Chapter 12
Kathryn’s POV:
I had a lasting impression of Cornelius. There was this one time when Lucian got drunk while discussing business. I went to pick him up and found someone taking care of him by his side.
Although my interaction with him lasted less than five minutes, the way Cornelius scrutinized me, like a predator sizing up its prey, made me feel as if he could tear me apart at any moment. He seemed like a very dangerous man.
“Are you Serenity?” Cornelius looked at me in surprise.
“No!” Esther reacted immediately, “Mr. Schmidt, hello. I am Serenity and also the owner of Lush Moon, Esther Strauss.”
Cornelius shook hands with Esther, yet his gaze remained fixed on me. “And this is?”
Esther explained, “My assistant.”
Cornelius furrowed his brow, turning his head toward the person inside, and called out, “Lucian, can’t you afford to take care of your Luna anymore? Are you planning to have her work as an assistant for others?”
Following his gaze, I looked inside and saw a familiar figure seated on the couch, his back to the door. Even from a side view, I instantly recognized him. It was Lucian.
He came to his cousin’s company instead of City Hall? How interesting.
Cornelius‘ gaze swept from side to side before he broke into a smile. “Ms. Strauss,” he said, “I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time. Please, come in.”
Without a trace, I averted my gaze, following behind Esther. I was doing my best to play the role of an assistant.
The collaboration between Gladeast Entertainment and Lush Moon was essentially settled, with only the final decision from Cornelius, the big boss, remaining.
Though Esther wasn’t actually Serenity, she was a very close friend of mine. She was thoroughly familiar with my design concepts and strengths, and she wasn’t afraid of answering questions on my behalf.
The signing arrived quite swiftly.
Cornelius, however, was not in a hurry to sign the contract. He pushed it aside with a smile, saying, “Ms. Strauss, there’s no rush with the contract. Before we sign, I have a favor to ask. I have a friend who would like you to design a gown for him. This is not included in the contract, so feel free to name your price, as long as it can be completed before our company’s fashion gala next month.”
I immediately glanced over at Lucian. He really did love Juliette, to the extent of asking his cousin for this favor.
How could I possibly agree? I gave Esther a glance.
With a forced smile, Esther said, “Mr. Schmidt, I’ve recently lost my husband. I’m afraid the designs I come up with might not meet your friend’s expectations.”
After she finished speaking, she got up without any hesitation, picked up the contract, and said, “Since you still need to think about it, I’ll take the contract with me for now. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Hey!” Cornelius reached out, trying to keep Esther from leaving. “I merely mentioned it in passing. I never said I wouldn’t sign the contract!”
But how could Esther and I possibly stay? We pretended not to hear anything and left the place decisively.
Chapter 12
After we stepped outside, Esther immediately took off her sunglasses, scoffing, “What’s with Lucian? You’re not even divorced yet, and he’s already turned his back on you. I say you’re right to end this marriage. It’s best to cut ties with this sc*mbag as soon as possible.”
She had always been a fiery character, so naturally, her rebukes were just as sharp. “He had the audacity to ask his wife to design a dress for his mistress! Does Juliette even deserve to wear your designs?”
After losing such a big deal from Gladeast Entertainment, Esther was filled with resentment, all of which she vented on cussing Lucian.
I no longer wanted to dwell on Lucian. All I wanted now was to expedite our divorce.
“Come on, don’t be upset. Let’s go,” I said, sensibly guiding Esther into the car.
Once we were in the car, Esther was still fuming. “By the way, I managed to get an invitation card to the Gladeast Entertainment fashion gala. I’ll go with you. If he dares to treat you like this, I’m going to give him and his lover a piece of my mind!”
