35

She stepped out of the car and hailed down a cab to go to the Blue Ridge company after sending Jenna back.
Immediately, she arrived at the company, she took out a name card from her bag as she stood outside of the company's building. she called the number on the name card.
Soon enough, the call was connected, a man's cold voice could be heard from the other side of the phone.
“Who is it?”
Bethany wore a frown hearing his cold question. However, she felt somehow hearing this. So she swallowed hard and said.“ Mr. Meyer, I am Bethany Quest. I called to inform you that I have just arrived at the Blue Ridge company. I'm waiting downstairs, sir”.
Zayn sighed in realization with his hand running through his head, he softened his voice and said.“Alright, please wait for a bit while I arrange for someone to come and get you” Zayn said straightforward and he immediately hung up the phone.
Bethany was left speechless, but she could do nothing but put her phone away and wait for further orders from him.
After a few minutes, an elite-looking man–looked very young and vibrant. He was wearing a nicely ironed tailor suit, walking toward her, he looked up at her and asked.“Are you perhaps, Miss Quest?”Gael asked in a gentle while looking at her expectantly.
“Yes, I am” Bethany answered immediately while looking up at Gael with a look of recognition, but her expression was instantly changed.
He scrutinized her for a couple of minutes as different thoughts runs through his mind while his eyes were fixed on her.
Did I make a mistake or did the boss hire this woman to be the chief fashion designer of the new project? This is beyond strange. he did!.
When he finally snapped out of his thought, he smiled at her and said.“Hello, Miss Quest. I am Mr. Meyer's special assistant, Gael Clinton. Mr. Meyer had asked me to come and get you. So let's go”.
“Thank you, Mr. Clinton”.
Bethany replied with the corners of her lips coiled into a smile as she thought of something.
I know what you're thinking, Gael. Zayn wouldn't have hired me regularly but right now he has no choice since his reputation depends on this.
Gael smiled right back as he made a gesture with his hand, “Miss Quest, please come with me. This way”.
“Yes,” Bethany held up her dress and followed suit, walking behind him.
When they arrived at the president's office, Gael showed her the office and left to go make some coffee. Bethany was sitting alone in the big and spacious office waiting for the arrival of the man.
After waiting for a couple of minutes, the man walked in wearing a could expression while his eyes were fixed on the document.
He sat down right on the big rotating chair behind the desk and dropped the documents as soon as his eyes were full on the figure of the woman.
Now seated facing the charismatic man, who was sitting behind the desk.
He put down a wad of designs drafts and looked at her with a constricted gaze.“I received these drafts from Mr. Downey, he also informed me that these are some of your best designs. Honestly speaking, this won't do. Your style of design is more for the local market and cheap affordable luxury items. I refused to believe that any of these designs would be suitable for Oceania as we are seeking a more high-end luxury connotation.
oh, so you got the design already? that's so fast indeed.
Bethany lowered her head as if she was feeling dejected due to the level of criticism he labeled against her work.
wait ! is he trying to reject this after seeing these designs?.
“But...” He raised his eyes and continued.
Bethany's gloomy eyes lit up once again as she raised her brows and awaited his words.
she tried not to be too excited about it and show him.
she pinched herself slightly on the palm and asked, “Yes, Mr. Meyer”.
“There is an advantage to your designs. They are quite ethereal. In the coming, you will draw up fifteen designs drafts for Oceania. If they meet up with my expectations, then I will hire you as the head designer of Oceania. How about that, what do you say?”
Zayn grabbed the document that contains the details about the project 'Oceania' and faced it in front of Bethany.
Bethany looked down and looked at the document, and asked for confirmation.
“So, Mr. Meyer. Are you saying that if my first drafts meet your requirements, you will hire me as the head designer, is that right, Mr. Meyer?”.
Zayn noticed that the expression on her face has suddenly changed as she looked more determined than ever. He arched his brows and said.“ Yes, exactly what I mean ”.
“Okay, then I'm willing to take the bait. I'll be your future head designer, then” She replied smiling. she grabbed the document and hugged it tightly.
Zayn glared at her speechlessly. he was taken aback by the look of confidence on her face and her cute adorable reactions–he subconsciously curled his lips into a smile, his eyes instantly dim soon after.
While they were relishing in silence after the quick conversation, Gael walked in, carrying two cups of coffee. He handed one over to Bethany courteously and dropped the other cup in front of Zayn before moving aside.
Bethany lifted the cup to her like and took a sip from it out of courtesy. Then, she dropped it back and suggested that she would start working immediately.
Zayn waved his hand and ordered Gael to bring her to her workstations.“Bring her to the design department. Joanna will be in charge of her”.
Bethany was taken aback as she tried to recall if she was the same person from the past.
Joanna?
it shouldn't be the same Joanna that she knew, right?.
Bethany quietly followed Gael to the design department. Her eyes darted around in doubt.
Gael brought her to the manager's office and knocked at the door.
Soon after, the door was slid open, revealing a familiar face–Bethany saw the familiar face sitting on the sofa with her eyes crossed.
Bethany looked at the person and her face twitched.
It was Joanna Meyer!.
oh, so she was the manager here now.
Joanna didn't know who was standing behind Gael. She pulled her hair behind her ears and asked.“ Are you here because of Zayn? does he need something from me, Gael”.
Gael looked as if he didn't hear her question as he moved aside from revealing the person standing behind him.
Gael moved to the side and presented Bethany to the other woman. “This is the new designer that the president asked me to bring to you. Please make some arrangements for her stay at the company ”.
“Designer? what designer?” Joanna asked with a frown on her face–She sounded disappointed as she looked beyond him annoyingly and saw the woman standing beside him.
The expression on her face instantly changed as she was disgusted by the revelation of the person standing there.
“It's You? ” Joanna asked with a look of discontent on her face as her mouth was left wide open.
“Hello, Miss Meyer”. Bethany moved forward and tried to greet her in a gentle tone.
Seeing and scrutinizing the woman before her, her eyes twitched and she was slightly furious.
who is this wretched ugly woman? how could any think of hiring a middle-class dirty pig like her as the designer instead of me?
how could it be her? is she worth more than I can do?
what can a wretched woman like her do here?.
Gael was quite observant as his eyes were focused on Joanna, who was acting weird all of a sudden.“What's wrong, Miss Meyer? Do you perhaps know Miss Quest?”.
“No, I don't know her. why would I want to know her any?” she replied shooting an angry look in the direction of Bethany.
She then realized that she might react too quickly. it was obvious that she was trying to conceal something. she hurriedly asked as she looked at her disdainfully. “Why would the company need a new designer when both Danica and I can handle things around here? Anyway, that's not important, well, I don't know who she is but I think I saw her at the banquet organized by Mr. Downey. wasn't she the same woman who stole a diamond necklace from Miss Downey?”.
She asked looking at Bethany with her eyes trailing the woman up and down.
Bethany quickly raised her eyes to look at Joanna, who wore a sly look.
you don't seize to amuse me, Joanna. you're still the same sly which you were five years ago.
Looking up at Joanna, Bethany said.“I'm sure you didn't get to hear the full story, Miss Meyer. I didn't steal anything if you still need to hear it”.
Bethany was well aware of who and what Joanna is capable of doing, so she wasn't bothered by her actions at all.
Joanna was stunned when she heard what Bethany said, however, she kept her cool and play along.
After what seemed like forever, Gael finally broke the silence.“Miss Meyer, it's getting late now. If you don't have anything else to say I would like to take my leave and head over to the president's office as I have other matters to attend to”. Gael said while glaring slightly at the wristwatch on his hand.
Joanna nodded and smiled .“Of course, you should leave now, Mr. Clinton”.
Still suspicious of her, Gael skeptically left the office.
After Gael left, Joanna quickly put away her fake smile, and she harshly yanked Bethany into her office with force, then she began with her interrogation.
“Hey, tell me what you are here for. Are you here with ulterior motives? Now tell me what you're here for ”.
“Of course, I'm here to work as a designer, Miss Meyer.” Bethany quickly flung her hand away and replied in a low but angry tone.
“Work?” Joanna squinted her eyes and didn't seem to believe the explanation she had given“You are here to work? is that what you said? why didn't Zayn send you to the human resources department first? why did he ask his special assistant to send you over to my office under his orders? Explain to me in plain detail how you got to know Zayn and don't even try to lie to me if you think of outsmarting me then you have to face the consequences, do you understand me? Wait! are you here to woo your way into his life, don't tell me you are eyeing our wealth”. She asked with doubts visible in her tone as she glared at the woman with hatred that burns like a furnace of fire.