A Fake Heiress’s Guide to Love and Power novel Chapter 360

Fortune sat in the very front row, a perfectly polished smile on his lips and eyes full of affection as he watched Sienna. She met his gaze for a heartbeat before turning her attention to the laptop in front of her.

“Now, I’ll be showing everyone the full range of our Evergreen Collection,” Sienna announced, pressing the remote in her hand. The screen behind her lit up with the basics.

Even if it was copied, Sienna had made a few tweaks here and there–after all, she was a designer, and her sense of aesthetics wasn’t entirely lacking. But maybe she hadn’t truly grasped the heart of this collection; the result was stiff, awkward, like sticking an emerald label on a single pearl.

Queenie watched, stone–faced, as the jewelry she and her team had slaved over–countless nights, countless drafts–had been butchered and shamelessly paraded around. To say she wasn’t upset would be a lie. This wasn’t just her effort; it was the work of her entire studio, and this particular concept carried a special meaning for her.

Sensing the shift in Queenie’s mood, Alessia reached over and gently patted her hand, offering silent comfort.

Drawing a shaky breath, Queenie blinked, then flashed Alessia a grateful smile.

One by one, the pieces were presented. Soon enough, the baseline designs had all been shown.

“As you can see, in addition to the classic pieces, Evergreen–the main feature of this collection–is what we’re highlighting today,” Sienna continued.

The photographer zoomed in, finally focusing on Sienna’s wrist, her neck, and the earlobe half–hidden by her hair.

A few people in the audience frowned. They didn’t care what the designer looked like; they just wanted to see whether the products matched their tastes. Clearly, Sienna was drawing too much attention to herself.

“That concludes the showcase of the Evergreen Collection. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask.”

Sienna didn’t seem to notice the undercurrent in the room, sticking to the script and moving the event forward.

No sooner had she finished speaking than half a dozen journalists shot their hands

1. up. Sienna picked one at random, and a staff member quickly handed over the mid-

“Miss Winston, hello. I’m lane from the Herald.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Lane.” Sienna nodded politely.

“The series is called Evergreen–does the name carry any special meaning?”

“The Evergreen Collection is about timelessness… A woman’s beauty may fade, but her charm shouldn’t disappear with it. That’s why I designed Evergreen, to express that-”

She rattled off the prepared concept, but whether she hadn’t internalized it or was just too self–assured, her words stumbled and faltered.

Queenie’s jaw clenched. She couldn’t decide if she should be relieved Sienna hadn’t stolen her concept, or just exasperated that Sienna couldn’t even plagiarize correctly.

Unable to listen a moment longer, Queenie gave the faintest nod. The security camera caught it, and a second later, the entire showroom was plunged into darkness–screens and all.

Pitch black. Not even a hand in front of your face. From the crowd came startled gasps that only heightened the panic, turning the atmosphere chaotic in an instant Sienna froze, illuminated eerily by the pale glow of her laptop screen–she looked like something out of a horror movie.

She glanced up to see Alessia and Queenie sitting calmly in their seats, faces unreadable, as though just waiting for the real show to begin.

Forcing herself to stay calm, Sienna couldn’t help but remember what Fortune had told her.

“Alessia isn’t someone you want to cross. Back when the Tate family was at its peak, she managed to run two businesses right under their noses–plus, she’s got the full backing of the Whitley Group and connections everywhere. My advice? Don’t push your luck.”