"Work?" Gina scoffed, folding her arms across her chest in a stance of blatant disdain. Her lips curled into a mocking smile as she surveyed Bella with an air of superiority. "Do you even know what kind of place this is? How could someone like you, with no background in the fashion industry, possibly have worked here?"
Bella’s lips twisted into a bitter chuckle. "For your information, I am Miss Willow Taylor’s assistant," she said with quiet defiance. "Of course, I’m here to carry out my boss’s commands."
She deliberately left out the fact that her own design dresses had been stitched at Joshua’s studio. It was a closely guarded secret that she would reveal in public at the right time.
Gina’s eyes widened in disbelief, the name clearly catching her off guard. "Willow Taylor?" she repeated with incredulity.
The thought that Theodore’s haughty sister would employ someone like Bella as her assistant seemed too far-fetched for Gina to comprehend. She assumed, perhaps, that Theodore had pulled strings for Bella.
"Hmph!" Gina snorted, her disdainful expression deepening. "Do you even have the qualifications to be her assistant? If it weren’t for Theodore, you wouldn’t have had a chance to step into her office."
Bella’s smile widened into something almost smug, the satisfaction of keeping her real story hidden giving her an edge. She didn’t reveal that she had met Willow long before Theodore entered her life, or that she had earned her merit position alone, not through anyone’s influence.
"Yes, it’s because of him," Bella confessed with a calculated calm, her eyes narrowing slightly. "And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that." She stepped closer, lowering her voice to a whisper that was chilling. "He is my husband, after all, and he’ll do anything to fulfill all my wishes."
The words struck Gina like a slap, and her eyes flared with anger. "You, shameless bitch!" she spat.
Bella’s expression hardened, her eyes turning icy cold. The memories of Gina and Theodore standing too close for comfort flashed through her mind, fueling the anger that simmered just beneath the surface.
"Am I shameless?" Bella shot back, her tone cutting. "Theodore is my husband, yet you tried to seduce him. So, tell me, who is the shameless one here?"
"You!" Gina’s face twisted in fury, her mouth opening to unleash another tirade which was when Joshua appeared and interrupted her.
"Bella! You’re still here," Joshua’s voice cut through the charged air. He had clearly expected her to have left by now. "I thought you left. And Miss Willis..." His eyes then shifted to Gina, and a slight frown creased his brow. "You didn’t inform me you were coming."
Gina forced a smile, masking the frustration boiling inside her. "I was just passing by and thought I’d say hi. Are my dresses ready?"
"No," Joshua replied curtly. "It’ll take a few more days. I’ll let you know when they are done. Please don’t show up uninformed. I won’t be able to give you time." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, his footsteps echoing down the corridor as he disappeared.
Gina stood there, her fists clenched at her sides, her shoulders tensing.
Bella watched the scene unfold, momentarily taken aback. She hadn’t known that Gina had an interest in fashion design. The thought of Gina working with Joshua, possibly on her own designs, sent a ripple of curiosity through her. For a moment, she considered asking if Gina was also a designer, but she quickly decided against it. It wasn’t her place to pry into Gina’s matters.
As Bella turned to leave, eager to put some distance between herself and the uncomfortable encounter, Gina’s voice cut through the air, stopping her in her tracks.
"You must be wondering what dresses I’ve been talking about," Gina said, her face etched with a mix of smugness and challenge. "Well, I’m participating in a fashion show."
Bella turned back to face her, stunned momentarily. So Gina was also participating in the show. The knowledge added a new layer to her already uneased mind.
Bella definitely didn’t want to compete with her, but fate seemed to have conspired against her and brought them face-to-face. She was frustrated but determined as well. It was her first show, and she would do her best in it.
Bella simply nodded, her expression carefully neutral. She wasn’t about to give Gina the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. "Good luck with that," she said evenly. "May your designs catch everyone’s attention."
Gina’s eyes narrowed, clearly expecting more of a reaction. But Bella kept her composure, which irritated her further and prompted her to snap at her.
"Of course, they will, and I don’t need your wishes. It’s my talent that speaks volumes, and you’ll see—I’ll win the competition and become the next top designer in the city. Even Willow will fail in front of me."
Dropping those venous words, she stormed out.
Bella watched her go, a mixture of frustration and resolve tightening in her chest. She rolled her eyes, exhaling slowly to release the tension. Gina’s outburst only served to strengthen her resolve. With her mind made up, Bella left the studio, ready to focus on what truly mattered—her work and the upcoming show.
~~~~~~~~~~
After a long and exhausting day, Theodore finally arrived home, his body heavy with fatigue but his heart lightened by the thought of seeing Bella.
"I’m home," he called out, expecting to hear her footsteps rushing to greet him. But the house remained eerily silent, his voice echoing back to him.
A strange uneasiness began to gnaw at him. ’Is she not home?’ he wondered, his mind racing with possibilities.
Panic began to bubble up as he quickly made his way to the bedroom, hoping to find her there. But the room was empty, the bed neatly made, and the sight only intensified his growing fear.
"Bella!" he murmured, his voice trembling as he feared the worst. The memories of past dangers flashed through his mind, and his heart pounded in his chest. Frantically, he pulled out his phone, ready to call her, but he paused when he heard faint noises coming from downstairs.
"Bella!" he called out again, his voice louder this time as he hurried down the stairs. The sound led him to a room that Bella had turned into her workspace. There, he found her standing with her back to him, staring intently at a row of designer dresses hanging on a rack.
Theodore let out a deep sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing as the fear that had gripped him moments before melted away.
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