Dark Revenge Of A Jilted Bride: Till Life Do Us Part!-Chapter 44: An Ally

To work like a thoroughbred stubborn horse.

Gianna could see no other way out of the mess she was in; her mind offered no gentler path. She just had to work her fingers off.

She had already sent off another design to Daphne to check and approve, and add to the company site, even throwing forward a suggestion of a collection of some sort.

The woman, as much as she had been pleased with the work and idea, with the profits and fame it would garner for the company, had been concerned with her pulling it all off, with the stress levels it would incur, considering the nearness of convention...

But Gianna was anything if not persuasive when she chose to be. If she had not taken a career in jewellery design, she might have been a good saleswoman.

She exhaled harshly now, dropping the pencil on the table, her fingers getting almost numb, aches spiderwebbing up each joint, and so was her back.

She stood up from her desk, which she hadn’t gotten up from since morning except to submit sketches to Daphne, and stretched, wincing when she heard the cracks announcing themselves.

She cracked her neck wildly to the left, to the right, pleased with the sounds it gave; mild massage was working.

Next, she twisted herself left, right, hands at right angles, fists knocking against each other in a soft, rhythmic tap.

When she was done, she decided to stretch her legs for a minute or two before returning to work.

It was wisdom to listen to your body’s indicators for rest; she wasn’t just about to submit herself to the threads of sickness — she didn’t have that luxury.

When she stepped out of her office, she found the secretary’s space empty, and furrowed her brows, eyes scanning the space as if Lottie might be hiding somewhere.

Confirming that her secretary had left her space, Gianna returned to her office, picked her phone, and called her.

"Hey... where did you go?"

"Lunch, Miss Gianna." Lottie answered meekly.

Gianna checked the time then, and realized that she was incredibly hungry if the sounds being made by her stomach were any pointer.

Deciding that strolling to the company’s cafeteria and having lunch was a good rest, she started out of the office—but not before locking her office.

And when she stepped out of the secretary space into the hallway, she also locked the door, the joint keys on a metallic ring hooked around her pinkie finger.

As much as everyone was all smiles now, she was not taking chances with her designs, or anything concerning her. No way could the other designers be pleased with her rising fame in the company.

She knew it was only a matter of time before this new idea she shared with Daphne was exposed to the general company populace. And some, if not most, wouldn’t like it either.

"Going to the cafeteria, Miss Gianna..."

Gianna turned as she heard an unfamiliar voice beckon to her, just as she was about to make the last bend leading to the cafeteria.

She saw a male—a young male, younger than her, probably in his early twenties.

He wasn’t a familiar face. So when he stretched his hand for a handshake, she only cocked a brow, waiting for the introduction.

"Vance. I am also a designer here. I was on leave for some months, had to take care of my sick mother..."

Gianna immediately shook his hand, having big respect for men who paid attention to what mattered.

"Gianna Aldo, and I am sorry about your mother. How is she doing?"

Vance smiled—a sincere one—which Gianna thought was a breath of fresh air around here. "Very fine, thank you. And I already know who you are..."

He paused, gestured toward the cafeteria. "You were going for lunch... Can I go with you? We can continue our discussions as we eat... killing two stones with one bird, eh..."

Gianna chuckled and nodded. "Lead the way, Vance."

In the cafeteria, everywhere seemed to be filled.

It was bright and bustling, a polished version of a school dining hall—sleek metal counters, organized food stations, warm lights bouncing off glass partitions, and the delicious smells of grilled chicken, soups, pastries, and spices drifting together in one intoxicating wave.

Staff milled around with trays, conversations overlapping, chairs scraping softly against sturdier tables built to last.

"It seems there is some form of hierarchy here..." Gianna noticed, walking beside Vance as they both picked trays from the pile, noticing too that they were suddenly the center of attention, movements and discussions easing somewhat.

"Yes, just like in high school. Crazy, right? But maybe necessary... as you must have noticed, those are the executives’ stands. Most times they don’t eat here though, just once in a while, mostly to observe their staff..."

A pause. "Next up is the designers... but as you can see there is hierarchy too..."

Gianna could see that—could see Esme’s turned-up nose as she addressed a fellow designer at the next table.

Just a table apart, yet you could smell the big gap in the air.

"Totally unnecessary." She mused, letting Vance call out options for her, options he asked her to trust him on.

And as the servers heaped food onto her plate, as the smell wafted through her nostrils, she believed he must be right.

"So, where do we sit?" Gianna wasn’t in the mood to make these choices.

"Let’s just sit where you usually sit..." she continued, ignoring the stares and murmurs beginning to rise.

What? Was it because it was her first time in the cafeteria?

"Are you sure?"

Gianna rolled her eyes. "Lead the way, Vance. Or are you the nerdy fellow that people avoid?"

She meant it as a joke, but when she heard no answering laughter, when she turned and saw him biting his chapped lips, she sighed—finally understanding why the others were looking at them like a mismatched couple.

"Are we really going to stand and eat, Vance?"

He chuckled nervously. "Of course not, Miss Gianna. This way."

He led her to a lone desk—not isolated exactly, but it felt like it existed on its own island.

She watched Vance nervously take his seat, as if waiting for her to bolt away from him.

She shook her head with a soft laugh and sat, digging into her food almost immediately, pleased that the next employee was more than three tables away.

She only stopped when she noticed him staring. "Vance, are you planning on eating me?"

"Not... at all, Miss Gianna." He pursed his lips. "Are you not troubled, seeing..."

Gianna shook her head. "I’m not. If anything, I’m happy with the silence. So, tell me about you? Why are you avoided?"

Vance shrugged. "Because I am a nerd."

Gianna frowned. "This is not high school, Vance."

"But I look like I am just in year 3, don’t I?"

Gianna shrugged. She couldn’t deny it. As much as he was tall, he was just as lanky, and that bushy almost-white hair, with baby-blue eyes and soft cheeks didn’t help matters.

He reminded her of a puppy, made her want to pat his head in reassurance.

"I was somewhat of a genius, finished design school early, everything as a matter of fact... hired by the Becketts just as fast. The Whitmans were a bit too slow with their talk of protocols... now I wonder if things would have been better there."

Gianna sighed, drinking her juice. "I’m sure you are at the right place."

"Maybe not. As much as my designs have secured me a place here, earned my place still, I’m not really respected... maybe because of my age..."

Gianna scoffed. "They are just jealous that you are doing something they couldn’t do when they were your age. Don’t let their insecurity get to you, Vance. It’s not worth it in the end."

A pause. "Stand up for yourself. Alone doesn’t mean lonely. Just focus on your skills... they will respect you soon enough when your designs do what they are supposed to do—enamor the execs and the general public. Forget these bullocks here and make an impact."

Gianna thought she had talked too much as she watched the lad stare at her. Maybe she should have just minded her business.

"I love you, Miss Gianna."

Gianna exhaled dramatically. Any more I love yous and she swore she was going to barge someone’s head in with a club.

"But not like that..." Vance’s hand was already up, shaking, perspiration breaking across his forehead.

Gianna chuckled seeing this, then laughed—holding her stomach, deep laughs, a tear or two slipping from her eyes.

"You, Vance, are something else..." she chuckled, shaking her head and taking another sip of juice.

A look at his comical face, and she would chuckle again, now understanding what he meant.

Vance, meanwhile, was both relieved that he had made her laugh and embarrassed by his own words.

"I just meant... I respect you. Love your designs too. Have been following you for a while."

Gianna nodded, but her lips wouldn’t stop smiling. "Let me see your designs then, Vance..."

Vance had the nervous look again, hesitating.

"Come on... just one peep."

And that one peep was enough to enthrall Gianna so much that she concluded Vance’s designs were exactly what she needed to kick off the collection.

"Vance, these are so great!"

Vance blushed, pleased. "I made them during my leave... I didn’t know..."

"Very unique..." Gianna continued in awe, in honesty, scrolling past each design reverently. "Just what I need."

"Huh..." Vance was confused now. "What do you mean?"

He frowned when she jumped to her feet; jerked when she held him by the hand.

"Come on, Vance, follow me... we are about to make some cool money!"