A full week had slipped by.

Elise Scott had already pulled two late nights at the office.

Now, she sat at her desk, meticulously organizing the completed design drafts.

She was acutely aware that relying on the design department was futile. They were all loyal to Sophia Mitchell.

Picking up her phone, she instructed Matthew Johnson. "Call a meeting in half an hour. I want all department heads and the design supervisors present. We're reviewing the templates for the upcoming season's collection. Attendance is mandatory."

"Understood, Ms. Scott."

Exactly thirty minutes later, every executive was seated in the conference room at Stellar Group headquarters. Their punctuality was superficial, a mere formality to avoid giving Elise any grounds for criticism.

That was the extent of their cooperation. None of them intended to do any real work. They were simply waiting for Stellar to fail and for Elise to be ousted.

As always, Elise got straight to the point. "The design team has been working tirelessly with significant overtime. We've finalized the templates for next season. I'm very pleased with the results, and I want everyone to see them."

A murmur rippled through the room. Sophia was thoroughly confused.

The design department had produced nothing of substance all week. How could the templates be finished? Missing the deadline for the next season's launch was the expected outcome, and Sophia was anticipating Elise's humiliation.

She watched quietly as Elise presented the first design. Her jaw nearly dropped, as did those of the other department heads.

The design was a radical departure from Stellar's stale aesthetic. It boldly employed vibrant colors and intricate traditional floral patterns, creating a stunning, modern fusion. It perfectly captured the current international trends. It was dazzling.

All the department heads, poised to criticize, were rendered speechless. The design supervisors stared, utterly bewildered.

They had worked at Stellar for years, but they had never seen designs of this caliber.

Who in the world had created these?

Elise calmly elaborated on the design concepts for the season. "I want to thank everyone in the design department for their contributions, and especially Ms. Mitchell for her relentless dedication. Finance, please ensure a $500 bonus is added to this month's payroll for every design team member. Ms. Mitchell will receive a $3,000 bonus."

The design department staff and Sophia were completely lost. When had they contributed to these designs?

The other department heads, however, were visibly displeased. Hadn't they all agreed to withhold help from Elise?

It seemed they had been collaborating with her all along, producing these exceptional templates!

"Since there are no objections," Elise declared, "we will proceed with production using these templates, adhering to our standard production quotas. Sophia, please see me in my office. The rest of you are dismissed."

With that, Elise exited with Matthew. Sophia headed toward the office under the disapproving glares of her colleagues.

"You wanted to see me, Elise?" She maintained a respectful tone, unsure of Elise's intentions.

"I want to discuss changing our brand ambassador."

"Replacing Elizabeth York?" Sophia exclaimed in surprise. "But she's been performing well. She's been our ambassador for three years."

"Her contract is also nearing its expiration."

"Her fee is reasonable, and she's very cooperative and easy to work with. Is a change really necessary?"

"She lacks a distinct personality. She doesn't stand out in the competitive fashion landscape."

Sophia frowned. "Do you have a specific replacement in mind?"

"Zoe York."