Chapter 191
Chapter 191:
Since Sophie had stepped into the role of lead designer, her manager had paired her with two juniors to help balance the workload.
Having clawed her way up from the bottom as an assistant herself, she knew better than anyone how tough it was starting out. That was why she refused to treat her juniors like coffee-fetchers or errand runners. Instead, she pulled them into the thick of things, teaching them the craft and letting them experience the design process firsthand.
Word got around, and soon rookies from other teams were openly envious of how much exposure her assistants were getting.
One of those juniors was Tyler Carter. He had requested the transfer. From day one, he had made it obvious he wanted to impress, volunteering for the dull, behind-the-scenes tasks, keeping everything organized without being told. Sophie liked his attitude and the fact that his effort felt genuine rather than forced, so when his request landed on her desk, she approved it without hesitation.
с𝘩𝗶nе𝘴𝖾 nо𝘃e𝘭𝘀 𝘵𝗋а𝘯𝘴𝗅𝘢𝘁е𝘥 𝘰ո 𝘨а𝗅ոo𝘷е𝘭s.𝖼𝘰𝗺
Today was a big one. The handover of the finished jewelry pieces had finally come, and Sadie herself had made it clear she would pick them up in person.
The meeting spot was set for the third-floor conference room. Before heading out, Sophie gave the Lotus Elegance collection one last careful check, making sure every detail was perfect. Satisfied, she tucked it into a padded carry case and snapped it shut.
“Hey, Sophie,” Tyler chimed in, eager. “Mind if I tag along p>
Sophie thought about it. Showing up alone might seem halfhearted in front of a client like Sadie. She nodded. “Yeah, that works p>
Grinning, Tyler quickly reached for the case. “Here, let me carry this. I’ll keep it safe, promise p>
Sophie let him. “Thanks, Tyler p>
When they entered the conference room, Sadie was already seated at the head of the table, every inch the picture of poise and control.
“Mrs. Knight,” Sophie greeted smoothly, putting on her best professional smile. “Your custom Lotus Elegance collection is complete. Please, have a look p>
At her cue, Tyler carefully placed the case on the table. His movements were cautious, almost reverent.
“Would you like one of our specialists to demonstrate how the pieces wear?” Sophie asked, following the usual routine.
“No need.” Sadie’s gaze flicked over the case, her face giving nothing away. Then, just as suddenly, her tone shifted. “But I imagine creating something like this took a lot out of you. Hours, effort, passion. And yet the rest of your design team hasn’t even gotten a glimpse? Don’t you think it’s a shame to tuck it away without them seeing the result p>
Sophie’s stomach tightened. She didn’t know what Sadie was up to, and that unsettled her.
Still, her smile didn’t falter. “They’ve all seen plenty of incredible work here,” she answered evenly. “Compared to that, my designs don’t exactly stand out p>
Sadie pretended she didn’t notice Sophie trying to dodge. “Oh, don’t downplay yourself, Sophie. I’ve actually got some time today, so why not gather your whole design team along with the director? So they can get a proper look at what you’ve done p>
Sophie quickly realized there was no easy way to turn this down without looking bad. “Okay then, Mrs. Knight p>
She turned to Tyler and said, “Go to the design floor and bring Juliet along, and anyone else who’s free to join p>
But Sadie interrupted before she could finish. Looking at Tyler with clear disapproval, she said, “Having a junior like him call for the director and the team won’t really get the message across. I’d prefer if all the designers could come, and honestly, Sophie, you’d have a better chance of getting them here yourself p>
Sophie had to admit Sadie wasn’t wrong. Sending Tyler off might only tick off Juliet and the other designers, and if he had to run back and forth, it would just waste time. And from the way Sadie was acting, it felt more like she just wanted to take one more jab at her.
Sophie sighed to herself. Fine, it was the last stretch anyway. Once this client was handled, she would wash her hands of Knight projects for good.
Turning to Tyler, she said, “Stay here and look after Mrs. Knight. Don’t let anything slip p>
She gave him a quick glance, a silent signal to keep his eyes glued to the jewelry case. With Sadie, she wasn’t taking chances. Better to be cautious than regret it later.
“Got it, Sophie. I won’t let you down.” Tyler stood tall, sounding eager and determined.
With that, she left the room quickly, heading straight to the design floor to gather the team.