Chloe moved closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “From what I heard, she completely mishandled a major project! Mr. Blackwood was so furious he fired her on the spot!”

Isabella fell silent for a moment, her emotions a tangled mess. She looked away, hiding the turmoil inside. “I see…”

Misinterpreting Isabella’s quiet reaction as worry, Chloe quickly added, “Don’t stress, though. Yes, the partnership hit a rough patch, but we’ve managed to stabilize everything.” Isabella gave a small, slow nod.

“By the way, where have you been lately? Everyone’s been asking about you!” Chloe’s round eyes were full of genuine concern and curiosity.

Isabella collected herself and offered a faint, steady smile. “My son was sick. He needed to be hospitalized.”

Alarm flashed across Chloe’s face. “Oh no! Was it serious? Is he okay now?”

“He’s much better, thank you. He was discharged and is home recovering.” Isabella reassured her.

Chloe seemed ready to ask more, but their conversation was cut short. A man in a navy suit with glasses approached. He gave Isabella a respectful nod. “Miss Scott, Mr. Gray would like to see you.”

Isabella paused, then recognition dawned.

That was Christopher Gray, the head of design at Blackwood Enterprises. She offered Chloe an apologetic smile. “Let’s catch up properly later, alright?”

Chloe nodded and watched Isabella walk away.

Isabella tapped lightly on Christopher’s slightly ajar office door. A firm male voice answered, “Come in.”

She pushed the door open and stepped inside. A middle-aged man was reviewing papers at his desk.

“Mr. Gray, you asked for me?”

Christopher looked up, his gaze sweeping over her with brief, unexpected admiration.

Her poise was elegant, her expression held a subtle strength, marking her as distinctly capable.

“Miss Scott, please, have a seat,” Christopher said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

“The client is exceptionally pleased with ‘Eternal Promise.’” Christopher set the documents down with a satisfied nod. “A collaboration between Blackwood Enterprises and you is truly remarkable, Miss Scott. No wonder you’re being called the rising star on the international stage. The jewelry was successfully delivered to the client yesterday.”

Isabella’s slender fingers tightened on her handbag, her expression clouding. “Eternal Promise?”

Her clear eyes met his, and her heart gave an inexplicable skip at the faint admiration in his gaze.

“Yes. Is there a problem?” Christopher adjusted his glasses, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion.

Isabella hesitated for a beat before speaking. “Mr. Gray… wasn’t Eternal Promise the theme for Mr. Blackwood and Miss Reed’s wedding?”

A brief, heavy silence filled the room.

Christopher stiffened, his usual composure cracking for a fraction of a second. His eyes widened slightly behind his glasses before he blinked, recovering quickly. “Wedding?” he echoed, a beat too late. “No!” He paused to clear his throat. “This was a commercial project personally approved by Mr. Blackwood. I—I assumed you were aware…”

A flush crept up Isabella’s cheeks.

She forced a small nod, her lips curving into a thin, barely-there smile. “Of course. My mistake. I must have confused it with something else.”