Free Web NovelChapter 83: Chapter 83 Waiting in Vain
Christina’s POV
I’d just returned to Moss & Flame after lunch when my phone lit up with Savannah’s name.
"Christina, please. You’ve got to come back." She sounded seconds away from either crying or committing murder. "Eliza Black has torn through the sketches ten times now and still hates them. The film festival is right around the corner. If Nyx Collective doesn’t deliver, we’ll have to pay serious breach penalties."
"You realize Violet won’t let me help unless I agree to be her assistant, right?" I reminded her. "And there’s no version of reality where that’s happening."
"I’m the boss," Savannah huffed. "What she wants doesn’t matter. I’ll double your pay. Just come back and sort this out. For me, please."
My eyes flickered to my latest bank statement on my phone screen.
I couldn’t even spend all the money Hudson had given me.
Let’s just say I wasn’t scraping for Uber fare anymore.
Double pay used to sound like salvation.
Now? Not so much.
"Yeah, I’m gonna pass," I said.
"You’ve been gone for days. Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking of quitting?"
"No." Not yet, anyway. "I’ve still got some annual leave to use. And don’t forget, I’m a freelancer. I come and go as I please."
She groaned. "God, you’re such a pain. I should’ve seen this coming. But I had to try. Fine. Go enjoy your precious holiday. But we’re clear, right? Holiday. Not resignation. If you resign, I swear I’ll block it like my life depends on it. Don’t make me get on my knees, Chrissy. I’m too old for that."
I laughed. "Fine. Holiday it is."
We could circle back to the quitting bit later.
"Oh, by the way, Vanna, can I take on my own projects while I’m off?"
There was a pause.
"Side projects? What kind? With who?" Her tone sharpened with suspicion.
I kept it vague. "Nothing specific yet. Just something I’m considering."
"Right, right, of course," she said."You can, obviously. I mean, you’re still Nyx Collective, yeah? So anything you do goes out under our name. That was in the contract, remember?"
"I remember."
"Good, because we’ll promote the hell out of it. Your name front and center—superstar designer, all that. Chrissy, working with you has been a dream. You basically built Nyx. Honestly, I thought Eliza Black would go for your concept. No idea what brain-dead manager she’s got whispering in her ear. But hey, client’s king, right? Just cut me some slack, okay?"
"Yeah. I’ll keep the Nyx name on it."
Savannah exhaled loudly. "Okay, but what kind of projects are we talking about?"
I didn’t answer.
"I mean, seriously, what could you land out there that tops designing custom pieces for a damn A-lister?"
I stayed quiet, letting her stew in her own imagination.
"If you come back," she rushed on, "and Eliza Black’s wearing Nyx at the Venice Film Festival—that’s massive. That’s the kind of exposure most designers never get."
Still nothing from me.
"You and Violet Lin would both get credit," she added quickly. "Come on, Chrissy, this is Venice. The Venice International Film Festival. That kind of spotlight doesn’t just fall into your lap."
I rubbed my temple as she continued.
"You’ve got taste. Talent. Hell, range. But you’re still young, babe. Your name needs more traction. Don’t waste the momentum."
If she’d said that a few months ago, I might’ve caved.
Back then, I would’ve sold a kidney for that kind of press.
But now? I had bigger things on my plate.
I leaned back in my chair. "Let it go, Vanna. I’ve got a lot going on right now. But once I’m done, we’ll talk."
She didn’t like it. I could hear her grinding her teeth through the phone, but she didn’t push.
Smart woman.
***
I got home just before nine. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Wolfed down dinner, then hit the shower.
Scrubbed twice, flossed twice, brushed twice.
Sprayed breath spray for a full minute, then popped a mint for good measure.
I almost flopped down on the sofa but stopped myself. Too obvious. Sitting there in full makeup as if I was waiting for him? No way.
"You’re pathetic," Akira snickered in my head. "Just admit you’re excited to see him again."
"Shut up," I muttered. "This is strictly part of our contract. I’m just planning to fulfill my Luna duties properly."
"Sure," she replied. "Your heart rate spikes every time he walks through that door."
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t deny the flutter in my stomach.
Our rehearsals had been tame so far,some arm-draping and over-the-clothes hugs. G-rated at best.
But after that dinner with Octavia, something had shifted between us.
Were we adding a kiss tonight?
The thought sent a warm tingle.
I grabbed my compact and flipped it open.
Gave the mirror a breath test. Minty. No garlic ghost from dinner.
Lipstick: matte, smudge-proof.
I checked my phone. No messages from Hudson. The clock read 9:30 PM.
9:45 PM.
10:00 PM.
With each passing minute, I felt more ridiculous. Here I was, primped and ready for a man who didn’t even bother to text. Maybe he was caught in a meeting. Or traffic. Or maybe he’d found someone more interesting to spend his evening with.
"He could at least let us know," Akira growled, her pride wounded too.
I paced around the living room, checking my phone every few minutes. By 10:30, I’d gone from worried to irritated. By 11:00, I was genuinely angry. How dare he stand me up without even a text?
Was this how he felt waiting at home when I ran off to the bar with Ysolde to avoid rehearsal that day? free𝑤ebnovel.com
The thought made me uncomfortable,like walking in his shoes for the first time.
I flopped onto the couch, my perfect makeup wasted, my excitement replaced by disappointment. The worst part was realizing how much I’d been looking forward to seeing him.
But Hudson Laurent never came home.
