183 Welcome To The Club

"You seemed to have enjoyed it," Amber commented upon seeing the smile on Mathew's face.

His smile instantly disappeared upon hearing this before glaring at her.

Amber laughed, "Welcome to the club."

She tapped her mask, Mathew realized that he was still wearing his mask.

"You really do love teasing people don't you?"

Timothy have already told him, that among her unique characteristics, teasing others was among them.

She wouldn't bother with age and all, instead she'll treat you normally once she becomes at ease with you.

"I'm going now," Alissa who walked passed them, wearing the first dress, said.

"Go and shock them all. Make it big," Amber replied with a meaningful smile.

This event has another announcement.

Alice's retirement.

This was the decision Alissa came up with after thinking about everything that Amber have told her.

(Flashback)

"Speak your mind," Amber said when Alissa visited her in her office the night before the event.

"You seem to already know what I want to say," Alissa replied as she sat down.

Amber just shrugged.

Alissa smiled, "I think it is time."

"I… no longer feel happy walking in that place."

She turned a bit melancholic about letting it go but it is a place where she felt like her whole life is exposed.

That no matter what she do, people will talk about her as if they are the ones who raised her.

They speak as if they knew her, her whole life.

"Why did you start Alissa?" Amber asked, her voice solemn.

Alissa chuckled, "Hayley told me when we were just starting high school, that my height and body is for a model. Then she said that I can wear all the clothes she will design and she will make me shine brighter than the others."

She looked at Amber's eyes, "I just thought that that would be wonderful. As a young lady, I thought it would be good to shine but now that I am in the lime light..."

"You shine too bright that you can only see yourself, just like when the sun is too bright that you can only see white all around you?"

Alissa smiled sadly.

Whenever she is walking down that place, she felt so alone. It was so lonely as if she can no longer be with anyone and no one would want to join her there.

Those who are already there acts too aloof that she can't approach them.

"It sometimes scare me being up there with all those flashes as I walk," she confided.

"At the same time, I have been into quite a lot of small issues with the reporters but the one this time made me realize something. If I were to choose a partner, as long as they deem him unworthy, they would keep disregarding my choice."

"They would criticize him and would keep saying that we are incompatible. Soon surely one of us will get tired to such criticisms and I would have to make a choice."

Amber nodded, "That's good, you finally have a decision that came from you entirely. Don't worry I won't stop you. But since you already have some events lined up, finish them first."

"But we will be announcing your retirement on the event tomorrow. And if problems would arise after that, just leave it to us. Go and do whatever it is that you wanted."

(End Of Flashback)

The brightness outside increased as Alissa stepped out on the stage. Cameras flashing were what engulfed her vision.

'Ah, I guess I really am already too tired of this. They are too bright that I just want to turn around and leave this place.'

"Wow, she really looks different from the person we always meet at the office," Mathew commented.

He was already changed and among the audience together with Timothy, who came to watch.

"She's not enjoying it," Timothy commented.

He had seen the way she worked at Lie and he can see in her eyes whenever she enjoys what she was doing or what it is that she just need to do without enjoying them.

The runway is a place where the models rarely smile but their eyes speaks of so many things.

That is also why he can see that she has the urge to just turn around and leave. She is not having fun compared when they are in events outside of the building.

'She must love doing some arduous work instead of things like this where she dresses up,' he thought.

"How did you know she is not enjoying it? Her face does not change at all," Mathew furrowed his brows as he asked.

"If you stay with her longer, you'll know," was his reply.

"And, will she become a regular?"

Both of them looked at Amber who was already standing beside Timothy.

"Are you sure about making her a regular on my company? You still remember what happened just a few weeks back, don't you?" Timothy asked in return.

"I do, what of it?"

"What do you mean what of it? I checked her schedule and she has quite a lot coming up, if she becomes a regular I can't be lenient towards her just because she's a model."

"That's why I am telling you not to consider her as a model," she replied.

"I won't I am the president but just as I have said she has a compact schedule for events. If she still enter regularly in the company she would surely end up collapsing again."

"Geez how many times must I tell you that you should stop considering her as a model," she still replied.

"You are the one who is not listening. I will not consider her as a model but have you not seen her schedule?" Timothy looked back at her as he asked.

"Just stop considering her as a model," was all she said before she went back to the backstage.

Timothy and Mathew just looked at each other both confused of why did she come and said all those things when she didn't even explain what it was that she wanted to say.

After returning to the backstage, Amber heard the staffs whispering to one another.

"What's going on?" she asked one of the staffs who was startled by her sudden question.

"Uhmmm that is..."

She didn't continue but glanced to one side.

When Amber followed her eyes, her brows couldn't help but to rise.

'Wow, do we really have to do this?' she thought.

Jake, who was busy with the clothes, looked towards where everyone was glancing and felt his blood rush up to his head.

As he took one step, Amber was already walking towards that direction, she already have a bunch of papers on her hand and her aura have turned completely different to her normal one.

It was not the ruthlessly cold one but it was coldness towards those whom she knew.

The same one she used back when she first met Ashley.

"It is fine, everything's going so well. You don't have to worry," she giggled as she kept speaking through her phone.

Not realizing that behind her, just a few steps away was someone who already reached her limit.

"That would be amazi-"

*CRASH*

Hayley stared at her phone that was thrown on the ground with wide eyes.

It's screen shattered because of the impact.

"WHAT THE-"

Hayley who was fuming mad upon seeing what happened to her phone turned to roar at the person who suddenly grabbed her phone and threw it on the ground.

But upon turning what welcomed her was an Amber she truly haven't seen before.

The Amber who reached her limit as the one leading a company, an Amber that would fire anyone whoever they are.

"Go on and continue your words, I don't mind hearing that from a designer who is busy with her phone during a special event," Amber said.

Her eyes were cold and her out bearing was that of an angered queen.

Even the other staffs turned silent, she didn't shout and spoke with her normal voice but the way the words were delivered?

It was as if, it would be the end of the person whom those words are being said to.

"Amber..."

Jake approached and wanted to tell her that they are still in the middle of the event.

Despite being mad himself, he didn't expect that Amber would actually throw Hayley's phone on the ground.

"Continue the show aunt Jacqueline, I'll handle this separately," Amber told him before looking back at Hayley.

"And you, follow me outside."

"Why would I?"

The whole place froze when Hayley actually fought back.

"Why would you?" Amber smiled coldly, even her eyes turned a lot more colder and sharper.

She stepped close and whispered, "You'll come with me or do you want me to embarrass you right here and right now. Don't try your luck Hayley, don't try your luck."