Chapter 11 RETURN TO PARIS WITH ME
Five years later
BELLA
"Ma'am, these are the lists of new projects," Clara, my secretary, said, passing her iPad to me. "You can check through them for any change you might need us to implement?"
"Uhm. this is good." I went through them, nodding with smiles at my designs. Who would have thought I would one day have an office of my own, and workers, willing to do my bidding? The icing on the cake? I got to do what I love the most.
"What of this?" She pointed to the latest design I worked on before sending it to them. "Do you like the finished product? The production team manager seems to think it doesn't rhyme with your
drawings."
"It does." I peered at the jewellery that had finally come to life from the drawing I gave. "Send three of the products to me for the last designs. I need to go through them before I can carry out a positive judgment. Seeing them on screen isn't the same as off-screen."
"Would you like to visit the production site?" She asked, sounding excited. "We can go on a tour like you did last week. The workers are eager to see you again."
"I will make time out for that." Nodding, I resumed scrolling through the pictures on her iPad, pointing out the flaws in some designs. "This one." I pointed to a violet one on the list. "It doesn't give me
the vibes my drawings did. I need them to give me a remake, and this time, I don't need any modifications in them."
"Roger that, ma'am." She grinned. "What of this -"
A knock on the door interrupted her. Before I could ask the person to step in, BRION did so, grinning when his eyes locked with mine.
"I hope I'm not interrupting?" He asked, his gaze going over to Clara, whose cheeks were as red as blood.
"Not at all." I returned the iPad to Clara. "Let the manager know my decision. I will get back to you later, okay?"
"Okay, ma'am." Smiling, she left, closing the door behind her.
"So? What are you doing here?" I inquired, crossing my legs as I watched him. "You hardly visit my office unless you have something important to tell me."
"That I do." Nodding, he dropped his suitcase on the only couch in my office. "But before that, how's work? Did you complete the design you are working on? Any success?" he asked, stepping over to
my desk.
"Yup!" Grinning, I turned my laptop towards him. "It just needs a finishing touch before it's ready for the market." "Hmm." He peered down at my laptop, his eyes shining with admiration as he smiled at me.
"Each of your designs always takes the breath away from me," he whispered, his voice filled with awe as he turned the laptop back toward me. "I love this. Personally, I don't think there's much you
need to change."
"You won't know because you are not the designer. I'm the only one who can see the flaws in the design." I brought my laptop closer and peered at the jewellery. It was the latest one I had been working on for weeks. I wanted it to be the best, one that would fetch us considerable publicity during the reveal.
"I didn't make a mistake in choosing you." He smirked at that, leaning on my desk as he stared at me with a smile.
Looking back to how far I had come, I constantly wondered how my life would have been had I not met Brion five years ago. That fateful meeting in front of the hospital changed my destiny. Not only did he help me escape, but he aided me throughout the years until I achieved my long-lost dreams.
Brion had always admired my work, and when he took me away, he proposed something I couldn't say no to. He sent me back to school, so I could complete my studies, and major in Gemmology and jewellery designing, like I had always dreamed of. His only request was that I work for him after my studies, to pay my debts, which I had been doing for two years now.
SNOW-WHITE JEWELLERY LINE wouldn't have been possible without him, and I had always let him know about it.
I owed everything to him.
"What are your thoughts on returning to Paris?" Brion asked, causing me to freeze. Blinking in shock, I muttered, "Paris? Why are you suddenly asking that?" I gulped, trying not to look concerned when I was. All it took was mere mention of the place I lived before I moved to the United States, to bring back the memories I thought were long buried, ones I wasn't keen on bringing back.
He didn't immediately respond. Instead, he plopped down on the chair opposite mine, sighing as he looked towards me. "You had always wanted to expand our chain, right? Getting a partnership in France will benefit us, just like the ones we have in London and China. It will promote trade."
"But it doesn't have to be Paris." I would choose any place but that country.
"I know." He nodded. "I thought about this before bringing the proposal forward." He leaned on the table. "We got an offer I can't resist. That's why I want us to open a branch in Paris. You can hold an exhibition there like you have always wished."
"Not in Paris. I've had ten exhibitions, remember? I just wanted to have at least 20 of them, but not in Paris."
"Have you forgotten where everything started?" He leaned forward, his gaze serious. He didn't seem like he was backing down from this. "We will kill two birds with one stone there. We get to
collaborate with the largest company in Europe, and you will get to hold a jewellery exhibition. Aren't you excited?"
"I am, but -"
"Is this about your ex?" He frowned, leaning back i his chair. "Are you that afraid of him?"
"Scared?" I scoffed. "Why will I fear that bastard?"
"Then prove me wrong," he challenged.
"How?"
"Return to Paris with me."