Once the three senior designers saw the sullen look on Natalie’s face, they quickly went back to their respective desks and pretended like they hadn’t been gossiping a while back.
“It’s almost as if they think their job here is to gossip. They are always chatting incessantly. This time, they have gone too far.More than anything, I’m sure you are relying on your strength here.How could they say such a thing? Humph!”
Gerda stared at them angrily.
She felt bad for Natalie and wished she could give the rumormongers a tongue -lashing. But on the other hand, Natalie wasn’t that angry.
This wasn’t the first time she was hearing such a rumor, so she had developed a thick skin over time.
“It doesn’t matter, Gerda.Leave them.Please don’t get yourself into trouble because of me. When Pamela spread false rumors.
about me in the past, I retorted because I caught her red-handed.”Natalie turned on the computer and began to work.
Staring at the design drawings, she added, “None of them dares to gossip about me in my presence.They always backbite.I don’t take such people seriously.If they are bold enough, they will say it to my face.”
“Does this mean you will allow them to continue gossiping about you? Won’t you take any action against them?” Gerda was amazed by Natalie’s nonchalance despite the severity of the matter.
“Hmm!” Natalie sighed.
She stood up from her seat and looked at her colleagues.
“A clear conscience fears no so I’m not bothered at all.Only those who are up to no good should be bothered!” Natalie didn’t have time for any frivolities.She wanted to invest most of her time and energy into the upcoming spring fashion week.
It was very important to her.
However, things didn’t go as she had planned.
Most of her colleagues turned against her.
They always looked at her strangely and gave her the cold shoulder.
Natalie also noticed that they gossiped about her more frequently.
They did very little to hide their distaste for her, so it was difficult for her to ignore them.
This was different from the last time when Pamela spread rumors about Natalie sleeping with her direct superior, where she could easily prove herself.
This time, she found it hard to properly deal with it.She didn’t know whether to shut down the rumor or just ignore it.
All she knew was that it was said that a designer whose surname is Quinn had an affair with a senior executive of the Larson Group.
Natalie’s name wasn’t specifically mentioned, so it would be awkward if she confronted the rumormongers.
They would think she decided to shut down the rumor because her guilty conscience was eating her up.
In a state of confusion, Natalie decided to speak to Tiffany after much hesitation.
“Ms.Fisher, you have heard of the recent rumor, right?”
“Yes, I have.ls it true?”
Tiffany responded and asked her naturally.She had her customary smile on at this moment.
“Of course not!”
Natalie instantly looked aggrieved and helpless after answering sharply.
“Cheer up, Natalie.Since the rumor isn’t true, I advise that you turn a deaf ear to everything they are saying.Focus on your work.Make sure your designs are selected for the first show. Your success will be a good response to all your haters. It will also prove that you are innocent of the accusations.”
Tiffany put down the documents and patted the back of Natalie’s hand.
After pursing her lips, she continued, “You had better invest the time you are using to think about that rumor on the design
drawings instead. Thinking will get you nowhere.But designing will shoot you to the peak of your career in no time.Everyone’s eyes are on you.Most of them are earnestly waiting for your downfall.I want you to put all of them to shame!”
The powerful glint in Tiffany’s eyes pierced through Natalie’s soul.
Those words also reset her brain.
At that moment, a strange feeling enveloped her.
The worry in her heart was immediately replaced with the zeal to strive and get out of the dark land of thorns she was trapped in.She wanted to move to the bright light that was shining ahead.
Meanwhile, the outrageous rumor got to Sebastian’s ears.
And he was displeased, to say the least.He immediately ordered Garrett to investigate the source of the rumor.
“I have tried everything, but my efforts proved abortive.Even after interrogating many of the employees in the design department, I couldn’t get tangible information that will lead to the source. They all heard it from rumormongers. The source remains unknown. It’s like a never-ending circle!” Garrett revealed helplessly.
His inability to find out the source of the rumor made him more curious.
“The originator of this rumor is an employee in the company.How is it possible that the person is untraceable?” Conflicting emotions swirled in Sebastian’s dark eyes.
All of a sudden, he narrowed his eyes and said, “You know what? Stop the investigation for now.Don’t alert the enemy.If the culprit finds out about the investigation, he or she will become extra cautious.”
“From the look of things, I’m certain that Natalie’s colleagues are spreading the rumor because of her success on the job. They are jealous and intimidated by her. She is being too lenient with them. And that makes it more difficult to investigate,”
Sebastian stated, his head teeming with different thoughts.
“Jeez! You never let an opportunity to praise your wife pass you by. Now I know how protective you are.”
Garrett shook his head. Staring at Sebastian, he put down his crossed long legs and took another comfortable position.
‘Wow, this guy has changed so much!” he thought.
He had noticed some major changes in Sebastian’s behavior these past few months. The previously cold and uptight Sebastian was now warm and caring.
Lost in thought, Sebastian leaned his back on the chair and stared blankly at Garrett. He suddenly snapped his fingers and said, “I have an idea. Since we can’t find the source of the rumor, we should try our best to provide Natalie with all the resources she would need. Her works must be excellent so they will be selected to be displayed at the fashion show.”
Garrett was pleasantly surprised to hear this idea. He abruptly stood up and his eyes lit up. With his shoulder lifted, he asked, “Wait, does this mean you are going to strike the Klein family again?” There was a subsidiary company under the auspices of the Klein Group. It was called the Klein Silk Fabric. Producing high-end clothes was its specialty.
As a result, it was one of the biggest rivals of the Larson Group. The major reason why the Larson Group came into the clothing business was to compete with the Klein Group.
For the past few consecutive seasons of the Seacisco Fashion Week, the Klein Silk Fabric had come out first. Sebastian thought that it would be a huge blow for the Kleins if the Larson Group clinched the first-place title this year. Sebastian leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table, and clasped his fingers. He stared outside through the French window and said, “The Larson Group has developed rapidly in the past few years. Let’s give those folks a run for their money. It’s time we win that show.”
On the other side. Natalie had buried herself in work day and night. Tiffany’s advice had charged her up. She wanted to blind her haters with her success and show them that she wasn’t someone who depended on a backer. Her mockers were the very last people she wanted to lose to.
On D-Day, many people gathered at the selection site for the Seacisco Fashion Week’s haute couture.
