One Night

Chapter 107

Audrey

“Audrey, I have to say, I’m extremely disappointed.”

Leo leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk, and pinned me with a disapproving glare. His earlier ear-to-ear smile had long since faded, the creases in his forehead pronounced now that his eyebrows were knit together. Not even his colorful hair made me feel less terrified.

I fidgeted with my hands in my lap, unsure of what to say. Not that it mattered, anyway, since this was only the beginning of my lecture.

“It’s your first day,” he continued, “and you’re already causing problems with another intern? This is not the kind of behavior we expect at Brooks Designs. Especially not from you.”

My eyebrows shot up at that. Leo, noticing my look of confusion, sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Mr. Brooks gave you a stellar recommendation. Said you were a ‘diamond in the rough. Not to mention that statement he made about you after the fashion show debacle.”

Edwin… gave me a good recommendation? He really said those things about me?

I wanted to feel pleased, but at the same time I couldn’t help but wryly think… Did he also write a stellar recommendation for Linda when he decided to let her into the program? Or did he just accept the bribe without her even having to apply?

“And now,” Leo said, oblivious to my turmoil, “you’re verbally abusing your fellow interns in the elevator. If it weren’t for that recommendation, you know I’d be doing more than giving you a slap on the wrist.

I opened my mouth to explain why I had been arguing with Linda, but Leo held up a hand, silencing me before I could even utter a word. The words died in my throat, and I felt a lump forming there instead.

“I don’t want to hear excuses,” he continued. “Whatever history you have with her, it stays at Grayspring. This internship is about your future, not your past grudges. Do you understand?”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “I understand, but if you knew what she’s done-”

Leo cut me off again, his voice rising slightly. “It doesn’t matter what she has or has not done. What matters is how you conduct yourself here. This is a professional environment, Audrey. We expect better from our interns, especially ones that come so highly recommended.”

“I… I’m sorry,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “It won’t happen again.”

Leo sighed and rubbed his temples. He looked tired, as if this conversation was draining him as much as it was me. “I hope not. But actions have consequences. As punishment, you will be cleaning the design department this evening.”

My shoulders slumped a little. “The whole department?”

“The whole department,” Leo confirmed, nodding. “And I expect it to be spotless. This isn’t just about punishment, Audrey. It’s about learning to respect your workplace and your colleagues.”

With that, Leo dismissed me. I left his office, my head hanging and my proverbial tail between my legs, and made my way back to the design department. Linda was at her desk and shot me the tiniest smirk as I approached.

“Does your wrist hurt after that slap?” she cooed, her voice low enough so only I could hear.

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Chapter 107

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I opened my mouth to bite qut a scathing retort, but quickly shut it again when I saw Leo’s withering glare from across the

room.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, my excitement from the morning having been replaced by a festering anger. I could feel Linda’s smug gaze on me throughout the day, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of looking her way. Instead, I kept my head down, just focusing on getting my assignment done.

+5

As the other interns and designers filed out for the day, chatting and laughing, I grabbed a trash bag and started my

and overwhelming. So many punishment. The department, which had seemed so magical this morning, now felt oppressive surfaces to clean, so many forgotten pencils and discarded scraps.

I started by making my way from desk to desk, collecting scraps of paper and fabric swatches and wiping down the glass surfaces. There was so much to do, it almost felt like Leo told them all to leave a mess behind just to teach me a lesson.

But, despite my frustration, I couldn’t help but marvel at the quality of the materials as I picked up the scraps. Silks, chiffons, and intricate laces-all incredibly high quality, of course. If there was one thing I knew about Edwin, it was that he didn’t cut corners in his business.

had

To think that I would be working with such finery felt like a dream come true, even if I had been punished on my and even if I had a… sordid past with the CEO.

first day,

Hours passed as I cleaned, scrubbed, and organized. My back ached and my hands were raw from scrubbing and the smell of cleaning products filled the air to the point of making me dizzy, but I was determined to do a good job, not wanting Leo to be disappointed in me come morning.

As I finally neared the end of my work a few hours later, I noticed an empty mannequin in the corner of the room. I paused, scrap bin in hand, and c**ed my head as I looked at it. It almost seemed to call to me with possibilities.

I glanced at the door, and then the clock. Surely I could take a break for a few minutes…

Almost without thinking, I strode up to the mannequin and began pinning some of the fabric scraps to it, trying to visualize the design for my project. My fingers moved of their own accord, draping and pinning until a rough design began to take shape.

It wasn’t much-just a mock-up made of mismatched scraps-but for a moment, I felt that spark of creativity that had been missing all day.

I stepped back to admire my impromptu creation. The scraps of different fabrics and colors somehow came together in coherent design, if not a little quirky. A small smile tugged at my lips.

Tomorrow would be a better day, I told myself. I would prove to Leo and everyone else that I belonged here-and I wouldn’t let Linda get under my skin, no matter how hard she tried. Unlike her, I had earned my place here. And I wasn’t about to let go of it.

With a sigh, I removed the scraps from the mannequin and tossed them back into the scrap bin. I gave the room one last once-over, making sure everything was in order before locking up for the night. The desks gleamed, the floors shone, and every scrap was in its proper place.

Satisfied with my work, I gathered my things and headed out for the night.

The next morning, I arrived at work early, determined to start the day on a positive note. The elevator ride up to the design floor seemed to take forever, my stomach twisting a bit with anxiety.

Finally, the elevator doors slid open. I stepped out, offering the other interns a bright smile-thankfully, Linda wasn’t

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Chapter 107

among them-despite their cold looks, and began making my way to the design department.

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But as I swung the doors to the design department open and began to get settled at my desk, I noticed a crowd gathered near the mannequin I had used last night.

I frowned as I set my coffee down, peering over at the group. They were murmuring amongst themselves, but not in the usual manner in which they’d be coming up with a new design. No, this was different.

“Who would do something like this…?”

“That’s disgusting…”

“So disrespectful!”

Curious and slightly apprehensive, I pushed my way through the crowd to get a better look. And what I saw next made blood run cold.

The scraps I had used last night were back on the mannequin, but arranged in a crude, obscene shape. It was vulgar, offensive, and a complete desecration of the beautiful fabrics.

my

+5

I gasped softly, my hand flying to my mouth. “Who would do something like this?” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. My mind raced, trying to understand who could have done this and why. It had to be Linda-I was sure of it. Suddenly, one of the designers turned, her eyes locking onto me. Her finger shot out, pointing accusingly.

“There you are! You did this, didn’t you?!”