Grief, Betrayals, and a Core of Blaze
"Alright! Beth, go make some tea. We shouldn't stray too far." Renee was still a little uneasy. Natalie gave a warm smile. When the woman outside didn't get a response, she strode in on her high heels. "Is anyone here?" She pushed open the door, pinching her nose as she looked around the studio in disgust. Her expression was filled with an air of superiority. "Why is this studio so small?" Her opening words were immediately off-putting. Beth brought her broom over and swept right near her. "If you think it's too small, no one forced you to come." Beth knew Natalie was a famous designer, but she also knew that anyone who genuinely wanted to work with Natalie made an appointment online. This unannounced visit, combined with such a condescending attitude, irritated Beth. It was as if they were begging for her presence. The woman was clearly provoked by Beth's attitude, and her expression soured. "What is wrong with you, cleaner? Don't you watch where you're sweeping when a guest is present? Someone like you would have been fired long ago in my household." "Heh, lucky for me I don't work for your family." Beth snapped back. "Please go make a pot of tea."Natalie wasn't afraid of Beth offending a client. Rather, she noticed that although the woman wasn't dressed flamboyantly, her entire outfit was custom-made, high-end couture, and clearly hand-stitched. It would be incredibly easy for someone like that to make trouble for Beth. She didn't want Beth to attract trouble just for defending her, especially since Beth had a child to support. Hearing Natalie speak, Beth finally put her broom away and went to the tea room. "Hello, ma'am. I'm Sunny. How can I help you?" Natalie stepped forward and spoke with poised confidence. The woman heard Natalie's voice and instinctively looked up. She saw a delicate face with striking, beautiful features. Her eyes were crystal clear, as if untainted by the world. Overall, Natalie was a natural beauty, but her unworldly aura gave the woman pause. A ruthless man like Baron actually found such a slut? The woman's gaze was complicated. Natalie could feel the woman's scrutiny but allowed herself to be sized up with neither humility nor arrogance. That composure alone earned the woman's appreciation. "You're quite the interesting one." "Thank you for the compliment. May I ask your name, ma'am?" "My surname is Gunn. Yulia Gunn." When Yulia introduced herself, Natalie paused. Gunn?The same surname as her Baron. Could she be from the Gunn family? But why would someone from the Gunn family be looking for her? Natalie couldn't figure it out, so she simply smiled and said, "Hello. What brings you to my studio today?" "I heard you're a famous jewelry designer, so I'd like to commission a custom set. Price is not an issue. As long as I'm satisfied with your design, I'll pay whatever it costs." Yulia said, flaunting her wealth. Natalie merely smiled and said, "We have an official website. If you have a particular style in mind, you can contact my assistant." "Ms. Stone, let's drop the formalities. I know you're very famous, and for the past five years, you designed basically all of Luke Corp's jewelry. I like your design style. But you've left Luke Corp to strike out on your own. This studio isn't even officially open yet, is it? Your design launch hasn't been held, and while it might be soon, you're still in the preparatory phase. So don't tell me you're busy. Taking on my order shouldn't be an issue for you, time- or energy-wise, correct?" Yulia's words made Natalie instantly understand that this woman had come prepared. "Yes, you're correct. However, my main focus right now is the new product launch, so…" "I've seen the promotional video for your new launch. The elements are a similar theme to what I want. For Ms. Stone, designing a set for me on the side shouldn't be a problem." Yulia cut Natalie off before she could finish. This was actually very rude behavior, but given Yulia's brazen personality, Natalie wasn't surprised.Renee tugged on Natalie's sleeve and whispered, "Natalie, the whole point of the launch is to make money. Now we have a client delivering herself to our door. Why aren't you taking the job? Is there something wrong with this person?" After all these years, Renee had seen her fair share of the world. This Yulia might seem condescending and brazen, but the customer is king. As long as she was paying, it wasn't as if they couldn't manage her.
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