Chapter 483

"No way?" Penny Anderson hurried to the window, where a thin layer of condensation had already formed on the glass. "It didn't look like rain earlier."

Wendy Evans set down her design sketches, her expression serious. "The drainage system in the old district is outdated. A heavy downpour will cause flooding. Your office is so far—if you get stuck in traffic, it'll be a nightmare."

Stella Valentine glanced at her watch. The hour hand pointed to four. Remembering her promise to Benjamin Langley, she began gathering her files. "We should head out now. Feel free to reach out if anything comes up."

Their planned dinner would have to wait. Wendy laughed warmly. "Safety first. We'll celebrate after the fashion show wraps up."

"Absolutely." Stella nodded. "The models are in great form. This show will be a success."

Ten minutes later, their convoy left the studio. The sky darkened abruptly, heavy clouds pressing down as if night had fallen early.

Penny stared at the increasingly gloomy view outside, clicking her tongue. "That weather forecast was spot-on. What app do you use, Stella? Mine didn't give any alerts."

"Someone forwarded it to me," Stella replied casually, though her fingers absently traced the edge of her phone.

"Was it Mr. Roland?" Penny's eyes lit up. "It had to be him!"

Stella didn't deny it.

"He's thinking about you!" Penny smacked the car seat excitedly. "He tracked down those impossible-to-find Star Candies—why can't he just say what's on his mind?"

"Focus on work," Stella cut her off. "The show orders are critical for the company's survival. We need to act fast once we're back."

Penny straightened immediately. "I've already notified the group chat. Do we need to increase raw material orders?"

"Wait until I've inspected the samples." Stella flipped open her notebook. "I'll finalize the hairpin base designs tonight. Make sure production is ready."

Under the strong runway lights, intricate hairpin details would be lost. Stella decided to simplify the patterns to meet the deadline.

"Does the design team need to step in?" Penny asked, taking notes.

"I'll handle the initial phase. Everyone can contribute later." Stella's gaze was resolute. "Shi's Jewelry must become an industry benchmark—not just rely on one person."

Penny marveled silently at her ambition, though she knew the immense pressure it carried.

Their convoy crawled through the torrential rain. By the time they reached the office, visibility had dropped to less than five meters.

The driver wiped rainwater from his face. "Good thing we left early. The main roads are gridlocked now."

Penny gasped as she scrolled through news alerts. "The old district's traffic is paralyzed! Police are redirecting vehicles."

Stella stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the city blur behind the downpour. She pulled out her phone and sent two words to a familiar number: [Thank you]

Raindrops hammered against the glass, echoing the unspoken emotions of a certain someone.