Free Web NovelChapter 63: Chapter 63 Sudden Riches
Christina’s POV
Minutes later, Violet strutted back to her desk like she owned the place. Her smug little smirk told me everything I needed to know,she thought she had this project in the bag.
As she passed by, she let out a condescending scoff. Had she pulled something shady again? My wolf growled inside me. Probably.
I didn’t react. Didn’t even glance in her direction. My proposal was solid, but showing up late was a mark against me that I couldn’t erase. If I were Eliza Black, I wouldn’t trust someone who apparently couldn’t read a clock either.
Thirty agonizing minutes later, Savannah stepped out of her office, phone still in hand. From her expression, she’d just ended an important call.
"Eliza Black’s people got back to us," she announced, scanning the room. "She picked Violet Lin."
The room fell silent.
Then—
"Really?" Violet gasped, one hand pressed dramatically to her cheek like she’d just won Miss Universe. "Eliza Black actually picked me?"
Savannah nodded. "Yes. Prep starts now. Contract’s getting signed tomorrow. The budget’s generous, and this project’s top priority. Violet, build your team. Everyone else, give her full support. I want a completed design draft on my desk as soon as possible."
"Got it," Violet chirped.
Her eyes locked on me, and Akira instantly tensed inside me. I knew that look. I knew exactly what she was about to pull.
"Christina," she said, with fake sweetness. "Be my assistant?"
Assistant? Please. That was just Violet’s fancy word for errand girl. The kind who fetches lattes and hauls garment bags up five flights of stairs because the elevator’s broken,that kind.
I’d seen her pull this stunt before. She called it team building. I called it hazing.
Last time, she worked some poor intern into the ground, sending her up and down the building so many times the girl nearly collapsed. The intern quit the next day. I would have too.
And now she was trying it on me.
Across the room, Savannah caught my eye.
I didn’t say anything, just raised my eyebrow slightly. She knew it wasn’t standard for one designer to play lapdog to another.
But Violet jumped in first.
"This project’s a big deal," she said, all sweet and reasonable. "I just want to make sure there are no mistakes. Christina, you’re okay with helping out, right? If Eliza Black’s happy, that’s a win for all of us. Gotta think about the company."
Savannah hesitated, lips pursed. "Violet’s the lead, we’ll go with her arrangement," she finally said.
Her tone was flat, but her eyes flicked to me. She wasn’t happy about it either. Too bad the client had already picked sides.
Violet was about two seconds away from gloating when I leaned back in my chair and said, "Yeah, no. I’m not doing it."
Her smile twitched.
I was still fuming about the job being yanked out from under me, and now Violet had the nerve to bounce over like some rabid cheerleader, trying to stick me with grunt work.
Hell no. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Seniority. Skill. Portfolio. I ticked every damn box.
At Nyx Collective, I wasn’t just a designer—I was THE designer.
I’d rather jump in front of a moving bus than work as Violet’s assistant.
I stood up. "Not happening. I’m taking leave."
Violet blinked, fake-shocked. "Oh, don’t be dramatic. It’s just one project. You’re not seriously quitting because you don’t want to assist me?" Then she got all performative. "If you were the lead designer and I had to assist, I’d totally cooperate."
"That’s cute," I said. "But if I were the lead, I’d rather rope in Paul the Octopus to help me sketch than let you anywhere near my project. At least he had better accuracy. And taste. Besides, I don’t need this job badly enough to play your stooge."
Violet clearly didn’t expect me to hit back that hard. Her eyes narrowed, and she slithered closer.
"Chrissy, come on, we both know you need this job. You’ve got no pack backing you, and I heard the wedding with Niall Granger got called off. If you lose this job too... how are you going to survive?"
I barked a laugh instead. "Worried about me? Thanks, but save it. What you really need to worry about is yourself. When Eliza Black shows up in your design looking like a cautionary tale, you won’t just be losing face like you did at the Laurent party. This time, it’ll be international. Front row, high-def, full-on global humiliation. Should be fun."
That shut her up.
Then my phone buzzed on the table.
I picked it up, expecting some spam or another passive-aggressive group chat message.
Nope.
It was a text from the bank.
Account balance update.
I blinked.
Counted the zeroes.
Twice.
Two. Million. Dollars.
What the actual—?
I figured the bank had glitched or something. Like, maybe it accidentally thought I was some heiress for the day.
Then another message buzzed through, this time from Dominic Everett, Hudson’s Beta.
[Alpha Hudson has requested a new card be issued in your name. A monthly deposit of one million will be made as agreed. An additional million is Alpha Hudson’s personal gift to you. Please confirm receipt.]
I stared at the screen for two whole minutes.
Not blinking. Not breathing.
"As agreed"?
When had I agreed to receive a million dollars from Hudson?
And from the sound of it, this was going to be a monthly thing.
I didn’t marry Hudson for his money.
Hell, I barely listened to whatever he said in the dark hallway that night; I was too busy being captivated by those intense eyes that seemed to see right through me.
But now, with two million just sitting in my account like it was pocket change, I couldn’t lie—I felt it in my bones.
Money really did hit different.
Sure, I’d always known Hudson was wealthy, but this was the moment it truly hit me. I was now officially one of those people who could buy a whole boutique just because the salesgirl looked at me funny.
Across from me, Violet Lin waved a hand in front of my face. "Earth to Chrissy. Why are you staring at your phone like that? Trying to find another job already?"
I blinked out of my trance, shoved my phone into my bag, and got to my feet.
When Violet tried to block my path, I shouldered her aside. Akira was practically purring with satisfaction.
Everyone in the studio turned to gape at me.
I shot them all a look, grabbed my bag, and announced, "I quit, bitches!"
