Chapter 170
“You’ve got so many mannequins around–it’s like I’ve stepped into another dimension,” Soren remarked, his voice tinged with curiosity and amazement.
I smiled. “I know, right? It gets even more interesting at night.”
Edward and I had chosen this location for our company building years ago, and now I rented four floors of the building.
The three floors below my studio housed the office, including employee workstations, a gym, and the logistics department.
“It is a pretty decent working environment, if I do say so myself.”
The fourth floor, a spacious flat area of about 2,100 square feet, served as my private workspace.
Certain aspects of Edwardian Taylor were confidential, and the studio contained a closet filled with a large number of expensive haute couture pieces and accessories.
Because of this, only Cherry and I were permitted access to the studio. No other staff members could enter without my explicit permission, nor could they access the floor even if they managed to reach it.
“These are all luxury garments that many celebrities rent for red–carpet events,” I explained. “Over there, you’ll find pieces that have won major fashion competitions and others that have graced runways.”
As I showed Soren around, I introduced him to the pieces I had created.
At that moment, any lingering sense of inferiority I might have felt earlier vanished. Instead, I was filled with pride and confidence in my masterpieces.
This was my territory, my life’s work, and the foundation I had built to propel myself forward in the fashion industry.
Soren nodded continuously, clearly admiring my work. “You’ve done incredibly well for yourself, building an entire brand from the ground up–and to such a successful degree.”
I couldn’t help but smile like a child at his praise, though I quickly clarified, “I didn’t do this entirely on my own. I’ve had a team of talented designers at my company who’ve contributed to everything. They’ve helped me form a strong, cohesive team.”
Our gazes met, our eyes glowing with mutual happiness.
The distant, awkward tension we’d felt during lunch had dissipated, and it seemed we were growing more comfortable in each other’s presence.
But suddenly, a voice interrupted us.
“Tay–Tay? Are you back already? I’ve finished the task you asked me to do this morn-“Cherry’s voice trailed off as she spotted Soren standing beside me.
She was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, flashing me a meaningful smile. “Mr. Kenway! How do you de”
I explained, “Mr. Kenway is here to try on his suit.”
Soren nodded politely. “It’s good to see you, Miss Birkin.”
Cherry had been introduced to Soren a few months earlier at the Kenway residence.
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Chapter
“Same here, Mr. Kenway,” Cherry replied with a nervous smile, her voice barely above a mumble.
She then approached me and whispered, “I’ve tidied up all of room V2, Tay–Tay. I’ll be heading down now.”
Cherry was clearly giving Soren and me some privacy.
“Okay, go ahead,” I said with a smile, not stopping her as she nodded at Soren once more before dashing off. Afterward, 1 led Soren to the workstation inside the studio and asked, “Would you like some tea or coffee?”
“Tea, please.”
“All right, have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
I walked over to the bar and began brewing the tea, occasionally stealing glances at Soren as I worked. Instead of sitting down, Soren wandered around the workstation. I wasn’t sure if he was admiring my creations or simply curious about the world of fashion.
By the time I returned with the tea, he had finally settled onto the sofa.
I had already completed both suits Soren had ordered. However, with custom suits of such high standards, the customer typically needed to try them on three times to allow for minor adjustments.
This ensured the suit fit perfectly, exuding both elegance and prestige.
I wheeled over the rolling clothing rack, displaying the two suits: one in a black jacquard pattern and the other in dark blue with subtle checkered details.
“Which one would you like to try on first?” I asked, standing beside the rack.
Soren set down his teacup and stood. “Either one is fine.”
“Let’s start with the black one, then,” I said, picking up the closer suit and handing it to him. “The changing room is over there.”
