Whisper Destiny

Chapter 72

~ Natasha ~

When I stepped into the house, the quiet hit me first. No sign of Catherine. She must be stucked and drowning in work after her brief break. I kicked off my heels, each step heavy from a day filled with endless meetings. All I wanted was a long, hot bath to wash the day away, then to cocoon myself in bed. Not to mention the relentless cramps gnawing at me—a lovely reminder that today was the start of that time of the month. Just perfect.

I was halfway through slipping out of my work clothes when my phone buzzed. A glimmer of excitement flickered—hoping it was Catherine. I rummaged in my bag, eager to see her name. But it was Chase. He'd already called a few times today, and I'd promised myself I'd get back to him. Apparently, he couldn't wait.

As I answered, a triumphant voice nearly burst my eardrum. "Natttttt... I did it!"

I yanked the phone a few inches from my ear, wincing. "What the hell, Chase!"

"I did it, Natty! I got the selected for the protege program with Ortiz & Co. Just signed the contract with your beautiful wife," he said, drawing out the word with a smirk I could practically hear.

My chest tightened at the mention of her. "Oh my god, Chase! That's amazing! I'm so proud of you," I said, my voice softening. Despite his sometimes wild energy, Chase was brilliant, and I'd never doubted his talent.

"And you know what, pumpkin-pie? They assigned me under Tommy Ford!" Chase's voice brimmed with awe. "He's a genius, Nat. His style, his flair—honestly, it's like he's Catherine's clone. Being Tommy's protege is practically like being Catherine's. God, I can't wait to be on the team," he bubbling over with enthusiasm.

I couldn't help but laugh, his excitement contagious. "Look at you, Chase Rowe, finally starry-eyed over someone other than yourself."

"But... there's a catch. I have a competitor," he sighed dramatically, his tone souring. "And I do not like her. Her designs are just... weird."

I smirked, already sensing where this was going. "So, she's really good then?" I teased, knowing this was Chase's way of admitting someone was talented. If he truly feel they are not talented, he'd be brutally blunt; but calling her "weird" meant she was worth watching.

"Nah, she just got lucky. Plus, her attitude—ugh. She's rude, especially toward Catherine. If I were Catherine, I wouldn't have offered her the contract, but your wife seems to have a soft spot for her." He was grumbling now, and I could practically see him pouting. I put him on speaker and started removing my makeup, glancing at my reflection as I took in his words.

Something about that last comment piqued my interest. "What happened?"

"After we presented our designs to Catherine and the team, I think Catherine love it because she had this huge smile on her face. God, she's stunning when she smiles, you know?" Chase's voice softened, clearly drifting into admiration. As always, he was so easily sidetracked by Catherine.

"Chase, focus, please..." I cut in.

"Alright, alright..." he sighed, snapping back to the story. "So, Catherine wanted to sign contracts with both of us on the spot. But then, this Miss Attitude steps in, demanding to know if she was chosen purely because of her skill and capability—or if it was just because Catherine wanted her."

I blinked, surprised. "Why was she ask that question?"

"Oh, just wait," Chase said, barely containing his irritation. "She actually had the nerve to say, 'Do you really offer me this position due to my capability and skill, or is it just because... you want to get into my pants? Don't even try to deny it—ever since we first met, I could see it in your eyes.'" His voice dripped with exaggerated arrogance as he mimicked her.