There was a time before she had become the Chief Designer of F&M Apparel and she had anonymously entered an international competition for designers. The theme for the final round was ‘Youth’, and she had won first place with a design of hers.
It would have been her stepping stone to overnight success if she had attended the award ceremony the following day, but alas, she had to miss it as she had received news that she was promoted to the position of Chief Designer at F&M Apparel.
She clicked into the file that had her initial draft of the design and after making sure that it was still usable after so many years, she started to make small edits to the design. It was a pity that the final product was never made, but she was happy to give it as a present to Wendy.
Queenie had been staying at the hospital for two days now. Even though there was nothing wrong with her physically, the mere thought of her being surrounded by onlookers after what had happened the other night was enough to make her want to squeeze into a dark hole in some inconspicuous corner.
Because of the influence Gardner Corporation had, the leaders from Lumore, Goldwick and the cities in between had been amongst the attendees of the banquet. Colton might have prevented the incident from getting to the media, but she still couldn’t hide the fact that she made a fool of herself in front of the important figures in the business world.
They obviously wouldn’t have said anything to her face, but she was sure that they were criticizing her behind her back.
Her tears began to well up at the thought of that.
With her jaw clenched, she threw herself into Lydia’s arms and sobbed uncontrollably. “Mom! I have completely embarrassed myself! I can’t show my face anymore!”
Lydia’s heart ached as she saw Queenie crying in her arms. So, she quickly tried to console her.
“It is fine. Everyone knows you were framed! Furthermore, nothing happened between you and Joseph, right? It will all be okay!”
At that moment, Queenie’s eyes were already swollen and tender from the waterworks. She couldn’t stop the sobs that were making her tremble all over. Out of her fear of criticism, she would never have the guts to take a step out of the house now.
She hated – no – despised Nicole. She never imagined Nicole to be such a vicious woman who would go to such lengths to ruin her!
Just as the mother-and-daughter duo conversed, a sudden knock on the door brought their conversation to a halt.
Queenie quickly wiped the pathetic expression off her face and turned to look at Lydia.
As Queenie’s mother, Lydia quickly understood what her daughter wanted from her gaze alone. “Shush, now,” she gently sighed. “I’ll even the score for you. Good girl. Don’t cry anymore.”
As soon as she was done with her sentence, she got up from her seat and in a slightly raised volume, she gave permission to the visitor to enter the ward.
Joseph, dressed in casual clothes, then entered the room. For someone who was entangled in the same gossip as Queenie, he looked especially well and vibrant.
Honestly speaking, Joseph was an infamous playboy that most people had heard rumors of before. The incident this time might have plummeted Queenie’s reputation, but it did nothing to Joseph’s name as it was already tainted.
When Queenie saw the man, her expression remained unchanged. However, she still looked pitiful with her half-lidded red eyes.
Lydia, however, immediately stood between Joseph and Queenie. She then protectively questioned, “Why are you here, Young Master Joseph?”
Joseph didn’t even bother sparing the older woman a glance as he kept his eyes on Queenie. He had planned to talk to Queenie after she was discharged from the hospital, but his last thread of patience had finally snapped after two whole days of waiting.
“I have a question for you,” Joseph announced without beating around the bush.
Queenie was surprised at first, but she quickly caught on. She then turned to Lydia and requested in a soft voice, “Mom, can you please give us some space? I’d like to have a chat with the young master.”
Lydia was hesitant after hearing her daughter’s plea, but she could only agree when she saw the look on her daughter’s face.
“What the hell happened that night?!” Joseph asked after Lydia had left the room, feeling slightly agitated.
The incident might not have harmed his reputation, but Gardner Corporation would definitely not let him off easy if the truth was ever made known. Queenie was Mrs. Gardner-to-be, after all.
Queenie’s face was still wet with tears as she sniffled. As though she was the victim, she gazed back at the man with her red eyes and asked in return, “What do you think happened?”
Bewildered, Joseph lifted his head to look at Queenie’s sad face. She must have felt wronged for her to ask him that.
The Mann Family might be wealthy, but there was no need at all for Queenie, who had gotten herself acquainted with the Gardner Family, to be with him.
His eyes dimmed thoughtfully for a moment before asking, “Was it Nicole?”
Queenie’s eyes were ablaze at the mention of her sister’s name. “Who else do you think did that?” she spat through gritted teeth.
“But why would she do something like that?” Joseph cluelessly asked again.
The hatred in her eyes was quickly replaced by another piteous mask. She lowered her head and muttered with great difficulty, “Nicole was cast out a few years ago by our father after she had given birth to that bastard child despite being unmarried. She must be back to get her revenge!”
Joseph had caught wind of the rumor about Nicole 5 years ago. He heard that she had spent a night with a random man in exchange for money.
However, if what Queenie said was true, the man from 5 years ago would have been him.
Joseph might have no control over his lower body, but he never had the need to spend money to get a woman in his bed. As a good-looking young master from a wealthy family, there were countless women who willingly threw themselves at his feet.
“Was Nicole not the one I had s*x with 5 years ago?” Joseph asked while looking at Queenie.
Queenie was now lying in the hospital bed with no makeup on. She looked so pale she could easily pass off as someone who was on the verge of death.
Her pupils slightly trembled after hearing Joseph’s question, and after swallowing the lump in her throat, she tilted her head to look at him.
“Could someone have spent money to get Nicole here because they planned to spend the night with you? Or could they have wanted to threaten you with a child after giving birth to one?” she hypothetically asked.
Joseph’s eyebrows began to crinkle together at that. He had spent countless nights with different women. So, he couldn’t possibly tell what everyone’s intention for getting in bed with him was.
However, if Nicole’s child really did share his blood, there was no need for him to continue worrying about anything else.
“So what you’re trying to say is that Nicole was the mastermind behind what happened, yes?” he asked again to reconfirm as he still couldn’t understand why Nicole would do what she did.
Queenie’s face fell again when she heard that name she despised and instead of answering him, she threw him another question, “Who else could it have been?”
“But why would she do that?” Joseph asked again.
“The paternity test of you and her child is already in her hands. She will use this opportunity to drag me and you down. That way, she can whip out an excuse to not let you meet the child even if you are proven to be the kid’s biological father.”
She briefly shut her eyes and by the time she had opened them again, they were already coated with tears threatening to fall. She then sniffled before continuing, “Nicole has always hated me and Mom. Doing something like this will be like hitting two birds with one – “
She intentionally left out the rest of the sentence as she was sure that Joseph already knew what she was trying to say.
Joseph’s frown was glued on his forehead throughout the entire conversation.
Come to think of it, he had heard that Nicole was looking for him to tell him something when he was with the Andersons, and coincidentally, he was drugged swiftly after that. There was no one other than Nicole who could have done such a thing.
His anger began to flare at the thought of that. How dare she include me in her evil schemes! She won’t get away with this! he fumed.
“Alright,” he eventually said with a nod.
Thinking back, he was grateful that nothing had happened between them then. It would be hard for him to protect his reputation otherwise.
Their conversation soon came to an end. As Queenie stared at Joseph’s retreating figure, her sad expression was instantly replaced by a pleased one. Now, she could just be the spectator of the dog fight without having to be involved directly!
Meanwhile, Lydia was back in the ward as soon as Joseph had departed. Her trained eyes stayed on her daughter while she closed the ward door with her hands. “Did he find out about anything, Queenie?” she urgently asked.
Queenie only shook her head in response. As her eyes shone a dangerous glint, her gentle facade was gone when she was alone in the ward with her mother.
“Don’t worry, Mom! That idiot Joseph believed everything!” she singsonged.
At the company, Nicole had shown the finished draft of the gown to Wendy. Wendy was so pleased that she immediately started to pick the fabric to make her gown come true.
Nicole finally managed to take a rest after her hectic schedule. By the time she looked at the clock, it was already past 7 in the evening. Even though she was way later than usual today, she immediately rushed home at the thought of her son being alone at home.
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