Involved in family politics
“Why do you always give me tasks at the most inconvenient time?” Lily asked with a glare as she heard the system’s words.
{I’m helping you! Miss Alana is a talented seamstress, she was born into a family whose main source of income is clothing. Their family is known for their exquisite hand sewing and they are considered one of the best in the market. But she is being suppressed and made to do small jobs so that she won’t overshadow the main daughter from the main family branch!}
Lily let out a sigh, “Poor people truly have it hard, but I don’t want to get involved in family politics, won’t I be suppressed by her family if they knew I’m paving the way for the unwanted daughter?” She asked with a frown.
Of course, she is no Mother Teresa who goes around helping people who are in need, whatever help she renders has to have a much greater profit than the risk and from the look of things, saving Alana has more risk at this stage.
“I don’t have the power to go against her family yet and I am familiar with that kind of setting where the rich suppress a company because they helped an individual” she explained further.
{What are you worrying about? As long as you win the competition, who would easily suppress you? You have to trust me on this, Miss Alana will be your best ally in the fashion world, besides, if you know the identity of the main daughter, you will do everything to suppress her!}
Lily’s interest was piqued at the mention of the main daughter’s identity, but before she could ask about it, the system shut her down.
{You are not entitled to know it yet. Just complete the task already!}
She let out a sigh and walked to the opposite store after paying for the goods she had purchased. “I never expect to run into Miss Merissa here” Lily announced with a light tone upon getting to the scene. Merissa frowned and turned to tell the other person off when she realised that it was Lily, her dissatisfied frown disappeared immediately, replaced by a fake smile.
Alana rolled her eyes at the obvious change and turned to give Lily a once-over. Her eyes widened as she realised who Lily was and she smiled excitedly. “Miss Lily!” She called out with sparkly eyes, startling Lily out of her wits.
Merissa shot Alana a glare before turning to face Lily again. Smiling, Lily acknowledged Alana. “Do you know who I am?” She asked curiously while confirming with the system if the two had met previously. It was a bad thing that she had not inherited the original owner’s memories which made her cautious about relating with people around her.
“Of course, I know you! I was your underclassman back then in high school and the one who took over your position at the fashion designing and fabric club!” She introduced herself, feeling excited and awestruck. Lily felt awkward, not knowing how to relate to this junior who looked up to her.
{Just relate with her casually like you would your regular underclassman when you were Victoria}
“I was home-schooled all my life” she replied with a smile, shutting up the system. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognise you just now, I recently got into an accident that affected my head” she explained with a pained smile.
Alana’s expression dimmed and she stared at Lily worriedly. “Sorry about that… come in and sit, is there anything you want?” She pulled Lily into the store with a smile and offered her a chair.
Merissa felt angered to the bone, seeing how Alana treated Lily. She had been standing under the blazing sun for over half an hour and she was not offered a seat! She scoffed at how well the two were getting along, thinking, ‘They are both people from the slums, how won’t they get along well?”
She knew she couldn’t show her attitude at the moment, not until she won the competition, so she put on a smile. “Who would have known you are familiar with the Miss in charge of the store?” She commented, attracting the attention of the two who had forgotten she was still standing there.
Alana looked uncomfortable and hesitant as she turned back to Merissa. All the excitement and eagerness to serve Lily had disappeared completely. “Miss, I really can’t sell that fabric to you!” She voiced.
“But since you are familiar with my senior, I can recommend another fabric with the same quality to you and I will even give you a five per cent discount. The one you want has already been bought by someone else!” Alana explained hoping she would stop being unreasonable with her offer.Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
The fabric that Merissa was trying to buy was custom-made by Alana’s family’s company, specifically for a wealthy noblewoman who intended to use it for her wedding dress. Knowing how temperamental and demanding the noblewoman was, Alana did everything in her power to avoid provoking her. Even if it meant sacrificing Merissa’s business, Alana knew it was better to keep the peace and avoid any conflict. After all, the noblewoman’s family was one of the biggest clients of her family’s company.
The lady had called to inform them that the driver would come to pick up the fabric two hours ago which was why she had packed and placed them at the front of the store so as not to delay the driver when he came.
Merrisa who only has a little knowledge about fabrics was not interested in the quality, she had been attracted by the designs on the fabric and thought it would fit her well which was why she had insisted on getting it by all means.
“Did the buyer purchase the whole bunch?” Lily asked with a curious frown, “Yes!” Alana hastily replied, “It was custom-made for a customer and we don’t have the right to remake it. I have been trying to explain this to her but she doesn’t understand. If I sell it to her, our small store will be sued for breaching a contract” she explained to Lily with an aggrieved expression, hoping Lily could help her out of the unfortunate predicament.
Merissa, who wanted to keep throwing tantrums about the fabrics, bit her lips and glared at Alana, she knew she could not continue to pursue the issue now that Lily was involved.
Lily struggled to hide her amusement as Merissa’s face turned an interesting shade of red and then white. It was clear that the spoiled young lady was not used to being thwarted, and she was having a hard time accepting defeat. But Lily knew better than to let Merissa off the hook, and she kept her expression neutral as she watched Merissa’s face shift from angry to frustrated to resigned. Merissa knew better than to push her luck with Lily being around.
How can others have what she doesn’t?
“Why don’t you wait for the owner to see if you can bargain with them and buy some from them? These fabrics have already been sold and your pressing on buying them will only put the store in an awkward position” Lily explained calmly “Are you planning on using it for the competition?” she asked, making Merissa go rigid at the mention of the competition.
She caught Lily’s meaningful look and forced herself to swallow her irritation. If she admitted that the fabric was for the competition, wouldn’t that also be admitting that she already had a design worth using? The thought filled her with a sense of dread, but she knew she couldn’t let it show. She needed to maintain her aloof, mysterious demeanour if she wanted to succeed in her plans.
If she does, how would she get Lily’s designs to use?
“Oh no, it’s not for the competition” she chuckled awkwardly, “I just took an interest in the design and wanted to make a dress for myself. Since there are other fabrics of the same quality, why don’t I get those?” she suggested and forced a smile towards Lily while glaring at Alana on the side.
Alana’s face twitches while cursing Merissa in her head. ‘How can someone change their face so much in a few seconds!’
Alana rolled her eyes and led her into the store to show her more fabrics that might interest her. Under Lily’s scrutinizing gaze she bought three different high-priced fabrics, which Alana intentionally increased the price to make up for the grievances she had suffered.
“My father arranged for someone to send us to school together in three days, I will come to pick you up!” Merissa announced making Lily frown.
‘Did they go to school together previously?’ she asked the system
{No, Merissa hates to be seen with the original body owner and except in the form she always pretends not to know the original owner}
Hearing the system’s words, Lily’s eyes dimmed and she sneered coldly before turning to the waiting Merissa with a smile, “You don’t have to worry about me, I will go to school when I’m done. You don’t have to wait for me, it will be inconvenient for you” she declined politely.
“Nonsense, it is not inconvenient at all. Besides, we are going in my family car so it’s big enough for the two of us. Don’t we always share a room? It will be easier for us to go together!” She insisted.
{Previously, the original body owner always went to school first to clean the dorm and prepare everything to curry favour with her. Now she is scared that if she goes before you, she will have to do all those things}
‘Is that so?’
“Since you insist let’s go together, help me say my thanks to your father!” After getting the reassurance she wanted, Merissa gave a nod and left