Chapter 10
Talon picked up the scattered photo fragments from the ground. On the back, someone had written something.
He recognized Emma’s handwriting, but the only visible words left on the fragments were
“Emma loves Talon.”
Talon stared at the photo fragments, hesitating for a long time before putting them in his
pocket.
Back home, Sophia smashed everything in the living room to vent her frustration.
Opening her phone, expecting to see Talon’s apology messages, she found nothing.
In a fit of rage, Sophia threw her phone to the floor.
For several days, Talon didn’t come to apologize or message Sophia.
Faced with Talon’s coldness, though angry, Sophia had no choice but to make the first move.
“Talon, I was too impulsive that day.”
Sophia came to Talon’s office, tugging at/his sleeve pleadingly.
The issue was actually Talon’s fault, and now that Sophia had come to apologize, he couldn’t say anything more.
“Go down to work later.” This was Talon’s way of giving Sophia a way out.
Sophia didn’t push further. “Thank you, Talon. Let’s not fight anymore, okay?”
Talon gave a tepid “mm” in response.
When Sophia returned to the design department, the newly promoted director was already sitting in the deputy director’s office.
Remembering Talon’s earlier criticism, Sophia made an effort to put on a friendly face, greeting the rest of the design department.
Chapter 10
The others in the department pretended not to see Sophia’s greeting, looking right through her.
Sophia awkwardly lowered her hand, the fake smile sliding from her face.
Walking back to her office, she could even hear their whispers about her.
Combined with the amusement park incident, Sophia blamed everything on Emma.
The more Sophia thought, the angrier she became, sweeping all the files off her desk in one
motion.
The sound of papers scattering drew attention from outside, with office colleagues glancing toward Sophia’s office.
After venting her anger, Sophia noticed the people outside, stood up, and slammed the door
shut.
“Who’s going to tell Director Chen about the design competition?” everyone wondered, shaking their heads–no one wanted to provoke Sophia’s temper.
The deputy director had no choice but to go himself.
Avoiding the scattered files on the floor, he placed the design competition details on Sophia’s desk.
“The company has a design competition this year. These are the details. The CEO asked Director Chen to lead the design department in completing the entry.”
Hearing this was Talon’s instruction, Sophia finally picked up the paper, glancing at it before dismissing the deputy director: “You may go.”
Due to the design competition, Sophia behaved herself for a couple of days, staying in her office working on design sketches.
Sophia would draw on the paper, but then tear it off, crumple it, and throw it aside.
Sophia didn’t have outstanding design talent. The awards she’d won in college meant little in the Sullivan Group’s design department, which was full of experts.
Chapter
If other design department staff helped with the design, there wouldn’t be much of a problem.
But Sophia was determined to prove she was better than Emma, so she forbade anyone else from getting involved.
She had secured the director position through Talon’s influence against everyone’s objections.
Everyone thought she got in through the back door without real ability, so she wanted to show them all that she was superior to Emma.
Just when Sophia was at a loss, she discovered an exquisitely designed sketch in Talon’s office.
“Talon, whose sketch is this?”
Talon took it and realized it was one Emma had given him.
Back then, Emma had excitedly shown him the design, explaining: “Talon, this is the ring I designed. It’s called ‘Spring.‘ The design inspiration comes from…”
“Enough! Can’t you see I’m working? Stop bothering me!”
Talon impatiently tossed the design sketch aside.
Emma’s smile froze as she quietly put the sketch back by his hand before leaving the office.
Looking at this sketch now, Talon felt momentarily lost before finally answering Sophia:
“It’s Emma’s.”
Hearing the sketch was Emma’s, jealousy flashed across Sophia’s face, though she casually put it down, acting unconcerned.
“Was this sketch ever produced?”
Talon wasn’t sure why Sophia was asking, but he answered honestly: “No.”
After a pause, he added, “She designed it for me years ago.”
A few days later, Sophia submitted her design competition sketch to Talon.
Looking at the ring design on the sketch, Talon found it familiar, like Emma’s “Spring” design.
He hesitated briefly but ultimately said nothing.
