Chapter 48
“I’ll never forget the encouragement you gave me all those years ago, Nellie said, pulling out the gift Jasmine had given her back then.
Jasmine gasped, “Was that really you?”
She looked at Nellie in disbelief. “It’s been years, and you’ve really blossomed.”
Nellie blushed. “It’s all thanks to the inspirational quote you gave me back then; it helped me find my way back.”
Jasmine was taken aback, her eyes welling up with tears. “Nathalie, I’ve always admired you. If you hadn’t stepped away from this path, I believe we would have been the perfect team.”
Nellie’s face turned pale. “What do you mean? I’ve never given up on fashion design.”
Jasmine stood up, shocked. “Really? But your husband said…”
Wellie quickly realized the situation. Cameron must have been spreading lies to boost Greta’s position. “Jasmine, he doesn’t speak for me. I’m not giving up on my career.”
Jasmine was thrilled. “That’s fantastic news.”
She wrapped Nellie in a tight hug. They talked about everything, from fashion design to personal interests. As a mentor, Jasmine was genuinely concerned about Nellie’s life outside of work, understanding how closely personal and professional lives are connected.
Nellie casually mentioned her struggling marriage and her ambitions in business. Jasmine, deeply moved, said, “I thought Greta was tenacious despite her challenges. I wasn’t fond of her flashy style, but her determination won me over. I had no idea it was your hard work behind her success.
Nellie felt anxious, unsure if Jasmine would judge her for her personal struggles.
To her surprise, the next day, Jasmine’s assistant delivered a letter. In it, Jasmine invited Nellie to become her sole protégée, suggesting she drop out of school and join her after the holidays.
Nellie was over the moon.
The assistant shared in her joy. “After Jasmine returned yesterday, she looked into your background. Once she confirmed your story, she decided to take you under her wing. Ms. Nathalie, your hard work is finally paying off.”
Nellie, eyes brimming with tears, bowed to the assistant. “Thank you for bringing me this amazing news.”
The assistant smiled warmly. “Ms. Nathalie, just a heads–up, Jasmine is quite strict. You might want to take advantage of the break to do all the things you’ve been meaning to do. Once you’re with her, it’ll be nonstop work.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” Nellie replied.
After the assistant left, Nellie sat on her bed, stunned and elated.
Lizzy, too, was thrilled for her. “While you’ve got some downtime, you gotta think about any dreams or wishes you’d like to fulfill. Let’s make them happen now, so you have no regrets.”
Nellie gazed into Lizzy’s bright, innocent eyes, which were so different from her own solitary moments by the window at night. Nellie said, “Lizzy, go pick out a piece of fabric for me. Don’t worry about the price–just choose one you love.”
Lizzy was confused but agreed. “Alright, I’ll go now.”
Not long after Lizzy left, Nellie received a text from Cameron. She frowned, wondering if he was so persistant that he’d dig up her contact info.
After a moment, she opened the message.
[Nel, Cameron’s hosting a celebration dinner for me tonight. I hope you can make it. I’ve missed you.]
