“Mr. Wall, shall we head back-?” Samuel began, only to be cut off.
“Back to Myrtlewood Estate,” Noah said, his voice low and tinged with fatigue.
Samuel and Omar exchanged glances, both puzzled. Noah had rarely gone back to Myrtlewood Estate since Sadie’s departure. Without further inquiry, Samuel directed Omar to drive.
Upon reaching the apartment door, Sadie felt an inexplicable unease wash over her. She glanced at the dim streetlight, thinking she saw something move, yet nothing was there. The night breeze chilled her, prompting her to tighten her coat.
“Was it just my imagination?” she whispered, taking out her keys to unlock the door.
“Sadie, you’re back!” The comforting scent of home-cooked dishes and Laura’s warm smile welcomed her. On the dining table, dishes steamed invitingly, and Alex was setting the tableware.
“Grandma, why did you cook yourself?” Sadie quickly dropped her bag and hugged Laura.
Laura patted Sadie’s hand, looking at her affectionately. “I invited Alex for dinner, so I wanted to treat the man I consider my grandson-in-law well. Go wash your hands. Dinner’s ready.”
Caught off guard, Sadie hesitated, then looked at Alex, her voice polite. “Alex, good to have you here.”
“I’m here to mooch a meal. Averi is already asleep,” Alex replied, pulling out a chair for her.
They sat down, and Laura served Sadie food, talking about everyday matters.
“Sadie, you and Alex are at a good age to think about marriage. When do you plan to get married?”
Laura’s question made Sadie pause mid-bite.
“We, uh…” Sadie began, but Alex cut in.
“We’re considering it. We’ll let you know when the date is set,” Alex said with a kind smile.
“That’s wonderful,” Laura said, her face lighting up. “I know you young people have your ways, so I won’t meddle. But Sadie, Alex is a fine man. You should hold him dear.”
Sadie managed a smile, lowering her gaze to her plate, her emotions tangled.
Suddenly, a phone vibrated.
Alex retrieved his phone and glanced at the screen.
“Excuse me, I need to take this,” he said, standing and walking to the balcony to answer the call. “What’s up?”
His assistant’s voice came through clearly. “Mr. Howe, Mr. Wall’s Maybach followed Miss Hudson all the way to her home just now.”
Alex’s grip tightened on the phone, his knuckles whitening.
What was Noah planning?
“Got it,” Alex replied coldly before ending the call.
He inhaled deeply, attempting to quell the turmoil inside him, and returned to the dining table.
Sadie, sensing his distress, asked with concern, “Is everything alright? Is there a problem at your company?”
“It’s nothing. Just a minor issue,” Alex replied, managing a smile.
Sadie didn’t press further, though she felt uneasy.
The next day, as Sadie arrived at her studio, she sensed something was wrong. Before she could determine the cause, a burly man with an angry expression stormed into the studio.
“Sadie Hudson! Come out here!” he bellowed.
Heart racing, Sadie stepped forward. “Hello, I’m Sadie. What seems to be the problem?”
The man pointed accusingly at her. “You have the nerve to ask? Don’t you realize what you’ve done? You’re deceiving consumers! A designer like you disgraces the industry!”
Confused, Sadie responded, “Sir, please calm down and explain what’s happened.”
“What’s happened? Stop pretending! The design drafts I commissioned have been leaked online! How can my company use them now?” The man slammed his phone down in front of Sadie, displaying the design drafts she had completed the day before. Sadie’s face blanched as she realized the implication.
The design drafts she’d finished had been leaked online today-someone was clearly trying to undermine her!
“Sir, please, don’t worry. I will investigate this immediately and provide you with an explanation,” Sadie assured him, striving to remain composed and alleviate the client’s fury.
“An explanation? How are you going to explain this? What am I supposed to do with my project now? Who will compensate for my losses?” The man was relentless, refusing to consider Sadie’s explanations.
“I’ll create new designs for you promptly, and I assure you they will meet your expectations. We still have time,” Sadie responded.
“It’s too late! I want to cancel the contract now! And you must compensate for my losses and pay a penalty, or I’ll take legal action!” The man was inflexible, leaving no room for negotiation. Sadie inhaled deeply.
After much effort, she managed to escort the man out of the studio. The office fell quiet, her colleagues watching her with mixed expressions.
She fought to maintain her composure, her mind racing to determine what had gone wrong.
She had been the only one to handle the design drafts yesterday… No, that wasn’t right.
There was another person-Byrum!
Yesterday, after completing the drafts, utterly exhausted, she had gone to the lounge to rest, leaving Byrum to handle the final details.
Realizing this, Sadie scanned the office quickly.
Byrum was… nowhere to be found.
A chilling premonition washed over her, and her heart sank.
“Where’s Byrum? Why isn’t he here today?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
A young designer timidly raised a hand, responding cautiously, “Miss Hudson, Byrum took a leave today, citing an emergency at home.”
“An emergency?” Sadie echoed, suspicion rising within her.
Byrum’s absence seemed too convenient.
“Did he mention when he’d return?” she pressed.
The young designer, clearly nervous under her scrutiny, stuttered, “N-no, he didn’t specify.”
Taking another deep breath, Sadie said, “Give me Byrum’s phone number.”
The designer quickly jotted down the number and handed it to her.
Sadie dialed immediately.
It went unanswered.
Finally, an automated message stated, “Hello, the phone you dialed is turned off…”
Turned off?
Sadie’s heart sank deeper.
Determined, Sadie tried calling again, only to be met with the same result.
She instructed, “Does anyone here have other contact information for Byrum?”
Nothing came of Sadie’s efforts.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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