CHAPTER 203: PREPARATION FOR THE JEWELRY GALA

To her dismay, her son had fallen for the daughter of some down-and-out businessman.

Her face darkened with displeasure.

With a cold snort, she muttered, "How could my son marry the daughter of a failed businessman?

I’ve always gotten along well with Mrs. Luna, and I quite like her precious daughter.

I’ll arrange for them to meet soon.

As for this Sarah—I’ll have to deal with her myself."

She knew her son all too well.

Though outwardly obedient since childhood, his rebellious streak ran just as deep as his sister’s.

Once he set his mind on something, no matter how difficult, he’d never let go.

That’s why she had to step in personally. ---

**12th Floor, Design Department, Marson Corporation.**

After a week of recuperating at home, Beauty had finally convinced Lucas to let her return to work.

Her colleagues in the design department were visibly relieved to see her.

An extra pair of hands meant an extra lifeline—even if everyone worked on their own projects.

After all, Lucas had made it clear: if the department failed to deliver a satisfactory design by the end of the week, everyone would be fired.

The cutthroat competition within Marson Corporation was no secret—survival of the fittest in its rawest form.

But no one had expected it to be this brutal.

Every employee here had clawed their way up from the bottom, and none were willing to lose their hard-earned positions.

Yet everyone knew Beauty was different.

Even if she turned in subpar work, even if the entire design team was purged, she—the so-called "royal relative"—would remain untouched.

So when she walked in, the entire department breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Deep down, they prayed she wasn’t just some privileged rookie coasting on connections, but actually possessed the unique design talent and vision their director had praised.

"Is the director in his office?"

Beauty pulled a folder from her bag—two months’ worth of her labor, neatly compiled.

Although not entirely completed, the project had taken full shape, with only minor details left to refine—nothing that would compromise the overall vision.

"The director’s inside," a colleague whispered as Beauty approached.

"Mr. Lucas just blew up during the meeting, so tread carefully.

She’s not in the best mood."

"Got it.

Thanks for the heads-up." Beauty headed toward the office, pausing for a brief moment at the door before rapping her knuckles lightly against it.

"Come in."

The sharp command from inside made her draw a quiet breath before pushing the door open.

Jennifer sat behind her leather swivel chair, fingers pressed to her temples.

When she spotted Beauty, the faintest hint of a smile flickered across her face before vanishing again, her expression settling back into frosty detachment.

Clearing her throat, Beauty stepped forward and handed over a folder with practiced deference.

A polite smile curved her lips. "Director Jennifer, here’s my design draft.

It’s not fully finished yet, but it’s about eighty percent complete.

I wanted to bring it in today for your review."

Jennifer’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, her stern features softening slightly.

"Weren’t you on sick leave?

Why are you working while you’re supposed to be recovering?"

"I had some downtime at home, so I sketched whenever inspiration struck," Beauty replied.

"I wasn’t sure if the design would meet your standards, so I thought I’d bring it in for your feedback."

Jennifer took the folder and spread the sheets across her desk.

Each page was meticulously arranged, from the earliest rough concepts to the refined drafts—every iteration she had deemed worthy of keeping was there.

Ten minutes later, the faintest trace of approval finally surfaced on Jennifer’s face.

After neatly stacking all the papers back into the folder, she looked up at Beauty with a surprised expression.

"It seems you truly have a natural talent for design.

But as I said, my opinion alone doesn’t count.

Only if CEO Marson and the other executives from the subsidiaries approve will it be finalized.

Still, compared to those hollow submissions out there, yours feels genuine—it resonates.

I really like it."

Having been in the design industry for so long, Jennifer has seen countless works, each with its own unique charm.

Though Beauty’s design wasn’t as grand as previous diamond ring collections, it was far more delicate and captivating.

She had poured meticulous attention into every detail and curve, making it nearly flawless.

"Perhaps this year’s jewelry trends will shift because of your innovative fusion design.

The double knot in the center is the perfect finishing touch.

If this piece goes international, I’m certain it’ll win over audiences abroad.

Beauty, you’ve truly impressed me."

Ms Jennifer didn’t hold back her praise, leaving Beauty practically floating on air, her cheeks flushed as she clasped her hands tightly.

"Thank you for your kind words, Director Jennifer.

I don’t think it’s quite as perfect as you say—there are still some details I need to refine.

Give me another two weeks, and I promise it’ll be even more striking!"

Jennifer nodded, finally letting out the breath she’d been holding.

The CEO had laid down the law in the meeting earlier—if this collection didn’t make the cut, the entire design department would be out of job.

Though Beauty’s work still showed some inexperience, its fresh and clever approach might just make the difference.

Being praised was always something to celebrate.

Clutching her designs, Beauty stepped out of the office beaming, drawing curious glances from colleagues as she passed.

Before she could even reach the assistant’s office, a group of coworkers swarmed around her.

Taking in her radiant expression, they eagerly asked, "Beauty, how’d it go?

What did the director say?

You look thrilled—did you pass?"

"The director thought it was decent, but she doesn’t have the final say.

It still has to go through CEO Marson and the other executives!"

The thought of all those hurdles made Beauty’s heart flutter nervously.

But for now, having won her boss’s approval was more than enough.

As for Lucas, she never expected to hear any words of praise from him anyway.

"Surely the CEO wouldn’t have any issues, right?

Aren’t you two living together?

Didn’t you show him the design drafts?"

A blunt girl asked with gossipy enthusiasm, making Beauty instantly flush with embarrassment.

She wished she could vanish into thin air.

"Wait, I didn’t mean it like that," the girl quickly added, noticing Mary’s discomfort.

She flashed a bright smile.

"I just meant, since you’re staying at the CEO’s mansion, surely you had a chance to show him the designs?"

"The CEO is usually swamped with work and comes home late.

He doesn’t have time for things like this."

"Oh, right!

The CEO is a very busy man."

Beauty lied through her teeth.

The last thing she wanted was for everyone to find out about her relationship with the CEO—that would be a disaster.