Chapter301


    I had put down roots in a tiny country.


    Life here in this country moved at a rxed pace.


    I slept in until I woke up on my own. Then I headed out for some grocery


    shopping, and after that, I cooked a meal at home.


    After meals, I was all about sketching design ideas or diving into whatever caught my fancy.


    When I had some downtime, I took a stroll, letting my thoughts drift away, just enjoying the peace and quiet.


    Every now and then, bits of news from my old life filtered through.


    There was even a time when they reported I was dead.


    Then there was the whole Antonio and Tyler thing. They were really out for blood, trying to ruin Michelle and her mom.


    Tyler put it all out there online, saying Michelle''s big award was a sham, that she stole it from me, and he had all the proof to back it up.


    Michelle, who was on top of the world with her win, suddenly became a public enemy.


    And that wasn''t all. Antonio and Tyler even took back every fancy gift they''d ever given her.


    Michelle''s mom got dragged through the mud too, exposed as the other woman in someone else''s marriage, and Michelle was even an illegitimate child.


    When I heard about all that drama now, it just rolled off my back.


    The sun crept up, spreading its golden glow across thend.


    This is the dawn of my new life.


    Settling in for a month, I began the hunt for a job, all under a fresh identity.


    Nine dayster, Inded a job at a new ce.


    My colleagues were really cool, always upbeat and weing.


    My boss was a sharp-dressed, good-lookingdy who had been a big help on the job.


    I had been slowly but surely making waves at work.


    Time flew, and two years had zipped by.


    I had made some new pals, and sure, there had been some romantic interest.


    But I wasn''t in the market for love right now.


    I signed up for this international design contest, and I was still in the mix for the prelims.


    This event was happening in a nearby country and many people were buzzing about it.


    I had been gearing up for it.


    Today, my boss, Linda Boyle, hit me


    up, sayin


    we were going to be


    linking up with somepanval.ne


    Abalind, and they wanted to send me ona business trip.


    Linda nced up from her screen


    in


    and stated, "You''ve got the Clusi


    features, and you speak Clusian, you''ll connect with them easily."


    I was trying to get out of the


    business trip. "But for such an


    important job, how can I reallyel


    handle it?"


    Antonio and Tyler were in Clusia, and I was not keen on setting foot there. Even if it was just in Abalind, I had to avoid any chance of bumping into them. Linda shot me with aforting grin. "The travel list is all set and handed in. I''ll be right there with you. Rx. Everything''s gonna be cool."