Ivy couldn’t control her fury. The office walls seemed to close in on her. Her hands clenched into fists and trembled with the urge to lash out. Every muscle in her body thrummed with a primal fury that threatened to boil over.
She wanted to scream, to hurl something across the room, to vent her frustration in a physical outburst, but the constraints of their professional environment forced her to maintain a veneer of control.
"Bella," she hissed through clenched teeth. Her fingernails dug into her palms, drawing a thin line of blood, but the pain was a mere whisper compared to the white-hot fire consuming her.
Even after seeing those drawings, she wasn’t ready to believe that those were Bella’s creations. To Ivy, Bella’s sudden rise seemed not just improbable but impossible. A woman from a small town, without any notable background or connections, suddenly impressing someone as significant as Miss Willow? 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
It was beyond belief.
Zack’s clear affection for Bella only added salt to the wound. Ivy could see it in his eyes, in the way he defended Bella, and it infuriated her further.
"He is completely smitten with her. Can’t he see she is manipulating him?" Ivy seethed, her mind racing through countless schemes.
Her fury intensified with each passing moment. "How am I supposed to stop her?" she muttered.
She had tried everything to discredit Bella, from spreading rumors to orchestrating situations designed to show Bella in a negative light. But each attempt had been thwarted, and Bella emerged unscathed and, worse, stronger. Above all, Bella had won Willow’s favor.
"Ugh!" She groaned with uncontrolled rage. "Damn you, Bella," she spat, her voice thick with loathing. "Just how lucky can one person be?"
Ivy felt like she was losing control, not just of the situation but of her own sanity. Just as the inferno within her threatened to consume her entirely, a sharp rap on the door shattered the tense silence. With a practiced flick of her wrist, she smoothed her hair and sucked in a deep breath, desperately trying to salvage some semblance of composure.
Ivy brushed her hair and took a deep breath to bring on a semblance of composure.
"Come in," she forced out.
The door creaked open, revealing Olivia’s grinning face. The sight of it was enough to churn Ivy’s stomach with a fresh wave of annoyance. The embers of rage barely banked moments ago, roared back to life with renewed intensity.
Groaning inwardly, Ivy rolled her eyes with exasperation. "What do you want?" she spat.
Olivia, expecting juicy details about Bella’s dismissal, faltered at the unexpected hostility. The triumphant smirk on her face vanished, replaced by a flicker of unease. "I, uh, sorry to bother you," she stammered. "Is everything alright? Care to tell me what makes you upset? Maybe I can help you with."
"That bitch, Bella..." Ivy hissed. "She will be an important part of the project because the great designer, Miss Willow, has specifically recommended her name."
Olivia’s eyes widened comically, her jaw slacked in disbelief. "Are you serious?" The question tumbled out of her mouth in a rush. "But... how? Why would Miss Willow know about her? She is not even in the design department!"
"That’s exactly what I thought," she lamented, the bitterness evident in her voice. Hot air puffed from her flared nostrils. "But I was wrong. I didn’t know she graduated with a fashion design major, and her drawings... they’re good."
The admission stuck in her throat, leaving a sour taste on her tongue. Despite her burning hatred, a grudging respect for Bella’s talent forced its way through the walls she’d built around her anger.
Olivia couldn’t believe that Ivy was actually praising Bella. She wouldn’t accept the fact that Bella was good at design drawing.
"Good?" Olivia barked, disdain dripping from her voice. "Maybe she can sketch a cute dress, but good? Absolutely not. If this ’talent’ of hers was real, wouldn’t she be working for some prestigious fashion house? Why waste her talent in working as a mere clerk? Why has she never showcased her talent before? It’s all her tricks to woo Mr. Hudson. I am sure those are not her work. She might have plagiarized."
Olivia’s words sparked a flicker of hope in Ivy’s eyes. "Do you think so?" she breathed.
"Of course!" she declared, her confidence swelling. "It’s so obvious. Someone with true design talent wouldn’t be stuck filing papers. She must have stolen someone else’s work to impress Ms. Willow."
Ivy nodded, agreeing with her. "You are right," she mumbled thoughtfully. "It all makes sense now. She never mentioned she knew design drawing. Even Zack didn’t know about it. It’s a lie, a cheap trick to get close to him." Disgust contorted her features. "We can’t let her work with Miss Willow. This could ruin the reputation of the company."
Olivia’s eyes gleamed with malicious delight. "Don’t worry, Miss Hill. She will be out of the company before you know it." She smirked.
Ivy narrowed her eyes, her mind racing. "Do you have a plan?" she inquired, intrigued.
Olivia, basking in the attention, offered a curt nod. "A solid one... Just ensure those pesky surveillance cameras are disabled tonight, and tomorrow, we’ll witness a beautiful spectacle unfold."
The anger that had been a raging inferno within Ivy began to recede. A slow, predatory smile stretched across her face. Witnessing Olivia’s confidence, a sense of certainty washed over her. This time, Bella wouldn’t slip through their grasp.
"Okay, that’s not a big deal," Ivy assured her. "I’ll take care of it. If you succeed, I’ll reward you handsomely."
"I won’t disappoint you," Olivia said, executing a mock bow before sashaying out of the cabin.
Ivy leaned back in her chair, a dangerous glint sparkling in her eyes with excitement and anticipation. "Let’s see what Olivia has cooked up for you this time, Bella."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Olivia observed Bella working on something serious. A predatory glint flickered in her eyes as she approached her.
"Well, well, well, look who’s become Miss Willow’s new favorite," Olivia cooed. "Congratulations, Bella! Who knew you harbored such hidden talents?"
Bella knew Olivia wasn’t here to simply congratulate her. She met her gaze with a steady indifference and asked, "Do you have anything to say?"
Olivia grinned even wider. "Just offering my well wishes, of course!" she chirped. "With your newfound design prowess, you will be soon transferred to the design department. And I’ll have the chance to get close to Mr. Hudson and win his favor."
She waggled a pen drive and added, "Speaking of which, Amy entrusted me with a rather important task while you were away. She said she would recommend me to the boss to be his personal assistant if I impressed him with my work. How exciting, wouldn’t you agree?"
Bella was aware of Zack looking for a personal assistant given the recent increase in workload. But she never knew Amy had promised something like that to Olivia.
"Good for you," she said, showing no interest. "You should focus on your work if you want to impress him. Work hard and let me work."
Olivia’s smile faltered, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. She bristled, on the verge of a retort, but the sound of approaching footsteps cut her off.
Amy appeared, her expression stern. "Bella, Miss Willow is here," she announced. "You should go and greet her."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
