Filed to story: Billionaire Bride’s Revenge (Vera & Howard)
Exhausted, she couldn’t find the energy to respond. Howard sneered and walked away.
She then made sure to instruct the security at the gate to prevent Howard’s car from entering the community again. Given the high security and the cost of homes in Everspring Garden, the guards were strict.
Following her instructions, they wouldn’t allow Howard’s car through.
Weary, Vera leaned against the sofa, feeling overwhelmed by recent events.
She massaged her temples with her slender fingers.
Her phone rang once more, displaying Aimee’s name on the screen.
Vera brightened up and answered the phone. “Hey!”
Aimee glanced at the time and, with a gossipy tone, said, “How’s it going? Are you two still together? I was hesitant to ask anything earlier when he was still with you.”
Feeling somewhat helpless, Vera hugged a pillow and explained, “Aimee, you’re overthinking it. It was just a simple dinner. I never expected it would be secretly photographed and end up trending.”
“Victor has never been publicly linked to any woman before, but now he’s asked you out. Doesn’t that suggest something?” Aimee’s excitement was palpable, surpassing Vera’s own.
“After you left that jerk, Howard, I’m sure something good will come your way. If you are together, Howard will be furious.”
As Aimee’s speculations grew more outlandish, Vera interrupted her. “Hey, please rein in your wild imagination. Neither Victor nor I have those intentions. It’s purely professional.”
Disappointed, Aimee ceased, “You’re so naive about love. Don’t you get it? Trust me, Victor is definitely interested in you.”
Vera sighed and massaged her temples. Aimee’s chatter only worsened her headache.
“Listen, I need to get back to my work.”
Vera swiftly changed the subject to avoid more wild theories from Aimee.
Holding the phone, Aimee scoffed, “Boring. Get on with your work then.”
“Okay.”
After ending the call, Vera picked up her laptop, paused to gather her thoughts, and resumed drawing on the screen.
It was already ten o’clock in the evening, yet the CEO office of Adams Group remained brightly lit.
Victor had returned to the company after seeing Vera off, facing two international meetings later on. He bent over the documents before him, his expression stern and focused.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Samuel entered, pushing the door open.
He placed the documents he carried onto the desk and said respectfully, “Mr. Adams, these are some ongoing projects related to the Montgomery family.”
Victor looked up, scanning the documents with a detached gaze, and responded coolly, “Okay.”
Samuel paused, then voiced his concern. “We’ve managed to suppress one batch of trending searches, but another has surfaced. Should we take action to-“
He trailed off, placing a hand on his neck with a grave expression in his eyes.
With a calm and indifferent expression, Victor spoke softly, “Just take down the trending searches.”
A flash of surprise crossed Samuel’s eyes. He recalled how Victor had previously dealt with a woman trying to threaten him with public opinion so decisively that she vanished from the city. Yet now, faced with a flurry of public indifference, Victor’s response puzzled him. The online gossip about his relationship had amassed tens of millions of comments.
Distracted momentarily, Samuel was snapped back to attention by Victor’s stern command. “Find out who is behind this.”
Regaining composure, Samuel nodded. “Yes, Mr. Adams.”
After Samuel exited, Victor was left alone in the office. The documents on his desk were stacked up like a small mountain, symbolizing the immense pressure of his responsibilities.
Picking up another document, Victor’s thoughts unexpectedly drifted to Vera. Despite being scrutinized that morning, she had remained poised and able to deftly turn the situation around. Victor was notably impressed by the design she had produced in just hours.
In her professional state, Vera’s charm was ineffable. Her eyes sparkled like stars, capturing the attention of anyone who saw her. The scent of gardenias seemed to waft through his memory again.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Victor frowned, puzzled by his own distraction.
Just as he composed himself, his phone rang-it was Vera.
Relaxing slightly, he answered the call more softly than usual.
“Mr. Adams, there seems to be an issue with the ‘Eternity’ theme we discussed. I need to review it with you directly.”
Previously, Victor had proposed three design themes for their collaboration. Now, Vera was grappling with the broad scope of the “Eternity” theme. Although not challenging to conceptualize, the final decision rested with Victor.
Victor’s voice, low and resonant like a cello in the night, broke the silence. “Please come to my office tomorrow morning. We will discuss this face to face.”
“Okay,” Vera responded.
The next morning, Vera arrived at the company on time, her design sketches in hand. Dressed simply in a white T-shirt and jeans, she radiated a special charm. Her look made her appear youthful, almost like a college student, embodying purity and innocence.
Vera stood at the CEO’s office door and knocked.
“Mr. Adams,” she called.
“Come in,” Victor invited.
Victor, casual yet refined, leaned against the sofa in a light gray suit. He glanced at Vera, a spontaneous smile gracing his face as he said, “Miss Montgomery, you look quite striking today.”
The simplicity of her attire demanded a strong presence to carry it off, which she did effortlessly.
Vera, looking splendid, nodded slightly and replied, “Thank you, Mr. Adams.”
As she spoke, she approached the table and presented two sketches she had prepared.
“These are the designs themed around ‘Eternity’ I’ve been working on. Which one do you prefer, Mr. Adams?”
Victor studied one of the drawings, impressed by the intricate details and thoughtful design. Reflecting on the rich history of the jewelry industry, which spanned centuries with countless styles and themes, he recognized that while many ideas become classics, even the most popular designs today were often adaptations of these timeless concepts.
Vera’s greatest strength was her ability to think outside the box. Even with a common theme, she could surpass others in design. This talent and creativity were why she had remained at the forefront of the design world for so many years.
Victor remained silent, leaving Vera uncertain about his reaction. Tentatively, she asked, “Mr. Adams, which version do you prefer?”
Victor looked up at Vera, his eyebrows lifted, and asked, “Can you do both? Create two versions of the same theme?”
Vera smiled slightly and responded in a light tone, “Then the cost will be higher.”