Chapter 32 You Can Repay However You Want
Looking at the official response from the Russell Jewelry, Xandra pressed her red lips together tightly, feeling completely unconvinced.
She knew her own design skills very well.
She wouldn't say she was a genius among geniuses, but there was no way she should be eliminated in the first round.
That left only one possibility—someone had pulled strings behind the scenes.
Someone didn't want her to enter the Russell Jewelry, which was why they eliminated her right away.
And she didn't need to think twice to know who that person was—Vivian.
A flash of coldness crossed Xandra's eyes. After a moment of silence, she dialed Vivian's number.
The phone rang for a long time before finally being answered in the last few seconds.
Vivian was clearly using this as a way to show her power.
"Xandy, why are you calling me? I thought you wouldn't reach out to me anymore. What's up?"
The woman's voice through the line carried a hint of cold mockery, with none of the warmth and closeness from the past.
Xandra's expression remained calm. "I signed up for the design competition launched by the Russell Jewelry. You're the one who eliminated me directly, right?"
"Yes." Vivian didn't deny it at all.
"Vivian, what exactly are you afraid of? Afraid I'll expose your lies in public? Afraid people will find out that your current success is actually because you had my guidance?"
Vivian didn't answer directly, but instead asked back, "Xandra, are you recording this call right now? Trying to trick me into saying something?"
Xandra's hand tightened around her phone.
Vivian wasn't stupid. She was indeed recording right now.
"Xandra, stop wasting your energy. I eliminated you because your work and character don't meet our company's standards."
Vivian snorted coldly. "Someone like you who didn't even finish college and only knows how to steal other people's ideas—how could I possibly let you into the Russell Jewelry and ruin the company's culture?"
Her tone was full of mockery and provocation.
Xandra pressed her red lips together lightly, feeling both amused and angry.
"Who's really the plagiarist? Vivian, what's real can't be fake, and what's fake can't be real. Don't celebrate too early. Who has real ability will become clear someday."
"Well, keep dreaming!"
Vivian finished speaking and hung up directly.
Xandra listened to the busy tone on the phone, her brows furrowed.
Arguing was useless—she hadn't recorded any valuable information!
What should she do now?
She had been counting on using the design competition to embarrass Vivian and win that $200,000 prize money.
But she hadn't even gotten in—the entrance was already blocked!
"Got eliminated?"
A man's deep and magnetic voice came from the doorway.
Xandra jumped and turned around sharply to see Frederick walking in.
He wore a simple black T-shirt and casual pants that outlined his tall, model-like perfect figure, with a hint of travel fatigue.
"You're back!"
Her flash-marriage husband was back from his business trip!
For some reason, a wave of joy surged in her heart.
Frederick handed her his briefcase and a shopping bag, noticing the happiness in her eyes, the corners of his lips curving up slightly.
"Missed me?"
His deep eyes held a smile and a hint of teasing.
A flash of discomfort crossed Xandra's eyes. Her gaze swept over the shopping bag as she pretended to casually change the subject.
"What's this?"
"Gifts for the kids."
Really?
Xandra curiously opened the shopping bag. Inside were several limited edition Disney figurines—the collectible kind that even money could hardly buy.
Her eyes lit up. "These figurines are all limited editions. How did you get them?"
Was there anything in this world he couldn't buy?
Frederick curved his lips. "My boss's business partner happened to have connections, so I asked him to help me buy a few."
Xandra smiled with her eyes. "Then let me thank you on behalf of the kids."
Her flash-marriage husband was really thoughtful.
Last time when Margaret went to the emergency room in the middle of the night, she had only casually mentioned liking Disney figurines, and he actually remembered!
Xandra pulled out a USB drive from the bag.
"What's this?"
"Programming tutorials, for Chuck."
Xandra fell silent.
This was the gift for her son?
Well, Charles was a boy after all, so he really wouldn't like stuffed toys.
Xandra put the things away. "I'll go run you a bath."
"Okay."
Frederick unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt and sat on the sofa.
Thinking about the phone call he'd overheard before entering, his eyes narrowed slightly.
His wife got eliminated before even participating in the design competition?
He took out his phone and called Aiden.
"Tomorrow, do something for me..."
Xandra finished running the bath for Frederick and came out of the bathroom.
"All set, you can take your bath now."
Frederick had just finished his call with Aiden.
Looking at her clear eyes and brows, he asked, "Did the Russell Jewelry's design department eliminate you?"
At the mention of this, the smile on Xandra's face faded.
"Yes. Vivian pulled the strings. If she hadn't interfered, there's no way I would have been eliminated in the first round."
Frederick raised an eyebrow. "You're really confident in your designs?"
Xandra said, "I let my work speak for itself! The first time you saw the jewelry I made, didn't you also praise me for being skillful?"
Her eyes were full of spirit and confidence.
Frederick chuckled lightly, his tone teasing. "You remember the compliments pretty well."
Xandra's cheeks flushed. "I also remember the criticisms," she said softly.
The criticism was about her not knowing how to cook.
She really held grudges!
Frederick curved the corner of his lips. "Now that you've been eliminated in the first round, what do you plan to do?"
What to do?
Xandra looked at Frederick's handsome face, her eyes flickering as she tentatively asked, "The design competition is tomorrow. You're Mr. Russell's assistant, right? Can you bring me into the competition venue?"
Her idea actually matched his!
Frederick raised an eyebrow slightly. "The design competition is being livestreamed. Are you planning to cause a scene?"
Xandra's eyes shifted. "Don't make it sound so bad. I just want to borrow a platform to prove my abilities. Don't you think it's a shame for the Russell Jewelry to lose such an excellent designer like me?"
Frederick fell silent.
She was really good at praising herself!
"Ray, can you?" Xandra asked again tentatively.
Her bright, clear eyes held a hint of careful anticipation.
Frederick's heart stirred. His thin lips parted. "It's not impossible."
Xandra's heart leaped with joy. "Really?"
"Really, but..."
Frederick left it hanging.
"But what?" Xandra asked urgently.
"Xandra, I'd be abusing my position!"
Frederick said deliberately, "Didn't you tell me that even though my boss values me, I shouldn't overstep boundaries, and I need to maintain proper limits?"
Xandra's smile froze.
Her flash-marriage husband really remembered her words well!
"So I'm risking my boss looking down on me to help you. How do you plan to thank me?"
How to thank him?
Xandra bit her lip. Actually, if there was another way, she definitely wouldn't want to take shortcuts.
But circumstances had changed.
To prove her abilities, to win that $200,000 prize money, she couldn't worry about all that!
Looking at Frederick's handsome face and remembering how they almost made love before his business trip, Xandra's cheeks flushed.
"I will do anything you want."
The thanks he wanted should be a physical response, right?
"Really? Anything?"
Frederick's eyes deepened as he leaned forward slightly, as if about to pull her into his arms.
"You go take your bath first. I'll get you some clean clothes."
Xandra went to get his clothes with a red face.
Her shy expression made Frederick's heart itch.
His mind flashed back to their first intimate moment in bed, that unforgettable feeling.
His brows relaxed, and the fatigue from days of travel seemed to dissipate completely in this moment.