Everyone had returned to their busy routines. Aurora stretchedzily in her office chair as Heather brought her a cup of coffee.


    "Miss Montgomery, you should take a break. You''ve been working overtime for several days now. Bncing both cosmetics and fashion at the same time is too exhausting," Heather said, her concern evident.


    Julian''s car hadn''t appeared recently, and Aurora had buried herself in work. To others, it might have seemed as though they had quarreled. However, Heather noticed that Aurora asionally answered phone calls with the same soft and gentle expression as always. She figured Julian must simply be away on a business trip.


    "How''s the task I asked you to handle?" Aurora asked as she temporarily shut down herputer and leaned back, closing her eyes to rest.


    "Miss Montgomery, I''ve found it. The ruby you were asking about will appear at tonight''s auction." Heather''s tone was steady, and her demeanor had be more confident, shedding the timidness she once had.


    "Good to know. Have you ever been to an auction?" Aurora askedzily, without opening her eyes.


    "No," Heather admitted. She was just an ordinary office worker who had graduated from college a year ago. Attending such high-profile events was far beyond her experience.


    "Get ready. I''ll take you to see the auction tonight," Aurora said as she rubbed her tired eyes. Staring at theputer screen for too long had made them ache.


    "Yes, thank you, Miss Montgomery." Heather felt both nervous and excited. In the past, she would have been terrified of going to such a ce, feeling like a chicken among cranes,pletely out of ce.


    But now, she was determined to climb higher. As Aurora had once told her, only by reaching the mountaintop could she see the views that were previously out of reach.


    "You can go now." "Yes."


    Aurora picked up her sketchbook from the side. Whenever she had spare time, she would sketch a little. The design for hertest creation was finalized, but the materials were critical. She had already set her sights on a particr red gemstone. The ruby had once belonged to a 19th-century British noble family, and the moment she heard about it, she knew it was the material she had been searching for.


    In the past, her designs-from the materials to the essories-had always been supplied by thepany. She hadn''t agreed to serve as thepany''s chief designer,


    but she had signed a special agreement instead.


    She would create custom pieces at her own pace, released under her name. Thepany would only take amission from sales. This arrangement meant she didn''t have to worry about deadlines or clients requesting changes to her designs. Aurora worked solely as an artist, creating what she loved.


    If any of her pieces incurred a loss, she would bear it herself. But so far, every single piece she had created had been snapped up immediately, and losses were simply impossible.


    However, this time was different. This piece wasn''t for sale. It was a special gift for Candy, in exchange for her help. The search for materials had therefore be Aurora''s personal responsibility.


    She took her work seriously. Even though Candy hadn''t set a specific price for her services, Aurora couldn''t bring herself to cut corners. Candy had turned down all marypensation to act as her brand ambassador and had even flown to Clothville to help her. Aurora would never treat her gift with anything less than the utmost care.


    After revising the initial draft multiple times, everything was ready except for the ruby.


    Aurora picked up her phone and called Julian, intending to let him know she would be attending an auction that evening and might miss his call. But no one answered. She figured he was busy, just as she was.


    Both of them led extraordinary lives, destined to be much busier than most people.


    After putting away her sketches and shutting down herputer, Aurora began preparing for the evening.


    The ss corridor leading to her office had been covered with a thick carpet. Although she no longer feared it, visitors to her office often felt uneasy, so she had reluctantly asked for the carpet.


    As she took the elevator downstairs, she reflected on how important a sense of security was to people. Even when they knew the ss wouldn''t break, theck of perceived safety still caused fear.


    Thankfully, Julian had given her enough security in their rtionship. Otherwise, the thought of him being alone with Mira might have left her heart writhing with jealousy.


    Downstairs, she called Heather to apany her. The office had recently seen a change in personnel. Gemma had left, and Willow had joined, creating a much more harmonious atmosphere.


    Willow was clever, eager to learn, and straightforward-qualities that were the opposite of Gemma''s maniptive andzy behavior. Heather had transferred Willow to the fashion department to begin learning the ropes, and she had quickly adapted to the new role.


    As Aurora and Heather left together, Willow watched them with admiration. She was determined to work harder so that one day she would be able to stand by Aurora''s side.


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    To Willow, Aurora was a benefactor, someone who had given her a chance. Secretly, she had already decided to devote her life to Aurora, though Aurora herself remained unaware that she had unwittingly gained another loyal follower.


    The two headed to Calvin''s boutique. Thanks to Julian, Aurora had be familiar with Calvin. She had called ahead to ask him to prepare an evening gown for the auction.


    Calvin had memorized her measurements after just one meeting. When she arrived, he greeted her with a beaming smile.


    "Miss Montgomery, your dress is ready. This one''s very form-fitting. I hope you haven''t put on any weight," Calvin teased.


    "To fit into one of your designs, how could I dare gain weight? Everyone knows your dresses onlye in one size-the ''devil size,"" Aurora joked back.


    The "devil size" referred to the perfect figure Calvin''s designs demanded. Many actresses with less-than-ideal proportions went to great lengths to borrow his creations. They used clips to cinch loose fabric or wore sky-high heels topensate for their height, all in the hopes of dazzling the public in his gowns.


    Aurora, however, had an exceptional figure. Every one of Calvin''s designs seemed tailor-made for her, showcasing her in unique and stunning ways. She was his favorite kind of muse-someone whose body could truly bring his designs to life.


    "Miss Montgomery, your figure is enviable. Mr. Ba is a lucky man," Calvin said with a grin.


    "Stop ttering me. Get an evening gown for my assistant as well. By the way, where''s the invitation I asked you to prepare?"


    "Of course, I wouldn''t forget your request. Everything''s ready. Go get changed. There''s still time to get your hair and makeup done. I hope you''ve already eaten, or Mr. Ba might kill me for letting you go hungry," Calvin said dramatically, though Aurora knew he wasn''t entirely joking.


    "Don''t worry, I''ve eaten. Let''s get started."