Chapter 761
“Natalie, congratulations on becoming an independent designer!” Natalie was stunned.
She wasn’t expecting any of this.
A few of her colleagues had party poppers while the others held bottles of champagne.
Everyone was smiling from ear to ear, their eyes sincere and wishing her the best.
Elizabeth appeared, pushing a cart with a big cake on it.
She congratulated Natalie from the bottom of her heart, “Congratulations on becoming an independent designer, Natalie! I hope this will become a valuable journey for you. Maybe you’ll be the best designer in the future!”
“Elizabeth…”
Natalie watched as each of them nodded in agreement.
She put her hand on her chest, feeling touched.
“Thank you…”
Before she could even make a speech to thank them the crowd broke into another round of praise.
“Congratulations, Natalie!”
Amongst the group, Draco slowly made his way to her with a sincere smile on his lips.
“Congratulations on your success in becoming an independent designer. From now on, I will treat you as an outstanding rival.”
“Mr. Wesley…” Natalie was flattered by Draco’s compliment and blessings, but couldn’t help feeling a tinge of shyness.
She bowed her head bashfully and said, “I’m not good enough to compete with you yet.”
Draco spoke in a mild, soothing voice, subtly encouraging her.
“You have to believe in yourself, Natalie. You’re a phenomenal designer with a unique style and aesthetic. I’m confident that you’ll make waves in the fashion industry in no time.”
“Exactly. I also have a lot of faith in you!”
Elizabeth said as she patted Natalie on the shoulder cheerfully.
“You have to watch your back, though, because I’ll catch up to you too!”
The rest of Natalie’s colleagues then joined in and offered her words of encouragement.
“Go for it, Natalie! You have all it takes!”
“Just don’t forget about us once you become a big- shot designer!”
Natalie observed her colleagues shower her with adoration with pursed lips, deeply moved by their affection.
Her nose immediately felt stuffy, and her eyes became lightly soaked with tears.
Her gaze swept over the familiar and friendly faces in front of her, as well as all the familiar objects in W Marks Studio—each one distinguished by unique memories of her time there.
Natalie clenched her fist and said with determination, “I’ll do my best! I’ll never forget W Marks.
You guys are like family to me!”
“Alright, alright. Enough with the soppy speeches now!” Elizabeth joked as she pushed the cart towards Natalie.
“Let’s all have some champagne and cake and celebrate this wonderful occasion together!”
The entire office erupted into cheers.
As Natalie nibbled on a slice of cake with her head bowed down, a solitary tear unexpectedly rolled down her cheek and plopped onto the dessert.
Goodbye, W Marks! Goodbye, friends… By the time Natalie arrived at her new studio with her luggage, it was already midday.
When she got to the door, she found that the assistant that Brandon had hired was already waiting for her.
The assistant immediately gave her a hand with her belongings, saying, “Let me help you with that, boss.”
Natalie felt a tinge of guilt, as she was reluctant to burden her new young female assistant with heavy lifting.
“That’s alright, I’ll manage,” she insisted.
“It’s not a problem at all, boss. As your assistant, I’m here to help you with whatever you need,”
the young assistant said confidently as she took Natalie’s luggage from her gently.
She was a beautiful, delicate girl whose smile revealed an adorable pair of buck teeth.
“Oh and by the way, I didn’t properly introduce myself. My name is Lexi Baldwin. It’s a pleasure to meet you, boss!”
she said enthusiastically.
The girl’s cute smile instantly lifted Natalie’s mood a little.
“Nice to meet you too, I’m Natalie White,” she replied.
“I know you!”
Lexi panted as she heaved the luggage onto a table.
She looked at Natalie with eyes beaming with admiration and exclaimed, “I’m your biggest fan!”
“My fan?” Natalie pointed at herself, puzzled.
She didn’t expect to have fans.
Lexi nodded eagerly.
“I have a keen interest in design, although it’s not my major.
I’ve been keeping up with industry-related news and events.”
Suddenly, Lexi’s confident demeanor evaporated, and she became a bit shy and scratched her head.
“I’ve been following your work for a while now, and I think you’re a very talented and creative designer. The collection you designed for the elderly lady was absolutely stunning!”
she remarked, praising Natalie emphatically.
Natalie couldn’t help but feel a bit shy as well after hearing Lexi’s candid words.
“It’s really not that great…”
Lexi replied earnestly, “I truly believe that you have immense talent, boss!”
The seriousness with which Lexi’s spoke put a cheerful smile on Natalie’s face.
“Well, thank you for your kind words,”
she said, grateful for the compliment.
Despite their good start, Natalie still had some reservations about Lexi.
She was worried that she’d inform Brandon about her activities at work, so she felt the need to set some ground rules from the onset.
“Well…”
Natalie thought for a moment, carefully choosing her words.
“I would like it if you didn’t tell Brandon anything about my work,”
she said, with a hint of nervousness in her tone.
Lexi then quickly reassured her, tapping her chest as she asserted loudly, “Don’t worry at all, boss! As your assistant, I’m loyal to you and you alone! Whatever you do, I promise to keep it confidential!”
Natalie chuckled at how adorable Lexi was and said, “Alright, alright, I believe you.”
Lexi carried all of Natalie’s belongings to the workshop.
There were several of Natalie’s old designs in the workshop, and she had spent countless hours on each one of them, giving her blood, sweat, and tears.
