The next morning.
As soon as Vera Warner stepped out of her room, she saw Zola Morgan carrying out a plate of blackened something from the kitchen.
Seeing her, Zola's little face, smudged with ash, instantly lit up with a radiant smile. "Mom, I made breakfast for you!"
Vera stared at the mysterious, coal-like food on the plate, seriously doubting if it was edible. "Uh… you didn't have to go to the trouble…"
But when she saw Zola's hopeful, fawning eyes, she couldn't bear to refuse.
Vera went back to the kitchen and fried two eggs, setting them in front of him. Watching Zola tuck in with relish, she found herself feeling strangely moved.
Her feelings for Zola were complicated. On one hand, she knew he was the child of her enemy, but on the other, she always felt an inexplicable closeness to him. She just couldn't bring herself to dislike or neglect him.
Besides…
Even Luna Warner couldn't figure out what she'd done to deserve such a terrible attitude from her own son, Zola Morgan.
"I have to work today. You and Luke behave and stay at home." Thinking of her still sound asleep daughter, Vera added another reminder, "If she tries to do any weird experiments, call me right away."
After settling the two kids, Vera left the house with her bag.
Word had come from Sarento headquarters: today, a VVIP customer had paid a hefty sum to specifically request her as their designer.
Vera had returned this time precisely to take up the Central Division's lead designer position. With her status, she hadn't accepted private orders for a long time. But now a top client had named her personally, and headquarters had asked her nicely—she didn't mind running the errand.
The meeting was at a discreet, luxurious club. After reporting the room number, a waiter led Vera down a long corridor to a wooden door.
"Come in."
Something about the voice felt familiar to Vera. She looked up, and both women froze in shock.
Mrs. Morgan's expression was stunned. "What are you doing here?!"
Without a word, Vera walked right back out and called headquarters to confirm the client list.
Two minutes later, Vera reappeared wearing an official smile, sitting across from Mrs. Morgan. "Madam, hello. I'm Willow, BELLA's Central Division lead designer. If you'd like to work with a different designer, I can have someone else take over right now."
Mrs. Morgan refused to believe it. "How could you possibly be Willow!"
Willow was the hottest new fashion designer in recent years; every season's luxury dresses sold out instantly. BELLA had barely scraped into the high-end circle, but with her talent, it shot up to become a top luxury womenswear brand.
Having Willow design your clothes—now that was a status symbol!
Mrs. Morgan remembered the favors she'd called in, the money she'd spent, the massive effort it took just to get an appointment with Willow—only to discover Willow was Vera Warner, the very woman she'd sneered at and scorned. She could hardly breathe.
Wasn't Vera supposed to be nothing but a vain, gold-digging tramp who'd do anything to ensnare a man?! How did Ian Lockwood fall for her—and how did she turn into a famous designer overnight!
Noting the disbelief on Mrs. Morgan's face, Vera kept her placid, distant smile. "It seems you're not satisfied with me as your designer. I'll call someone else right away."
With that, she grabbed her bag and prepared to leave, not looking back.
"Wait! You…" Mrs. Morgan blurted out, not having thought this through, quickly trying to stop her.
Vera's polite, flawless smile cut her off. "Please don't worry. All our other designers are just as skilled as I am."
As if!
Would any other designer let her bask in the envy of others? Flaunt her social status?
Just the name "Willow" was enough to crush all competition!
But Vera's attitude made it abundantly clear she had no desire to take this commission.
Mrs. Morgan's chest heaved with fury, but remembering she'd already bragged about this to her society friends—and with Mrs. Lockwood's birthday banquet looming—she could only grit her teeth, swallowing her resentment in frustration. "Sit down!"
Vera rolled her eyes discreetly, then sat back down.
Neither spoke. Mrs. Morgan, seeing Vera's polite but icy smile, still couldn't believe it. "Are you really Willow?"
Vera made as if to take out her phone. "I'll call for another designer…"
"No need!" Mrs. Morgan's expression flickered between green and white. "I want you!"
"Alright." Vera sighed lightly, pulling out her laptop. "Please tell me your requirements."
Seeing her all-business demeanor, Mrs. Morgan finally felt her own embarrassment ease some.
"I'm attending a friend's birthday party in a few days. I want the dress to showcase my Morgan family status—elegant, exceptional, and dazzling."
As she spoke, pride returned to Mrs. Morgan's face.
Vera nodded, typing rapidly on her computer.
Fake best-friend vibes.
A "friend's birthday," and you want to outshine everyone else—how touching, this noble friendship.
"Understood, I've made note…"
"Mrs. Lockwood, this way please. Madam and Designer Willow are both waiting inside for you."
As the door swung open again, Vera recognized the newcomer and her brow twitched involuntarily.
She really must have gotten out of bed on the wrong side this morning—everyone she met was an old acquaintance.
Luna Warner and Mrs. Lockwood stared as if they'd seen a ghost, both gasping, "Why are you here?!"
Vera greeted them with a blank face. "Hello, I'm Willow, BELLA's Central Division lead designer."
"Willow?" Another chorus of astonished cries.
Seeing their reactions, Mrs. Morgan actually felt remarkably pleased.
At least she wasn't the only one embarrassed.
Her own smile suddenly relaxed. "Mrs. Lockwood, do you know Designer Willow?"
Mrs. Lockwood's expression stiffened. "Not really."
Vera merely smiled and said nothing more.
Luna was fuming with envy and disbelief. She simply couldn't accept that Vera could be Willow—after all, she hadn't even graduated college when she got pregnant!
This had to be a fake!
Since Ian Lockwood's mother was here too, Luna was determined to expose Vera's true colors!
Luna approached, her gaze full of hurt. "Sister, how could you lie like this? You didn't even finish college…"
Saying this, she covered her mouth like she'd slipped up, inviting speculation.
Sure enough, Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Lockwood's faces instantly changed.
Facing their suspicious looks, Vera sighed softly, her eyes icy as she gazed at Luna. "Clearly, when you ruined me back then, you didn't do your homework. I'd already been admitted to one of the world's top fashion academies."
Luna's face went stiff. "What are you talking about…"
"Why, do you want me to spell it out in front of your mother-in-law?" Vera sneered. "You're the one who drugged me back then…"
"Sister!" Luna never dreamed Vera would actually blurt out such humiliating things in public!
Flustered, she lowered her eyes, then looked up again, now with reddened rims. "Are you blaming me for not caring enough about you? But if you weren't dead, why didn't you contact your family? We all thought you were dead."