted her teeth and refused to show others the weaker side of her.
Sebastian’s advice fell on deaf ears. Having been working together for so many years, he knew Madison well enough to know that she was a proud person who would only listen to Nathaniel.
“Please remember what I have said today.” With that, he left.
As the door shut, the anger within Madison intensified.
You want to get rid of me?No way!
I will find a way to stay by Nathaniel’s side again!
Christina had made a reservation at a famous restaurant that weekend. The two of them were to go there for dinner after work.
Before leaving the office, Nathaniel phoned her. “There’s a meeting that I have to deal with. I will most probably be late.”
“It’s fine. Anyway, it’s still early. I will go and order the dishes first and wait for you.” Christina began to tidy her things and planned what she was going to do next.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be quick,” said Nathaniel with a grim voice.
Christina chuckled. “It doesn’t matter. Go ahead with what you have to do. If you can’t make it, I will pack the food and bring it home. We can eat together when you’re back.”
“All right. I’ll call you later.”
After hanging up the phone, Christina took her bag and left the office.
When she arrived at the restaurant and saw the top-notched décor and surroundings, she knew why the restaurant was named the best online.
She sat down and began to order the dishes. If Nathaniel was late, she could eat first.
Christina ordered the famous Earl Grey tea that the restaurant was known for. She took a sip and found that it tasted lovely.
Suddenly, the door of the private room was pushed open.
Christina looked over and frowned. “Mr. Gibson, what a coincidence.”
Perhaps I shouldn’t eat out these days. I keep bumping into people I don’t wish to see.
“I heard that this restaurant serves good food, so I came to give it a try.” Without any invitation, Yerek sat down in front of Christina.
Christina eyed him coldly.
Yerek wore a striped dark orange suit with an indigo tic, and his hair was slicked back. He looked better than most people, but his heart was not right.
She looked up and said. “You don’t look like someone who enjoys this type of cuisine.”
“Well, I normally don’t, but I can make a change for the person I love,” said Yerek as he sat opposite her.
Christina gave him a perfunctory smile. “I’m sorry, Mr. Gibson, but I’m meeting someone.”
In other words, she was telling him to get lost.
Even though he had been turned down, Yerek was not angry. Instead, he said mockingly, “I think the person you are meeting may not be able to come after all.” He flashed a half-smile. “What is Mr. Hadley doing? Why isn’t he here with you?”
Christina got annoyed. “Must I report this to you?”
“I suppose you have no idea. How about I tell you?”
Yerek took out his phone and showed her a photo.
In the photo, Nathaniel and Madison could be seen holding a glass of red wine. It was obvious that they were in Nathaniel’s office.
Didn’t he say he has a last-minute meeting?
Why is he with Madison?
Why is he lying to me?
When Yerek saw that she looked a little upset, he knew that the photo had worked its magic.
With his hand holding his chin, he said sarcastically, “Aren’t you angry that your husband lied to you? If 1 were you, I would divorce him right away!”
Christina glared at him. “Why do you have this photo? How are you related to Madison?”
That photo was taken in Nathaniel’s office, and it was impossible for anyone to take it secretly.
Yerek admired the way she maintained her calm composure in such a situation. “Well, someone must have sent it to me.”
Christina snorted, not knowing what he meant.
Just then, the waiter brought the freshly-cooked food. At that moment, Christina had lost her appetite. “Please pack all the food for me.”
The waiter thought he had misheard, so he asked. “Pack everything?”
Christina nodded, and the waiter took all the food away.
“I hope I’m not the one who affects your appetite.” Yerek was gloating even though he could not tell if she was angry or not judging from her calm demeanor.
There were things that Christina wanted to question Yerek, but she knew now was not the time to do so. She had no choice but to control herself.
“I just want to pack the food home and enjoy them with Nathaniel. You can have this private room.”
She got up and left.
She went to the cashier and made her payment before leaving the restaurant with her food.
It was midnight when Nathaniel returned to Scenic Garden Manor.
He saw two bags full of food on the dining table, and the food was still untouched.
He went upstairs and opened the bedroom door.
Next to the bed, there was an aromatherapy lamp. The lavender scent in the air was very relaxing.
Nathaniel walked to the bed quietly and saw Christina lying sideways with her hands holding onto the blanket like a cute animal looking for comfort.
He caressed her face and felt the warmth from her smooth, tender skin.
Christina opened her eyes and mumbled groggily. “You’re back?”
“You haven’t had your dinner too?”
Earlier on, Christina had sent him a message saying that she had already gone back. He thought she had already eaten before coming back home.
“I’m not hungry.” Christina’s voice was soft like a puppy’s. “How did your meeting go?”
“Everything has been settled,” replied Nathaniel flatly.
Christina appeared calm as she recalled the photo.
He was meeting Madison just now. Why won’t he just tell me?
Seeing no response from her, Nathaniel continued, “Have something before you sleep. I’ll get the kitchen. to heat up the food.”
“I don’t feel like moving.” Christina hugged the blanket even tighter.
“Then I will carry you.”
Nathaniel pulled the blanket away. With his long arms hooked around her neck and calves, he lifted her up with ease.
Chapter 405 Dismiss
In the dining room, the chef served the prepared food on the table.
Even though the texture was somewhat affected after the food was reheated, the taste was still good.
Christina took a bite and said, “It’s not sweet enough.”
“I think it’s quite nice. I’ll book a private room tomorrow to make it up to you.”
Nathaniel picked up a piece of meat and delivered it to Christina’s mouth. He seemed to be apologizing to her judging by how sincere the expression in his eyes was.
Christina parted her lips and ate the meat. She chewed on the food while boring her eyes into him. “I’m not free tomorrow. I need to go to Gibson Corporation’s clothing factory to check the condition of the products and bring the samples for the new orders to the factory for processing.”
Now that she thought about it, she realized she would be swamped with work from tomorrow onward.
Nathaniel fed her another piece of meat. “We’ll do it next time, then. I’ll see if I can arrange it as soon as possible.”
“Okay.” Christina’s mouth was filled with food as she chewed on the second piece of meat. Her cheeks, were puffed out, making her look like a cute hamster.
“Did you meet with anyone special today?” Christina asked casually, concealing her thoughts by masticating.
“No,” Nathaniel answered calmly.
She riveted her eyes on his countenance the whole time. Nathaniel didn’t seem to be lying because he didn’t avert his gaze when he replied.
What about the picture I saw, then?
While Christina was wondering, the sound of footsteps came from behind her.
“Mommy, Daddy, you’re having a scrumptious supper without calling us?” Lucas crossed his arms, feeling aggrieved as if discovering someone had stolen his candy.
The two petite figures agilely climbed onto the dining table, staring at the food on the table with their sparkling eyes. “Mommy, we want to eat too!”
“Sure, but you must brush your teeth before you sleep after eating.” Christina picked up a piece of snack and brought it to Lucas’ mouth.
Lucas covered his mouth and leaned backward, reacting as if the food before him was a bitter medication rather than dessert. “I just brushed my teeth, so I’m not eating.”
He climbed down the table as he spoke.
Christina smiled and pulled him into her arms. Catching whiffs of her son’s body fragrance, she felt a sense of security fill her chest. “Let me carry you upstairs and tuck you in.”
“I love Mommy the most.” Lucas hugged his mother. The two then headed upstairs.
Camila held on to Nathaniel’s thigh. “Sleep with me tonight, Daddy”
“Okay” Nathaniel carried Camila upstairs as well.
The next day. Christina woke up with Camila in her arms. She kissed the latter’s tender face and said. “Camila, it’s time to wake up.”
“Mommy, it’s the weekend. I want to sleep in,” Camila coord while hugging the blanket.
Christina patted her small buttocks. “You little lazy pig. I’m going to work now. Sleep a little longer, and I’ll call Mrs. Fullerton to wake you up.”
Camila mumbled a few words and dozed off again.
Christina returned to the master bedroom and saw two figures lying on the bed. She tiptoed into the room, picked out a set of clothes, and walked out.
She got dressed and headed straight to the factory.
At Christina’s arrival, the factory manager hurriedly came forward and greeted her, “Ms. Steele, why are you here?”
Yerck had brought Christina there once before, and she had also visited a second time to send over the samples. The two had met on several occasions.
“I came to check the progress. Let me see those samples later. We need to start working on the second batch of clothing soon,” she said.
The factory manager nodded. “Let’s talk in the office.”
Upon entering the office, the secretary prepared and served her a cup of coffee. “Please have some coffee.”
“Thank you.”
After sitting for a while, the factory manager brought a few samples and put them aside. “These are some randomly selected end products. Please take a look.”
Christina picked up the samples and examined them. After ascertaining the quality was up to par, she put them back down. Then, she took out a new outfit from her bag. “This is the latest edition. We need
to manufacture the first batch within two weeks.”
“All right, no problem. Mr. Gibson instructed us that we should adhere to the clothing production schedule that you decide,” the factory manager said.
Christina bobbed her head and reminded, “You must use Rainbow Factory’s fabrics because the quality of their textile is guaranteed to be good.”
Rainbow Factory was the only fabric factory Christina approved of the most thus far.
“Of course. You can rest assured.”
Christina left after finishing all she had to say.
On her way back, she couldn’t help but be reminded of how smoothly her recent collaboration with Yerek was. Did Yerek really spend so much money just to cooperate with me?
Christina couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. Still, she couldn’t quite put her finger on it
By the time Christina returned to Hadley Corporation, it was already close to noom.
She reckoned Nathaniel surely hadn’t eaten yet, so she stepped into the elevator and headed straight to the
CEO’s office
She pushed the door and entered, and saw a few people sitting inside, one of which was exceptionally. glaring. Why is Madison here?
When they locked gazes, Christina could sense the trace of smugness in Madison’s eyes.
As she had directly strode into the office, the commotion instantly prompted an awkward silence to fill the air inside the room.
The few individuals sitting with Madison figured Christina’s identity must be extraordinary since she had dared to barge in. No one had the courage to question her aloud.
Silence lingered in the air as everyone froze.
Christina felt self-conscious. Under such circumstances, should I walk in confidently or retreat?
“Ms, Steele, don’t you have the most basic etiquette of knocking?” Madison’s mocking voice shattered the stillness.
The others immediately regarded Christina with disdain.
Christina discreetly clenched her jaw as hints of anger flashed across her eyes.
“It was I who taught her that. Do you have a problem with that, Ms. Taggart?” Nathaniel rose from his chair. His towering figure emanated an icy aura as his frosty expression darkened.
Madison’s expression froze at once, and the arrogant look on her face dissipated.
“That’s it for today’s meeting. All of you may leave.” After saying that, Nathaniel swiftly approached Christina.
Madison was naturally reluctant to leave, but she knew her insistence to stay would only displease Nathaniel after he had asked them to clear out.
She cast a look at the executive and assistant beside her before getting to her feet. “We’ll be taking our leave, then.”
The air inside the office felt fresher following the party’s departure.
Although they were gone. Christina’s face was still contorted. With her hands placed on her slim waist, she moved inward step by step. “I didn’t know you were discussing business with Madison. When did you rehire her?”
Nathaniel was about to explain, but Christina interrupted him, “If you miss her so much, why did you dismiss her in the first place?”
“Listen to me-” Nathaniel wanted to clarify that matter, but he caught himself upon meeting the angry glower on her face.
Christina snorted coldly. “Nathaniel, don’t forget what you promised me! I hope you’ll keep your word.
You can’t fight me for custody if we get a divorce!”
Chapter 406 Nathaniel Is Right
Nathaniel’s eyes darkened as he took in the serious expression on Christina’s face
Silence ensured, drowning out all sound.
Sebastian broke into a cold sweat as he piped up. “Mrs. Hadley, you’ve misunderstood. The piece of land that Mr Hadley is interested in has been taken away by Taggart Group Madison is using it to seek cooperation with Hadley Corporation. The negotiation is still up in the air Mr. Hadley hasn’t decided anything yet.”
Christina frowned slightly. “So you met up with Madison last night for this?”
They met up for work matters?
Before Nathaniel could say anything, Sebastian hurriedly said, “We didn’t call her over last night. She came with the rest of the real estate agents. Mr. Hadley didn’t meet her one-on-one.”
Sebastian was like a cat on a hot thin roof.
Mr. Hadley is so slow-spoken. He is only going to make Mrs. Hadley misunderstand. If they break into a fight, I’m the one who ends up suffering.
It’s as he said,” Nathaniel said.
He didn’t know that Madison would show up too.
Christina fell into silence again. What should I do? Looks like I’ve misunderstood him.
With her eyes glistening, she secretly took a look at the cold and handsome face in front of her. “How am I supposed to know? You didn’t even make yourself clear…”
Why is he acting mysterious? This is clearly his fault.
Nathaniel raised his brows slightly. “I wasn’t even given a chance to explain.”
She started blaming me as soon as she entered.
Judging from his past experiences, Sebastian had a hunch that something was going to happen between them. “Mr. Hadley, I have a few more documents to deal with, so I’ll get going first.”
He left and closed the door right after he finished speaking.
The air was still again.
Christina flashed an embarrassed smile. “The misunderstanding has been cleared up. Everything is fine
now.”
Her innocent eyes seemed to have the power to melt anything, including Nathaniel’s heart.
“How did you know I met Madison yesterday?” Nathaniel’s voice was calm. His anger had dissipated.
Christina pouted. “Yerek came to see me last night. He even showed me a photo of the two of you.”
She felt uncomfortable thinking about the photo.
Nathaniel narrowed his eyes The air around him turned cold. “Why didn’t you ask me about it?”
Christina could sense that he was angry from his questioning tone.
She flinched, not sure what she had done to tick him off “Perhaps you didn’t want me to know, which was why you didn’t say anything. That, or because it wasn’t important.”
“It indeed wasn’t important. But as my wife, shouldn’t you ask for an explanation when you see such a photo?” Nathaniel grew all the more livid as he spoke,
He had thought their relationship had gotten better. However, it seemed to be the same for Christina. She didn’t care about him at all. She couldn’t be bothered to know who he was with or why he was late for the date. When he thought of this, he felt as if a heavy rock had landed on his heart.
He’s blaming me now? At once, Christina’s temper sparked. “What do you want me to do, then? You said you were having a meeting. If I asked anything more, you would only find me annoying.”
It was still the same. They would still get into an argument at the drop of a hat.
Even if there weren’t external factors, they would still get into a fight.
Tension started to grow in the atmosphere as they engaged in a round of staredown.
Christina could sense the hostility in the air.
“I’ve still got other things to do. Goodbye.”
With that, she turned around and left.
Christina walked out of Hadley Corporation, feeling down. It happened that Bailey was looking for her, so she went over.
Bailey usually stayed in the luxury condominium by herself.
They could talk nonstop as soon as they met. Bailey pulled Christina inside and asked, “Did you have a fight with Mr. Hadley?”
“How did you know?” Christina asked curiously.
“It’s written everywhere on your face.” Bailey chuckled.
“I think there are still too many problems between us. I can’t get along with him any longer,” Christina said, not intending to keep it from her.
That was what she felt the most at that moment.
If it weren’t for the two children, she would’ve left Nathaniel a long time ago.
Bailey sighed softly. Deep down, she knew Christina wouldn’t part ways with Nathaniel. However, she didn’t reveal her thoughts to Christina.
“Tell me what happened. Did he bully you? I’ll go and teach him a lesson!” Bailey said angrily, looking as if she was going to deal with Nathaniel the next second.
Christina gave her a brief account of what had happened earlier, thinking Bailey would side with her.
However, taking in a deep breath, Bailey slapped the table and said, “Nathaniel is right. Why didn’t you question him when you saw a photo like that?”
Christina was stunned. “Huh? What was I supposed to do?”
Christina didn’t find her way of handling the situation wrong.
Staring at the serious expression on Christina’s face, Bailey said, “You should’ve kept the photo and sent a hard slap across his face the moment you saw him, then ask him about the photo. If his explanation doesn’t make sense, only then you should get angry.”
Christina was startled. “Seriously? But it’s not good to use violence.”
“It’s natural for you to get angry when you see a photo like that. If you don’t, it simply means that you don’t care about him,” Bailey said matter-of-factly.
Christina was indeed angry back then. However, rationality took her over in the end.
She didn’t like to solve problems in the way Bailey had said earlier, but she admitted that it was her fault for not asking Nathaniel about the matter.
Bailey gently patted her shoulder and said. “Give me a second. I’ll make you something delicious to eat. Let’s have a drink tonight and forget about all the unhappy stuff.”
As she spoke, she got up and entered the kitchen.
Soon, a spread of delectable dishes was laid out on the coffee table.
Bailey handed Christina a glass of red wine. “Here, cheers to our friendship.”
Christina accepted it and took a sip.
The rich taste of grapes in the wine slowly diffused across her taste buds, making her tipsy.
After they had three rounds of drinking, the sky had turned dark. Bright and twinkling stars were scattered everywhere in the sky.
When Christina came out of the bathroom, the doorbell rang.
“Who is it at this hour?”
Christina opened the door, only to be greeted by the cold face of a man. Her startled expression was clearly reflected in his eyes.
“Nathaniel, how did you find your way here?”
Chapter 407 An Extremely Important Client
with Madison’s pungent perfume scent. It took over the pleasant fragrance on Christina’s body in an instant.
“Nathaniel is definitely going to cooperate with us. We’ll be meeting a lot in the future,” Madison said while looking at Christina disdainfully.
“You sound pretty confident.”
Madison narrowed her eyes slightly. Her gaze was tinged with determination. “Of course. Taggart Group is a capable company. If Hadley Corporation works together with Taggart Group, the future will be ours. Nathaniel won’t refuse any chances that will bring his company to greater heights. And you, Christina, what can you give Nathaniel?”
Christina looked her in the eye. She used to have some admiration for Madison for being a capable and independent woman. However, at that moment, she only felt that Madison was a love-struck fool who had no sense of self-worth.
At the thought of that, Christina suddenly snickered.
Her laugh instantly made Madison lose her composure.
“What are you laughing at?” Madison felt insulted.
“You’re too pathetic. I’m laughing at the fact that you’re brainless despite having a degree,” Christina mocked.
Madison’s eyes were filled with fury. Her curled lashes made her seem particularly scary.
Christina was unfazed. “Don’t you find yourself ridiculous that you have to use material possessions to attract a man’s attention? Have you ever thought that if you lose your money one day, you will have no
worth in that person’s eyes?”
The elevator doors opened.
Christina stepped out, leaving Madison, who was ashen-faced, behind.
Madison watched as Christina walked out of the elevator. At that moment, she felt as if her eyes had been stabbed with ten thousand needles. It was so painful that she couldn’t breathe.
She clenched her fists tightly. Even if she got together with Nathaniel out of interest, she wouldn’t regret it.
All she wanted was to be with him.
As soon as Christina entered the office, she saw Rayne serving an elegantly dressed woman a cup of coffee. “Mrs. Williams, this is our designer, Christina Steele.” Then, Rayne said to Christina, “Christina, this is our extremely important client, Mrs. Williams.”
Christina flashed a polite smile. When did we have an extremely important client?
Rayne went forward and brought Jocelyn into the office. “Mrs. Williams, please come with me to our designer’s office. Kindly let us know your requirements. Ms. Steele is amazing. She has won a lot of awards before. A few years ago, she participated in a design competition in the country and got first place.”
“I’ve long heard that the designs by Christina’s Studios are impressive, so I came here for that,” Jocelyn
said.
“Please have a seat here for a while.”
Rayne walked out and said to Christina, “That woman has paid ninety-nine thousand to skip the queue, so she is an extremely important client. You have to treat her well.”
Christina’s eyes widened “Since when did we have such a rule? I have no idea at all.”
“The bookings we received have been arranged until next year. We’ll deal with those urgent clients first.” Rayne chuckled.
“How did you know that that client is urgent?” Christina didn’t know how to react to that.
I’m already swamped with work and barely have the time to breathe. Now, I have to deal with urgent clients as well?
Rayne dragged Christina in the direction of the office. “She has paid extra, so it’s urgent. You should get to work now, Ms. Steele.”
As soon as she finished saying that, she pushed Christina into the office.
Christina spent all morning attending to Jocelyn. It wasn’t until she sent Jocelyn away that she let out a sigh of relief.
Seeing that lunch break was approaching. Christina wondered if she should have a meal with Nathaniel.
She gave a call to the restaurant she had been to last time, thinking of booking a table. However, the other party told her that the entire place was booked for the day.
Christina hung up the phone and heaved a sigh. Looks like I’m not destined to dine in this restaurant. The first experience was unpleasant, and this time, I was turned down by them. Oh well, let me see if Nathaniel is free first.
She walked out of her office and headed to the CEO’s office.
At the entrance of the conference room, she saw Madison walk out in dissatisfaction. Tension grew in the air as they met each other’s eyes.
Madison rushed over to her and huffed. “You’re really good, Christina. You actually made Nathaniel refuse to cooperate with me! You’ve been acting all high and mighty. In actuality, you’re afraid that you can’t win. against me, so you used such a lowly method to drive me away. How disgusting!”
“Please have a seat here for a while.”
Rayne walked out and said to Christina. “That woman has paid ninety-nine thousand to skip the queue, 16 she is an extremely important chent. You have to treat her well”
Christina’s eyes widened. “Since when did we have such a rule? I have no idea at all.”
The bookings we received have been arranged until next year. We’ll deal with those urgent clients first.” Rayne chuckled.
“How did you know that that client is urgent?” Christina didn’t know how to react to that.
I’m already swamped with work and barely have the time to breathe. Now, I have to deal with urgent clients as well?
Rayne dragged Christina in the direction of the office. “She has paid extra, so it’s urgent. You should get to work now, Ms. Steele.”
As soon as she finished saying that, she pushed Christina into the office.
Christina spent all morning attending to Jocelyn. It wasn’t until she sent Jocelyn away that she let out a sigh of relief.
Seeing that lunch break was approaching, Christina wondered if she should have a meal with Nathaniel.
She gave a call to the restaurant she had been to last time, thinking of booking a table. However, the other party told her that the entire place was booked for the day.
Christina hung up the phone and heaved a sigh. Looks like I’m not destined to dine in this restaurant. The first experience was unpleasant, and this time, I was turned down by them. Oh well, let me see if Nathaniel is free first.
She walked out of her office and headed to the CEO’s office.
At the entrance of the conference room, she saw Madison walk out in dissatisfaction. Tension grew in the air as they met each other’s eyes.
Madison rushed over to her and huffed. “You’re really good, Christina. You actually made Nathaniel refuse. to cooperate with me! You’ve been acting all high and mighty. In actuality, you’re afraid that you can’t win. against me, so you used such a lowly method to drive me away. How disgusting!”
Chapter 408 No Difference
Christina was slightly confused. “You’re saying that Nathaniel didn’t agree to cooperate with Taggart Group?”
Madison’s rage intensified when she saw the clueless Christina.
“Stop pretending in front of me!” Madison pushed her out of anger.
That caught Christina off guard, and she almost fell to the floor.
As soon as Christina raised her eyes again, her expression had darkened.
She had never thought about stopping them from collaborating from the moment she learned about it.
Seeing that she wasn’t saying anything, Madison added, “Stop acting innocent. You were worried that I would snatch Nathaniel away from you, so you did everything you could to ruin our cooperation!”
The air was thick with tension.
A series of steady footsteps echoed across the air, and Nathaniel appeared behind Christina. His filled with hostility.
gaze was
This is my decision. It has nothing to do with others.” Every word he said resembled a knife stabbing ino Madison’s heart.
Madison’s eyes misted over as she looked at him in disbelief. “Nathaniel, you were obviously interested in our cooperation…”
“If the cooperation will make you misunderstand our relationship, then I don’t think it’s necessary.” Nathaniel grabbed Christina’s hand and headed to the office. “Sebastian, send her out.”
Everyone could sense Nathaniel’s displeasure and even his fury.
The executives didn’t say anything more and immediately left the place. Soon, the corridor was empty.
In the office, Nathaniel pressed Christina down on the couch.
“Are you hurt?” He sized her up.
Christina shook her head. “Is it because of me that you refuse to cooperate with them?”
“No. Hadley Corporation has a lot going on. Cooperating with them or not is not going to make any difference.” Nathaniel said calmly as if he was talking about a trivial matter.
That was reasonable. There were hundreds of designers in the design department, which proved that the workload was indeed heavy.
Christina didn’t say anything more, knowing Nathaniel would deal with such things properly.
All of a sudden, her stomach growled.
Nathaniel fixed his eyes on her. “You’re hungry?”
“I came here to have lunch with you.” Christina looked like a kitten who had come over to look for food.
“I’ve booked a place. Let’s go.”
He stood up and left the office with Christina.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a restaurant.
The waiter brought them to a private room. “What would you like to drink?”
“Earl Grey, Nathaniel said flatly.
Christina came to a realization. “So it’s you who booked the restaurant?”
“To make up for last time,” Nathaniel said with a sincere gaze.
Christina curled her lips slightly. One couldn’t help but be attracted to her because of her delicate face. “I didn’t take it to heart. Why did you book the entire restaurant when it’s only the two of us?”
“I was worried that you would get angry and want a divorce again.” He sounded calm, but he spoke from the heart..
Looking at his serious expression, Christina felt her cheeks flush. “I’m not an unreasonable person.”
Her voice grew softer as she spoke.
“Indeed, you’re not. Let’s order.” Nathaniel poured a cup of tea and passed it to Christina. “It’s only us today. The food will be served quickly.”
“Is this why you booked the entire restaurant?”
Nathaniel raised the corners of his lips. “You know me well.”
Not long after Christina placed her order, the dishes were served. As she looked at the spread of food, her appetite was stimulated.
“If you
like it, I can bring you here every day.” Nathaniel smiled and gently wiped the sauce from the corner of her lips with a tissue.
“I’ll get sick of it if I eat it every day.” Christina took a sip of her tea. She looked like a lazy pig who had. eaten to its heart’s content.
Nathaniel paid the bill, and they went back.
As soon as they reached the parking lot, they saw Sebastian waiting at the side while holding a briefcase.
After the car came to a stop, Sebastian went over to the car window and said, “Mr. Hadley, we have to meet a business partner later at three in the afternoon.”
Christina unbuckled her seatbelt. “Go and get busy. I’ll go up
first.”
“All right.” Nathaniel looked at her. “I’ll pick you up after work.”
“Okay.”
With that, Christina got out of the car and entered the elevator.
When the elevator reached the first floor, it stopped.
A few people stepped in It seemed that they were coming back for work after their lunch break
The elevator continued to go up.
All of a sudden, the voice of a woman talking on the phone was heard in the quiet space Tm in the
clevator now.
“Of course I can order in advance. I’ve paid extra to cut the queue I’m going to order ten high-end growns to make the wealthy ladies envious of me.
“How can she not make the gowns for me? I have plenty of money. A designer like her can’t possibly reject
1.
“I’ve arrived. Talk to you later.”
The woman hung up her phone and put it in her branded bag.
When the elevator doors opened, the woman went out, and so did Christina.
Rayne had been waiting at the entrance. When she caught sight of a woman who was dressed glamorously, she hurried over at once. “You’re here, Mrs. Williams.”
Jocelyn nodded. She entered and sat on the couch.
Her hands were full of jeweled rings. Under the light, they sparkled with pride.
Last time, she had left earlier because she had something to attend to all of a sudden. She hadn’t finalized the style of the dress she wanted.
A while later, Christina entered. Rayne went to make tea.
“Mrs. Williams, what kind of dress do you want?” Christina’s voice was deep, laced with a hint of indifference.
“I want one with white color, black color… It’d be best to make my gowns out of the best colors,” Jocelyn said excitedly.
Frowning slightly, Christina said. “You can’t go with white. It will expose the flaws of your body.”
“What are you talking about? When I shopped for clothes, the salesperson said that I looked elegant in white. I don’t care. I’m going with white.” Jocelyn’s face fell at once.
Silence ensued, and a strange atmosphere surrounded them.
Looking at Jocelyn’s pear-shaped body, Christina said seriously. “That’s because they wanted you to buy the clothes so that they could get commissions. They didn’t mean what they said. I’m a designer. I know exactly the colors that fit each body shape best.”
Chapter 409 My Professional Opinion
Enraged, Jocelyn slammed the table and rose to her feet. “What do you mean?”
Christina placed her hands on her hips and did not reply. She merely stared at Jocelyn with certainty
Jocelyn got even angrier upon seeing that. “Are you making fun of my body?”
Jocelyn was a woman from a rich family, after all. She wasn’t going to let a designer make fun of her.
However, Jocelyn wore a white dress that day, and her bulging tummy was there for everyone to see.
Faced with Jocelyn’s anger, Christina remained as cool as a cucumber. She said, “It’s normal for people to gain weight when they reach a certain age. I wasn’t picking on you. I was merely giving you my professional opinion. I’m not expecting you to take it, though.”
Christina put on an indifferent look and did not change her mind just because Jocelyn was outraged.
Right then, Rayne came out with tea and sensed the awkward atmosphere in the room. Something’s off…
She put the tea aside and asked Jocelyn cautiously, “What’s the matter, Mrs. Williams? Feel free to tell Ms. Steele what you have in mind.”
“Hmph! Ms. Steele doesn’t even respect me! She said I look bad in white!” Jocelyn spat, her eyes widening in anger.
Rayne sized Jocelyn up and noticed that Jocelyn indeed did not look good in white. The dress makes her skin look so dark, and the color exposes the flaws of her body.
She cleared her throat and explained, “I’m sorry, but Ms. Steele is known for voicing her opinions directly. However, her opinions aren’t unfounded. How about trying a new style?”
Jocelyn’s rage burned even more intensely. “No way. White symbolizes purity and elegance. You talking nonsense! I don’t want you guys to design my dress anymore.”
guys are
Hearing that, Christina stood up unhesitatingly and said, “Rayne, give Mrs. Williams a refund.”
She then walked back toward her office.
Jocelyn didn’t expect such arrogance from a designer. “What’s with that attitude? I’ll tell all my friends to stop coming here to make their clothes. We’ll see if your business can survive.”
Christina ignored her and closed the door behind her.
Rayne was sweating bullets when she saw how harsh Christina was. Our clients are mostly from upper-class society. Christina’s straightforwardness will offend our clients!
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Williams. We’ll refund you the full amount,” Rayne apologized.
“Hmph!” Jocelyn grabbed her bag and stormed out.
Rayne brought the tea into the office and said, “Christina, I beg you not to speak so frankly next time because that’ll offend our clients. Our clients pay us to get their dresses made instead of getting irritated.”
Pretending not to hear a word Rayne said, Christina picked up a cup of tea and took a sip.
Enraged, Jocelyn slammed the table and rose to her feet “What do you mean?”
Christina placed her hands on her hips and did not reply. She merely stared at Jocelyn with certainty.
Jocelyn got even angrier upon seeing that, “Are you making fun of my body?”
Jocelyn was a woman from a rich family, after all. She wasn’t going to let a designer make fun of her.
However, Jocelyn wore a white dress that day, and her bulging tummy was there for everyone to see.
Faced with Jocelyn’s anger, Christina remained as cool as a cucumber. She said, “It’s normal for people to gain weight when they reach a certain age. I wasn’t picking on you. I was merely giving you my professional opinion. I’m not expecting you to take it, though.”
Christina put on an indifferent look and did not change her mind just because Jocelyn was outraged.
Right then, Rayne came out with tea and sensed the awkward atmosphere in the room. Something’s off…
She put the tea aside and asked Jocelyn cautiously, “What’s the matter, Mrs. Williams? Feel free to tell Ms. Steele what you have in mind.”
Hmph! Ms. Steele doesn’t even respect me! She said I look bad in white!” Jocelyn spat, in anger.
her eyes
widening
Rayne sized Jocelyn up and noticed that Jocelyn indeed did not look good in white. The dress makes her skin look so dark, and the color exposes the flaws of her body.
She cleared her throat and explained, “I’m sorry, but Ms. Steele is known for voicing her opinions directly. However, her opinions aren’t unfounded. How about trying a new style?”
Jocelyn’s rage burned even more intensely. “No way. White symbolizes purity and elegance. You guys are talking nonsense! I don’t want you guys to design my dress anymore.”
Hearing that, Christina stood up unhesitatingly and said, “Rayne, give Mrs. Williams a refund.”
She then walked back toward her office.
Jocelyn didn’t expect such arrogance from a designer. “What’s with that attitude? I’ll tell all my friends to stop coming here to make their clothes. We’ll see if your business can survive.”
Christina ignored her and closed the door behind her.
Rayne was sweating bullets when she saw how harsh Christina was. Our clients are mostly from upper-class society. Christina’s straightforwardness will offend our clients!
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Williams. We’ll refund you the full amount,” Rayne apologized.
“Hmph!” Jocelyn grabbed her bag and stormed out.
Rayne brought the tea into the office and said, “Christina, I beg you not to speak so frankly next time because that’ll offend our clients. Our clients pay us to get their dresses made instead of getting irritated.”
Pretending not to hear a word Rayne said. Christina picked up a cup of tea and took a sip.
“Why can’t we just make the dresses according to our client’s requests?” Rayne grumbled. What’s important is making money for the studio, no?
Christina lifted her head slightly to reveal her alluring side proble. “I’m a woman of principles. Didn’t your see the flaws in Mrs. Williams’ body? If she wears white, she’ll only appear even chubbier From now on. please tell our clients about my requirements before we accept their orders,” she said while putting her cup of tea aside.
“Yes, Ms. Steele.” Rayne knew there was nothing she could say to convince Christina otherwise. She flipped through the memos on her phone and reminded, “Oh! We have a designer networking banquet to attend tonight.”
“Huh? Can I not work overtime? How about you go on your own?” Christina wasn’t a fan of such events. Ill have to starve myself and wear a dress. How tiring is that!
“No. You’ve just rejected a huge deal. You must make up for it tonight,” Rayne said assertively, acting like Christina’s manager.
Christina let out a groan upon hearing that. Why did I find myself such a dutiful assistant?
That evening, Christina wore a black dress that Rayne had modified into a high-slit dress.
Christina lowered her head and noticed that most of her thighs were exposed when she walked.
“Um… Don’t you think this is a bit much?”
“That’s the trend now! We must keep up with the times because our dresses represent Christina’s Studios!” Rayne also wore a sexy high-slit dress with tassels at the bottom of the dress.
“Yours looks so flashy!” The corners of Christina’s mouth twitched slightly.
Rayne held Christina’s hand and walked toward the entrance. “Not only will there be a lot of rich women at the event, but there will also be plenty of rich heirs.”
She winked at Christina and led her into the venue.
The venue had beautiful chandeliers hanging off the ceiling, making the place look rather romantic.
All sorts of people were gathered there, and they were all dressed up and chatting away happily.
Rayne was responsible for socializing with the others, while Christina was just nodding and smiling all the
way.
Christina whispered in Rayne’s ear. “When can we leave this place?”
Her face was on the verge of becoming stiff due to the constant smiling.
Rayne’s smile, however, still looked as natural and pleasant as usual. “Hang in there. We still have plenty of business cards to hand out.”
Suddenly, Christina saw one of her business cards lying on a field nearby.
She also saw a few wealthy women tossing her business cards onto the ground.
A wealthy woman dressed in a sequined dress sneered, “I have never heard of this studio. How did they get invited to such a grand event?”
Next to that woman was another woman wearing a mink coat. She mocked, “How dare an unknown studio offer to make dresses for us? I wouldn’t wear anything they make!”
“Haha! You’re right!“
Christina’s expression turned grim when she heard those women mocking her studio.
Rayne was also wearing a scowl on her face, but there was nothing she could do to those women. “They’re so mean! They were all so friendly when they talked to us moments earlier. Now, they’re making fun of
us!”
Rayne gritted her teeth angrily. She wanted to confront those women, but she couldn’t afford to ruin the studio’s reputation.
Unperturbed, Christina smiled faintly and said, “That’s just how things are in this society. It’s not like you’ve never attended similar social events before.”
She bent down and picked up quite a few of her business cards from the ground. As she was about to pick up the last one, a woman in high heels stepped on the card.
That woman had even intentionally stepped on the part of the card that read: Christina’s Studios.
Chapter 410 This Is How I Apologize
“I teach you a lesson”
Rainelda raised her palm and swung it toward Christin’s cheek.
Slap
A crisp sound rang out, and the air stilled Everyone looked over
There, they saw a red handprint on the cheek of a woman in a tassel dress
“Are you okay, Rayne?” Christina asked Rayne concernedly as soon as she returned to her senses
Rayne had somehow appeared before Christina in the nick of time and received a tight slap across her face
On the verge of tearing up. Rayne held her cheek and answered. “I’m fine…”
No one would want to embarrass themselves in an event like that.
“How are you fine? Your check is all red!” Christina was livid when she saw the handprint on Rayne’s cheek.
Rayne was worried about the studio’s reputation, so she pulled Christina’s hand and whispered. “Forget about it, Christina. Let’s get out of here.”
Rainelda was thrilled when she heard Rayne telling Christina to leave. An unrecognized designer like her shouldn’t have the audacity to offend me.
She grinned and shouted haughtily, “Buzz off! You’re embarrassing yourselves!”
It had been a while since Christina had met someone as despicable as Rainelda.
She said to Rayne, “We’re not leaving until she apologizes to you.”
At that moment, she seemed like a completely different person.
Instead of behaving sheepishly like before, she became as fierce as a lion.
Someone nearby recognized Christina and approached Rainelda cautiously. “Perhaps you should apologize. She’s Mr. Hadley’s wife.”
“Mr. Hadley’s wife? I’ve never even seen her attending social events with Mr. Hadley!”
“I bet Mr. Hadley finds her status humiliating, so he never bothered bringing her out.”
“You’re joking, right? Christina hasn’t even been in the fashion industry that long. Why should Rainelda apologize to her?”
Upon hearing those comments, Rainelda didn’t feel the need to apologize to Rayne.
A woman next to Rainelda said to Christina and Rayne in a cold tone, “Get lost! No one’s apologizing to you!”
Everyone at the scene was on Rainelda’s side, and Christina and Rayne were left to fend-for themselves. Some at the scene even whipped out their phones to take photos of Christina and mock her on Instagram.
Rainelda was secretly delighted when she saw how things had turned out. “You scolded me just now, didn’t you, Christina? Apologize to me before you leave!”
How could she ask us to apologize to her when she was the one who slapped me? Rayne’s check seared with pain, and her eyes were brimmed with tears. “This is ridiculous! They’re a bunch of bullies!”
Christina exuded a cold and terrifying aura. She flashed a smirk and said, “Oh, so you want me to apologize, huh?”
Rainelda crossed her arms across her chest and said arrogantly. “Do you still not get it? You can’t leave without apologizing to me.”
Seeing the calm expression on Christina’s face, Rainelda thought she had Christina in her hands. Christina is merely an unknown tailoress. How dare she challenge me?
Suddenly, Christina started walking toward Rainelda.
Not only did the lights in the area outline her alluring and slender figure, but her dress also became even more apparent.
Although it was a simple design, her fair skin added a sense of mystery to her style.
With her long hair draped over her shoulders and partially exposed thighs, she looked like a ruthless witch.
Needless to say, all eyes were on her at that moment.
When she arrived in front of Rainelda, she lifted her palm and slapped Rainelda across the face.
The slap rang louder than the one before.
“This is how I apologize. Are you satisfied?” Christina uttered languidly and turned around.
Rainelda and the others at the scene were stupefied.
She just hit someone!
“Stop right there! How dare you slap me?” Rainelda screamed at Christina.