"What?" Willow exclaimed, taken aback. "No...I can’t take them. Those are your designs; you worked hard for the shoot. This is your dream. I can’t take it away from you."
Bella moved closer to the worktable, her determination unwavering. "Listen to me, Willow," she urged. "Many opportunities will come my way in the future. As long as I work hard, I can fulfill my dream. But this issue should be addressed first. As your assistant and a part of this project, it’s my duty to help you."
Willow hesitated, her mind racing. It felt wrong to take advantage of Bella’s hard work. At the same time, the offer was alluring. It could immediately resolve the crisis. However, she couldn’t muster the courage to accept the offer.
"But Bella... I feel it’s wrong," Willow stammered.
"Don’t think anything. Just say yes," Bella pressed. "I know my designs aren’t as good as yours, but it can solve the problems for the time being. Once the launch is over, we can take action against Miss Young and find out how the designs were leaked."
All the tension and worries that pressed down Willow melted away. She grinned, but tears welled up in her eyes. Walking over to Bella, she pulled her into her embrace.
"Thank you so much, Bella," Willow whispered, choking with emotion. She still couldn’t believe Bella had sacrificed her dream event only to help her. "I’ll never forget this favor."
Bella returned the hug, her heart filled with a sense of purpose. "This is not a favor. This is my job. Remember, I work under you."
Willow pursed her lips into a thin line, conflicted between gratitude and guilt. "Sorry, you have to lose the chance to participate in the fashion show." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚
"It’s okay," Bella said casually with a shrug as if it was not a big deal. "I can sell my designs online until I find the next opportunity."
Willow’s heart ached for her, but she was also filled with pride. Bella’s selflessness and determination were inspiring. She hugged Bella again, and her resolve strengthened. "I’ll help you with this," she promised.
In the meantime, Ivy entered the cabin, her steps halting abruptly as she witnessed the unexpected scene. The sight of Willow and Bella embracing each other was a stark contrast to the scenario she had envisioned. Her plan was to sow discord between the two, to isolate Bella, and ultimately remove her from the project. But here they were, a picture of unity and support.
Confusion and irritation warred within her. What had gone wrong?
Ivy was shell-shocked.
Willow and Bella broke their embrace as Ivy’s presence registered.
"Miss Hill!" Willow greeted her with a forced smile. "Do you have something to say?"
"I..." Ivy was at a loss for words for a moment. She quickly gathered herself and smiled awkwardly. "Actually, I heard that the final designs were leaked. I was worried and," her gaze flickered to Bella before returning to Willow, "I came to check on you. But... it seems that I heard wrongly."
"Yes, some design drafts are leaked," Willow confirmed, "but those are not final design drafts."
Ivy’s irritation flared. Olivia had misled her. The incompetent woman had ruined her plan. She forced a calm demeanor. "Really?" she replied with feigned surprise.
Ivy silently cursed Olivia, her fists clenching on the sides.
"There is nothing to be alarmed about," Willow assured her. "Everything is under control. But I’ll investigate this matter and find out who is behind this."
"That’s relieving that the final drafts are safe," Ivy said, swallowing the irritation. Her plan to shoo Bella had failed again. Frustration threatened to boil over. She somehow maintained her composure. She had to salvage the situation.
"Let me know if you need any help," she added. "I’d love to know who has leaked the designs."
"Don’t worry, Miss Hills – this issue will be resolved before you know it," Willow assured her confidently. All she needed to do was approach Theodore. She believed her brother would use all his channels to find out the culprit.
Willow’s confidence made Ivy a bit nervous. What if her involvement was discovered? She quickly pushed the thought aside. "Yes, the mole should be identified soon," she said, maintaining a calm facade. "Alright, I’ll go back now. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything."
With that, she left, confusion and anxiety swirling within her.
As soon as she returned to her cabin, Ivy summoned Olivia. "Come to my office right away!" she barked into the phone, slamming it down on the desk. She began pacing, her anger growing.
"How dared she lie to me," she muttered. "I know what is going on in her thick head. She wants a promotion. Very well...I’ll kick her out of the office. I don’t want a useless person like her with me."
The door knocked before it opened with a narrow slit. Olivia craned her neck and asked cautiously, "Can I come in?"
"Yes, yes... I’ve been waiting for you," Ivy hissed. She turned away from the door, her back facing Olivia.
Olivia, oblivious to Ivy’s anger, entered the room and closed the door behind her. A wide smile spread across her face as she anticipated a reward for her "successful" plan.
"Everyone is suspecting Bella," she began with triumph. "I heard her colleagues cursing her. I’m sure Miss Willow will soon dismiss her from her duty."
Ivy spun around, her face flushed with anger. "Do you think so?" she barked, her voice rising.
Olivia was caught off guard by Ivy’s sudden outburst. Her confident demeanor faltered. This was not the reaction she had anticipated. What went wrong?
"Their bond is strong and intact," Ivy snapped, startling Olivia. "Willow is not at all upset with Bella."
Olivia’s brow furrowed in confusion. "How could that be possible? All the team members were suspecting her. I heard them pinning the blame on Bella. Besides, Miss Willow had a short meeting right after the news was spread and there was no Bella. I think you have mistaken something."
Ivy’s temper flared even more. She took a menacing step towards Olivia. "Oh really?" she spat, her eyes narrowing. "Now you are saying I have mistaken." She cocked her head, her expression stormy. "The design drafts which were leaked aren’t the final drafts. The launch is still going to happen on the scheduled date."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
