The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride (Ethan and Janet)

"Did Derek send them?" Elizabeth quickly surmised that it must be Derek. He was always one to flaunt his wealth and make a scene.

"Derek is out of his mind! He isn't even in Barnes anymore," Janet exclaimed, shocked and at a loss for words. She picked up the bouquet, ready to toss it away. "I'll have to give him a piece of my mind someday."

Elizabeth then noticed a card nestled in the flowers and had a sudden thought. She reminded Janet, "Hold on, don't throw them away just yet. You should read the card first."

Janet dismissed the idea of reading the card, believing Derek had given up after their previous encounter. Despite Janet's dismissive words, she couldn't help but grab the card and flip it over in frustration. She abruptly stopped speaking.

The card was written in Brandon's handwriting.

Elizabeth noticed that Janet's face was reddening and approached her and asked, "These don't appear to be from Derek, do they? Did Brandon send them? What did he say? Please show me what's written or the card."

Janet hastily concealed the card, licked her lips, and grinned. "Oh, it's nothing. Just a few words of apology."

Brandon's card contained a heartfelt apology, expressing regret for their sexual encounter the night before and how it might have clouded Janet's judgment. He wrote that he wanted to make things right and win her back.

"It would be a shame to throw away these flowers.

Maybe you can share them with everyone here if you don't want to keep them." Elizabeth looked around and suggested.

The flowers caught the attention of Janet's colleagues, who were all surprised and gathered around to admire them. "Lilies are so rare this season. These must have cost a fortune! How generous of your admirer!"

"Could it be from Derek, the model? I heard he's a big movie star now."

"Don't jump to conclusions. It's actually from Janet's husband," Elizabeth interjected. She knew Brandon's intentions to make amends with Janet, so she let out a small chuckle.

"Yesterday, I spotted a sports car parked outside. Perhaps it belonged to Janet's spouse, I suppose."

"They've been together for years, yet their love still burns bright. The flowers... how sweet and romantic."

Upon entering the studio, Draco was greeted by a crowd surrounding Janet, chatting and giggling. The sight was so overwhelming that if he hadn't been familiar with his own studio, he would have assumed he had walked into the wrong place.

"What's going on here during working hours?" The happy chatter immediately subsided, and Draco turned to Janet and said, "Come to my office, please."

The collective sigh of relief from the designers was almost audible as they dispersed back to their workstations.

Janet bit her lips and followed Draco into his office. "Janet, it appears you've lately gained popularity around here." Draco leaned back against his chair as he put the design sketches on the table.

"I apologize, Mr. Wesley I was engaging in a conversation with my colleagues. I am willing to face the consequences of my actions." Janet spoke with remorse, showing her bravery by taking responsibility for her mistake.

Draco's face scrunched slightly before a smile crept onto his lips as he said, "No need to be concerned. I'm not a stick-in-the-mud. It's great to see everyone getting along. Actually, I wanted to tell you that dress you designed for Estella has caused quite a stir in the industry. W Marks has received an influx of orders, and with those already scheduled, we're booked through next year."

Janet's eyes widened with delight. "That's great news, Mr. Wesley. Did you bring me here to discuss new orders?"

After pondering, Janet raised her head to look at Draco and furrowed her brows. "However, I still have three designs that are not yet completed. I assume they won't be finished until the end of the year. Shall I call Elizabeth in to assist you with those?" Draco stopped her before she could leave.

"That's not it," Draco clarified, his fists clenched tightly. Janet turned around, looking puzzled.

Draco's face became grave as he asked Janet if she had plans to leave W Marks and become an independent designer.