Chapter 108: Vengeful

Joan watched Sean and Kevin from a distance, her eyes glinting with suspicion. She thought, "While two instances could be coincidental, what about the third?"

It was painfully clear to her that Sean cared deeply for Abigail, far more than he did for her. Joan had always believed she was the sole recipient of Sean's affections, but now it seemed a mere assistant had stolen his heart. She pursed her lips and glanced at the small wound on her finger, her eyes filled with cold resentment.

Nina said quietly, "Don't you think Mr. Graham cares about Miss Quinn a bit too much? Every time there's afternoon tea, he wants to bring her along. Even their rooms are next to each other."

These words struck Joan where it hurt most. She claimed to share a deep bond with Sean, but it was evident to everyone that he had arranged to have his room next to Abigail's. Even during teatime, he stayed with Abigail.

Abigail had stolen the spotlight, rendering Joan's attempts to capture his attention—including her dramatic announcement of their relationship and her previous self-harm—futile and laughable.

Suppressing her fury, Joan smiled at Nina. "So, will you get back at her for me?"

Nina hesitated, then pledged her loyalty. "I'll do whatever you say."

Joan considered her options. "The bag I asked Sean to get for me just arrived. It's still sealed. Do you want it?"

Nina's eyes lit up greedily, and she clenched her teeth before whispering, "I won't disappoint you."

Satisfied, Joan smiled sweetly. "I await your return, but remember, Miss Quinn is just an assistant. We targeted the wrong person last time."

Nina instantly understood. Since Abigail was difficult to handle, they should shift their focus to Luna.

After teatime, Luna escorted Abigail to her room. "We're meeting Victor and Damian in the west garden tonight."

Abigail understood her friend's intentions. "You want to fight back, don't you?"

"Even if I'm not, I should be prepared for anything. We can't always be on the defensive," Luna replied.

Abigail nodded. "I can't make it tonight. I have something to attend to. Please tell them."

"What are you planning to do?" Luna asked.

"I'm revising the design. Relay the message to Damian and have him spread the word. Then the competition will get really stiff. My aim is to have Nina ousted in the first round. She's Joan's right-hand person in this show. Remove her, and Joan becomes powerless." Abigail smiled.

Luna mirrored her smile. "You're vengeful."

Abigail approached her workstation and added, "It's a shame our industry has people like them. Also, find out the background of the person who pricked me. I want to know if he's related to Joan."

Luna nodded with concern. Abigail understood Luna's worry—that Sean might side with Joan if the person was linked to her. Still, Abigail didn't want to jump to conclusions.

Sweet Whispers would start its first show in three days, with half the designers facing elimination in the first round. Out of eight groups, only four would advance. Abigail had already reviewed the designers' previous work. Damian was undoubtedly a talented designer, while Nina didn't seem to shine. Her elimination was a possibility.

As night fell, Abigail continued her redesign work. She transformed the embroidered roses into a more eye-catching design, changing the dress to a shorter skirt. She planned to wrap it in a thin layer of gauze and sew the roses onto it to make them appear lifelike. She diligently recorded all the details on the draft.

It was approaching 11:00 PM, and Sean had finished his work for the day. He knocked repeatedly on Abigail's room door but received no response. Just as he was leaving, Cameron approached and handed him a card. "Maybe she's too busy to hear you."

Sean cocked an eyebrow. "When did you prepare this?"

Worried that Sean might misunderstand, Cameron explained, "Mr. Stewart gave it to me today and told me to give it to you when the time was right."

Sean took the card, swiped it to unlock the door, and entered Abigail's room. He heard water running in the bathroom, but his attention was immediately drawn to the half-finished clothing and drafts scattered on the table. The drafts were covered in Abigail's familiar handwriting.