Chapter 99:
“Aren’t you exploiting the Harper family’s compassion to live like royalty? Elyse, not a single person in the Harper family is indebted to you. Without their generosity, you wouldn’t even have the privilege to stand before me. So spare me your crocodile tears; they won’t earn my sympathy. From what I understand, you still have family back in your hometown.”
Elena’s voice remained nonchalant, but Elyse’s heart faltered. She hadn’t anticipated that Elena would mention her hometown so abruptly.
Elena’s words struck Elyse’s most vulnerable point.
Though her parents had passed, her father’s relatives were still alive—relatives Elyse had neither visited nor wished to encounter.
Years ago, Elyse’s mother had defied her family’s counsel and stubbornly married her modest rural sweetheart, even cutting ties with the Harper family.
Elyse’s hometown, Fernville, languished as a distant village with scarce resources and inadequate healthcare.
The formerly pampered young lady, after marriage and pregnancy, found herself toiling through endless household duties.
When labor began, only a local midwife with rudimentary supplies attended her difficult delivery. She perished bringing Elyse into the world.
By the time the Harper family arrived, she had already departed, leaving only Elyse behind.
Bertha, in her anguish, brought Elyse back to the Harper household and severed all connections with Elyse’s father and his relatives.
Elyse had encountered her paternal grandparents only once. They had approached the Harper family seeking financial aid, only to be banished by Bertha.
They had attempted to reclaim Elyse, insisting she belonged among their bloodline, which left her terrified. She fell ill for three days following that harrowing encounter. When she recovered, Elyse clung fiercely to her resolution to remain with the Harper family. She would never abandon her place among them.
As these bitter memories resurfaced, Elyse’s expression darkened, her eyes burning with resentment as she fixed Elena with a venomous glare. Elena, indifferent to Elyse’s inner turmoil, simply turned and retreated to her room.
After Elena finalized the contract, Leopardex immediately set the wheels in motion for the jewelry exhibition. Leopardex sought to reignite public fascination with their collections before launching a duty-free establishment, thereby thrusting the brand back into the spotlight.
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This time, Monica herself took the helm of the exhibition, ensuring its magnificence would be unparalleled. Selection of venue, determination of date, arrangement of space, and orchestration of publicity—each element received meticulous attention. The century-old brand suddenly pulsed with renewed vitality.
The design department buzzed with fresh energy as well. Leopardex intended to unveil innovative designs, requiring each designer to present a concept from which Monica would select the finest pieces to feature at the exhibition. Elena delivered her design directly to Monica.
While other designers promptly submitted their concepts, Elyse lagged behind in presenting hers. Monica remained unconcerned; with Elena’s masterpiece in hand, the jewelry exhibition was destined for triumph.
Elena’s creation was chosen as the exhibition’s crowning jewel, set to serve as its grand finale. The hectic preparations faded into memory as the day of the Leopardex exhibition finally arrived.
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