Feeling relieved, Natalie smiled and said, “Thank you so much, Miss Reed. I really appreciate it.”
Carly checked her watch and apologized, “Forgive me, Miss White. My grandma will be here soon to discuss the design project with Miss Hamilton, so I will not be able to entertain you any longer.”
Carly hoped Natalie would leave soon, so as not to disturb the meeting between Mandy and her grandma.
Since Natalie had achieved the purpose of her visit, she did not need to stay any longer.
“Alright then, I shall take my leave. I will see you some other time.”
Carly nodded with a smile and said, “Goodbye, Miss White.”
Upon seeing the mediocre, unremarkable snacks that Natalie had brought, Mandy’s lips curled into a subtle sneer, dripping with disdain.
No wonder Natalie’s deal had fallen through—she was likely too miserly and close-fisted, Mandy speculated.
Indeed, Mandy’s interception of Natalie’s design project was anything but accidental.
She had meticulously planned it.
As soon as she left W Marks, Mandy began digging into recent happenings at Natalie’s studio.
It wasn’t long before she uncovered that Natalie had inadvertently offended Carly during a _ previous encounter, leaving Natalie scrambling for a chance to make amends and win back Carly’s favor.
That was why Mandy sought out Carly, volunteering to tackle the job herself.
Otherwise, she would never have stooped to take on such a mundane task as designing clothes for an ordinary elderly person, much less actively reaching out to someone like Carly.
To Mandy, Carly was nothing more than a run-of-the-mill modeling agency owner, hardly worth the effort of cultivating a relationship.
The only endeavor truly worth Mandy’s time and cunning was to make life difficult for Natalie.
Her ultimate goal was to force Natalie out of the design industry altogether, ensuring Natalie never crossed paths with her or Draco again.
“Go to hell, Natalie, you loser!” Mandy’s eyes burned with fury as she silently cursed Natalie’s retreating figure.
Composing herself, Mandy glanced dismissively at the box of snacks and shook her head in mock pity.
“It appears Miss White hardly exerted herself for this gift. These cookies are so crudely made, it’s obvious she was just going through the motions.” Carly eyed the cookies but held her tongue.
Instead, she instructed her assistant to collect Natalie’s snacks for her grandmother’s upcoming visit.
Mandy’s expression soured instantly.
Why bother saving such a shabby box of cookies? Shouldn’t they be tossed in the garbage? Mandy believed that Carly was nothing but a backwater bumpkin, and over a decade in Barnes hadn’t changed her small-town mentality.
She shot Carly a furtive glare before plastering on a warm smile.
“Ms. Reed, I’ve procured the finest treats in Barnes for you. Please enjoy them with your grandmother later.” After bidding Carly farewell, Natalie and Lexi lingered at the modeling agency entrance.
Their eyes, filled with disappointment, met the blazing sun overhead.
“We’ve wasted so much time waiting here for nothing,” Lexi grumbled, her fists clenched in frustration. “If Ms. Reed didn’t want to see us, she should’ve just said so.” Natalie shook her head, accepting blame.
“The fault lies with me, not Ms. Reed.”
“But…”
Lexi wanted to vent further, but the crestfallen look on Natalie’s face made her bite her tongue.
Natalie offered a comforting smile.
“Let’s go. Her forgiveness means more to me than winning back the order.”
Lexi knew her boss was gentle and kindhearted, not one to be bothered by such setbacks, so she relented.
“Alright, since you say so, I won’t be mad anymore.”
As they departed, Lexi suddenly remembered Mandy and sensed something amiss about her.
Though usually carefree and unworried, Lexi had caught a fleeting glimmer of malice in Mandy’s eyes back at Carly’s company.
“Boss, I can’t help but think there’s something off about Mandy,”
Lexi shared her unease.
“It seems like she intentionally snatched the order from us.”
At the mention of Mandy’s name, Natalie let out a weary sigh.
Mandy just loved to be her adversary.
Sensing juicy gossip, Lexi pressed, “Boss, from your reaction, it seems there’s some truth to my suspicions, right?” Natalie nodded resignedly.
“Yes, there’s been some conflict between us…”
She went on to recount the incident that had transpired between her and Mandy at W Marks. Lexi listened in shock.
“So that’s what happened. Mandy is truly malicious.” Natalie offered a faint smile.
“She’s not entirely a bad person. She is just being immature. Besides…”
Her voice trailed off, and a glimmer of hope danced in her eyes.
“There might still be a chance for this project.”
Could it be that hope still lingered? Lexi’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Truly?”
Natalie responded with a warm, reassuring smile, “I won’t attempt to convince Carly any further.
I believe she might just take it upon herself to approach me.”
Envisioning the congenial interaction between Carly and Mandy, Lexi pouted, “Boss, I must say Carly and Mandy seem to be getting along splendidly. I doubt she’ll choose anyone else.” Natalie’s grin remained.
“I’m not convinced Mandy can create a dress that will truly satisfy Carly.” Natalie knew Mandy all too well.
Mandy held herself in high regard, only deigning to design clothing for the affluent and influential or the most renowned of stars.
The fact that she accepted Carly’s request this time was likely an attempt to irk Natalie.
With that thought in mind, could Mandy genuinely create a dress that met the client’s desires? Natalie had her doubts.
Yet, Lexi didn’t concur with Natalie’s assessment.
“Boss, I believe we can’t simply wait idly. To passively anticipate Carly’s initiative is not enough. We should attempt to persuade Carly’s grandmother.”
Flashing a confident smile, Natalie replied, “Patience, dear. Just wait and see.”
Witnessing Natalie’s unwavering confidence, Lexi couldn’t help but feel a tinge of confusion and curiosity.
“Boss, you were uncertain just yesterday.
Why is it that facing a formidable competitor like Mandy has only bolstered your confidence?”
Natalie shot Lexi a knowing glance, her smile unwavering, yet she offered no explanation.
As they conversed, the car came to a gentle halt outside the studio.
Natalie spotted a familiar face at the entrance.
“Estella?”
Natalie exclaimed in surprise.
“What brings you here?”
Upon turning around and seeing Natalie, Estella’s face lit up with a joyful smile.
“I heard your studio was open for business, so I brought some friends along to visit and show our support.”
