“Where’s Serena? Is she even coming?”
“Too proud to show her face, I suppose.”
“Zoe is Apex’s chief designer now. Serena doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Exactly. Serena’s work is good, but it’s not on Zoe’s level.”
“Zoe’s studio landed major clients on day one. Has Serena’s studio made any noise?”
“Seems like Zoe completely overshadowed her this time.”
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The sound pulled Isabella from her thoughts.
“Come in,” she said, her voice slightly rough.
The door opened and Victoria stepped inside.
“You’re back, Isabella,” Victoria said respectfully.
“Yes.” Isabella acknowledged her. “Please deliver this design draft.”
Victoria studied the draft carefully and nodded. “Understood. I’ll handle it right away.”
“Thank you.” Isabella gave a brief nod. “You may go.”
Victoria left the office with the design draft in hand.
“Victoria, you…” Sophia’s eyes remained fixed on the crisp design draft glowing on her phone screen. Her eyes shone with barely contained excitement. She looked up suddenly, her voice trembling. “You actually got it!”
Victoria said nothing. She merely offered a silent nod, her expression complex.
“This is unbelievable! You’re incredible!” Sophia exclaimed, throwing her arms around Victoria in a burst of exhilaration. “Let’s see what tricks that scheming Isabella has left to challenge me now.”
A slow, devious smile curled on Sophia’s lips as she turned away. “You did well, Victoria. Don’t worry about your mother. I’ve already spoken to the hospital. Top specialists will oversee her treatment.”
Victoria stiffened briefly. Her smile faltered. She clenched her fists and lowered her head slightly. “Thank you, Miss Reed.”
Without wasting another moment, Sophia eagerly opened WhatsApp and sent Zoe a voice message. “Zoe, I have it.”
The moment the message was sent, a victorious grin spread across Sophia’s face. She could already picture Isabella’s downfall at the competition—her reputation in ruins.
Moments later, Zoe replied with a voice message. “Sophia, excellent work. Everything is ready on my end. Come here now.”
“On my way.” Sophia ended the call, grabbed her bag, and rushed out.
At Zoe’s studio, the grand opening had just concluded. Guests were trickling out while a few staff members remained, cleaning up. The red carpet was still down. Fresh floral arrangements lined the entrance, their delicate scent lingering in the air.
As Sophia arrived, she spotted Zoe waiting at the doorway.
“Zoe!” Sophia hurried over and handed her phone to Zoe. “The design draft.”
Zoe tapped the screen, pulling up the image. She skimmed over it quickly.
“Well, well… Sophia, you are truly impressive.” Amusement flickered in Zoe’s eyes as she glanced up. “Infiltrating Isabella’s studio and snatching this right from under her nose? That’s ruthless.”
“Hmph! She deserves far worse.” Sophia scoffed, her gaze glinting with malice.
“But…” Zoe hesitated, her tone shifting slightly. “Sophia, I have no personal issue with Isabella. Perhaps you should handle this draft yourself. What do you think?”