Chapter 500
Chapter 500
On the other end of the line, Bella's voice, tinged with laughter, came through, "Jane, thank you so much. That dress you designed was totally stunning! Right after the awards ceremony last night, top luxury brands started reaching out to Ivy for global endorsements."
Hearing this, my spirits soared, "Really? That's fantastic!"
For celebrities, especially ones at Bella's level, ordinary endorsements were hardly worth considering. If they were to take on endorsements, it had to be from the crème de la crème of luxury brands.
But for local artists, getting noticed by such brands was rare, and becoming an ambassador for one could have fans talking for ages, let alone a global spokesperson.
Though, for Bella, this was just the icing on the cake.
"Truly." Bella's voice softened as she chuckled, then she asked, "Once everything is signed and sealed, would you come to the celebration party?"
I detected a hint of caution in her voice, as if she was worried about saying something that might upset me.
Unsure whether to accept, I decided to address the elephant in the room, "Ms. Taylor, you seemed a bit uneasy when I mentioned Victor last time. If there's any issue between you two, I need to know."
There was a brief silence on the line.
I said, "Ms. Taylor, while I'd rather not, he is my father. If his relationship with me bothers you, we can have Christine handle our work communications..."
"Don't get me wrong." Bella quickly interjected, her laugh returning, "My past with your father... you might find out eventually, but it won't affect our relationship. I apologize for any rudeness before. Jane, my invitation is sincere."
Feeling reassured, I smiled warmly, "Then I shall graciously accept!"
After all, if I wanted to rise to the top of the custom design world, mingling in the entertainment industry was a fast track. It was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.
After hanging up, Bella felt a wave of melancholy, holding onto her phone for a long while.
Ivy placed a freshly brewed cup of herbal tea before her, "Why not just tell her the whole story?" "...How can I?"
Bella took a sip of her tea, "Tell her
that she might actually be my biological daughter? We're still waiting for the DNA test results. ffit turns out Summer really is my daughter, things will only get more awkward between Jane and me."
"Maybe it's best to wait until everything settles."
Bella rubbed her temples. Ever since she started having doubts about Summer's real identity, she hadn't had a single peaceful night. Her heart was torn.
She blamed herself for not being more cautious, allowing someone to exploit the situation.
Recently, Ivy had delved into Jane's past, discovering she had been kidnapped and lost, then raised by foster parents until the age of eight.
After her foster parents passed away, she lived under her aunt's roof, taking up part-time jobs from middle school to support herself.
Ivy learned from her former
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neighbors that no matter the season, she was relegated to sleeping on the balcony, and had to prepare breakfast for her uncle and cousin before heading to school.
Her marriage was unhappy, she had suffered greatly, and had even lost a child, without the luxury of a proper recovery.
If Jane was indeed her own daughter, Bella's heart ached as if cut by a knife!
Even if she offered everything she owned, Bella felt it wouldn't be enough to make up for everything.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
The guilt nearly consumed her.
Seeing Bella's expression, Ivy knew she was overthinking again. Bella had always been resilient, except when it came to her only bloodline, where she often couldn't forgive herself.
Ivy knew better than to argue, simply saying, "I'll push the agency for a quicker result."
This time, to avoid alerting anyone, they had sent the samples by private jet to two different agencies abroad, which took an extra two or three days. Though slower, it was more discreet.
If someone tampered with it again, Ivy would be baffled, wondering if they were dealing with a human or a ghost!
Bella nodded, urging, "Hurry, please. I won't have peace of mind until we know for sure."
All that was left was to confirm Summer's identity.