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    But Natalie didn’t stop. She was getting more and more anxious.


    But all the people backstage were very busy and had no time to talk to her. One with a particrly bad


    temper even physically pushed her back, hard. Derek caught her arm to steady her.


    “Be careful…”


    “What should I do?! Mr. Wesley’s years of hard work are all going to go to waste because of me.”


    Tears welled up in her eyes.


    Guilt pierced Natalie’s heart. She didn’t know what she could possibly tell Draco.


    Derek couldn’t stand the sight of a woman crying. He took out his phone and asked, “If I help you find


    Zuri, will you please stop crying?”


    He decided to take pity on Natalie and offer his help.


    Natalie nodded, her eyes still red and watery.


    She wasn’t sure if he could really find Zuri, but as long as there was a chance, she didn’t want to pass


    up the opportunity to try.


    A few minutester, an irritable woman’s voice rang out.


    “Derek, what do you want? You refuse to walk in the show. Now what? If you try to cause any trouble


    here, I’ll have no choice but to contact your parents.”


    The impatient voice sounded familiar to Natalie.


    Natalie looked up and saw a short-haired woman walking over to them, a walkie-talkie in her hand. She


    was dressed in a crisp white power suit and looked very fierce.


    Natalie noticed an ID card hung around her neck which read “Zuri Szar.”


    She was Zuri! Natalie instantly cheered up and introduced herself.


    “I was worried you’d decided not toe at thest minute.”


    Zuri looked at Natalie and sneered. She was a little angry.


    “You people from W Marks are very capricious. Do you think the Iridescent Show is a ce you can


    come and go as you like?”


    “Sorry, I must have missed your call. I was in a helicopter,” Natalie exined.


    She bitterly regretted that she hadn’t notice it.


    Zuri said expressionlessly, I couldn’t get through to you or Draco, so I called W Marks Studio.


    A female designer on the other end of the line told me that W Marks wouldn’t take part in the show this


    time and hung up.


    When I tried to call again, no one picked up! W Marks seems to enjoy breaking their contract, right?


    I’ve made up my mind. As long as I’m still in charge of the Iridescent Show, I will not have W Marks in


    it!”


    “Miss Szar, there must have been some kind of misunderstanding.! missed your call, and I take full


    me for that. As for why someone from W Marks Studio rejected you over the phone, neither Mr.


    Wesley nor I have any knowledge of that. Mr. Wesley has spent five years preparing for the show. How


    would he suddenly give up on it now?”


    Natalie bowed deeply before Zuri and said pleadingly, “Miss Szar, please give W Marks another


    chance.”


    Zuri frowned. She could sense the sincerity in Natalie’s voice.


    “So you and Draco had no idea about the call? To tell you the truth. I thought you were going to stand


    me up, so I’ve already removed you from the show.”


    Natalie felt her heart sink in her chest. She took a breath and asked carefully, “Miss Szar, is there


    any way we can work this out?”


    “You came all the way here. What more can I say?” Zuri sighed as she took Natalie in. She looked


    young. She must be a new designer.


    Draco was in an ident. It would be difficult for a fledgling designer like Natalie to fill his shoes.


    Zuri felt herself softening for the younger woman. The situation was a lot to handle, and she didn’t want


    to make things even more difficult for Natalie. “I haven’t made any announcement about W Marks not


    taking part in the show yet. You already missed the opening, and the second show is on right now, but


    if you want, you can still do the finale as we agreed onst night.” “Really? Thank you so much, Miss


    Szar!”


    It was going to be rough, but now Natalie had a chance to make amends. She covered her mouth with


    her hands as both relief and excitement flooded her. Giving Zuri a polite bow, she said, “I’ll start


    working right away!”


    Posh music floated across the runway.


    Tall, slender models strutted in high heels as famous stars and fashion icons sat and watched, eyes


    gleaming with admiration for the disy of haute couture.


    The seeming perfection of the show in front of the audience was a stark contrast to the chaos


    backstage. Natalie rushed back and forth, sometimes bumping into other staff as she held the clothes


    that had been sent from Barnes.


    A thin sheen of sweat had appeared on her forehead. “Excuse me! Coming through! W Marks Studio!


    Pleasee over at once if your name is called.”


    Natalie announced, holding a thick pile of documents in her hands. While the other design houses had


    a staff of at least 10 people, Natalie was single-handedly doing everything by herself . She didn’t care if


    she looked pitiful or crazy. She wanted to prove that W Marks was just as good as any fashion


    company in the industry. She couldn’t falter now.


    After all the models had put on their clothes, Natalie began checking them one by one.


    She adjusted and secured the fabric with pins, trying to make them fit better.


    Absorbed in her task, she didn’t feel Derek’s gaze on her. He was watching with a smile.


    He had not expected that this beautiful woman was really a designer from W Marks. He had initially


    thought it was just her excuse to sneak into the show.


    “Zuri, do you know her?” Leaning against the coat hanger beside Zuri, Derek kept following Natalie with


    his eyes.


    Zuri was busy instructing the models who had juste down from the runway, and she had no time


    for his questions. “Don’t wander around. Haven’t you heard her introduce herself? She is the designer


    of W Marks,” she said, her voice edged with impatience.


    The smile on Derek’s face widened into a grin. “She’s pretty good. She’s all alone but she managed to


    have everything under control.”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Spotting Derek backstage, his agent came to him and said, “Don’t just stay here. There are many


    fashion editors from Paris and London out there. It’s the perfect time to socialize andwork. You


    might evennd a gig next month.”


    Derek found a seat and leanedzily against it. “I don’t want to. I’ve already booked twomercials in


    my schedule. Ever heard of the saying, ‘All work and no y makes Jack a dull boy?’ I’ve got more


    money than I can spend, so cut me some ck and let me rx, okay?”


    The agent clicked his tongue as he looked at the disinterested talent. Money would never be an issue


    for Derek. If he got tired of being a model, he had billions worth of family properties waiting for him.


    The agent knew he had no way of winning the argument, so he stepped back. “Fine. If you want to


    ease up a little, I won’t f0rce you.”


    At this time, Natalie was busy checking the models ‘ clothes.


    “I’m very familiar with this show. Do you need a hand?” Derek came to her side and offered his


    assistance with a friendly smile.


    “Well… yes, actually.” It was true that Natalie had her hands full. She could use some help. “Thanks! I’ll


    buy you dinner after the show.”


    “Sure.” A meaningful smile yed on Derek’s lips.


    Natalie finished with the adjustments and was about to tell Zuri that they were all set. She looked


    around, and her eyes widened when theynded on the clothes rack. There was still one male set left


    on the hanger.


    “We still need one more male model. Where is he?” Natalie sensed that something was wrong. Her


    stomach start to twist ufortably as she asked the other people around.