The Lycan King’s Rejected Soulmate

Chapter 69

Avery

Finally the day for the exhibition show came,

This show was very important to me.

I had done publicity and other necessary things for my brand. What remained now is for this show to boost my shoe designs and products to an unimaginable level.

Sometimes, people were skeptical to try new things.

This fashion show had a lot of credence to the public so my business would receive a beneficial turnover if I succeed.

We arrived at the venue.

The pure audience and the people that wanted to present their products had different areas. There is a separate place set aside for those that wanted to exhibit their work.

Excitement thrummed through me.

I did not bring plenty people. I brought a model that would wear my products and showcase it to the world.

The other people I brought were another woman that was in the manufacturing of fashion shoes and Sadie.

I was happy.

Mrs Barrington was in the audience with the triplets.

She brought enough bodyguards with her she did not want me to worry, she wanted me to focus on showcasing my products in my best state.

I appreciated her efforts.

I had investigated every business that wanted to showcase their work today.

I did not really spend time on those that were not in my field.

I only paid immense attention to the other brand that also did shoes.

They are my number one rival.

I knew that this business didn’t want me to succeed. I was trying to steal their consumers after all.

One of the reasons I checked my employees very well was because I did

not want moles in my workplace.

I did not want spies from other businesses in my establishment.

In the order we are to present, I was behind this business. It might be because this brand was popular.

It might be because they already had foundation with the masses, unlike me that was still taking my baby steps.

Still, I was not afraid of them. The business i chose to do does not matter because there are competitors in every field.

All I did was double my vigilance and I made sure I protected my designs well.

I knew that at times like this, in order to succeed, a business might use dark and scheming methods to get their competitors out of the competition.

It was not something new.

The only person that might have seen my designs are Sadie and the only time she did was by mistake.

My past had made me a paranoid person so I was extremely careful. Still, I don’t know if I had made a mistake somewhere.

I was not a god or goddess, there is a limit to what I can do. Still, I had tried my best.

The other fashion brands presented their products in a dazzling way. They had good models, designs and the ways to utilize both their products and their models.

Beautiful dresses, suits and many more was shown to the audience. From the area assigned to those that would showcase their products, I made sure I watched carefully.

Since I was not in the clothes or accessories business, I might cooperate with these brands in the future.

They did not clash with the products I am selling so I studied them carefully.

Soon, it was the turn of my business rival to present their work.

I paid more attention to this presentation. This was my business rival after all.

As I watched intently, the model wore their first item to the stage before. posing in all type of angles that highlighted the shoes on her feet.

My body stiffened as I observed the shoes. I did not even know when the model left and came up again with another pair of shoes.

I snapped out of my reverie and observed the second product my rival wanted to showcase and my heart sank.

Why? Why? Why?

The shoes on the model’s feet was made from the designs I drew. These were the designs I specially modified so I would get a good reception in this show.

Now, my business rival had presented it first.

If I showcased my own products, it would be plain plagiarism. It did not matter that my own shoes where made in different colors, the basics was still the design I drew.

It would be stolen work no matter what I do. There was no way around it.

Tears burned my eyes but I refused to let it fall.

For weeks, I had prepared for this show. I had even asked Dante to get me on the show but my request for his help was not to embarrass him like this.

I can not show my products anymore because it would just result in a dead end for me.

Trying to showcase the shoes I brought would make me the target of countless criticism.

The public won’t believe me.

This business that I was competing with had numerous branches and it was a successful brand.

The public knew its products well and it had permanent customers.

Nobody would believe me if I said my rival brand stole my work.

The public would believe that I stole from them instead because I was unknown.

They might think I stole from my rival brand in order to succeed early. Besides, the rival brand had also calculated the possibility of me not showcasing anything since presenting my products would do more harm than good.

They would have defeated me and my business with little to no effort on their part.

The plan was ingenious.

This move by my rival was too brutal.

As I watched my rival brand present more of the shoes that had been made according to my designs, I was numb and my mind went into overdrive.

Nobody had seen my designs before it was made into shoes with the exception of Mrs Barrington and Sadie.

Mrs Barrington would not do this kind of thing. She would find it beneath her. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

That left me with only Sadie.

It is not that I don’t trust Sadie but I still took precautions against her. It was my cautious nature that had made me wary.

The painful thungs is, even with my preparations, everything still went downhill.

Sadie was seated beside me.

I turned to her, “Sadie, I want to speak to you outside.”

I stood up and went to the area that could have been considered as the backyard of the venue the show was held in.

She nodded and followed me.

We reached the place that was private enough for us to talk.

I stared at Sadie, “Sadie. What have I done to deserve this? Why did you sell my designs to my rival?”

Sadie looked confused, “Why are you speaking cryptically? I don’t understand what you are saying.”

“Don’t you think that those shoes that the model on stage is wearing is familiar? Those shoes were made from my designs and you are the only one that saw my designs!” I watched her silently as I spoke.

It would never dawn on me that Sadie would do this kind of thing.

Even with my suspicious nature, I refused to convict her arbitrarily but it seemed I was still being too soft.

“Avery! What are you saying? I only felt like those designs were very familiar, I did not connect it to you. Why are you behaving like this?” Sadie’s face showed the disappointment she felt but I did not care.

“Sadie, I am not going to ask again. Why did you give my competitors my

designs?” I asked coldly, “You have always been my friend and I kept you close to my heart but I did not know that you only felt malicious

intentions towards me.”

I was not the same Avery that Sadie could coax with a few words. Even if she was not wrong, she was not even taking the right attitude. If someone sees us now, they would think I was the one that stole her

work and gave it to outsiders instead.

“I did not sell your designs! The only thing I did was send your designs to me when I borrowed your phone because I wanted to observe them more. I picked up a girl that was poverty stricken and I live with her. I am very free with her. she might have sold your designs so we would be at loggerheads.” Sadie blurted out.

I did not know that she brought someone to live with her. The information was coming out now.

Although her words looked like it was blurted out involuntarily, I still did not believe her.

My trust in her had been impacted.

“You don’t believe me.” She said as her expression darkened.

I did not even bother to be polite, “I don’t.”

This brand and design was something I had put my heart, soul and sweat into but my dreams had suffered a tremendous impact now.

I took a deep breath before sighing. I felt a throbbing migraine coming

1. up.

I did not rest well this past few weeks so I could prepare for this show. It had all been for naught.

Still, I was not willing to give up.

“Sadie, please don’t come to the headquarters anymore. I don’t think I need an assistant. Having you stay there with me is just wasting your talent.” Although my words sounded fancy, the bottom line was that I was chasing her away.

Even if she was not the one that leaked the designs, everything still boiled down to her.

I did not know that she sent my designs to her phone.

She knew how important this was for me but she still sent the designs to her phone anyway.

That was not what a friend does.

Even if it was the person that sold my designs was the girl she supposedly picked up, her fault was apparent.

I can not keep her by my side.

She knew how I suffered to do this business but she went ahead with her

thoughts anyway.

“You don’t believe me? Is that why you said you don’t need an assistant anymore? I thought you were my friend?” She said with an overcast expression as she stared at me.

I looked back at her, “I thought you were my friend too!

I did not say anything again.

Sadie stormed off.

The situation was looking bleak but I was not willing to give up yet.

I whipped out my phone and called Dante.

“Hello Avery. How is your show going?” His hoarse voice that sent numbing electricity to my core said after he picked the call.

I did not have time to explain.

“I will tell you about it later. Can you call the people that organized this show and ask them to give me more time?” I asked.

The chances of me turning this situation around relied on Dante’s

answer.

“Okay. I would try and buy you more time but you have to be quick. I do not want your brand name to be sullied by rumors.” Dante said from the other side of the phone and it was like I heard a voice that was as sweet as honey.

My mood brightened.

“Thank you. I will update you on the situation later. Bye!” I ended the call as soon as I spoke my last sentence.

I smiled.

It was time to turn this dreary predicament over.