CHAPTER 427 OUT OF THE FRYING PAN
Surprise flitted across their faces when the two locked gazes.
Christina had not expected to meet Elizabeth under such circumstances. Not bothering to conceal the
disdain in her eyes, she said, “It was me.”
“What do you know? I was the one who made the designs. Moreover, I’ve won an award for fashion
design before. What right do you, a designer who hasn’t seen much of the world, have to critique my
work?” Elizabeth retorted.
Anger simmered in the depths of Elizabeth’s eyes. She had chosen this path precisely because
Christina. was a designer. She wanted to beat the latter at her own game.
it was the most brutal method she could think of to exact retribution.
Elizabeth wanted to shame Christina so badly that the latter would be too afraid to show her face in
public again!
tanistina scoffed and replied. “You should have some self-awareness. You can’t just use someone
else’s De designs and try to pass them off as your own. Moreover, adding retro elements to a punk
design is akin to
mising random elements and turning them into a chimera. It has no sense of cohesiveness at all
fer my word was seathing and disdainful.
When in the staff around them caught wind of the commotion, they abandoned their tasks at hand and
rotected daround to watch the show.
Truth be textuld, they had thought the clothing bizarre when they were hanging them up earlier.
However, heyako tu mard that the sponsor had invested a large sum in Francis’ new show. Thus, they
had not dared o vote cocinarovonons,
Inexpectedin Christa had uttered the words that they had kept in their hearts.
Rendered specios os be the scathing remark, Elizabeth felt as if her self-esteem was under attack.
Thristmas destens eneseta big deal. Why does she get to be so critical and picky?
Elizabeth went of er to be franas and attempted to throw her weight around. “Francis, can you please
control our staff better: intmentres to apologize to me!”
nstantly, the room: pi menden u to stience
The staff who had gathered to watch the commotion instinctively held their breaths. Everyone knew
that heir opinions qui i otter on in the tice of the sponsor. After all, the sponsor got to have the final say.
Otherwise, why would celebrities comometeres be caught in ludeous clothes on camera? It was a
choice that was out of their hands.
Without waiting for Francis to reply
christni declared coldly. “I will not apologize f
peaking the truth.” You expect me to apoolseite Dream on
Elizabeth’s expression instantly darkened a and she had to resist the urge to stomp her fee ponsor!
Watch your words, or cive I conner er conceding the contract!” I don’t believe there’s
fraid that the sponsor will withdraw the
item, it
Christina looked as if she had just heart a joke uit, then Withdraw your investment. It’s not like I’m
nt
the one on the receiving end,”
Even if Elizabeth wanted to invest in her, she had no intentions of working with such a tasteless brand.
Elizabeth was so livid that she could barely breathe. She tugged at Francis’ clothes, demanding. “Fire
this stylist immediately! I’ll leave if you refuse to do so!”
She did not invest a hundred million only to be insulted like this.
Christina arched her brow coolly. “Agreed. Sacking me to keep the investment is a wise decision.”
Languidly, Francis clasped his hands before his chest. “I wasted a lot of effort to hire Christina. I am not
going to fire her.”
“Francis, do you understand what you’re saying?” Elizabeth thought her ears were playing tricks on her. owns all © content.
Francis’ eyes were calm as he responded, “Yes. My stylist deemed your clothing unfit for me to wear.
Hence, this is where our cooperation ends. Please leave.”
He had just rejected an investment of a hundred million!
The staff was flabbergasted. Although they knew what the investment meant to Francis, it was a
completely different matter whether he rejected it for personal reasons or if he rejected it because of
Christina.
Elizabeth clenched her fists tightly, imagining crushing Christina between her hands. She would not
feel. appeased until she had utterly crushed the latter. “Previously, it was Mr. Hadley, and now it’s
Francis. Christina, you’re quite a willy one. Just you wait!”
After shooting Christina one last glare, she turned around and flounced out angrily.
Francis reached out and gently cupped Christina’s jaw, his fingertips massaging her tender skin
playfully. Shocked, Christina instinctively slapped the man’s inappropriate touch away.
“Since you drove my female companion away, shouldn’t you compensate me by taking her place?”
Francis smiled faintly.
Christina’s lips twitched faintly as she belatedly realized his motives. So that’s why Francis stood on my
side. Out of the frying pan into the fire… “Your new female companion is only a phone call away. It
doesn’t have to be me.”
Francis stared at her with mesmerizing yet cold eyes. It was as if he intended to completely submerge
her into his gaze. “The show is about to start. If you can convince Ms. Bennett to come back, I’ll let you
off.”
Christina knew that was a futile endeavor. There’s no way I would beg Elizabeth for anything.
“The event begins in two hours. Hurry, get your outfit and makeup on.” Without giving her time to think
it over, Francis dragged her into the dressing room.
Inside, the racks were filled with the season’s latest designs. It was not difficult to come up with two
looks from the selection available.
Christina sighed softly, feeling as if she was being forced into a corner.
What had appeared to be a simple job took way more time than it looked. Christina’s head spun as she
hurried to get ready her makeup and clothing.
Meanwhile, the sound of a Maybach could be heard outside the exhibition’s entrance at eight o’clock.
The temperature in the car was cold as its air conditioning was blasting at full power. With a tablet in his
hand, Nathaniel sat in the backseat while going over some work documents. Since he knew that
Christina was currently at work, he made no attempt to call her.
Prior to this, they had agreed that she would call him if she could not make it.
Seated in the passenger seat, Sebastian went over Nathaniel’s schedule on his own tablet. The next
thing he knew, half an hour had passed.
It was the first time Sebastian had seen Nathaniel waiting for someone so patiently.
What on earth is Mrs. Hadley doing? Why isn’t she calling if she can’t make it?
All of a sudden, several headlines popped up on the tablet screen. They all discussed Francis’
matching outfit with his companion on the red carpet. Many of the consecutive comments were all
about the same topic.
Sebastian tapped in, and the images that caught his eye immediately made him feel as if he had seen
a ghost.
Christina and Francis were photographed together, and they both wore outfits that had similar colors
and designs. It was no wonder the headlines were hailing them as matching outfits.
The two of them were similar in age, and their auras complimented each other. Hence, they looked
good together.
Sebastian sucked in a cold breath. So, Mrs. Hadley is currently with Francis, and yet poor Mr. Hadley is
here, waiting for her like a fool. How can she do such an awful thing?
After composing his emotions, Sebastian turned around and stammered, “Mr. Hadley, Mrs. Hadley may
be swamped with work. Should we go back?”
Pausing the work at hand, Nathaniel checked the time and saw that it was already nine o’clock at night.
He checked his phone again, but there were no new messages.
Sebastian hesitated for a moment before adding. “The exhibition will still be on tomorrow. Shall I book
two new tickets?”
Without bothering to reply, Nathaniel immediately called Christina. The phone rang twice, but no one
picked up.
As Nathaniel put away his phone, his gaze was attracted by the trending headlines, thus prompting him
to tap in.
Instantly, the expression on that handsome face turned thunderous. Through gritted teeth, he uttered.
“Let’s go.”