Bab 24: CHAPTER 24: TRASH ATTRACTS RATS
"Excuse me, can you step aside? I need to talk to Zarina," Cassandra said abruptly, showing her impatience as she brusquely pushed Samantha away with a sharp gesture.
Samantha was left dumbfounded, unable to move. She was seething with anger inside, desperate to confront Cassandra.
Miss Karina called out, "Samantha, move," with firm authority, compelling Samantha to step aside promptly.
Samantha had no choice but to step aside for Cassandra. She remained silent, her hands clenched into fists, calming the fire inside her.
"So, Zarina, would you mind answering me now? Who the hell paid you to sabotage me?!" Cassandra roared, her voice echoing with anger and frustration as she confronted Zarina.
She had a gut feeling that those actresses who wanted to pull her down had paid this designer she had chosen. She had expected it already, but a part of her wanted to trust this woman. But it turns out she had disappointed her, making her anger reach the fore.
Zarina licked her lips, locking eyes with Cassandra. "No one paid me," she stated firmly, with conviction. "It was all just a misunderstanding," she added, holding her ground under Cassandra's intense scrutiny.
Throughout her entire life, she has maintained a strong work ethic. She swears to the heavens above that she would never accept money to sabotage her client. Her grandmother's teachings and her degree are too valuable to waste for financial gain. Although money is often the root of evil, she has no desire to harvest its fruit.
Cassandra was visibly annoyed, stomping her feet in frustration. "Misunderstanding?!" she exclaimed. "I'm losing my patience now! How could I have misunderstood a dress ripped off piece by piece? I came here alone because I was too excited to see my dress and honor this company. But look what has happened; it turned out to be trash! You've squandered a remarkable chance!" Her frustration fueled each word, and the room seemed to resonate with the intensity of her disappointment.
Zarina took a deep breath, looking straight at Cassandra. "Hey, Miss Cassandra, calm down. Getting all worked up about stuff that doesn't matter is just a waste of your energy," she said, extending her hands gently, soothingly, as if to dissipate the tension in the air.
Cassandra looked confused, her raised eyebrows showing no clue what Zarina was talking about. 'Am I?' The thought of rewarding Zarina for talking back to her without getting intimate piqued her interest. Alas! She had already found someone brave enough to tell her she was overreacting. How on earth is she managing to stay calm when Cassandra has been pushing all her buttons, taking her to the edge of anger, or making her want to break down from the humiliation she just faced?
Miss Karina leaned in, curious. "What do you mean, Zarina?"
Zarina faced Miss Karina with determination. "Miss Karina, you know me. I won't just place my finished product anywhere to avoid unexpected damages," she said firmly, pointing at Samantha. Her gaze then shifted to Cassandra. "I've stored Miss Hailey's dress in my secret place where pests or rats won't ruin it."
Zarina's words left some employees in awe, their jaws dropping in surprise. Whispers rippled through the office hallway, with some feeling guilty for prematurely judging Miss Zarina. However, Samantha wasn't among those feeling remorse; instead, anger welled up in her as she grappled with the realization that Zarina had once again outsmarted her.
"Oh! So, care to explain the ruined dress?" Cassandra asked, clearly confused.
"Uhm, that one? You said it was trash, so expectedly, trash attracts rats," Zarina replied calmly.
The torn gown on display was made by Zarina using recycled fabrics in the tailoring department. She created it to cope with a lack of inspiration due to a challenging client. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a beautiful dress that others had mistaken as
"Uhm.. I apologize for any misunderstanding, Ms. Cassandra," Miss Karina apologized softly, her voice filled with sincerity." I admit I am too excited to present to you the dress; I neglected to inform the designer," she gazed at Zarina with sincere eyes," I assure you this will not happen next time."
Zarina, on the other hand, lowered her head. Their criticism hurt her a little, but she didn't expect their CEO to admit her mistake, and it's a beautiful lesson to learn today. Everyone makes mistakes, even those in high positions. No one should be belittled for committing errors a hundred times.
Cassandra smiled genuinely," Uhm… It's okay, I too was excited about my dress. I didn't inform everyone that I'll come here by myself. So, Zari and everyone here, I apologize." she said softly, her anger lowered. She was able to realize her mistake.
The employees gasped as Cassandra apologized to Zarina in front of them. It felt like a rare moment like a devil had apologized to a human. Despite having many fans, Cassandra also dealt with bashers and trolls who spread rumors about her, leading people to expect her to have a bad character. Though she really had a bad side like everybody else. After all, she's not a saint but she tried her best to be as good as they are.
Zarina lifted her head and gave Cassandra a warm smile. "It's alright," she said, taking a moment to study Cassandra's eyes. Despite the contact lenses, Zarina sensed a deep sadness and longing in her eyes, "I deeply understand you in a way that no one else does," she added with a nod, leaving Cassandra surprised.
Miss Karina smiled genuinely," Okay, everyone, please go back to work. Miss Cassandra, follow me. We will get your dress. Please come with us, Zari," she said and returned to the showroom.
The office buzzed with murmurs and the creaking of office chairs, indicating that the employees were returning to their seats. Finally, they resolved the issue promptly, preventing it from reaching the media.
Samantha left them slowly, harboring a deep-seated anger. Once again, she had failed in her attempt to ruin Zarina, and the worst part was that it backfired, tarnishing her reputation. At this moment, Samantha wished she could be deaf to avoid hearing the murmurs and praises from her colleagues. The desire to hurt someone until they couldn't breathe began to consume her thoughts. However, as the wicked thoughts lingered like Satan's whisper, another voice urged her to stay calm and kind.
She clutched her head, trying to silence the conflicting voices in her mind. Breathing heavily, she was desperate to clear her thoughts. After a few minutes, the voices faded, making her forget everything that had just happened.
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