Chapter 36
“What’s up?” Eli noticed Bianca’s unusual expression and asked, concerned.
Bianca quickly composed herself and apologized, “Sorry, Dad. I almost forgot. There’s a design competition coming up, and I’ve been so focused on preparing for it. Don’t worry, I’ll get back to it right away.”
She remembered that Emily had a sketchbook with some design ideas and drafts. If she could find something new, she could present it to Eli. If not, she could always buy some designs from talented but financially struggling individuals.
Eli’s eyes lit up at the mention of the design competition. Winning it would certainly boost their reputation.
If Bianca won, it would add more titles to her name, which would be great for future collaborations and price negotiations.
“Very well. Make sure to prepare well for the competition. As for the Green Group, A few drafts are enough for now. I’ll throw you a celebration party when you win.”
Just then, Aiden walked in, looking travel-worn. “What celebration party?” he asked, curious.
He handed Bianca a gift. “I found this set of Ms. Sinclair’s latest work at an auction in the neighboring state. Do you like it?”
Bianca’s face lit up as she accepted the gift. She had recently discussed with her friends how everyone wanted Elise’s new diamond necklace set. Now she had it, and they would be so envious. Elise’s work was rare and highly coveted.
“Thank you, Aiden. I love it,’ she said, holding the box with care. “Dad was just joking. I haven’t even competed yet, and he’s already planning a party. It’s a lot of pressure.”
Aiden smiled warmly and patted her head. “I believe in you, Bianca. You’re so talented; you’ll definitely win first place.”
Hayden chimed in, “Of course, Bianca is the smartest and most capable. Unlike Emily, who only knows how to cause trouble and doesn’t focus on her
studies.”
He took the opportunity to badmouth Emily.
Cleo, still upset, didn’t want to hear anything about Emily. “Stop talking about her. We should never have taken her back.”
Cleo regretted bringing Emily back. If they had just given her some financial support, she might have agreed to donate bone marrow without any issues. Cleo forgot that Emily resembled her the most among the children, and people would have noticed over time.
Aiden found it hard to reconcile the harsh image Hayden painted with the Emily he remembered, who always tried to please him.
“Since Mom doesn’t want to talk about it, let’s drop it. By the way, Bianca…”
Aiden had another important matter to discuss. “Remember the AI project I mentioned last time? You had some great insights. Could you join our research team? We’re stuck at a bottleneck and really need your help.”
Bianca had been very helpful before, and the team suggested she join them.
Bianca felt uneasy. The ideas she shared with Aiden were actually things she overheard from Emily. She didn’t want Aiden to find out and overshadow her.
‘I’m sorry, Aiden. You know I have to help Dad with the designs and prepare for the competition. I really don’t have time,” she said apologetically.
Aiden looked disappointed but understood. “How about this? When you have some free time, come by the office, and we can chat. Your insights could still help us.”
Bianca pretended to think it over. “I’m not feeling well today, but I know someone who’s a computer genius. He’s the top student in our school’s computer science program and a professor’s favorite. Some of my ideas came from him. He could help your team.”
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Aiden was grateful. Thank you, Bianca. Please introduce us.”
Bianca felt relieved. She excused herself, claiming she wasn’t feeling well, and went upstairs. Instead of going to her room, she headed to the studio where Emily’s sketchbook was likely kept.
During her search, she called Hugo Graves, a computer science student, and after their conversation, Hugo was so grateful that he vowed to protect her.
*Found it!” Bianca exclaimed, pulling Emily’s sketchbook from under a makeshift pillow. She discarded the pillow and examined the sketches. She was lucky; there were two designs she hadn’t used yet.
Meanwhile, Emily, on her way back, suddenly remembered the sketchbook. “How could I forget?” she muttered, frustrated. In her past life, all her designs had been claimed by Bianca, making her famous. This time, she had better ideas, but those sketches were still her hard work. She’d rather destroy them than let Bianca have them.
“Emily, what’s wrong? Why are you hitting your head?” Violette asked, concerned.
Emily smiled. “It’s nothing. Just thinking about how some things are wasted on a dog.”
Violette was surprised. “You fed a dog? Where are you staying? If it’s a stray, bring it to my place.”
Violette’s family of five lived in a three-bedroom house, and it was already cramped with Emily staying there. But Violette didn’t want Emily to feel unwanted.
Emily smiled. “Not right now. You should come stay at my place for a few days to recover. Violette…”
Her expression turned serious. “Your injuries, they’re from your husband, aren’t they?”
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