Chapter 536
Elizabeth shook her head, not pinning the blame on Derek. “What you said was true, Mr.
Ramsey. I haven’t fully recovered from my injury. I apologize for being unprofessional.”
Natalie was right. Elizabeth planned on taking her advice and seeing a doctor for other
options for treatment. If she wanted to continue being a designer, she had to deal with her
hand tremors first.
Wilder quickly answered for Derek. “Please don’t take it to heart, Miss Perry. Derek has
reflected deeply upon his words and actions. We believe that you are capable of
completing this project.”
After Natalie stormed out of the room, Derek looked through the project files with careful
attention. It was clear that the designs were the work of a perfectionist. Elizabeth made
sure that nothing was out of place.
“I’ve never seen anything like it before. Your ideas are unique and I like them.” After his
perusal, Derek had nothing more to say. He found nothing lacking with the plans, so there
was no need to change the designer. Elizabeth hesitated, “But my injury…”
Natalie had already guessed that Elizabeth would refuse. “Just say yes,” she interrupted
before Elizabeth could finish. “The interview is still four months away. We have plenty of
time.”
“Mr. Ramsey is a valuable client. We can’t risk a project of this importance over something
that has no guarantee,” Elizabeth reasoned, still unconvinced.
“The more I listen to you, the more ridiculous you sound. Have you forgotten? I’m your
partner. There’s no way we would fail.” Natalie held Elizabeth’s arm and winked at her
playfully.
Elizabeth was deeply touched. Natalie believed in her so much. She was pushing Elizabeth
forward, at a time when her confidence was wavering. “Alright. You win, Natalie.”
With a helpless smile, Elizabeth finally agreed, “I look forward to this partnership.”
Derek reached out a hand towards Elizabeth. She shook his hand, her determination
steadily finding itself. The deal was finally closed.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Great! Whew. Haha…” At last, Wilder was able to let out a sigh of relief. “Now that the
partnership has been decided, Derek and I will go ahead. He has a shoot for an
advertisement scheduled tonight.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Natalie said as she looked at Derek. Together, the three walked out of
W Marks.
While waiting for Wilder to bring the car over, Derek took advantage of the relaxed
atmosphere and used it as an opening to apologize to Natalie. “I was too harsh earlier. I’m
sorry. I’ve had everything go my way since I was young, so I’m not used to not getting
what I want. I can be arrogant sometimes, but I’m trying to change that. Wilder doesn’t let
me get away with it, and I’ve gotten better at handling myself, especially after entering
the modeling industry. But I guess old habits still sl*p out sometimes.”
“It’s fine. It was just a small misunderstanding. It’s not a big deal.” Natalie accepted his
apology, and then reminded Derek, “I’m married, Derek. We should keep an appropriate
distance from each other. It wouldn’t be good for your reputation, either. You have a career
to protect.”
No matter which way they looked at it, it would do neither of them any good. Natalie had
just solved the rumors about her and Draco. She knew how troublesome being embroiled
in gossip could be. The last thing she needed was another one with Derek. She didn’t even
want to imagine how Brandon would react.
However, Derek wasn’t particularly fazed. He had lived abroad and was more liberal about
many things. He was no stranger to dating multiple girls at the same time.
Besides, the scandal between Natalie and Draco had caused quite a stir. Even after it had
been straightened out, Derek still didn’t buy that the rumors came from nothing.
“So you’ll have an affair with Draco but not me?” Derek looked sideways, bending down
and staring at Natalie. She grew more beautiful the longer he looked at her.
Before she could speak, he came close and whispered, his breath fanning her ear, “I like
you a lot, Natalie.” Derek’s eyes were dark with desire as he continued, “Don’t worry.
Wilder knows how to handle secrets. No one will know about the two of us.”
Expressionlessly, Natalie pushed Derek away from her, maintaining a pointed distance.
“The rumors about Mr. Wesley and me are all fake. I’m deeply in love with my husband,
and I don’t have time to play with a little boy like you.”
“What little boy? Natalie! I’m already 20 years old!” Derek frowned and petulantly asked,
“How old are you?”
r*bbing her forehead, Natalie explained, “You misunderstood me. Please listen to what I’m
trying to say here. You don’t really like me like that. Not really. You’re just enjoying the
idea of taking something away from someone else.”
Derek grabbed Natalie’s arm, denying everything she said. “You have to give me a
chance. I’ll prove myself to you.” Despite his sober tone of voice, Natalie was convinced
that he hadn’t understood a single thing she’d said.
Sighing deeply, Natalie closed her eyes to compose herself and said, “I’m sorry but I can’t
give you this chance. You have to learn that you can’t just flirt with anyone you take a
fancy to.”
Natalie thought of Garrett. He used to be such a playboy himself, but now… He was utterly
Laney’s.
However, she couldn’t really compare Derek and Garrett. Natalie had no idea what Derek
would grow up to be.
“I’m a desperate man, being rejected by my true love. Will no one show me mercy but
God?!” Derek cried, his eyebrows raising to the skies. Natalie was growing increasingly
annoyed at his behavior.
Natalie rolled her eyes, realizing what a waste of time and energy it was to try to persuade
Derek to alter his course. “Then you can go pray to God now. I have to get back to work.
Take care, Mr. Ramsey.” Natalie turned around and left.
Derek collapsed into dep**ssion. She’d scolded him for absolutely no reason!
He told himself that he wasn’t obsessed. Derek could get any woman he wanted. But,
then, why couldn’t he get Natalie?
All this time, Wilder had been impatiently waiting in the car outside. “Derek, get in
already,” he said.
Derek followed his order but not silently. He sat down and emphatically slammed the door,
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmemphasizing his anger with a loud bang.
“Were you just fighting with Natalie? Judging by how red your faces got, even from back
here, it looked like quite the argument.” Wilder tried to sound as lighthearted as possible.
In truth, however, he was worried that Derek had messed up badly again and he’d have to
deal with it. Derek was in no mood to speak, so he just replied with a small “No”.
Wilder pointedly smacked his lips together. He could see how dejected and upset Derek
looked in the rearview mirror. The last time he’d been like this was when he was being
bullied by other models when he first entered the industry.
“If you have something to say, out with it already!” Wilder said. “I promise not to speak a
word of it to anyone. You’ll feel better if you just tell me now rather than crying to yourself
alone at home tonight. If you bottle it up that long, it’ll just interfere with your work
tomorrow.” Wilder heaved a sigh.
After not responding for a while, Derek finally replied, “Wilder, I don’t have any idea what
love actually is, do I?” This was unbelievable. Why was such a playboy as Derek asking a
bachelor like Wilder for advice in this area?
Wilder looked back at him in the rearview mirror and burst into laughter. “You’re talking
crazy. True love isn’t something just for everyone.”
Seeing Derek lean against the window, lost in thought, Wilder changed his tone to a more
serious one and added, “Your fans won’t accept you finding true love now, anyway. Just
stick to your job, and stop worrying.”
Derek gave a small, humorless laugh. He said nothing more. He opened his window,
letting the cool wind from outside wash across his troubled face. Finally, he began to relax.
Meanwhile, outside a certain private hospital in Barnes… After work was finished,
Elizabeth rushed over there, having found the location on Frank’s business card. Work
time was done. The hospital was very quiet, with very few nurses still left around.
Elizabeth dialed the phone number on Frank’s business card. After letting it ring a few
times, there was still no answer. When she saw a nurse p@ssby, Elizabeth caught her
attention and asked, “Can you tell me where Dr. Watson’s office is?”
“First left down that hallway.” The nurse pointed the way and proceeded down the
hallway, documents in hand.
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