“Go ahead.”
“Miss Selwyn, after leaving the industry for so long, what prompted you to come back to the career you’d abandoned? Was it a failed marriage?”
“I don’t see how that has anything to do with my latest collection.”
“Well, then let me ask something that is related to design.”
Coco’s smile grew sly, as if she’d expected Celestine to dodge the question.
“Since your return, you’ve immediately landed a collaboration with Seabay. Is that really the work of a designer who’s been obscure for six years? Or is it your designs drawing attention–or something else?”
Her insinuation was blatant.
She was a breath away from outright accusing Celestine of sleeping her way to the top.
There was nothing playful about the hostility in her words; it went far beyond what anyone might dismiss as a “sharp tongue” or a joke.
Celestine only responded with a bright, unruffled smile. “Miss Coco, you seem awfully invested in my personal life. I’m curious–have you actually seen any of my work?”
“Naturally,” Coco replied, her tone cool, clearly annoyed by the deflection. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”
Celestine just kept smiling, saying nothing.
Coco became more certain that she’d struck a nerve. “It’s fine if you don’t want to answer, Miss Selwyn. Sometimes silence says more than words. Designers who rely on their… personal assets are hardly new to me, but I never thought I’d run into one at a house like Seabay. Honestly, I’m a little disappointed.”
Contempt and disdain flashed in her eyes.
She didn’t have the authority to refuse the interview she’d been assigned, so she made it as unpleasant as possible in hopes Celestine would take the hint and leave of her own accord.
And if not–well, an outburst would be even better.
Coco flipped through her notes with deliberate nonchalance, waiting for Celestine
1/3
18:51
to snap.
Instead, Celestine asked, out of nowhere, “Miss Coco, do you like the outfit your wearing today?”
“I do,” Coco answered offhandedly.
It was a custom suit from a boutique designer–a piece she’d fallen for the moment she saw it, even if it was already six years out of date.
Some people said women in suits looked severe or unfashionable. Coco knew many didn’t care for the style. She assumed Celestine was trying to insult her taste in a roundabout way.
Coco smirked inwardly.
“I see. Thank you for liking my work,” Celestine replied, her smile gentle and serene, showing not the slightest irritation.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Coco’s words stuttered before she snapped, “Don’t tell me you’re claiming you designed this suit! The designer, Smile, may have left the scene six years ago, but that doesn’t mean you get to ride her coattails!”
Celestine showed no offense. “You might want to check the stitching inside your
left sleeve.”
The suit was from a women’s line Celestine herself had designed for a niche brand before she left the industry.
She’d recognized it the moment Coco walked in.
Trends in fashion changed fast, but Celestine was quietly proud to see someone still wearing her designs after all these years.
Though, clearly, the woman in front of her had a very different opinion of her.
Coco, skeptical, pulled back the left sleeve.
On the inside, she found an embroidered motif she’d never noticed before–stylized letters spelling out “Celly.”
She stared in disbelief. “There’s no way you designed this!”
“I have no reason to lie about something so easily disproved,” Celestine replied, rising to her feet.
Coco’s lips went white as she struggled to find a retort.
She knew it was true.
Chapter 81
Unless there was some special circumstance, designers had no need to hide their identities. With a little effort, she could easily find out Smile’s real name.
