Impatient,Mandy shot a glare at Natalie,huffing,
“Well,do you want the models or not?”
“Indeed l do,”Natalie responded,her smile undiminished
Mandy let out a snide laugh.“Then start begging, and make it quick!Time is of the essence!”
Before she could finish her taunt,Draco’s familiar voice echoed from the entrance.”Mandy,now’s not the time for games.”
As he spoke,Draco and a group of models sauntered into the room.
Eternally poised,Draco offered Natalie and Brandon a courteous nod.”Natalie,Mr.Larson,it’s been some time.”
Brandon reciprocated the nod with characteristic aloofness,while Natalie returned his greeting warmly.”Mr.Wesley,it has indeed been a while.
What brings you here?Have your models completed their show?”
Acknowledging her query,Draco nodded and elaborated,”I heard about the issue with your models,so l brought along a few of mine for you to select from.’
With that,he stepped aside,revealing several models standing at the ready for Natalie’s consideration.
Draco’s earnestness stirred a wave of jealousy in
Mandy.
“You’re so keen on helping Natalie…”Mandy grumbled under her breath,her features twisted in a childish pout.
Draco shot Mandy an icy glance,prompting her to clamp her mouth shut and turn away,too intimidated to utter another word.
Her crestfallen face,however,belied her simmering feelings.
Mandy was green with envy of Draco’s apparent partiality towards Natalie,yet she dared not openly defy him,resorting instead to expressing her discontent through silent protest.
Watching this little exchange,Natalie found herself suppressing a chuckle.A quiet sigh escaped her, recognizing that Draco was truly a thorn in Mandy’s side.
Once he was certain Mandy had quieted down,
Draco relaxed his stern gaze,turning his attention back to Natalie with a softer expression.”Natalie, please feel free to select any models you prefer. All of mine are highly professional,so you can rest assured.”
Natalie smiled,shaking her head in polite refusal. Grateful as she was for Draco’s well-meaning intervention,she declined his offer,”Thank you for your generosity,it means a lot.However,the styles that your and Miss Hamilton’s models are accustomed to are quite different from mine. While your models indeed possess impressive physiques,they might not best showcase my design aesthetics.”
Taking a moment to contemplate her point,Draco conceded,”That’s a valid observation.I hadn’t considered that angle.”
Seeing Natalie decline Draco’s offer and her polite, albeit distant,demeanor towards him brought a satisfied smirk back to Mandy’s face.
“So,what’s your plan then,Natalie?”Mandy taunted, crossing her arms in defiance.”Planning to back out?I won’t let you off that easy.I want a fair fight at the show,to claim a well-deserved victory over you!’
Natalies features took on a mischievous glint as she replied mysteriously,”Ive already secured the perfect model.’
Both Draco and Mandy turned to her with puzzled expressions.Mandy challenged her claim,”Don’t lie.Where on earth could you have found the perfect model so quickly?”
Natalie shot Brandon a knowing grin.”Right here, my model for the day!”
Catching Natalie’s look,Brandon instantly grasped her intent.His lips curling into a warm smile,he replied indulgently,”The honoris mine.”
Mandy had been momentarily uplifted by Natalie’s words of gratitude and her maintaining distance from Draco.Yet,that was promptly replaced by a pang of jealousy as she watched Natalie and
Brandon exchange affectionate glances.
Interrupting their tender moment,Mandy blurted out defiantly,”Natalie,what on earth are you implying?I refuse to believe youve found your perfect model!’
Draco,too,regarded Natalie skeptically,”Mandy has a point.While our models may not be your ideal choice,they are your only option at this moment.
You should consider utilizing them temporarily.” Mandy’s ego soared at Draco’s agreement.She taunted further,”Natalie,despite having little faith in your chances and fully expecting you to lose to me, I’d hate to see you tarnish the reputation of our country’s designers!”
In response to Mandy’s relentless provocation, Natalie maintained her cool,even flashing a confident smile.”There’s no need for you to worry about me.As for my model,they’ll display my designs to perfection,so …”
She paused,her gaze resting on the elegant figure of Brandon.Her smile intensified,brimming with self-assuredness.”Miss Hamilton,the final outcome is still up in the air!”
Returning her grin,Brandon also raised his brows in amusement lgnoring Mandy s iritation,Natalie nudged Brandon genty,beaming at him.”I’m relying on you.Go on.“
They were now less than seven minutes away from the moment Natalie’s first model was due to stride onto the runway.
The relentless ticking of the clock on the wall heightened the urgency for the models to take the stage.
Both Draco and Mandy found their anxiety mounting for Natalies sake,yet surprisingly,Natalie herself remained poised and relaxed.
“Natalie,what on earth are you planning?“Mandy cried out,flustered.”Time is running out.Take my models;they need to start changing now!”
With that,she clapped her hands,summoning two models who had been waiting inconspicuously behind the door.
Apparently,as soon as Mandy had learned about Natalie’s predicament,she’d immediately fetched her models.However,true to her reputation for vanity,she’d deliberately kept them hidden, relishing the opportunity to bait Natalie before finally revealing her “rescue”.
This display caught Draco off guard;surprise flickered in his eyes.He hadn’t expected Mandy, who had always been at loggerheads with Natalie, to willingly provide her models for assistance.
Feeling Draco’s gaze on her,Mandy snorted defiantly
Natalie was touched and taken aback by this unexpected offer,but she just smiled and shook her head in refusal.”I appreciate your generous gesture,but I really don’t need it.”
With a subtle smirk,Brandon picked up the clothing that the models had recently shed and strolled into the fitting room.
Both Draco and Mandy gaped in surprise,unable to mask their astonishment.
Natalie flashed them a playful smile.”What do you think?My model is pretty decent,right?”
Without waiting for their response,she hurried after Brandon into the fitting room to assist him with his change of attire.
It hadn’t occurred to Draco and Mandy that Natalie would pick Brandon,given that he wasn’t a professional model.Yet,considering his attractive features and physique,they understood her choice.
Just on the merit of his looks and figure alone,
Brandon could easily give many professional models a run for their money.
Despite this realization,Mandy,being single for a long time,couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy towards their sweet interaction.She grimaced at the fitting room entrance and mumbled resentfully, “Public displays of affection are a surefire way to a quick breakup.”
Upon uttering these words,she became acutely aware of the presence beside her and hastily clamped her mouth shut,turning a wide-eyed, innocent gaze towards Draco.
The two hadnt been in contact since their encounter at Nelson’s exhibition event.
Draco had misinterpreted the situation,believing
Mandy and Vivi had plotted against Natalie,which led him to sever ties with her.
Mandy’s pride wouldn’t allow her to clear up the misunderstanding,and even though she missed
Draco,she refused to reach out first.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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