Whisper Destiny

Chapter 20

~ Catherine ~

After my conversation with Natasha, my life began to get back on track. I'm not entirely sure what made that conversation so relieving, but it certainly lifted a weight off my shoulders and reignited my aspirations. My team and Louisa noticed the change too, but it was a good sign for the company.

I finally completed the entire design collection for the winter show. Among all the pieces, there's one design that stands out the most to me. I've decided to feature it as the main item for the event and this year winter collection, and my instinct says, it will do wonders. The idea for this design sparked during my conversation with Natasha. I realized that her presence has gradually been making a positive impact on me. Our little interaction has fueled my creativity, allowing me to complete several new pieces of cloths as well to be added to my own collection.

Ortiz & Co.'s winter fashion show is just a month away, and so far, everything is on the right track. Louisa has been busy finalizing the little details to ensure the event runs smoothly without any hitches. Our crazy schedule made me realize I hadn't had the chance to update her on what's been happening in my life.

For the wedding, the Graysons decided it would be held on Natasha's birthday in March, and Noel volunteered to handle the overall wedding planning. I had no objections to it. She was super excited when Natasha and I shared our final decision on their proposal. I personally had requested a private wedding rather than a grand one, limited to our closest friends, business associates, and extended family, which not so many of them. And the most important, I really wanted to avoid media coverage and unnecessary attention on my personal life, so I asked for the arrangements to be managed discreetly. I feel blessed because Natasha wholeheartedly agreed to my request.

Since our last conversation, I haven't seen Natasha again, but I believe our relationship has significantly improved compared to before. Even though most of the time, Noel is the bridge in our interactions, I'm fine with it. At least now, we manage to agree on important matters, especially regarding our wedding. This was evident when we both decided against having an engagement ceremony, a decision Noel initially protested. However, she didn't have much say in the matter since Natasha and I were in complete agreement.

Today, I had a full-day meeting with the Event Management and Creative Design teams. We needed to go through the event flow and make any necessary amendments, where necessary.

As I walked into the meeting room, conversations hushed, and all eyes turned towards me. I could feel the weight of my authority in the air. "Hello, everyone! Let's start the meeting," I said, greeting the team and diving straight into the agenda, not wanting to waste any time

"Yeah, let's start. It definitely will be a long day..." I heard Louisa whisper loudly, making sure I caught her words. Her tone was a mix of resignation and playful sarcasm, bringing a light chuckle from a few team members.

Despite a series of regrouping, stand-up meetings, and roundtable discussions conducted before, there were still many improvements and changes that needed to be made by the team. I wanted everything to be perfect during the event. Our meeting prolonged until 7 PM.

"Thank you, everyone. Well done! I will leave the final product to you; I trust all of you will give your best," I said, concluding the meeting. Before leaving, I handed them my credit card for their dinners, telling them to go wherever they wanted.

As I headed to my office, I could feel Louisa following me. Without looking back, I asked, "Why don't you follow the team, Lou?"

"How do you know it was me following you?" she asked.

"I have eyes on you, everywhere," I said with a smile.

"Let's have dinner together, and before you decline, I know you'll skip dinner and continue working like there's no tomorrow, which isn't healthy. We've been busy lately and haven't had much time to spend together. I miss my friend, not just the Group CEO of Ortiz & Co," she reasoned.