Chapter 69

Chapter 69:

Unfortunately, in light of their recent strife with Janice and the matter of the stolen design during the competition, it was highly unlikely that JE would give her that much-needed chance.

Even now, Laurie still found it hard to believe that Janice and JE were close friends. Why had Janice never mentioned it before? She had been back with the Edwards family for a whole year, but she never told them about her relationship with JE. More importantly, how did someone as unremarkable as Janice end up being friends with the renowned JE?

“I baked a cake today, Mom. Would you like to try a piece?” Delilah’s voice pulled Laurie out of her reverie. She glanced at the cake on the table, and a memory suddenly flashed in her mind—that of a small, frail figure holding a small cake in her hands while smiling at her.

“Mom, I baked this cake myself. Please give it a try.”

The innocent face was filled with hope as the person waited for Laurie to taste the cake and praise her efforts. But Laurie’s response had been cold and impatient.

“Can’t you see I’m busy? How do I know if that’s even safe to eat? If your cake is unclean and makes me sick, it will only delay my work. Can you take responsibility if that happens?”

Janice had tried to reassure her that the cake was clean and safe, but Laurie sent her away without listening to a single word. There was a brief scuffle when Janice resisted, and the cake ended up falling to the floor.

“Mom?” Delilah called out, bringing Laurie back to the present. “What’s the matter?”

Laurie took another deep breath and shook her head. “I’m sorry, I think I’ll pass. I don’t have much of an appetite.” She paused before adding, “It’s thoughtful of you, Delilah, to bake a cake for everyone.”

With that, she turned and headed upstairs.

gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․cøm brings endless adventures

Delilah frowned as she watched Laurie leave. She couldn’t help but feel agitated at Laurie’s odd behavior. What was going on in Laurie’s head? Delilah had noticed that she had been distracted lately, and her attitude just now was significantly more aloof than before. Did it have something to do with Janice?

Delilah bit her bottom lip as her anxiety grew. She needed Laurie to design on her behalf, or she would never be able to complete the task Stella had assigned her.

“Delilah, Mom does seem quite tired. Don’t take her refusal to heart, I’m sure it’s just stress.” Lowell saw the troubled look on her face and quickly offered words of comfort. “Let’s wait until she’s done with her shower, then ask what’s bothering her, okay?”

“Honestly, Lowell, I think it would be better if we leave Mom alone for now,” Delilah sighed, looking worried. “But I’m still on probation at work. If I don’t perform well, I might get kicked out of Delgado Jewelry. If that actually happens, I won’t only embarrass myself but will also drag the name of Edwards Group as well. What should I do? It’s all my fault! I’m so useless! Why can’t I shift my talents from fashion design to jewelry design?”

Lowell’s heart ached when he heard Delilah blame herself. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to Mom and ask her to help you with your task. You’re the precious treasure of this family. We can’t let anybody look down on you, especially not Janice.”

Laurie retreated to her room, yet instead of slipping into more comfortable attire, she found herself rooted in front of her computer. She rubbed her temples, a sensation of emptiness gnawing at her—as if a crucial part of herself had been misplaced. Fleeting glimpses of Janice flickered through her mind, stirring up doubts.

“Could I have been mistaken?” she murmured to herself. With a heavy sigh, Laurie turned on her computer and pulled up a design project she had left unfinished. She held a faint hope that immersing herself in her work might soothe her turbulent emotions.

.

.

.