As much as Da Xia and her mother wanted to arrive at the party fashionably late, they thought it would be wiser for them to go there just a LITTLE late as they knew the party would not really start at the given time. They could still lay down their ground.
After greeting the prominent people, the two took their seats, feeling a little unsettled than normal. "We could still back out of this, Mother," Da Xia voiced out her concerns. "We don't have to do this."
"You're going to succeed, Da Xia. You will because I have put our everything in this brand of yours. You are going to make sure you will not fail. For your family."
Da Xia had been all up in building her own company after having met Feng Xuan at the night of the New Year. She was so determined to annoy her by staying in this city. But she knew she had to fold her cards when her mother suddenly bet their shares in The Kingly Empire.
Now there was a pressure on her shoulders that she did not really want to carry. She just wanted to open up her fashion store without all the external issues. But it was now the kind of reality she was living in.
Her mother fished in her bag and pressed something on her hand. "What you're going to do is present your brand here in this gathering. It's a great way to let them know you're already staying for good."
It was a flashdrive—the one she used when she presented to the shareholders. She got up and went to the technical team next to the stage. But as she was walking, someone started to get up to the podium, a woman with long flowing her and who was wearing a high-collared dress that Da Xia suddenly itched to try on.
"Good afternoon everyone," said the speaker's sweet voice. Her face was a little rounded and was framed with soft curls. "You must be wondering why there was a sudden invite for today. You may know me as Wang Yimin the wife of the telecom company owner Zhou Shan. But before that I was the granddaughter of the magnate Yang Wei.
"You must also know my cousin, Feng Xuan—I don't think she needs more introduction as she's always in the news recently." Polite laughter erupted in the room. Wang Yimin continued, "Feng Xuan and I had been working hard the past few days, one of the many reasons why you have no idea with what is happening because this literally just begun.
Without further ado, I am pleased to announce that we are opening our own fashion line, YANG."
**
Da Xia felt like her legs could collapse under her. What did she say?! A new fashion line? With Feng Xuan? Da Xia's blood started to boil. She stalked back to her mother and huffed as she sat on her seat with her arms crossed on her chest.
Her eyes flitted to the side of the stage where she saw Feng Xuan and Qing Chen sitting close together with his arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him. Da Xia felt her cheeks grew hot. She badly wanted to kick something. To hit something.
She could feel her stomach churning and bile rose up her throat. But she held her breath and swallowed it all down. She was not going to embarrass herself some more. Most of the people in this place knew that she was Qing Chen's ex-girlfriend. They had watched them grew up and be together.
Then here came the wife, of the man she once loved… out to destroy her.
With the use of her recent interview for The Society, they all knew she was going to open her own fashion brand here in Chengshi. The fashion market was already divided. Now it was going to be divided some more.
Da Xia didn't want to admit, but she was at a disadvantage compared to the Yang Cousins. Surely, they were richer and had more resources than her. But that does not mean their products would be better than hers.
She shot daggers and arrows with her eyes to Feng Xuan's flushed face.
"Alright, Feng Xuan," she thought, "You and I are going to play a game."
**
Wang Yimin's presentation lasted more than half an hour, she gave a preview of the catalogue and promised that they would get first hand stocks if they decide to order. But most importantly, she flashed a live feed of the sale of their clothes.
It had begun earlier that day. The only marketing they used was infiltrating the shopaholics groups on social media and posted their advertis.e.m.e.nt there. At around twelve midnight, a lot were already lined up to enter the warehouse where Wang Yimin and Feng Xuan's clothes were up for bargain price.
Most of the items on the hangers were already gone and people were already queueing up at the cashier.
Wang Yimin ended her presentation with the stream still on. There was a money counter at the upper right corner. They were not even surprised it was already on seven digits.
"Did you see Da Xia's face?" Wang Yimin laughed when she got down the stage.
"I can't see her from where I am," answered Feng Xuan.
"Oh, it was priceless! I don't have anything against her, but it was so satisfying. It was like all the nights we have spent working instead of sleeping was paid off."
"Right," Qing Chen said as he remembered something. He took his arm off Feng Xuan and pulled out two small squares from his pocket. "Congratulations to the both of you."
Feng Xuan opened the small box and inside were two solitaire earrings. "Wow!" she exclaimed.
"This is really sweet, Qing Chen, thank you so much," said Wang Yimin.
"It's a matching pair. You both deserve it."
Feng Xuan kissed Qing Chen's cheek. "Let's sleep well tonight, okay?"