Chapter 12
When the plane landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, it was drizzling in Paris. Alice opened her phone and a series of push notifications immediately flooded in. She absentmindedly scrolled through the screen, with news about Vincent’s wedding scandal dominating the headlines, each one more sensational than the last:
The Seibert Group wedding took a shocking turn as the bride’s ex- boyfriend caused a scene.
Juliana’s scandalous recording exposed, dreams of the wealthy shattered!
Madam Seibert fainted on the spot, turning the wedding into a farce.
His finger paused on the screen for a moment, and a news story about Maggie fainting caught his eye.
Alice’s pace unconsciously slowed down.
She remembered Maggie’s gentle gaze every time they met, and the elder who always prepared gifts for her birthday.
Now…
“Never mind.
Alice shook her head and put the phone back into her pocket.
Let the past be the past, she needs to look forward now.
A few weeks later, Alice stood outside the interview room of a luxury goods company, her palms slightly sweaty.
This was the first step she took to start over.
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“May I ask if you have any work to showcase?”
The interviewer pushed his glasses up and asked kindly.
Alice took a deep breath and pulled out the design blueprint that she cherished the most.
Sure enough, the interviewer’s expression immediately became complicated.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming awkward, a sudden ringing of the phone broke the silence.
“Sorry, I took a phone call.”
The interviewer hurriedly walked out of the room.
Alice tightened her grip on the design draft in her hand.
She knew what this piece of work carried.
Juliana’s framing, Vincent’s favoritism, and the “plagiarism” stigma that can never be washed away.
But she still took it out, because it was her most genuine effort.
The sound of the door being pushed open made her look up.
“Congratulations, Ms. Caylor.”
The interviewer had an incredulous expression on his face, “Our chief designer is very impressed with your work.”
On her first day at work, Alice listened carefully to the introduction from her senior colleagues, trying hard to remember every detail of the job.
Colleagues were all very friendly, but she always had a question in her mind – why did the unfamiliar chief designer approve this “controversial”
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work?
Alice’s mind was always haunted by a mystery.
During the lunch break, she hid in the pantry with a cup of coffee, her fingers quickly sliding on the screen of her phone.
“Cassius Stewart, a French–American, was the chief designer and CEO of The Stewart Group…”
She murmured the information she had found, furrowing her brow.
“Plop-”
Distracted, she bumped into the person behind her.
The scalding hot coffee spilled all over, spreading a brown stain on the other person’s white shirt.
“Sorry!”
“Alice hurriedly stepped back, but froze in place the moment she saw the other person’s face clearly.”
The man’s eyes behind the golden wire glasses contained a gentle smile, showing no sign of offended anger.
“It’s okay.”
He calmly took off his suit jacket, his slender fingers unfastening the cufflinks. “You didn’t burn yourself, did you?”
The voice was low and pleasant, with a hint of Parisian accent.
Alice shook her head like a tambourine, her cheeks flushing.
He skillfully fetched a mop and cleaned the floor in just a few strokes. He even took the initiative to wash the fallen coffee cup for her.
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“Be careful, it’s hot.”
When he handed back the cup, his fingertips accidentally brushed against her wrist, leaving a slight cool touch.
Back at her desk, Alice remembered to check her phone.
The profile photo of Cassius was prominently displayed on the screen.
The gentle face, which was as smooth as jade, was exactly the same as the man she had just met over tea.
Night fell, Alice rubbed her sore neck.
The office was already empty, with only a solitary lamp in the distance still shining.
This was already the third time this week that she noticed the owner of that workstation always seemed to be working late.
As if compelled by a ghost, she walked towards the source of light.
The man seemed to sense something, as he also looked up when Alice approached. It was Cassius. Alice hurried forward, last time she had just been stunned, Cassius left the tea room, and she never found the
opportunity to apologize properly.
“Ms. Caylor? Cassius looked up from the design drawings, a hint of surprise flashing in the eyes behind his wire–rimmed glasses.”
He took off his glasses and pressed the red mark on his nose with his long fingers.
“Was Mr. Stewart also working overtime?”
Alice’s voice was lighter than I had imagined.
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“There was a project that needed to be completed.”
His lips curled slightly, the sapphire cufflinks on his cuffs shimmering in the light. “Do you often stay out this late?”
Alice explained nervously that she had been teaching herself French and then mustered up the courage to ask.
“Have you had dinner? Last time in the elevator…”
“I was just hungry”
Cassius closed the folder, the dial of his watch reflecting a silver light. “Together?”
The restaurant’s lights gently enveloped the two of them.
Cassius sliced the steak gracefully and calmly.
“Your color coordination is very unique, as if you have received professional training.”
“I learned a little.”
Alice’s fork made a slight noise as it scraped across the plate.
“Such talent should be very popular domestically.”
He seemed to casually mention.
In America…
Suddenly, in Alice’s mind appeared the two design sketches displayed side by side at the review meeting, her original draft and Juliana’s “work“, even the cherry blossom mark she had drawn by hand in the corner was perfectly replicated.
“The behavior of this student seriously violated academic ethics.”
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The dean’s voice echoed in my memory, “It was decided by the Board of Trustees to revoke Alice’s eligibility to compete.”
“Ms. Caylor?”
Cassius’s voice pulled her back to reality.
On the napkin he handed over, there was a cherry blossom outlined in gold foil, but he didn’t know when it had appeared.
“Sorry, I zoned out.”
She hurriedly took it, her fingertips touching his warm palm.
Cassius did not ask any further questions, he just pushed the red wine towards her.
When Alice lowered her head to sip her drink, she didn’t see the dim light flashing in the man’s eyes.
Chapter 13
