Chapter 79 Rose Sister
Chapter 79 Rose Sister
Aria POV
“Aunty!” the child cries from the door again. My eyes are still on her in shock.
“Woah” I whisper under my breath and the folders slip from my fingers to the table.
The little girl is standing at the door of the conference room, obviously sad and crying but her curls bounce around her shoulders, her dress wrinkled, her eyes wide and bright and impossibly familiar.
She looks exactly like Rose. And this is not just similar, she looks exactly like Rose.
The same nose, the same mouth. The same slightly tilted chin. I lift a brow, thoughts running through my mind. Rose said something about having a daughter. Is this…is this her?
My gaze drops back to the sketches spread across the table and everything clicks at once. The way the clothes lines are drawn, the dramatic draping, the use of sparkles, I’ve seen designs like these before.
I held them in my hands when we both sat on the dark marble of the underworld designing my wedding dress with Freda and Bella.
She drew designs like this for my own wedding as well. I flip through the pages, and my throat tightens, is this truly Rose family?
“These are beautiful.” I whisper without thinking. Rose will be so happy to get this news.
Kelsey leans forward instantly, concern flashing across her face, “Are you alright Miss Hale?”
I lift my head and nod, forcing myself to focus, “Yes. I just…these designs caught me off guard that's all.”
Before she can respond, the little girl runs forward, she throws herself against Kelsey’s legs, wrapping her arms around her knees.
“Aunty.” she whimpers, her voice cracking, “ I don’t like it here, u want to go.”
Kelsey immediately crouches, pulling her into her arms. “It is okay, sweetheart. I am right here.”
The child buries her face into Kelsey’s shoulder and starts crying in earnest now.
I push my chair back slightly, already about to stand and offer help when the conference room door opens again and this time it's Selene.
She steps inside like she owns the place, her eyes daring around the room as if looking for someone. She holds a wooden ruler loosely in her hand. Her gaze sweeps the room one more time and lands on the crying child.
“You!” her lips curl, “I told you to stay right where you are!” she yells out
Her eyes turns to me, “What exactly is going on here?” she asks sharply. “Is this what the company has turned into now? A daycare?” She lifts a brow at me.
Kelsey stiffens, clearly trying to keep her composure. “I apologize. She is my niece. Her mother passed away a few weeks ago and there's nobody to watch her but me.”
Selene lets out a humorless laugh, “That is not our problem. This is a professional environment. You cannot bring children into board meetings with important investors.” she points to the older man in the room.
My jaw tightens. My hate for her grows every day. The child sobs louder and she clings harder to Kelsey. I stand up fully now, placing my palms flat on the table.
“Enough Selene,” I say calmly.
Selene turns toward me, clearly surprised. “Excuse me?”
I look at Kelsey, “Please continue.” I want to know if this is truly Rose’s family.
Kelsey swallows, clearly grateful. “My sister fell into a coma a few months ago. Her husband and her father abandoned them years ago when my sister was still a struggling designer but he never divorced her and now with her death and her small wealth, he wants custody and access to her inheritance.”
I nod, that sounds exactly like Rose.
“She left everything to little Joan.” Kelsey continues, stroking the child’s hair, “The designs, the rights, everything. I am trying to protect what she left behind,”
My chest tightens again. Rose told me once she worried about her daughter and sister and leaving them unprotected. And now I can help.
I pick up the folder again, slower this time, “These designs,” I say quietly, “They are extraordinary. I promise they will be used well, they can be the lead collection for our launch.” I decide immediately.
Selene scoffs, “They are outdated and we already have our lead collection for the launch.”
I look up at her, “Do we?”
Shestaoes closer and snatched the folder from the table, “You know that is usually my spot, my designs always open the show, you can't just replace them with sympathy projects.”
I frown, reaching out to take the folder back from her grip, “This is not up for discussion Selene.”
Selene’s eyes widen slightly, “Aria, you do not get to make these decisions alone, especially with Daddy sick.”
“I do,” I say evenly, “Because I am the acting CEO now.”
Selene stares at me in silence, “Since when?” she lifts a brow at me
“This morning,” I reply, “Dad told me when I went to see him in the hospital.”
Her expression flickers before she pastes a smile on her face, “Congratulations,” she says sweetly. She steps forward and hugs me. I allow it and my arms stiffen at the sides. I can literally feel the tension in her body. Nicholas didn't inform her, now she doesn't know who or what she can trust anymore.
She pulls back and straightens up with a fake smile, “Even so, my designs will still open the show, that will always be the plan sister.”
I turn toward Kelsey, “Your sister had an incredible eye.” I say gently, “These designs are not only strong but they are better than anything this company has brought in.”
Selene laughs sharply, “Not better than my designs obviously.” She expects me to agree. After all Selene would always steal my designs and produce them as hers. By the time I found out about it, then it would already be too late. Nicholas had her back and I decided to let it go, it happened year after year.
“Yes, better.” I nod, “But how about we settle this fairly.” I say, “A trial walk.”
Selene lifts her chin, “What do you mean?”
“You produce your collection,” I say, “We produce Kelsey’s sisters' designs as well. We can get Independent judges in a private screening to decide who opens the show.”
Everyone holds their breath, Kelsey starts to speak but Selene clearly enjoying the attention, straightens up, “Fine. I accept.”
Of course she does. She always thinks she will win.
I turn to Kelsey. “We will license your sister’s designs and invest as agreed.”
Kelsey’s eyes fill with tears. “Thank you.”
I kneel in front of Joan, smiling softly. “Your mother was very talented.”
Joan sniffs and nods. “She said she made dresses for queens.”
“She did,” I say. “And she was right.”
After they leave, I return to my office, close the door, and lock it.
I pull out some of my own designs, I look around the room, hoping nobody will see me and murmur a spell to the designs.
The sketches shift subtly, with awkward seams and wrong proportions. The mistakes will only show once they are produced.
I smirk, Selene will try to come for my designs again. I slide them into a folder and label it Secret important designs. She will be dumb enough to think they are the best.
I place it in my top drawer. She will steal them again but this time it will come with so much humiliation that she will regret ever trying to steal what is mine.