waking

9.Chapter 9 Truelove’s Kiss

“If Barbara gives you a gift, you accept it. Don’t be rude. “Shawn’s voice was cool and commanding. “Come and push me upstairs.”

“Right away, Mr. Fischer,” Naomi said.

She accepted the gift, stood up, and bowed respectfully to Barbara once more. “Thank you, Grandma Barbara.”

“Oh, you’re welcome.” Barbara beamed, even more pleased than before. Although Shawn’s tone could have been softer, his insistence on Naomi keeping the gift was a clear sign he was accepting her as one of his own.

“Grandma Barbara, I’m going to take Shawn upstairs now,” Naomi said with a polite nod to Barbara. After receiving a nod, she began to push Shawn’s wheelchair out of the room.

Barbara felt incredibly content. She leaned in to whisper a few instructions to Carla before calling for her butler, planning to leave the Spring Villa.

The villa had an elevator, and without hesitation, Naomi took the lead and wheeled Shawn into the elevator right in front of Barbara.

They got to the third floor. When the elevator doors opened with a soft ding, Shawn got up and strode out.

“No need to follow me. Do not come to the third floor unless I ask you to,” he said with a voice that brooked no argument. Naomi could only leave the wheelchair in the hallway and make her way back to the second floor.

In the short time she’d been away, Carla had redone the guest room Naomi stayed in last night. It was now a vision in light pink, with all the furniture switched out for warm, pale shades. The bedding was soft and blushing, and the walk-in closet was filled with top-brand clothes from every season.

There was a whole row of shelves packed with designer bags, and one wall was dedicated to a shoe rack brimming with heels for all kinds of fancy events. There were also gowns for galas and evening parties.

Turning her attention to the c, Naomi saw it was loaded with skincare and makeup products, none with brand names. Underneath them was a note saying, “These are custom-made skincare and makeup products. Ms. Edwards, feel free to use them.” It was signed, “Carla,” in neat handwriting.

Naomi picked up a bottle of moisturizer, put a little of it on her hand, gently spread it around, and smelled the faint scent that reminded her of gardenias.

She placed the bottle back on the dresser and pulled out her own skincare product from her bag. She used a niche brand that wasn’t expensive, perfect for students on a budget.

As the second daughter of the Edwards family, Naomi’s treatment was starkly different from Rosalind’s. Whatever Rosalind discarded was never passed on to Naomi. It might as well be garbage.

As for Javier and Victoria, their world seemed to revolve around only one daughter, Rosalind.

Naomi used to believe that Freddy was her beacon of light, the only one in her life. When her parents, Javier and Victoria, scolded and punished her, it was Freddy who sprinted forward to shield her. He showed her kindness, quietly bringing her ointment after those beatings, leaving bread and milk when she went hungry, comforting her when she hid and cried…

But she had never guessed that Freddy’s kindness was just part of his plot.

Those memories flashed through Naomi’s mind, her grip on her skincare product trembling. She looked into the mirror suddenly, her eyes as red as if she was possessed.

She clenched her teeth, refusing to make a sound until the smell of blood filled her mouth.

“Freddy, Rosalind, just you wait! Our time will come, and we’ll see who has the last laugh.”

After spitting out a mouthful of blood, Naomi looked up, her gaze steady.

With a composed face, she organized her things and started working on her unfinished design sketches.

Sanders Group was a third-tier player in the jewelry biz. In her previous life, it was Naomi’s “TrueLove’s Kiss” jewelry line that catapulted Freddy to the top of the jewelry world.

But back then, as it always went, Rosalind stole her glory, claiming Naomi’s hard work as her own.

This time around, Naomi decided she’d gift her masterpiece to Shawn.

Fischer Group’s jewels were already a global sensation. Naomi wasn’t in it for the money. She just wanted to show Shawn her worth, to prove to him that keeping her by his side was the smartest move he could make.

The designs were fully formed in her mind. Naomi drew with intense focus, the “TrueLove’s Kiss” series unfolding under her pencil. The crown was the most dazzling piece, followed by a necklace, earrings, bracelets, and anklets. Each piece was stunning on its own, but together, they were legendary, especially with the unique, heartfelt love story she’d woven into the design.

Naomi sketched tirelessly as time ticked away. When night fell, the lights outside the villa lit up one by one. Finally, she finished with a flourish. She fine-tuned the sketches, fixing any imperfections from her previous life’s creations. Satisfied, Naomi’s lips curved into a small, pleased smile.

She laid down her pencil, stood up to stretch, and got her drawings in order.

In a month, Atopan would host a big jewelry design competition. The top prize winner will pocket a cool 6.5 million dollars and reap massive publicity and honor.

Back in her previous life, Rosalind took Naomi’s design drawings and entered the competition with Freddy. They won the top prize, and Rosalind was beaming as she lifted the trophy, and Freddy, who was ecstatic, couldn’t help but give her a celebratory kiss on stage.

It was supposed to be Naomi’s moment. Her heart sank as she watched that kiss. She confronted Freddy, asking why he did that. Freddy just brushed it off, saying he got too excited and lost control.

The betrayal left Naomi heartbroken. And then Rosalind came acting all concerned, telling Naomi not to overthink it. She thanked Naomi, saying she had realized her dream thanks to her younger sister, though she had been sick all the time.

Even her parents, Javier and Victoria, tried to cheer her up that one rare time by giving her a little extra cash, a mere 6,500 dollars. But her designs, the ones that won the big prize, were worth 6.5 million dollars!

Suddenly, the knock on the door pulled Naomi sharply back from her memories.

“Just a second,” Naomi responded.

She quickly put away her design sketches and drawing supplies, then turned and opened the door.

“What’s up, Carla,” Naomi asked.

“It’s dinner time, Ms. Edwards,” Carla replied.

Naomi followed Carla to the dining room, which was massive, with a dining table grand enough to seat over a hundred people. Shawn sat at the head of the table, savoring a glass of red wine.

“Ms. Edwards, please sit,” Carla said.

Naomi sat down to the right of Shawn, who gave her a glance and a nod, and simply said, “Eat.”

On the table was steak, spaghetti, caviar, oxtail soup, a veggie salad, and caramel pudding.

Quiet as a mouse, Naomi started her meal with her knife and fork.

Shawn kept his eyes on her. He never had meals with any woman, not even Cheryl. But Naomi was an exception.

Something about her quiet, polite way of eating smoothed out the usual restlessness in his chest.

Naomi finished off a steak, slurped down her soup, twirled her way through the spaghetti, and nibbled at the caviar and salad. But she didn’t touch the caramel pudding. Sweets just weren’t her thing.

While Naomi was diving into her dinner, Shawn didn’t touch a single bite. Instead, he seemed fully invested in taking small, deliberate sips of his red wine.

After she finished eating, Naomi looked up at him with a sweet, adorable smile. “Mr. Fischer, I’ve got a present for you.”

Before Shawn could even respond, Naomi sprinted back upstairs. In no time, she came back with a complete set of TrueLove’s Kiss design sketches.