bChapter /bb232 /b

bChapter /bb22/bb: /bbThe /bmany lies of bVanessa /bTaylor.

A bweek /bafter Josie left the bestate/bb, /bVanessa began working at HT–Corp on the designing team. Christian felt this department would be great for her because of the amazing designs she’d done over the years. She would constantly bring him blueprints and drawing of different architectural designs. Because of thisb, /bHarlod sent her to Allistar University, the top designing institute in Bridgeton.

“iMs. /iiVanessa/ii, /iiMr. /iiTaylor /iirequested /iifor /iiyou /itoe to ihis /ioffice.b” /b

Vanessa bwas /breading a text message from Jamie about Tillman when the secretary came into her office causing her to jump a little.

i“/iJesus! iDon’t /iiyou /iiknock/ii! /iiHow /iidare /iiyou /iijust /iiwalk /iiinto /iimy /iboffice/bb!/bb” /b

i“/iiApologies /iima’am/ii! /iMr. iTaylor requested /ito bsee /byoui./ii” /i

Vanessa rolled her eyes and dismissed the secretary before heading to Christian’s office. bSince /barriving in the designing departmentb, /bmany of the junior and senior interns and assistants had been on pins and needles. Vanessa was the Taylors precious heiress, and she wasted no time making sure she let everyone know it. She would constantly boss many of the employees baround /bforcing them to do her tasks with threats of getting them fired if they didn’t do bas /bshe said.

At firstb, /bsome of them resisted deciding to call her bluff. All that changed the day Emily Wright was fired because of a proposal Vanessa did. When Christian Taylor demanded to know who was responsible for such a disastrous proposal, Vanessa instantly med Emily. When Emily tried to exin it wasn’t her and in fact Vanessab, /bseveral staff members bribed by Vanessa came forward saying they’d witnessed Emily working on the proposal. After that, not only did Christian fire Emily, but he also made sure she couldn’t find a job anywhere else in Bridgeton.

After the firing, the employees quickly began sucking up to Vanessa, treating her like she was the queen of the department.

“biHey /i/bibig /ibrotheri!/ibi” /i/b

Vanessa bounced into Christian’s office with a huge smile on her face. Motioning for her to sit, Christian was finishing up a call.

i“/iiWell /iithere /ihas to be isomething /ion her. iSee /iiif /iiyou /iican /iifind /iiout /iwho iher /iiassistant /iiis/ii. /iiPeople /iihave /iialready /iiworked /iwith iher /ihere in Bridgeton so bthere’s /bno bireason /i/bithe /ibiTaylors /i/bbcan’t /bifind /iher.i” /i

Christian barked his orders to bhis /bbassistant /band sat back into his chair.

“What was that iabout/ibi?/i/bbi” /i/b

Vanessa looked at Christian with a puzzled expression.

i“/iiElizabeth /iBowen,i” /i

Vanessa’s beyes /bwiden. She’d heard about this Elizabeth Bowen person from office gossip. Everyone was ranting about how great bher /bdesigns were. An instant feeling of envy crept into Vanessa.

bi“/i/bbiA/i/b–biAre /i/bbiyou /i/bithinking /iiabout /iihiring /ibiher/i/bbi?/i/bbi” /i/b

Christian nodded byes /bbas /bbhe /bbtook /bbsome /bpapers out of his desk.

b1/3 /b

270

Vanessa’s eyes darkened as she began to panic. If Christian hired that Bowen person and brought her into thepany, it could jeopardize her chance of running the design department!

i“/iBut iwhy/ii! /iYou don’t need heri! /iiYou’ve /igot mei!/ii” /i

Christian looked up at his sister with a puzzled expression. It was true, Vanessa was fairly talented, buttely her work had been less than ster. If they were going to win the designingpetition and secure the Delgato contract he would need bdesigns /bbthat /bwere not only beautiful but extremely unique.

i“/iiActually/ii, /iithat’s /iiwhat /iI wanted to talk to you

Vanessa began to panic inwardly.

about.i” /ifn4fbd ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find[?]ovel/fn4fbd

i“/iAs iyou /iknow, iafter /iithe /iinew /iiyear/i, iDelgato /iiDevelopments /iiwill /ibe hosting the designingpetition to pick apany to design and build their inew /iicondos /iand itownhomes /iin the southern iregion/ii./i”

Vanessa nodded, she’d heard about thepetition from office gossip.

“iHT/i–iCorp /iiwill /iibe /iientering /iithat /iipetition/ii. /iiDad /ireally iwants /iito /isecure ithat /iicontract/ii. /iA icontract /ithis big will allow HTi–/iiCorp /iito /igo globali./i”

Christian handed Vanessa a bunch of nk blueprint and sketching sheets. Confused, Vanessa stared at the sheets.

i“/iiChris/ii…/iiI /iidon’t /iiunder-/i”

i“/iiI /iiwant /iiyou /ito create isome /iinew /idesigns for icondos /iiand /iitownhomes/i.i” /i

“iWhat/ii! /iiWhy/ii?/i”

Christian leaned on his desk.

i“/iBecause dad would irather /iiyou /ibe ithe /iidesigner /iifor /iithis /iipetition /iand inot /iiElizabeth /iiBowen/i. iI /ion ithe /iiother /iihand/i…well I’m not sure you’re ready.i” /i

Vanessa’s eyes widen, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. mming her hands on the desk she stood up in defense.

“iWhy /inoti!! /iiYou’ve /iialways /isaid iyou /iiloved /imy designs! iYou /iidon’t /iieven /iiknow /iianything /iiabout /iithis /iBowen-”

“iThat’s /iprecisely iwhy /iiI’m /iresearching iher/ii. /iiAnd /iiyes/i, I did ilove /iimany /iiof /iiyour /iidesigns/ii…/ibut itely/ii…/iiyour /iwork ihas /ibeenckluster at best.”

Vanessa’s eyes shifted in panic; she wasn’t aware Christian noticed the changes in her work. Christian continued.

i“/iiLook /iiNess/ii, /iiI /iiwould /iilove /iinothing /iimore /iithan /ito ihave /iiyou /iibe /iithe /iione /iito /iiwin /iithe /iicontest /iifor /iHT; but I need to see some better quality iof /iiwork/ii./i”