Chapter 8 The Daughter of Caroline
Julissa had no interest in competing with Cristina until Reece stood up for his crush. It was irritating.
“What’s the rush, Reece?” Julissa said coldly, “Are you afraid that Ms. Hurley will have only one title of your fiancée in the jewelry business if she’s no longer Mr. Barrett’s last student?”
Reece looked at her sharply. “What do you mean?”
The more furious he grew, the clearer it became, Cristina mattered a lot to him.
The more he cared about Cristina, the more devastated Julissa felt.
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Her next words trembled faintly at first. “Did I say anything wrong? Does Ms. Hurley have any signature pieces these years? As the consultant of Diaz Jewelry, has she ever picked a legendary stone or designed an iconic collection?”
In other words, it was a dig at Cristina being nothing but arm candy. The large number of her followers was built on fame, fortune, and a carefully crafted image..
Every word struck right at Cristina’s weaknesses.
Many people held the same opinion yet dared not to voice it out because of the crowd of her fans and her powerful backer.
“You…”
Reece failed to pinpoint when Julissa had grown so sharp–tongued.
Before he finished speaking, Julissa retorted, “And let’s not forget this. Since hiring Ms. Hurley as your jewelry con- sultant, the Diaz Group hasn’t launched a bestseller. Still coasting on past glories? Don’t you feel ashamed?”
“Julissa, you’d better shut up.”
The more ferocious Reece grew, the more Julissa burned to speak the truth.
“Why should I shut up? Let’s look back and see when the Diaz Group’s last groundbreaking hit was launched. It’s be- cause of that photo…”
- Reece couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted Julissa.
“Julissa!”
Reece’s dark eyes churned with storm clouds, and his jawline sharpened menacingly.
He silenced her because they both knew.
The Diaz Group’s last smash hit was a collection titled “Eternity“. Julissa had been photographed wearing it during a
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casual outing. The photo went viral overnight. Her demeanor and countenance appealed to countless people.
Half of the Diaz Group’s rapid success was because of Julissa.
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But now, having spent too long around the kitchen and family, she no longer bothered with her looks. Her large black–framed glasses covered half her face, and no one recognized her as the captivating woman she once was.
Julissa bit back her words and took a contemptuous glance at Reece.
“If you can’t handle the heat, don’t start the fire.”
After she spoke, she turned to Melvin.
“Mr. Barrett, thanks for your offer, but I’m not ambitious and only want to have a simple life, so…” Julissa bowed re- spectfully. “I’m sorry.”
Everyone was taken aback. She actually refused Mr. Barrett!
However, Melvin liked her more.
Julissa had sharp eyes for gemstones, but she was not greedy for fame and wealth.
“Miss, this is my name card. If you need my help, come to me.”
“Thank you, Mr. Barrett.”
Julissa turned to leave.
A few steps took her from the bustling crowd to silent emptiness, but she tasted a mixture of feelings.
The harder she tried to escape something, the more uncontrollably it’seemed to close in on her.
Zayne followed Julissa as she walked away. He looked at her back with a glint in his eyes. This woman was truly in- triguing. She desired nothing and sought nothing. Even when Mr. Barrett offered her a golden opportunity, she simply rejected it.
However, a single sentence from Reece could arouse her fighting spirit.
If her competitive nature was fully activated, this girl would amount to something.
“Julie!”
Zayne’s voice came from behind, and Julissa frowned. “Who allows you to address me that way?”
“We’ll be partners. No need to be formal.”
Julissa sighed. “I think you’re setting up a trap for me.”
Zayne smiled, neither denying nor confirming.
“When Mr. Barrett was here earlier, you pushed me.” Julissa said, “If I’m not mistaken, you wanted Mr. Barrett to take me as his student. By creating the gimmicks that Mr. Barrett would make an exception and take another student,
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you could hype this stone into the biggest sensation and pump up the Fowler family’s reputation and stock prices.
“This was all part of your master plan.”
Zayne always wore a gentle, polite smile on his lips.
Yet beneath his smile, his eyes concealed an unfathomable depth.
“Julie, you’re smart.”
“Wait…” Julissa frowned. “How did you know Mr. Barrett would take me as his student?”
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Melvin was no ordinary figure. Even a premium stone cut from the rough wouldn’t earn a second glance from him.
As the thought sank in, unease crept into Julissa. Her eyes widened in sudden realization.
Melvin’s earlier remarks had left everyone curious about her relationship with Caroline.
Yet Zayne, who plotted all this, showed no sign of surprise.
Could it be…
“Do you know Caroline?”
Julissa voiced her doubts with a tinge of unspoken bitterness.
She didn’t want to mention the past, but she couldn’t avoid it.
“You wanna know?” Zayne came closer and whispered, “Design the stone for me, and I’ll tell you.”
Julissa glared at him.
“Okay, okay, I’ll talk.” Zayne raised his hands in mock surrender. “My father worked with Caroline years ago. He told me she had a daughter.”
Julissa looked up at him warily.
“Relax.” Zayne said, “I’m the only one who knows.”
“What else do you know?”
“Not much, but I’ll help you dig deeper. Caroline was close to the Fowler family back then, and I…” He leaned for- ward, breath warm against her face. “…don’t mind being your pawn.”
“Bastard.”
Julissa glared at Zayne, her refusal stuck in her throat.
She liked the stone and wished to design it.
She had been trying to forget about her mother’s past, but it was time to face it.
“Let’s make it clear first. I’ll only design the stone, no long–term ties with the Fowler family.”
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She didn’t want to jump into the trap.
“Let’s talk about it later.” Zayne stretched lazily. “Let’s eat and plan.”
As Julissa watched him walk away, a quiet unease crept into her heart.
A true master set up the trap in plain sight, smiling as the victim leaped.
And the victim jumped willingly.
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