Then, she suddenly changed the subject, becoming somewhat assertive as she spoke. “But I need to take a moment to clear up your slanders on me. I, Lisa, have never seduced anyone to get ahead in my career. My appointment as F&M Apparel’s Chief Designer wasn’t decided by President Yates alone, for it required 70% of supporting votes from the company’s shareholders,” she said while darting her eyes coldly at the person before her. “Or do you think that I was capable of getting the job by seducing all the shareholders?”
Nicole sounded unruffled as she spoke, but her words struck an involuntary chill into everyone’s hearts. The designers who had chimed in with Sabrina just now involuntarily hung their heads and busied themselves with their own stuff like a bunch of dead-mutes, pretending that they didn’t see what was happening.
Upon hearing Nicole’s words, Sabrina, who had been putting on a ferocious front just now, instantly looked like a deflated balloon. She had been gossiping about Lisa with such righteousness just a while ago, but now, she couldn’t get a word out, as though the words were stuck in her throat. Lisa’s status is well-established, and Gardner Corporation has taken a lot of trouble inviting her to work with us this time. And she heard everything I had just said… She couldn’t help breaking out in a cold sweat with fright as her face darkened. I’ve just talked through my hat on an impulse… Now I’m finished!
Even if Joanna was heading the Design Department, Lisa could kick Sabrina out of the department at once or even have her blacklisted by the entire fashion design industry with just a single word. After all, she had publicly set herself up against F&M Apparel by saying what she had said just now.
At this moment, Sabrina’s heart clenched tightly like a rumpled rag. Her face took on a panic-stricken expression, and she stammered as she spoke. “M-Miss Lisa…”
Nicole smiled even brighter as she looked at Sabrina. “Why don’t you elaborate on what you’ve just said? I’m curious to know how I got my job through President Yates,” she said with a smile while pulling a chair over to sit down. Despite wearing no makeup, she unconsciously projected a powerful presence as she seated herself.
Sabrina nervously licked her lips. Having shot herself in the foot, she could only keep silent at this very moment. “I-I…” She hemmed and hawed for a long time. Then, she finally uttered, “Miss Lisa, those were just unfounded rumors that I heard somewhere, and I only mentioned them without thinking. Please be the bigger person and don’t take to heart what I’ve just said.” She bowed, humbling herself as much as she could.
Wearing a half-smile on her face, Nicole looked impassively at the woman before her, whose face had turned crimson with embarrassment. Instead of blowing up or doing anything, she merely stood up and ran her eyes over everyone in the office. “We’ll probably be working together for several months after this. I’ll be working with everyone here at Gardner Corporation, so if you have any problems, just talk them out. I don’t like talking behind anyone’s back.” Her gaze swept over everyone before falling upon Sabrina’s face. “If you hear any rumors about me, you’re welcome to go to me directly about them. After all, we’ll be working together, so I don’t want any misunderstanding between us.”
Nicole’s words were very well-said. Instead of lashing out at Sabrina, she dealt with the situation by being modest, but such a clever move put Sabrina on the spot. As a result, Sabrina had made a spectacle of herself in the Design Department.
Nicole’s words were met with a positive response from everyone else in the Design Department. After all, the department’s focus would be on Nicole in the next few months.
With a faint smile on her face, Nicole then rose from her seat. The stern and forbidding air she had had about her just now vanished as she resumed her gentle demeanor. “I’ll be officially joining Gardner Corporation after the turn of the year. If you have any good ideas, feel free to share them with me so that we can discuss them together.”
Nicole’s words instantly drew everyone much closer to her. Compared with how Sabrina had acted like a snob behind someone’s back, her self-confident and poised manner was even more likable.
Sabrina’s face was deathly pale as she looked at Nicole. Not even Joanna could save me from the person I offended this time, she thought. She clenched her fists tightly. There had been word about Lisa coming to Gardner Corporation after the turn of the year, but who would’ve thought that she would arrive today? And yet, she chose to arrive when I was bad-mouthing her. Talk about bad luck!
Nicole didn’t plan to stay around after finishing her sentence, so she politely said goodbye to everyone, saying, “I only came here today because I wanted to know you guys, so I won’t be bothering you while you’re working. I’ll be going back first.” With that, she turned around and left right away.
Sabrina gritted her teeth while watching Nicole’s receding figure from behind. A mist had come over her eyes, and her heart kept thumping uneasily.
As soon as Nicole left, those in the office began whispering among themselves. “Tsk, talk about shooting herself in the foot.”
“How could she say those words in front of Lisa? Lisa will definitely send her packing with just one word.”
“That’s right. After all, Lisa is F&M Apparel’s Chief Designer. She’s such a prestigious person…”
The other colleagues immediately chimed in. Their voices weren’t loud, but Sabrina heard the words they said. At this moment, she only felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. My career as a designer is gonna be finished, she thought to herself as a crimson blush came over her heavily made-up face. After pondering for a moment, she gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and chased after Nicole in her high heels.
Nicole had just entered the elevator and was about to leave when she was stopped by someone. “Miss Lisa!” Having trotted all the way toward Nicole, Sabrina quickly stopped her when she saw that she was about to enter the elevator.
Nicole turned around. Seeing Sabrina’s reddened ears, she curled her lips into a smile and raised her eyebrows, asking, “What’s the matter?”
Lowering her eyes, Sabrina hurriedly apologized, saying, “Miss Lisa, I must’ve been out of my mind to say what I said just now. Please be the bigger person by not bothering yourself with someone like me.”
Nicole looked at the woman before her with amusement. She’s only saying this right now because I’m Lisa and can decide her fate in the company, she thought. After reaching out to press the elevator button, she entered the elevator without hesitation.
Thinking that Nicole wasn’t going to forgive her, Sabrina anxiously ran toward Nicole and grabbed the elevator door with both hands to keep them from closing. Panic-stricken, she said, “Miss Lisa, I can’t lose my job.” As she spoke, her face took on a look of anxiety.
Nicole looked up and darted an indifferent look at the woman before her. With a faint smile on her lips, she looked at Sabrina, saying, “Whatever you do, you have to face the consequences. If I didn’t come here today, were you going to act one way to my face and another behind my back?”
Nicole sounded extremely calm as she spoke, but her words rendered Sabrina lost for words. She turned crimson with embarrassment, but at the thought of her job, she grabbed the elevator doors tightly and pleaded in a humble tone, “Please forgive me, Miss Lisa. If I get fired by Gardner Corporation, I’ll never be able to work as a designer anymore.” Whatever the reason was, getting fired would be a black mark on a designer’s résumé.
Nicole stood in the elevator without moving as a smile appeared on her face. She said, “I won’t say anything to President Gardner.”
Sabrina had just let out a sigh of relief when she heard Nicole continue, “But do you think no one will tell him what happened today?”
Her words crushed Sabrina thoroughly. She’s right; everyone in the Design Department knows what happened today, so they know that I’ve offended Lisa, thought Sabrina to herself. If Lisa had been absent, she would still have Joanna backing her up, and those people wouldn’t dare to go around gossiping about her. But now that she had been caught in the act, even if Joanna were to side with her, it would be useless.
Nicole gave a light chuckle. Looking at the crestfallen woman before her, she joked, “Could you release your grip already, lady? It’s a little dangerous to do so after all.”
Sabrina also understood thoroughly that there was no hope for her even if Nicole kept mum about the incident. After all, how could she possibly keep everyone from talking about it? She slumped to the ground in despair.
Nicole’s face showed no sign of pity as she looked at the closing elevator door and the woman who sat slumped on the floor. To her, Sabrina only got what she deserved for being unable to hold her tongue. She was going to join Gardner Corporation’s Design Department. Without establishing her superiority, she might hear even more rumors about her in the future. Furthermore, Colton would definitely send Sabrina packing in order for her to join the Design Department smoothly. After all, anyone with half a brain would know who was more important once they weighed up the pros and cons.
After leaving Gardner Corporation, Nicole returned home right away. As soon as she opened the door, she heard the sound of Zachary and Hayden laughing and playing, which slowly soothed her tense nerves. She changed into her slippers and walked inside. With no regard to her image, she tossed her handbag onto the sofa and plonked herself down in her seat, throwing her head back in a comfortable posture.
Seeing how she seated herself, Zachary asked with amusement, “What’s the matter? Did you come across something tricky at Gardner Corporation?”
Upon hearing Zachary’s gentle voice, Nicole finally looked up at him. Breathing a soft sigh, she sat up and told him about what had happened today. “I just feel that the intrigues and plots over there are nothing inferior to those at F&M Apparel.” When she finished her sentence, the nanny at home happened to bring her a cup of coffee, so she took the cup of coffee without ceremony and sipped it.
Realizing what Nicole was hinting at, Zachary comforted her with a smile, saying, “If you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to go there. We only needed to hand in our design drafts over the years during our collaborations, anyway.”
Nicole shook her head. Looking at Hayden, who was sitting on Zachary’s lap, she moved her butt a little closer to them and pulled Hayden into her arms. “President Gardner helped me a lot with Hayden last time. I don’t want to owe him any favors.”
Zachary knew Nicole’s temper. Once she had made up her mind on something, she would never go back on it. Therefore, he merely said with a laugh, “If that’s the case, then just go there. But if you come across anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, you can just quit by then. F&M Apparel will always be at your back.” He paused for a moment with a smile. Then, he added, “And so will I.”
Nicole didn’t tell Zachary about what Sabrina had said. After all, having gotten sick of hearing such rumors at F&M Apparel, she was already able to take a calm attitude toward them these days, so she didn’t take Sabrina’s words to heart.
Zachary had wanted to spend the mid-winter holiday with Nicole and Hayden in the country. That night, however, he suddenly got a phone call, which seemed to be about something urgent.
Seeing the ghastly expression on Zachary’s face, Nicole figured that the matter had to be quite serious. Therefore, when Zachary told her he had to leave the country, she expressed her understanding, saying, “Just go and deal with the matter first. Wherever Hayden and I are, it doesn’t make any difference.”
Looking at the considerate Nicole before him, Zachary heaved a soft sigh with a look of regret. “It’s a rare opportunity for us to spend the mid-winter holiday together in the country. I never thought I’d have to go back.”
Hearing the note of regret in Zachary’s words, Nicole replied with a laugh, “It’s okay. There’ll still be many mid-winter holidays in the future. If you’re free next time, you can still spend the holiday in the country.”
Zachary’s handsome face creased into a hurt look as he listened to Nicole’s deliberately naive reply. “It doesn’t matter wherever I’ll be spending the mid-winter holiday. The point’s just that I wanted to spend the holiday with…” he said, before breaking off mid-sentence under her stare. After lowering his head to glance at Hayden, he reached out and ruffled Hayden’s hair, saying, “It’s just that I wanted to spend the holiday with Hayden.”
Hayden was a smart boy. Pouting his lips, he looked at Zachary and replied seriously, “That’s not true, Mr. Yates. I know you wanna spend the holiday with Mom. All you know is to use me as an excuse.”
Zachary didn’t feel embarrassed when Hayden revealed what he really wanted. Instead, he nodded with a faint smile, saying, “That’s right, you smart little boy.”
Nicole didn’t ask Zachary what the matter was. If the matter was about the company, Zachary would have told her about it without her having to ask him. Judging from how things looked at the moment, Nicole surmised that the matter had to have something to do with Zachary’s family.
Nicole knew a little about Zachary’s family. His parents were divorced, and his father remarried after that, whereas his mother remained single to this day. Most importantly, both his father and mother were wealthy and domineering. It was rare for Zachary to be able to have such a good temper after being raised in such an environment.
Having finished his sentence, Zachary began packing his bags.
Glancing at the dark sky outside, Nicole asked with worry, “Is the matter urgent? It’s dark already.”
Hearing the concern in Nicole’s voice, Zachary smiled happily. His previously clouded expression vanished. As he packed his bags, he replied, “It’s quite urgent, or I wouldn’t have to leave overnight. I’ll come back as soon as I finish dealing with it. Let’s hope that I can make it before the end of the mid-winter holiday.”
The end of the mid-winter holiday? That’s almost half a month later. Seems like the problem he’s come across this time is really quite tricky, thought Nicole to herself. Without asking anything else, she nodded, saying, “In that case, be careful on your way home.”
“Uh-huh,” Zachary replied. After packing his things, he left all the stuff at home to Nicole.
The villa was located in an upscale neighborhood. There were specially-hired bodyguards keeping watch outside the villa, and the surveillance network nearby was very intensive, so no outsiders would be able to get into the villa at all. Moreover, there were servants in the villa, so Nicole didn’t have to worry about Hayden’s safety.
Listening to Zachary’s detailed instructions, Nicole couldn’t help but interrupt him, saying, “Hey, you don’t have to worry about unnecessary things. I’m an adult, so I at least know these things. Just deal with your own stuff.”
Zachary didn’t hide his innermost feelings either. Looking into Nicole’s eyes, he said,
“Okay. I’ll see you again when I get back.” Having packed his suitcase, he left the villa that night.
Looking at his mother, Hayden said mischievously, “Mom, if you like Mr. Yates, just go after him.”
His words snapped Nicole out of her thoughts. Looking down at her son, she replied with a straight face, “Stop talking nonsense. I don’t like him. How can I take care of someone else when it’s tiring enough for me to look after you?”
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