CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 98 SHE STOLE MY MAN

Author’s POV

Holly practically skipped out of Serena’s office, her face glowing with self-importance.

Once the door closed, Serena immediately began organizing detailed documentation for the project—trivial work that needed doing but was far removed from the actual design process.

"Lucy," she called to her assistant, handing over a thick folder. "Make sure Holly gets these by the end of the hour. Tell her it’s urgent."

Lucy accepted the folder with a knowing smile. "Keeping her busy and away from the designers?"

"Exactly," Serena nodded, absently stroking her baby bump. "The real design work needs to stay protected. The last thing we need is her meddling with actual creative decisions."

After Lucy left, Serena returned to reviewing the preliminary sketches for the Will collection.

She’d barely made it through three designs when her phone buzzed with a text from Ryan confirming their dinner plans.

Meanwhile, across the studio, Holly was staring incredulously at the mountain of paperwork Lucy had just delivered.

"Mrs. Quinn said these need documentation by tonight," Lucy explained, maintaining her professional smile. "All the technical specifications need reviewing."

Holly flipped through the pages with growing irritation. "But she literally just told me I’d be involved in the design process. What is this administrative nonsense?"

Lucy didn’t miss a beat. "Mrs. Quinn thought this work would be more appropriate given your position as Mr. Will’s executive secretary. She specifically mentioned not wanting to overburden you with creative tasks when your primary role is liaison."

Before Holly could formulate a proper protest, Lucy had already turned on her heel. "The report is needed by end of day. Thank you for your assistance, Miss Holly."

Left alone with the towering stack of documents, Holly slammed the folder down on her temporary desk.

After scanning a few pages, she stomped off to the break room to make coffee, muttering curses under her breath.

"Busy work," she hissed, aggressively measuring coffee grounds into the machine. "This will take hours. She’s deliberately keeping me occupied."

The designers passing through the break room exchanged knowing glances. Word had already spread about how Serena had handled the situation.

Holly returned to her desk with her coffee, grudgingly working through the tedious documentation.

By five thirty, she had finally completed the task, her neck stiff and her mood foul. She practically threw the folder at Lucy before stalking out of the studio in her expensive stilettos.

"What a complete waste of my talents," she grumbled as she made her way to her car in the underground parking garage. "I graduated from Central Saint Martins, for God’s sake!"

As she approached her BMW, a sleek black Mercedes pulled up beside her, blocking her path.

A striking woman with calculated grace stepped out, while someone remained seated in the passenger side, hidden behind tinted windows.

"Miss Holly?" the woman called out, her voice honeyed but firm.

Holly turned, confusion etching across her features as she met the stranger’s gaze. "Do I know you?"

"Not yet, but I know you. I’m Sophie Hart," the woman extended her hand with practiced charm.

Holly remained guarded. "What do you want? How do you even know my name?"

Sophie smiled, the expression not quite reaching her eyes. "I have a proposition for you. I understand you’re working with Serena Quinn at Dreamland Studio?"

Holly’s posture stiffened. "Are you stalking me?"

"Nothing so dramatic," Sophie laughed lightly. "Let’s just say we have a mutual interest in Serena Quinn. Or rather, a mutual disinterest."

Holly’s suspicious expression softened slightly, curiosity piqued. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Serena and I have... history," Sophie explained, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "She stole something very precious from me. My fiancé, actually."

"Serena did that?" Holly asked, suddenly more attentive.

"Oh yes. The baby she’s carrying? Conceived while she was drugging and seducing my fiancé," Sophie spat, her pretty face twisting with apparent grief. "She’s very good at playing the innocent, isn’t she? The talented, humble designer who never does wrong."

This struck a chord with Holly, who nodded slowly. "She does seem overly perfect. Today she completely sidelined me with busywork after promising me involvement in actual design."

"That’s her specialty," Sophie nodded emphatically. "One face for the world, another behind closed doors. She’s manipulated her way to the top of the industry."

Holly’s expression darkened. "So what exactly are you suggesting?"

"I’m offering you compensation—substantial compensation—to help me expose her true nature," Sophie explained, pulling an envelope from her designer handbag. "Nothing illegal, just... information. Access. The opportunity to show the world who she really is."

Holly hesitated, glancing at the envelope. "I could lose my position with Mr. Will..."

"This is enough money to cover several years of salary," Sophie pushed the envelope closer. "And I promise, when this is over, you’ll have better opportunities than being someone’s secretary."

Holly bit her lip, then slowly reached for the envelope. Opening it slightly, her eyes widened at the stack of hundred-dollar bills inside.

"I’m not doing this for the money," Holly said finally, tucking the envelope into her purse. "I just can’t stand fake people who step on others to get ahead."

"I knew you were a woman of principle," Sophie smiled, patting Holly’s arm. "Just one word of caution—don’t confront her directly. Serena is extremely skilled at turning situations to her advantage. She’s built a loyal following who will defend her without question."

Holly scoffed. "She can’t touch me. I’m Mr. Will’s representative. Unless she wants to lose this project, she’ll have to tolerate me."

"Perfect," Sophie’s smile widened. "Here’s my card. Keep me updated on anything useful. There will be more compensation as you provide information."

As Holly drove away, the passenger window of the Mercedes lowered, revealing Kane Blackwood’s smug face.

"Quite the performance," he remarked dryly. "You’re quite the actress."

Sophie slid back into the car, her sweet facade instantly replaced with cold calculation. "I do what’s necessary to get results."

"Remember our agreement," Kane warned. "Ryan can never trace this back to me. I have too much at stake with the company reorganization."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Relax. This will look like typical industry sabotage, nothing more. By the time anyone figures it out, Serena’s reputation will be in tatters."

The next morning, Holly arrived at Dreamland Studio with new purpose. The designers noticed her unusually dark expression as she strutted through the workspace, but paid it little attention, already accustomed to her sour moods.

Without knocking, she pushed open the door to Serena’s office.

Serena was leaning over a design board with Julian, their heads close together as they discussed fabric options for the fall collection.

The scene looked intimate, their professional rapport evident in their relaxed body language.

Serena glanced up, visibly annoyed by the intrusion. "Don’t you know how to knock?"

"Am I interrupting something?" Holly asked with a pointed smirk, her eyes darting between Serena and Julian.

Serena straightened, her hand instinctively moving to rest on her pregnant belly. The subtle hostility in Holly’s tone wasn’t lost on her.

"Did you need something?" she asked coolly, maintaining her professional composure despite the clear provocation in Holly’s eyes.