Female Novel
Chapter 69
Bailey's body tensed slightly as the smile on her face slowly disappeared. “Did you misspoke,Edmund? Or are my ears playing tricks on me?”
Edmund stepped forward and grabbed her arms, staring straight into her eyes. “I didn't, and your earsaren't playing tricks on you. I love you, Bay. I want to marry you. If you think organizing a wedding is toosudden, we can get engaged first.”
Subconsciously, she avoided his passionate gaze. Her stiff lips twitched before she uttered in a shyvoice, “I-I'm not ready yet, Edmund. I think... I think you should give me more time.”
That made him quite panicked.
He didn't really want to force her, but if Simon returned and she learned the truth, then a relationshipbetween him and her might be impossible.
“Bay...” Gently holding her face, he slowly moved his lips closer to her scarlet ones.
Right before their lips came into contact with each other, Bailey suddenly put her hand on his shoulderand pushed him away slightly. “I-I'm still not completely used to this kind of intimacy, Edmund. Can yougive me more time? How about a month? No, half a month. If you wait half a month, I'll definitely agreeto your proposal.”
Edmund brushed his finger past her tender lips gently.
Day and night, he thought about kissing her lovingly. Her existence had been rooted deep into his soul.
However, he knew he mustn't force her because it would only achieve the opposite effect of what hewanted. If he appeared to be too unreasonable, she would be scared away.
“Very well. I'll wait for you for another half a month. I truly do love you, Bay. There's no one else in thisworld besides you who I want to marry.”
Bailey's mind blanked, leaving only a ringing in her ears. Edmund wasn't like this in the past. He alwaysknew how to conduct himself appropriately and has never stepped over the line. I feel like he'schanged ever since he returned to Hallsbay. I can see he's anxious, too. Did something happen?
“I'm not familiar with a lot of men, Edmund. You're one of them, while Xavier is another. There's also mysuperior. While I have never met him, I often talk to him on the phone. From my perspective, yourrelationship with me is the strongest one. If I do marry someone in the future, you'll probably be my firstpick,” she said.
Joy filled Edmund's heart as excitement colored his face. His grip on her arms was getting slightlytighter, though unintentionally so. “Really? Is what you said true, Bay?”
She gently patted his back with a smile. “Of course, so there's no need for you to be so anxious.Marriage needs to come naturally. When the time comes, even if you don't mention it, I'll still take theinitiative to bring it up.”
“Okay, good.” His excitement was unconcealable as he pulled her into his embrace.
She was still pretty tense and didn't at all relax, even for a moment.
That was because she didn't like men getting close to her, even if it was just Edmund.
“Caridee is still young, Bay, and she was spoiled by the Luther family. Most of the things she says arenonsense, so don't take her words to heart, okay? I saw that design. It utterly amazed me. Women lovebeautiful things, so I'm sure Caridee will love that dress.”
A faint smile formed on her face, though she didn't speak. novelbin
In reality, she didn't really care. Ever since she experienced the pain of losing her son, there was nolonger anything in the world that could get a rise out of her.
Two days later, on the top floor of Luther Group, the door to the CEO's office was pushed open.
Dwayne entered the room and informed, “Mr. Luther, Ms. Caridee and Ms. Tanner have arrived.They're currently waiting outside to meet you.”
“I don't have time,” Artemis replied plainly. “It's the end of the month, so work's getting busy. If there'snothing important, ask them—”
“Artemis.” Caridee's voice could be heard from outside of the room before she entered the office in highheels.
Dwayne rubbed his nose and stepped aside.
Artemis' gaze swept past her before his expression darkened slightly. He questioned coldly, “This isLuther Group's CEO's office. Outsiders aren't allowed to enter without my permission. You may be mysister, but you aren't a high-ranking executive in the company. Do you not have any manners at all?
How dare you barge straight into my office?”
“Hmph.” With a raised head, Caridee stepped toward the office table and slapped the design draft inher hand onto the surface. “Is this the dressmaker you picked for me? A woman who blatantlyplagiarizes another person's work? If I sue her in court, she'll be thrown into prison and will have to staythere for a few years.”
His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the design draft on the table with furrowed eyebrows. “What doyou mean?”
“What do I mean?” She smiled mockingly and turned to the door. “Come in, Jessica. Don't worry. Withme around, no one will dare do anything bad to you.”
Moments later, the sound of high-heels was heard from outside again. Then, Jessica entered the roomwith a design draft in her hands.
“Show my brother that draft. He has sharp eyes, so he can probably notice what's wrong.”
Jessica nodded as her scarlet lips formed a vicious smile. You have some guts, Bailey, to copy thedesign of “The Ultimate Designer,” Snowflake. You're done for this time. If Snowflake decides to pursuethis matter, you're going to prison for a few years!
Artemis glanced at the design she gave him for a brief moment before shifting his line of sight to theone Bailey drafted.
After comparing the two, he subconsciously furrowed his eyebrows. The shape of both designs isalmost the same. It seems like Bailey used this design as a foundation and then added elements of
contemporary fashion trends on top of it. In other words, she plagiarized another person's base design.
When Caridee noticed her brother's tense expression, she knew he had seen the problem at hand.Thus, she couldn't help but mock, “Are you sure you want to appoint someone who plagiarized anotherperson's work as the lead designer of Luther Group's headquarters, Artemis? If the original creatorwants to investigate this matter, Bailey will very likely be sued in court and go to prison. The reason isthat the work she plagiarized came from someone famous she could never afford to offend.”
Artemis raised his head and glanced at her. “Who designed this?”
“The Ultimate Designer, Snowflake.”
At that, he was stunned because he knew who Snowflake was.
Four years ago, the organizers of The Grand Fashion Show made an exception and qualified her as acandidate based solely on a single work. After that, she went on to win the title of “The UltimateDesigner.”
He had actually seen the design before, but it was four years ago, and he had been pretty busy sincethen. Hence, he had forgotten all about it.
“This is the design that she used to win the title of 'The Ultimate Designer?‘”
Caridee gritted her teeth as she answered viciously, “That's right. This is Snowflake's famous work.Bailey is such a shameless woman. The nerve of her to plagiarize such an iconic masterpiece andhand the plagiarized work to me as my coming-of-age gown! Does she want me to be the biggest jokein the world?”