Chapter 208

Chapter 208

Harper smiled slightly without speaking.

She didn't want any hype.

She wanted to beat Elowen fair and square in the arena.

Since Elowen repeatedly provoked her, she wouldn't back down.

After the news spread, the entire design circle erupted.

Two major designers releasing new products simultaneously in a direct confrontation—this was a first in the domestic design world.

Everyone was waiting to see this epic showdown.

Meanwhile, Alaric's moves didn't stop either.

He leveraged his connections, quietly clearing many obstacles for Harper.

Suppliers were approached by Elowen's people, who tried to intercept Harper's fabrics.

Alaric made one phone call, and the next day that supplier obediently continued working with Harper.

Media outlets wanted to take advantage of the situation to put Harper down while praising Elowen. Alaric had people deliver a message, and not a single one of those articles was published.

Some partners were hesitating, wanting to wait and see what would happen between the two. Alaric personally stepped in and helped Harper secure several important contracts.

At first, Harper didn't know about these things.

It's until one day, Bianca sidled up to her mysteriously. "Harper, you know what? Alaric has been doing so much for you behind the scenes."

Harper was stunned. "What things?"

Bianca told her everything in detail.

After listening, Harper was silent for a long time. "Why didn't he tell me?"

Bianca rolled her eyes. "He's silently contributing without expecting anything in return, understand? That's true love!"

Harper said nothing, but a warm current surged through her heart.

She took out her phone and sent Alaric a message: [Thank you.]

Alaric replied instantly: [Thank me for what?]

Harper was helpless: [Bianca told me everything.]

Alaric sent a smiling emoji: [No need to thank me. Your matters are my matters.]

Harper looked at the message, the corners of her mouth involuntarily curving upward. She called him. "Are you free tonight? I'd like to treat you to dinner."

Alaric didn't hesitate. "I wasn't free, but now I am. What time? I'll pick you up."

Harper smiled. "Six o'clock."

Putting down her phone, Harper leaned back in her chair, looking at the sunlight outside.

What Alaric did for Harper—Harper knew about it, and so did Elowen.

But she learned about it differently.

That evening, Elowen was in a meeting at her studio when her assistant rushed in and whispered a few words in her ear.

Elowen's expression changed.

The assistant said quietly, "The Stuart family has intervened. Those suppliers we contacted before all refuse to work with us now. And those media outlets—the articles were suppressed too."

Elowen's brow furrowed tightly. "Who did this?"

The assistant hesitated. "I heard... Mr. Stuart personally made the calls."

Elowen froze.

Alaric? He was helping Harper?

She leaned back in her chair, silent for a long time.

Then, the corners of her mouth slowly curved upward.

That arc was smug and confident.

"I understand," she said. "You can leave."

After the assistant left, Elowen stood and walked to the window.

Outside was the city's night view, neon lights flickering.

She looked at those lights, her smile deepening.

'Alaric, you still care about me, don't you? When the media wanted to put Harper down, you suppressed it because you didn't want me to bear the reputation of bullying others, right? Everything you've done is to protect me, isn't it?'

A trace of tenderness flickered in Elowen's eyes.

She recalled their childhood, when Alaric was the same—always silently protecting her.

When someone bullied her, he would stand up for her. Whatever she wanted, he would find a way to get it for her.

Those years, he was always special to her.

Only later did she went abroad, and their contact decreased.

But now that she was back, he was still protecting her this way.

Elowen's heartbeat quickened.

She picked up her phone, wanting to message Alaric, then put it down after thinking.

No rush.

She would wait for him to come to her first.

He would definitely come.

The next day, Elowen posted on social media.

[Some things, some people, no matter how much time passes, are still there. Grateful.]

The accompanying image was a partial old photo, two children's silhouettes standing under a large tree.

The comments section immediately came alive.

[Who is Elowen with? Alaric?]

[Oh my god, childhood sweetheart photo? So sweet!]

[Is this public affection? So Elowen and Alaric really are a couple?]

Elowen watched those comments, her smile deepening.

She neither confirmed nor denied.

Let them guess.

Some things—the vaguer they are, the more room for imagination.

Harper saw this post while drawing in her studio.

Bianca handed her the phone over, looking exasperated. "Look at this."

Harper glanced at it, her gaze pausing on the old photo for a moment.

Then she lowered her head and continued drawing.

"That's your only reaction?" Bianca grew anxious.

Harper didn't look up. "What else?"

Bianca opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but finally just sighed. "Fine, you win."

Harper said nothing, her pen tip landing on paper, stroke by stroke, steady and sure.

But only she knew that in that instant, something in her heart had indeed pricked her.

Was that silhouette Alaric?

Were they really that close as children?

She shook her head, pushing those thoughts down.

She'd said she trusted him.

Then she would trust him.

That evening, Alaric came.

He entered the studio, saw Harper still drawing, and frowned. "Still not resting this late?"

Harper looked up and smiled. "Almost done."

Alaric walked to her side, his gaze falling on the sketch. "New product?"

Harper nodded.

Alaric looked at those lines, his eyes full of appreciation.

"Very beautiful," he said.

Harper smiled slightly without speaking.

Alaric looked at her and suddenly asked, "The post Elowen made—did you see it?"

Harper's movements paused. He was proactively telling her? "I saw it."

Alaric's brow furrowed.

"Harper," he said, "that was a childhood photo of us, yes, but the way she posted it was deliberately misleading."

Harper looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Alaric," she said, "I told you, I trust you."

Alaric froze.

Harper stood and walked in front of him.

"All those things you did for me, I know about them," she said. "You don't need to explain anything."

Alaric looked at her, light surging in his eyes. "Harper..."

Harper interrupted him. "But there's one thing I want to ask you."

Alaric nodded. "Ask."

Harper looked into his eyes, word by word. "Elowen thinks you're helping her. Do you know that?"

Alaric froze.

"Helping her?" His brow furrowed. "I was helping you. What does it have to do with her?"

Harper smiled, that smile carrying a trace of helplessness. "She thinks everything you did was to protect her."

Alaric's expression changed. "Is she crazy?"