novelraw Chapter 132: A Shift In Lyse’s Demeanor
Chapter 132: A Shift In Lyse’s Demeanor
Chapter 132: A Shift In Lyse’s Demeanor
Lyse wandered through the familiar halls of the building that housed the fashion atelier, a few curious glances were flung in her direction but she ignored them and got into the elevator.
As she got to her department, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu washing over her, an unease, a feeling that she was not supposed to be there. She shrugged it off, attributing it to after effects of her coma, after all this was one of her favorite places to be in.
The whirring of sewing machines, the rustle of fabrics, the hurried footsteps of designers and assistants – it all felt so familiar. She navigated the labyrinthine corridors with an almost instinctive ease, her feet leading her towards her old office.
She reached the familiar door, and noticed that her nameplate was no longer there. In it’s place, gleaming brightly: Brooke Chadwick – Head Designer. A wave of confusion washed over her. Why was Brooke’s name there? Had she left...? She couldn’t quite grasp the memory, a fuzzy blank spot in her mind.
As she reached for the doorknob, a voice stopped her. "Lyse? What are you doing here?"
She turned to see a Denise staring at her with open hostility and some surprise. "I... I work here, what do you mean?" Lyse replied, her voice laced with uncertainty.
Before the Denise could respond, Brooke appeared, her expression a mixture of surprise and barely concealed annoyance. "Lyse!" she exclaimed, her voice a little too high-pitched. "There you are! What a surprise, how did you get out of the house?" While inwardly she cussed at Lottie for being careless enough to let Lyse be out.
She quickly steered Lyse away from the curious gaze of Denise, her hand firmly on her arm. "We were just leaving," Brooke said, her tone dismissive. "Come on, darling." She said to Lyse.
She led Lyse through the open door, away from the prying eyes of Denise who no doubt was going to go and start gossiping. Once they were alone, Brooke forced a smile, her eyes fixed on Lyse.
"I did not expect to see you here," she said, her voice overly sweet. "Does Lottie know that you are here?"
Lyse frowned, still trying to piece together the fragmented memories swirling in her head. "I was tired of doing nothing, I wanted to see my office." she said, her voice hesitant.
"Oh, right," Brooke said, her smile faltering slightly. "Well, things have been a little... different since you were... away."
She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Since you were in a coma, I had to step in and take over some of your responsibilities at work," she explained. "It was quite a lot to handle, but I managed you see."
Lyse’s brow furrowed. "You... took over my work?" she asked, her confusion deepening.
"Just temporarily, of course," Brooke reassured her quickly. "Until you were feeling better. But now that you are back, things can go back to normal soon enough."
Lyse remained silent for a moment, trying to process this information. It felt strange, this idea of Brooke taking over her work. She had always been the lead designer, the one in charge. The thought of Brooke stepping into her shoes felt... unsettling.
"I see," she said finally, her voice quiet.
Brooke beamed, mistaking Lyse’s silence for acceptance. "Great!" she exclaimed. "I was actually hoping that you could help me with a few things. There are some designs I have been working on. You know, the Golden Fleece competition is coming up soon and I wou love to get your input."
"The Golden Fleece competition?" Lyse echoed, her mind unsettled.
"Yes, since you were not available I will be representing Marlowe’s." Brooke said smoothly.
Lyse felt conflicted by this new information, she had hoped to apply for the most prestigious of competitions for budding fashion designers this year but apparently Brooke not her would be competing, again.
Brooke pulled out a folder filled with sketches and fabric swatches, extending it towards Lyse. "I was thinking that we could go over these together. It would be great to have your expertise."
Lyse looked at the folder, then back at Brooke. A sense of unease settled in her stomach. She could not remember resigning, but that must have been a serious enough thing to make her leave what was her safe haven. She had a feeling that something momentous had happened and no one was telling her, she needed to see James so that he could fill her in, he was the only one she trusted to tell her the entire truth.
Besides that, she also did not feel ready to jump back into work. Especially not with Brooke, who had always been so competitive and dismissive of her talent and had even paraded her own work as hers, going on to even win competitions and make a name for herself.
"I... I don’t think that I’m quite ready," Lyse said, her voice firm. "I am still recovering. I need some time to adjust."
Brooke’s smile faltered, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. "But it would just be a few things, nothing even serious." she protested. "It would really help me out."
"I’m really sorry, Brooke," Lyse said, her voice resolute. "I need to focus on my recovery right now. I can’t think about work."
Brooke’s annoyance deepened, but she forced herself to maintain a facade of understanding. "Of course," she said, her voice tight. "I understand. Just let me know when you are feeling up to it, I would really appreciate it."
She retracted the folder, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Lyse. She could sense a shift in Lyse’s demeanor, a subtle resistance that had not been there before. She had hoped that Lyse’s amnesia would make her more pliable, more easily manipulated.
But instead, it seemed that even without her memories, Lyse still possessed a strong sense of self, a quiet strength that Brooke had underestimated. This realization made Brooke even more determined to keep Lyse close, to control the narrative and ensure that she got what she needed from her. After that, she would discard her like a used toy.