Chapter 536


    Elizabeth shook her head, not pinning the me 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 nned 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 ofpleting 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


    ce.


    “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 nothingcking with the ns, 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 yfully.


    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.


    “Great! Whew. Haha…” Atst, 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 rxed 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 epted 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. Thest


    thing she needed was another one with Derek. She didn’t even want to imagine how Brandon would


    react.


    However, Derek wasn’t particrly 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 y


    with a little boy like you.”


    “What little boy? Natalie! I’m already 20 years old!” Derek frowned and petntly asked, “How old are


    you?”


    r*bbing her forehead, Natalie exined, “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.”


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    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 topose 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 yboy himself, but now… He was utterly Laney’s.


    However, she couldn’t reallypare 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 copsed 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 mmed the door, emphasizing


    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. Thest 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 yboy as Derek asking a bachelor like Wilder for


    advice in this area?


    Wilder looked back at him in the rearview mirror and burst intoughter. “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 ept you finding true love now, anyway. Just stick to your job, and stop


    worrying.”


    Derek gave a small, humorlessugh. He said nothing more. He opened his window, letting the cool


    wind from outside wash across his troubled face. Finally, he began to rx.


    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.