Chapter 658:
Melany straightened her tone. “Please, tell me.”
“I believe this series could become a hit for Sweetberry. But if we want to set trends for young girls, we need something unique—something that can’t be copied. Just like how genuine luxury bags differ from counterfeits, people prefer the real thing,” Rylie said calmly.
Melany agreed but admitted, “I don’t know how we’d do that.”
Rylie thought a moment before suggesting, “We could add a discreet authenticity mark on each piece in this series. Something tamper-proof.”
“An anti-counterfeiting mark?” Melany was puzzled. “Like the laser tags or chips luxury brands use?”
“That method is too ordinary—easy to crack or overlook.”
Rylie thought for a moment before suggesting something more inventive. “Make it artistic. Embroider your signature with nearly invisible thread, blending it into the veins of a petal, the back of a sprout, or the lining of a trench coat. Or hide a renewal symbol that only shows under UV light—something subtle, like a seed breaking through soil.”
Melany quickly understood. “Got it.”
Then Rylie remembered to ask, “What’s going on with Sweetberry today?”
“Someone from Elegance’s headquarters came to inspect. A few shareholders met with the financial manager, but I don’t know what they discussed. Everyone looked upset,” Melany explained. “I stepped out after that.”
Rylie chuckled. “They thought cutting funding and shutting down all Sweetberry’s offline stores would crush the company. It hasn’t, so now they want to comb through the finances.”
Melany’s voice sharpened. “They won’t drain the accounts, will they?”
“If they could, they wouldn’t be scowling,” Rylie replied calmly. “The financial losses are on me. But with you here, I believe we’ll turn things around soon.”
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Melany loved being trusted with weighty tasks—it made her feel needed. Still, she remembered the rumors circulating and couldn’t hold back.
“Rylie, you haven’t been around the company. You don’t know, but people are talking behind your back. It makes me furious.”
Rylie, unaware of how far the gossip had spread, sipped her coffee unhurriedly. “Tell me.”
Melany’s anger spilled out. “They say you’re the Owens’ acknowledged daughter but haven’t held a family celebration in ages. When one was finally set, it got postponed. They claim the family doesn’t favor you, or that something’s wrong with you.
“They even say you have no business sense at all—pretending to be strong when you’re clueless.”
Her words tumbled faster. “They say you ignored Ms. Garrett’s objections and sank money into Sweetberry—a financial black hole! They call you foolish.
“They accuse you of sidelining Ms. Garrett, firing her capable aides, refusing her help just because you’re petty and can’t tolerate others! They don’t know anything, yet they talk endlessly. It’s infuriating!”
Rylie sat in silence, her expression composed, as though none of it concerned her.
When Melany finally stopped, Rylie let out a soft laugh—not angry, just calm, edged with irony.
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.
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