Ruby noticed Tina Ives and quickly stood up, greeting her respectfully, "Hello, Ms. Ives."
Tina lifted her chin, her gaze drifting from Ruby's face to Anna.
Her eyes landed on the design drafts in Anna's hands, and her brows furrowed. Her tone turned sharp.
"Miss Ruby, if I remember correctly, those are the company's design drafts. They're confidential. Are you planning to leak company secrets by showing them to outsiders?"
Ruby froze, startled by such an accusation, and hurried to explain. "Ms. Ives, it's not like that. This is Miss Marie, the chief designer from International Fashion, and an important potential partner for the Luke Corporation. That's why I showed her the drafts."
Even though Tina hadn't married Harry Luke yet, she had already given birth to the Luke family's heir and was acknowledged by Harry as the future lady of the house.
Ruby dared not offend her.
Tina narrowed her eyes with a mocking smile as she pointed at Anna. "You say she's the chief designer for International Fashion?"
Ruby nodded, "Yes."
Tina let out a laugh, then turned to Zach White, teasing, "Mr. White, since when did your fiancée become the chief designer of International Fashion?"
Zach's gaze on Anna was cold and filled with displeasure.
After what happened at the hotel yesterday, when Anna had pulled his hair, he was already furious and wanted to cancel their engagement.
But his mother refused.
She had said the scandal from three months ago was too big. If they didn't use the marriage to cover it up, it would never end.
Even though Anna's reputation was in ruins, she still came from the Ives family.
After Zach's scandal, no other wealthy family wanted their daughters to marry him.
That was why they had chosen Anna, a girl already disgraced.
Under George Ives' forced smile and Mrs. White's persuasion, Zach had reluctantly agreed to get engaged to Anna the following Tuesday.
"What are you doing here?" Zach asked, his voice flat.
Anna raised her eyes to him and replied calmly, "Looking at the designs."
Zach's face darkened instantly. He clenched his teeth. "Are you pretending to be the chief designer of International Fashion?"
Anna paused, then let out a small laugh. "Why would I need to pretend?"
Zach's expression stayed grim, and Tina, standing at his side, spoke with mocking disdain. "Why? Isn't it because of your vanity?"
Anna frowned, realizing the two in front of her didn't believe who she really was.
But she couldn't be bothered to argue. Instead, she turned to Ruby with a faint smile. "Miss Ruby, do you believe I'm Marie?"
Ruby looked uneasy.
She glanced at Tina, then back at Anna, hesitating. "Ms. Ives, I… I called Miss Marie to meet here, so this lady must be…"
Before she could finish, Tina cut in, raising her hand sharply. "Miss Ruby, Marie is the chief designer of International Fashion. And she... " Tina pointed at Anna with a smirk, "is my half-sister. Years ago, she got involved with a man for money, ended up pregnant before marriage, and then lost the baby. Do you really think someone like her could be the chief designer of International Fashion?"
The venomous words pierced like sharp needles, each one cutting deeper than the last.
Anna's face paled slightly, her eyes flashing with anger.
The memories she had tried so hard to bury were now being torn open, raw and bleeding before everyone.
It had been six years since her eldest son had died, born without breath. She hadn't even had the chance to look at him.
That pain, though buried deep, still lingered in her heart, and whenever someone brought it up, the wound throbbed all over again.
"I am Marie, the chief designer for International Fashion," Anna declared firmly, her voice steady and unshaken.
Tina burst out laughing as if she'd just heard the most ridiculous joke.
Her eyes gleamed with mockery as she pointed at Anna. "Anna, have you completely lost your mind? How dare you pretend to be the chief designer of International Fashion? Don't you know Marie is holding a press conference next Monday? Before you make up lies, at least do your homework. Don't spout something so easily exposed!"
Anna's eyes darkened, but she repeated without hesitation, "I am Marie, the chief designer for International Fashion."
Seeing Anna's stubbornness, Tina turned to Zach. "Mr. White, she's your fiancée in name, at least. If International Fashion finds out she's impersonating their designer, your White Corporation might be in serious trouble."
Zach's face darkened immediately.
Marie's visit to the country was a golden opportunity for International Fashion to collaborate, and such a partnership could open foreign markets for his company.
He couldn't let this woman ruin everything!
He and Tina had come here today because they heard the design director from Luke Corporation had arranged a meeting with Marie.
Zach had wanted to seize the chance to meet her in person and maybe secure cooperation for White Corporation.
"Anna! Don't be ungrateful. Come back with me right now!" Zach said, his expression twisted with impatience.
Anna stayed calm. She turned to Ruby and said, "Miss Ruby, if you believe I'm Marie, let's go somewhere else to talk."
Ruby could see Tina's open hostility.
Having worked at Luke Corporation for years and climbed to the position of design director, Ruby was no fool.
She had dealt with all kinds of situations.
With a faint smile, she looked at Anna and suggested, "Miss, how about this? Since they don't believe you, perhaps you could provide some concrete proof that you're Marie."
Anna's lips curved into a sarcastic smile. She hadn't expected them all to be the same.
Without bothering to defend herself, she rose to her feet and said calmly, "Believe whatever you want."
As she turned to leave, Tina grabbed her arm, her face full of mockery. "Sister, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just that your lies are too clumsy."
Anna smiled.
Her calm expression brightened with a sharp edge as she smoothly pulled her arm free. "Tina, your eyesight has always been poor since we were kids. Now that you've hooked a rich man, I suggest you get it checked. Otherwise, if it becomes permanent, that's a lifelong issue."
Tina's face turned pale at the insult. She clenched her teeth. "Anna, what do you mean by that?"
Anna gave her a cold glance and chuckled. "Exactly what it sounds like."
Tina was fuming, her face flushing with anger as her fists tightened at her sides.
"Anna, it's your vanity that made you pretend to be an international fashion designer. Now that I've exposed you, are you embarrassed?"
Her smile didn't reach her eyes as she continued in a cutting tone, "Fine then. You claim to be the chief designer of International Fashion? Let's see if you have the guts to show up at the press conference next Monday!"