“Lessie, I owe you for this one.”


    Queenie was no slouch herself, but to pull off something so thorough in such a short time? That took more than just a cool head–it demanded skill, connections, and a kind of resourcefulness she simply didn’t have at her fingertips.


    She’d spent most of her years abroad, pouring her energy into building her own brand. When it came to handling people and crises, she just didn’t have the same experience.


    Alessia, on the other hand, had been exposed to high society since junior high, tagging along with Cole’s parents to all sorts of events. During school breaks, she and Cole would even help out with basic projects at The Whitley Group for practice. And with the founding of A&C Entertainment and A&P, she’d weathered every storm and learned every trick in the book when it came to crisis management.


    For her, this was barely a challenge. Even without a recording as evidence, Alessia would’ve found a way to expose Sienna’s giarism.


    “But how did you track down Pa?”


    Pa was Queenie’s assistant, and honestly, the most promising designer she had..


    She’d been with Queenie ever since graduating from design school. Though her skills weren’t top–tier, her creativity was outstanding, and Queenie had been deliberately nurturing her talent–making sure Pa participated in nearly every project, and always giving her credit.


    She never expected… that greed could drive someone so far.


    Queenie’s eyes darkened. There was no pretending she wasn’t disappointed–being betrayed by someone she’d trusted stung. Still, she hadn’t nned on holding Pa ountable, not out of kindness, but because Pa’s evidence was the price for her forgiveness.


    because


    Chapter <b>366 </b>


    “I made a few friends while traveling. Asked them to help me look into things. Once I checked on Sienna’s recent activity, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots,” Alessia replied, her tone light, as if it had been no trouble at all.


    Ste had always known Alessia was capable, but she still couldn’t help giving her a thumbs–up.


    To Ste, Alessia was practically otherworldly–unshakably calm, always in control, someone who could handle anything life threw at her. She seeded at everything she put her mind to.


    They were the same age–Alessia was even a year younger–but the gap between them felt enormous. Yet even so, Ste felt incredibly lucky to


    have Alessia as a friend.


    After all, who wouldn’t want a friend who supported you unconditionally, both emotionally and practically? And maybe, just maybe, having such an amazing friend meant she was worthy too.


    “Well, now that everything’s settled, how can I ever repay you, my friends?” Queenie finally managed a smile as she looked at them.


    “Let’s save the celebration for tomorrow,” Alessia said. “Cole just messaged me–the factory’s finished the new designs. Let’s go check them out. And don’t worry about the gship piece–Steve happens to be traveling here right now, and I’ve called in Sanford, the best artisan around. With their schedule, we’ll have everything delivered first thing in the morning.”


    That’s the magic of the six degrees of separation–if you know the right people, you can reach anyone in the world.


    “Lessie, you’re unbelievable… I could cry,” Ste said, giving Alessia’s shoulder a squeeze, while Queenie just pulled her into a hug.


    It was Alessia who’d pulled every string to find a matching donor for Queenie’s heart surgery. It was Alessia who’d designed her studio and found the perfect location. When Queenie had been stuck in a hospital bed, sketching design after design with nothing but dreams, her friend


    <b>2101 </b>


    υπαρισι


    had been out there, making those dreams a reality–when she didn’t have to do anything at all.


    To Queenie, Alessia was more than a best friend–she was someone she could trust with her life.


    Sensing the shift in Queenie’s mood, Alessia simply patted her on the shoulder, saying nothing at all.


    21:01.