“Good luck, do your best-I believe you can do it.” After giving her a pep talk, Ian quickly left the office.
With only three days left until the perfume launch event, Julian’s chain of stores-88 in total-spanned the entire country, with Clothville alone boasting ten locations. Julian’s stores were undoubtedly the leaders in the retail industry.
This event wasn’t limited to just a few stores. All 88 branches were participating simultaneously, with the ten Clothville locations acting as the core focus. Ian didn’t have time to visit other cities, so his main responsibility was overseeing the launch events at these ten flagship stores in the city center.
Preparations for the event were already underway, with display halls being set up for the big day. Ian was personally inspecting each location, determined to ensure there were no mistakes.
The moment Ian walked out, Gemma appeared, clinging to Heather. “Heather, what did Ian just say to you?”
Heather didn’t like Gemma-not because of her past with Ian, but because Gemma was utterly shameless.
Though she openly claimed to have feelings for Ian, Heather had seen her with other men on several occasions. To Heather, Gemma’s behavior was simply distasteful. While she respected that everyone had their own choices in life, Heather preferred to avoid Gemma altogether.
But Gemma was relentless, hovering around Heather every chance she got, incessantly recounting how Ian had courted her back in the day.
To Heather, Gemma was nothing more than a nuisance. She had heard those stories so many times she could recite them backward. What baffled Heather was why Gemma felt the need to keep bringing them up. Ian had made it clear he had no interest in her, and besides, Heather and Ian were now officially in a relationship.
Ian had been honest with Heather about everything from the beginning, including his past. As a result, Heather felt no jealousy or insecurity regarding Gemma. But Gemma, oblivious to this, continued to linger, refusing to let go.
“Nothing important,” Heather replied dismissively, hastily tucking away her itinerary.
Gemma, however, had sharp eyes and caught a glimpse of the words “Candy’s Schedule” on the paper. Her mind raced as she realized what it meant. Ian had entrusted Heather with such an important task! The realization filled her with envy.
“So, Ian asked you to pick up Candy, huh? Was that really worth hiding?” Gemma remarked, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “I’ve got nothing to do these days. How about I go with you to pick her up?” she suggested.
Gemma was clearly eager to meet the international superstar, thinking it would give her bragging rights in the future.
Having worked with Gemma for months, Heather had come to understand her true nature. Gemma hated hard work, avoided responsibility, and spent her days idling away.
While every department was racing against time to meet deadlines, Gemma lazed around in the office, claiming she wasn’t feeling well whenever bad weather struck. Leonard, infatuated with her, would take on her workload without complaint, doubling his own responsibilities.
Heather had heard about Gemma’s past exploits. Back when Ian had pursued her, she neither accepted nor rejected him, keeping him on a string. Her primary aim had been to use Ian-whose academic performance was stellar-to complete her assignments.
Now, Gemma was pulling the same tricks with Leonard, treating him as she once had Ian. Ian watched Leonard with a mix of pity and frustration, seeing in him a reflection of his younger, more naive self, blindly hoping for love from a woman who didn’t truly care.
Though Ian had tried to warn Leonard subtly, the latter, blinded by love, refused to listen. Ian could only hope Leonard would eventually see through Gemma.
“No need,” Heather replied firmly. “Miss Montgomery entrusted this task to me personally. With the launch just around the corner, you should focus on your department’s work.”
Heather’s straightforward rejection left no room for negotiation. She was no longer the timid girl who let others push her around. She had grown confident and learned to stand her ground.
Gemma, on the other hand, was deeply annoyed. She had watched Heather and Ian grow more accomplished and compatible, while she herself remained stagnant.
Ian was the man she had wanted most, and now all her frustration and resentment were directed toward Heather.
Even after Heather’s rejection, Gemma didn’t give up. She blamed her lack of progress on Aurora, claiming that personal grudges had kept her from receiving fair opportunities. In her mind, if given the same chances, she could outshine both Ian and Heather.
Determined to create her own opportunity, Gemma bypassed Aurora and went straight to Mona, the company’s second-in-command.
Mona was swamped with work, but Gemma, in her usual cunning way, volunteered to accompany Heather to pick up Candy. She argued that Heather was too reserved and lacked the social finesse needed to handle unexpected situations. What if Candy was offended? Gemma emphasized her own social skills and experience, insisting that two people handling the task would be more reliable.
Mona, though busy, found Gemma’s reasoning sound. Having two people manage the situation, especially with an international celebrity like Candy, seemed wise.
“Alright,” Mona agreed. “You’ll assist Heather in picking up Candy. Be flexible and handle any situation that arises. Do everything in your power to accommodate her needs. Under no circumstances should Candy be dissatisfied. Do you understand?”
“This is not just about Aurora’s first project. It’s about Sun’s reputation moving forward. Candy is crucial to our perfume launch, and the company’s future depends on this. Whatever Candy wants, make it happen-even if it’s something as impossible as reaching for the stars. The company will cover all expenses. Just don’t let her down.”
“Yes, I understand,” Gemma replied, her voice filled with determination.