Willow’s eyes widened in disbelief as she took the tablet. The screen displayed their stolen designs, and her face drained of color. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and the tablet nearly slipped from her grip.
Bella’s reflexes kicked in, and she caught the tablet just before it hit the floor. Her own shock mirrored Willow’s as she saw the stolen designs on the screen.
"How is this possible?" Bella whispered with disbelief.
Willow’s face was a mix of shock and anger as she tried to piece together the betrayal that had just unfolded.
The woman standing beside Willow, her expression now one of accusation and suspicion, fixed her intense gaze on Bella. "Exactly. How could this happen? You were responsible for handling the final drafts and delivering them to Joshua. How could these designs end up with our rival?"
Bella’s heart pounded as the weight of the accusation sank in. The tension in the room grew palpable, and the once-comforting atmosphere of the cafeteria had turned cold and charged with frustration.
"I didn’t...I don’t know how this has happened. I am as shocked as you." Her voice cracked a mixture of shock and disbelief. She turned to Willow, searching for understanding, for a glimmer of trust. But when she met Willow’s doubtful gaze, her stomach dropped.
"You don’t trust me!" she choked out.
Willow breathed a deep sigh, her expression a painful mixture of doubt and reluctance. She didn’t want to suspect Bella, but the evidence pointed in her direction. "I need a thorough investigation."
With those chilling words, Willow walked out of the cafeteria.
Bella remained glued to her place, watching them leave numbly. She couldn’t understand how that had happened. She had been very cautious about everything so no one could plagiarise their work. Yet, somehow, the designs had been leaked.
How? Who was behind it?
A cold dread settled in her stomach. Her suspicion went to every team member and even to Joshua. Someone among them might have done that. But how could she prove it? It was not only to unmask the hidden enemy but to prove her innocence as well.
She needed to find the culprit, to clear her name. With renewed determination, Bella stood up. She had to talk to Willow, to convince her of her innocence.
"I need to talk to Willow." With determination in her heart, she rose to her feet and walked out.
Olivia, having observed the tension between Bella and Willow, grinned to herself. She dialed Ivy as soon as Bella left the cafeteria.
"Hello, Miss Hill... our plan worked," she said smugly. "There is a crack between Willow and Bella. Things will soon turn bitter between them. I’m sure Bella will be out of the office soon."
"Very good," Ivy replied with satisfaction. "Now is my time to step into the scene." A smirk curled her lips.
Bella, on the other hand, hurried towards Willow’s cabin, her heart pounding with determination, but her steps came to an abrupt halt by the sound of a raised voice. Willow’s frustration-laden words echoed through the closed door.
"The date is set. We announced the launch. And now...we have nothing." Willow’s eyes moved over at her team members, who were standing with pale faces around her work table. Looking at their helpless expression, she grew even more angry.
"Why are you silent now? Say something," Willow demanded.
Bella’s heart raced. She could imagine the panic and confusion in the room. A sense of dread washed over her as she realized the gravity of the situation. She wanted to help, to offer solutions, but she was frozen in place.
"We should take legal action against Miss Young. She stole our designs," someone suggested.
"We should start with Bella," another voice chimed in, sending shockwaves down Bella’s spine. "She might be with Miss Young."
"Shut up!" Willow roared, silencing the room. She glared at everyone. "Right now, I am only concerned about how we will launch our product. Taking legal action and accusing others isn’t the solution right now. Tell me, how are we going to solve this issue? Do you have any idea?"
"We can come up with new ideas," another one chimed in. "We’ll work day and night."
"That’s not an issue. But can Joshua make the dresses in such a short time?" Another one expressed her worry.
A flurry of suggestions followed, each met with a new challenge. The growing despair in Willow’s face was palpable.
"Ugh!" Willow groaned, slumping into her chair. "Get out all of you." She was too annoyed to think anything straight.
The team members filed out, their faces a mixture of fear and frustration. As they passed Bella, their disapproving glances cut like knives.
Bella hesitated for a moment, considering Willow’s distress. But she needed to talk to her and find a quick solution to this issue. She pushed open the door and stepped inside. Willow, her head in her hands, didn’t look up.
"I told you to leave," Willow barked. "Why did you..." She finally looked up, her eyes meeting Bella’s. She paused in the mid-sentence. The anger in her eyes slowly dissipated, but she was not in the mood to talk to anyone. "Please, Bella...I don’t want to talk right now. Leave."
Bella thought Willow was suspicious of her and that was why cold to her. Willow’s behavior ached her heart.
"I know you are suspicious of me," she said quietly. "But I didn’t do this. I don’t even know who Miss Young is."
Even though it seemed Bella was behind this, Willow didn’t believe she could deceive her. Shaking her head, Willow opened her mouth to say something, but Bella’s words silenced her.
"I’m not here to explain myself," Bella continued. "I’m here with a solution."
Willow waved her hands dismissively. "We can’t come up with fresh designs in such a short period of time," she said dejectedly. "There is only one way." A deep sigh escaped her lips. "We need to postpone the launch date."
"No, you can’t do that," Bella protested instantly. Postponing the launch would be a disaster. "The company will suffer losses and worse, you might lose the project. You can’t do that. I have a solution. Please hear me out."
Willow’s eyebrows raised, and her interest sparked. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "What solution?" she asked, a glimmer of hope in her voice.
"You can use my designed dresses," Bella said without hesitation.
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