CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 70- ALL OVER AGAIN

Some people’s love is as calm as water, while others burn with passion—Karl’s love was clearly the latter.

"How many days will Marylin be in Manchester?"

Lilian first asked about the timing. Karl replied,

"She’s leaving tomorrow, Friday. She should be back next Sunday. That gives about eight or nine days. As long as everything is ready the day before she leaves Manchester, it’ll be fine."

Lilian nodded.

"Then I’ll ask my brother first. I’m not sure if he can make it in time."

"Please, please, you must help me with this."

Karl pleaded anxiously. Lilian hurried off with her phone to call Bert.

Morrison gave a cold snort from the side.

"Time’s so tight. Just go buy a diamond ring and a suit at the mall. Why must everything be custom-designed?"

He couldn’t stand how Karl was urging Lilian so anxiously. Morrison was now a complete wife-protector—anyone who pressured Lilian irritated him, even his own younger brother.

Karl defended himself,

"You only propose once in a lifetime. Of course it should be formal and sincere. Didn’t you also ask Laurent’s big brother to design your proposal and wedding pieces? So of course I want to put my sincerity into mine too."

Karl had originally planned to buy a ring and suit at the mall, but felt it lacked sincerity. Better to have something designed specifically around their love story, with a bit of his own ideas added in. That would better express his feelings for Marylin, wouldn’t it?

But Morrison mercilessly threw back,

"Can you guarantee she’ll say yes? What if you fail? If she rejects you, you’ll have to do it all over again."

Karl: "..."

He was nearly infuriated to the point of vomiting blood by his brother. He ignored Morrison completely and went to find Lilian for the update.

When he arrived, Lilian had just ended her call with Bert. She smiled and told him,

"My brother agreed. I’ll send you his number later. You can tell him your requirements and Marylin’s measurements. He says he’ll design the suit for you tonight. As for the ring, there will also be a suitable designer to work on it."

Earlier, when Lilian asked for Bert’s opinion, Bert said the schedule should be manageable. As for the ring, Lilian specifically requested that Catherine be the designer. Lilian saw herself as the best possible sister to a Burg Eltz—never missing any opportunity to help Bert get closer to Catherine. Since the ring and suit needed to match, the two would naturally have to communicate.

Although Lilian had never seen Catherine’s designs, she felt such a gentle and beautiful girl would surely create beautiful works. And Lilian believed that since Catherine was able to join Bert’s design company, she must have talent and potential that Bert recognized.

Otherwise, with Bert’s personality, even if he liked her, he would never allow Catherine into his company if she lacked ability in design.

Lilian’s answer delighted Karl.

"Thank you so much. Once the proposal succeeds, dinner’s on me."

After saying that, Karl gathered his things and left. He had only returned temporarily that night and still needed to go back to the home he shared with Marylin. Of course, the proposal plan was absolutely secret from Marylin.

When Catherine got home, Renata was still awake, sitting in the living room waiting for her. Catherine felt guilty. She had originally planned to deliver the suit to Bert and then hurry back to keep Renata company, but...

"Mom, I’m back."

She walked over and spoke softly. Renata glanced at her, then at the books in her hands.

"It’s good you’re back. Go wash up and get some rest. Tomorrow is your first day at work."

"Mm."

After replying, Catherine reminded Renata again,

"Mom, after I go to work tomorrow, please don’t do any housework at home. You don’t need to prepare dinner either. I’ll cook when I get back."

Catherine knew Renata’s personality well—she just couldn’t stay idle. That was exactly why Catherine was worried Renata would busy herself again. Renata was still recovering and shouldn’t be overworked.

Catherine was thinking for Renata’s sake, but Renata was thinking for Catherine’s as well.

"You’re just starting a new job. There will definitely be a lot to adapt to. Don’t worry about things at home. I’m much better now. It’s not like I can’t even make dinner."

Catherine wanted to say more, but Renata stood up and returned to her bedroom, urging her without even looking back:

"That’s enough. I’m going to sleep. You go wash up and sleep too."

Catherine stood there and let out a helpless sigh before turning to her own room.

She placed the books on her desk. Thinking back to everything that happened at Bert’s home tonight, it all felt unreal. Now that she recalled it, she couldn’t even understand how she managed to chat so happily with Morrison and Lilian.

After taking a shower, Catherine remembered that the clothes she bought today were still in Riley’s car. She picked up her phone, just about to call Riley, when it rang first—Bert was calling.

Catherine’s chest tightened slightly as she answered.

"Not asleep yet?"

His steady, calm voice came through the line. Catherine answered truthfully,

"Almost."

Then he spoke again on the other end.

"Morrison’s younger brother is going to propose to his girlfriend. He needs us to design an engagement ring and a proposal outfit. I’ll handle the outfit. As for the ring, you’ll design it."

Catherine was stunned.

"M-Me? Isn’t that a bit inappropriate? I’m a newcomer—"

Her first reaction was to refuse. Not because she didn’t want it, but because it was an engagement ring. Such an important occasion. If it were something for daily wear, Catherine felt she could take it on with confidence even as a newcomer. But an engagement ring...

The pressure felt overwhelming.

"Already saying you can’t before you even start? Is that how you handle things?"

Bert’s voice carried clear displeasure.

"You’ll never know what you’re suited for unless you try. And you’ll never know if you’ll succeed unless you try."

His sharp words traveled through the receiver, making Catherine’s heart tremble slightly.

She felt a bit terrified. She had only expressed a little hesitation—if she ever made a mistake at the company, wouldn’t she be scolded terribly?

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to take the job—of course she did. No designer would reject a project. But she feared that if her design didn’t satisfy the client, it would waste their time, and considering the client was connected to him and Lilian, wouldn’t a poor design damage his and the company’s reputation?

But before she could say anything, he continued decisively,

"They need the outfit and ring next week. Time is tight, so work overtime this weekend. We’ll finish the design drafts together. You should start conceptualizing now."

Catherine was stunned by the part about "next week."

"Next week?"

That timeline was incredibly tight. Drafting the design was one thing, but actual production would be complicated. Tomorrow was Friday—if they could finish the sketches on Saturday and immediately send them for production, everything might barely make it in time.

If even a single step went wrong... they wouldn’t make the deadline.

Catherine suddenly felt the situation was extremely difficult.

However, the big boss on the other end didn’t say anything further. He simply hung up, using this method to declare that she would take on the engagement ring design—whether she wanted to or not.