Obedience No More He's the One I Deserved novel Chapter 126

Most of the leaves had fallen from the tall trees, leaving the trunks a deep brownish–black. Even the moss seemed stripped of its usual vibrancy, looking subdued and desolate.

Dawn took a lot of photos, her mind racing with ideas.

Before long, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

“Let’s head back for now. I think it’s time for a quick meeting.”

Janice raised an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”

Looking through the photos on her camera, Dawn said, “I want to use nature as the inspiration -whether it’s the idea of dead trees coming back to life or just the never–ending cycle of growth, any of these themes could become a fantastic collection.”

One of the photos captured a tiny green sprout poking out of the moss. Her voice rang out clear as she explained, “Let’s call this collection ‘Breath of the Wilds.‘ What do you guys think?”

Besides “Breath of the Wilds,” Dawn’s original collection was inspired by the night sky, which she’d named “Spirit of the Stars.”

The last collection was named “Wilderness Realm.”

Each of these series carried a sense of hope, a reminder that life can find a way even in the toughest conditions.

During the meeting, everyone contributed new ideas that fit perfectly into the established themes.

What was supposed to take two days was wrapped up in just one, all thanks to Dawn’s creative spark.

Janice clapped her hands. “Good job, everyone. The main mission of this trip is done, but we’ll stick with the plan and head back the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow is all yours–just relax

and have fun.”

The air in the resort was totally different from the city, and being surrounded by nature made

it so much easier to create.

Everyone cheered, chanting, “Long live Ms. Knowles!”

Everyone headed back to their rooms, leaving just Janice and Dawn behind.

17:48 Sat, Sep 20

Chapter 126 Having Dinner With Uncle Austin

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Janice let out a half–joking sigh. “Honestly, you should be the team lead. You’ve got both the talent and the connections. I’m just a figurehead.”

Dawn caught the keyword.

“Connections?”

She let out a dry laugh. “What connections do I have?”

“You …”

Of course you have connections!

Janice nearly spilled everything right then and there.

But when she thought of what might happen if she did, the words caught in her throat. She tried to smooth things over, saying, “Your talent is all the connection you need. Hard work doesn’t count for much compared to pure talent.”

She felt a little envious, but she wasn’t jealous.

There was a reason Dawn had already won international awards before even graduating.

Dawn didn’t deny what she said, but she answered seriously. “But the only thing in this world that always pays off is hard work. If you don’t work hard, you could have every chance in the world and still miss out.”

Janice studied her face and didn’t say anything else.

“So, what are you doing tonight?”

Upon hearing the question, Dawn’s face dimmed a little. “I am having dinner with my Uncle

Austin.”

Janice’s eyes widened, “Your uncle’s here?”

“Yeah.”

Dawn didn’t elaborate. “Want to join us, Janice?”

Janice’s eyes sparkled as she grinned. “Of course, I’ll go with you.”

I’m going to keep a close eye on Dawn for the boss, just in case anything happens!

The resort’s restaurant was on the first floor. Dawn and Janice went back to their room to

2/3

17:48 Sat, Sep 20

Chapter 126 Having Dinner With Uncle Austin

freshen up

and change before heading down.

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By the time they arrived, Austin and Sydney were already there, sitting by the window in the otherwise empty hall.

There was a plate of nuts on the table, and Sydney picked one up with her slender fingers, feeding it to Austin, her smile soft and bright.

Janice muttered under her breath, “Looks like your Uncle Austin and his soon–to–be fiancée are getting along great.”

“Yeah.”

Dawn’s tone was flat. “They’re getting engaged soon.”

“So you’ll need to take some time off to head back to Trifton?”

“Maybe.”

If she received an invitation, she would go.

As they walked up to the table, Dawn greeted them and introduced, “Uncle Austin, this is my team lead, Janice Knowles. Janice, this is my uncle, Austin Osborne. And …

She glanced at Sydney, her tone noticeably colder than before.

“This is his girlfriend, Sydney Peay.”

Austin didn’t react, but Sydney was caught off guard.

She hadn’t expected Dawn to be so cold to her. She thought she would at least show her a little respect, especially in front of a coworker.

Sydney’s smile stiffened, but she forced herself to act composed and hid the bitterness in her eyes. “So you’re Dawn’s team lead? Thanks for looking after her these days.”

Janice saw right through the tension and smiled politely, “Ms. Peay, you’re too kind. But shouldn’t those thanks come from Austin?”

She looked over at Austin. “I’ve heard so much about Dawn’s Uncle Austin–everyone says you’re a legend. After seeing you in person, I can see why you’ve got that reputation.”