Filed to story: Billionaire Bride’s Revenge (Vera & Howard)
Shortly after, they arrived swiftly at Everspring Garden. Vera exited the vehicle, and Victor assisted her with her bag.
She ran her fingers through her tousled hair while looking at him. “Thank you, Mr. Adams.”
“You’re welcome. See you around, Miss Montgomery,” he replied.
She nodded, her eyes lingering on his departing vehicle. Once it vanished, she lifted her bag and went into the building.
After a quick shower, Vera entered her bedroom, laptop in hand.
She felt more settled after two days of rest in the hospital. Going over earlier design ideas, she paused briefly before sketching directly on the screen.
Deeply engaged in her work, her drawings flowed effortlessly.
Once fully immersed in her beloved career, she always lost track of time.
Two days later, she completed all her pending design drafts.
Vera massaged her stiff neck and sighed in relief. At last, she had finished a segment of the design. Rising, she filled a glass with warm water and tended to her newly acquired green plants. Her phone then broke the silence, vibrating on the table. It was Aimee calling.
Vera answered, only to hear Aimee’s expletive-laden outburst.
“What a despicable pair! How could they dare attack you online? I really should’ve confronted that Lily Johnson at the hospital!”
Aimee was furious, but Vera remained serene, leaning back on her sofa.
“Take it easy, Aimee. Getting mad at those fools isn’t worth it.”
Aimee, frustrated by Vera’s calm demeanor, retorted, “You’re too forgiving, which is why they keep targeting you. Check the internet to see what’s being said. At least you’ll be prepared to handle the public attention later. Just don’t let their nonsense get to you.”
“Alright, I’ll look into it later.”
Vera then found the tweet.
Having processed everything earlier, she had distanced herself from the ordeal. Thus, regardless of Howard’s actions, Vera remained unaffected. To her, they were mere strangers, unworthy of her energy.
The tweet had sparked major online backlash, along with several other trending topics related to her and Howard. After reviewing the details, Vera understood why Aimee was so upset.
Howard had announced their divorce and revealed the finalized decree. Subsequently, he declared his engagement to Lily.
Lily quickly tweeted a hypocritical response mirroring his announcement.
Lily feigned remorse, offering an apology to Vera, then boldly claimed that pursuing love was just and vowed to chase her happiness. Intimately, she suggested that if not for Vera, she and Howard could have married years ago, asserting that things were now as they should be.
A faint smile crossed Vera’s face. Lily’s tweet had ignited a storm of backlash, leading to a barrage of insults on Vera’s Twitter page, where she was maligned mercilessly.
While Vera browsed through the comments, Aimee remained on the line, fretting over her friend’s well-being.
“Kat, don’t let these comments get to you. The public is simply…”
“Speculating without any real insight,” Vera said, not bothered. “Like I said, I’m concentrating on my career right now.”
Despite her reassurances, Aimee’s concern persisted. She continued the conversation, reiterating her points until Vera received another call. When she saw the caller ID, her expression turned grave.
Victor was on the line. Vera suspected he might have caught wind of the negative comments online. Hesitating briefly, she answered the call and greeted him politely.
“Hello, Mr. Adams.”
“Miss Montgomery, I’m calling about our collaboration,” Victor replied, getting straight to the point. He was gazing down at the bustling street below from beside a French window, his hand in his trouser pocket.
Vera straightened up immediately, her tone turning serious.
Victor spoke softly, “Our collaboration is vital to Adams Group. After reviewing your recent design themes and drafts, my team has a few suggestions. We’d like to have you over for a group discussion to finalize the overall design concepts and address any relevant concerns.”
Vera was taken aback. Known as the top designer, she wasn’t accustomed to her designs being questioned. Victor had seemed quite pleased with her ideas previously. With a slight frown, Vera wondered if the public backlash was influencing Victor’s stance now.
Victor, sensing her hesitation, added, “Miss Montgomery, please excuse any seeming impertinence. It wasn’t intentional. We highly value this project and want to ensure everything proceeds flawlessly. That’s why I’m inviting you to our office.”
Vera regained her composure and responded, “I understand, Mr. Adams. I’ll be at Adams Group tomorrow.”
Victor’s lips curved into a knowing smile, his gaze enigmatic. “About 9 a.m.?”
“No problem.”
After hanging up, Vera disconnected from the social media drama and logged out, finding solace in her private world once again.
She arrived at Adams Group the following morning, punctually. Dressed in a long dress that brushed her ankles, with light makeup and her hair tied up, she walked confidently on her 3-inch heels.
The door to the meeting room swung open, and all heads in the design department turned her way.
Samuel promptly stepped forward to introduce her. “Allow me to introduce the woman beside me-she’s Iris.” The room filled with murmurs of surprise.
Meeting the renowned designer Iris in person was unexpected for everyone. She was both remarkably young and strikingly beautiful. Vera, always a figure of modesty, valued her privacy. Despite her fame, few knew her by sight.
Victor greeted her with a subtle nod and began, “Let’s get started.” The large screen behind Vera lit up, displaying her design draft alongside a document featuring the finished products from their own designers. Both images were juxtaposed for comparison.
The theme was “Galaxy.” Vera’s draft featured a small, curved moon encircled by vivid stars that shone brighter than the moon itself.
Necklaces were the primary focus of this design series. The department head furrowed his brow, set down the file, and posed a question. “Miss Montgomery, when other designers tackled the Galaxy series, they emphasized the moon, using the stars merely as a backdrop. But your design takes a different approach-“
Vera offered a knowing smile. “The series is named ‘Galaxy,’ so the stars ought to be the centerpiece. Even on moonless nights, the stars remain luminous. While many exalt the moon’s purity, they often overlook the radiance of the stars. My inspiration for this necklace came from those diligent yet unrecognized individuals in their fields-like stars, they shine with a selfless light.”
As she explained, Vera approached the screen and gestured at the images displayed. As the design was swiftly rotated ninety degrees, someone spotted a detail in Vera’s draft and voiced their astonishment. “Is the pattern formed by the stars a letter?”
“Exactly. It’s an ‘A’ for Adams,” Vera acknowledged with a nod but continued to rotate the design. Moments later, another observer discerned a different letter ‘A’ from a new angle.
“It’s not just for aesthetic appeal; it’s also meant to be unmistakably associated with Adams Group,” Vera explained.
Her innovative approach and original ideas captivated everyone present. She then swiped her finger across the design draft, revealing another transformation. The crescent moon now morphed into a full moon.
The room fell into awed silence until someone started clapping, soon followed by sustained, thunderous applause.
Vera’s design had won them over completely. “She truly lives up to her reputation,” someone commented admiringly.
“By the display, the department head who had initially challenged Vera abruptly stood up, seemingly with something more to say.”
The department head stared at Vera, her eyes filled with dissatisfaction.