“Burn those who burned me!” Chapter 150

**Chapter 22: The many lies of Vanessa Taylor.**

A week after Josie left the estate, Vanessa began working at HT-Corp on the designing team. Christian felt this department would be great for her because of the amazing designs she’d done over the years. She would constantly bring him blueprints and drawing of different architectural designs. Because of this, Harlod sent her to Allistar University, the top designing institute in Bridgeton.

*“Ms. Vanessa, Mr. Taylor requested for you to come to his office.”*

Vanessa was reading a text message from Jamie about Tillman when the secretary came into her office causing her to jump a little.

*“Jesus! Don’t you knock! How dare you just walk into my office!”*

*“Apologies ma’am! Mr. Taylor requested to see you.”*

Vanessa rolled her eyes and dismissed the secretary before heading to Christian’s office. Since arriving in the designing department, many of the junior and senior interns and assistants had been on pins and needles. Vanessa was the Taylors precious heiress, and she wasted no time making sure she let everyone know it. She would constantly boss many of the employees around forcing them to do her tasks with threats of getting them fired if they didn’t do as she said.

At first, some of them resisted deciding to call her bluff. All that changed the day Emily Wright was fired because of a proposal Vanessa did. When Christian Taylor demanded to know who was responsible for such a disastrous proposal, Vanessa instantly blamed Emily. When Emily tried to explain it wasn’t her and in fact Vanessa, several staff members bribed by Vanessa came forward saying they’d witnessed Emily working on the proposal. After that, not only did Christian fire Emily, but he also made sure she couldn’t find a job anywhere else in Bridgeton.

After the firing, the employees quickly began sucking up to Vanessa, treating her like she was the queen of the department.

*“Hey big brother!”*

Vanessa bounced into Christian’s office with a huge smile on her face. Motioning for her to sit, Christian was finishing up a call.

*“Well there has to be something on her. See if you can find out who her assistant is. People have already worked with her here in Bridgeton so there’s no reason the Taylors can’t find her.”*

Christian barked his orders to his assistant and sat back into his chair.

*“What was that about?”*

Vanessa looked at Christian with a puzzled expression.

*“Elizabeth Bowen.”*

Vanessa’s eyes widen. She’d heard about this Elizabeth Bowen person from office gossip. Everyone was ranting about how great her designs were. An instant feeling of envy crept into Vanessa.

*“A-Are you thinking about hiring her?”*

Christian nodded yes as he took some papers out of his desk.

Vanessa’s eyes darkened as she began to panic. If Christian hired that Bowen person and brought her into the company, it could jeopardize her chance of running the design department!

*“But why! You don’t need her! You’ve got me!”*

Christian looked up at his sister with a puzzled expression. It was true, Vanessa was fairly talented, but lately her work had been less than stellar. If they were going to win the designing competition and secure the Delgato contract he would need designs that were not only beautiful but extremely unique.

*“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”*

Vanessa began to panic inwardly.

*“As you know, after the new year, Delgato Developments will be hosting the designing competition to pick a company to design and build their new condos and townhomes in the southern region.”*

Vanessa nodded, she’d heard about the competition from office gossip.

*“HT-Corp will be entering that competition. Dad really wants to secure that contract. A contract this big will allow HT-Corp to go global.”*

Christian handed Vanessa a bunch of blank blueprint and sketching sheets. Confused, Vanessa stared at the sheets.

*“Chris…I don’t under-”*

*“I want you to create some new designs for condos and townhomes.”*

*“What! Why?”*

Christian leaned on his desk.

*“Because dad would rather you be the designer for this competition and not Elizabeth Bowen. I on the other hand…well I’m not sure you’re ready.”*

Vanessa’s eyes widen, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Slamming her hands on the desk she stood up in defense.

*“Why not!! You’ve always said you loved my designs! You don’t even know anything about this Bowen-”*

*“That’s precisely why I’m researching her. And yes, I did love many of your designs…but lately…your work has been lackluster at best.”*

Vanessa’s eyes shifted in panic; she wasn’t aware Christian noticed the changes in her work. Christian continued.

*“Look Ness, I would love nothing more than to have you be the one to win the contest for HT; but I need to see some better quality of work.”*

Vanessa sank slowly into her chair, her mind going in a million directions as Christian continued.

*“If it makes you feel any better, I know you can do it. I’m not exactly sure what’s been keeping you occupied…but now is the time to get serious. If you want to run the design department I need to know you’re capable.”*

Vanessa looked up at Christian, her perfect smile mask back on her face.

*“I understand big brother! I won’t let you and father down!”*

Christian nodded in approval. As she hurried back to her office, Vanessa’s mind began to race with panic. The reason she’d been so preoccupied these past several months was because she had to help Jamie constantly move Tillman around. The pressure was starting to get to Jamie which meant it was getting to her. She couldn’t afford for Christian to learn the truth.

After getting back to her office, Vanessa quickly grabbed some sketches and blueprints that were in her desk. After scanning over the documents, Vanessa’s face scrunched up. These designs weren’t going to be good enough for Christian. Grabbing her keys, she decided to head home.

*“If my brother asks, tell him I went home to start working on some designs for the competition.”*

Vanessa informed one of the interns and headed out of the building.

When she arrived home, Vanessa made a b-line straight to Josie’s room. Closing the door quietly behind her so that her mother wouldn’t hear, Vanessa began ransacking Josie’s closet. Pulling out a box filled with binders and sketch books. As she scanned through the booklets, Vanessa’s face began to fall. Many of these sketches she’d already used and the ones she didn’t they weren’t condos or townhouses. Frustrated she threw the books into the closet.

*“What the hell am I going to do now!!”*

Vanessa felt like a building was crashing onto her head. All these years, no one in the family knew it was Josie’s work that she had been passing on as her own. One day when Josie was visiting her nana, Vanessa went into her room; while going through her things, she found her booklets of designs and sketches. She ended up using many of those designs to deceive her family and school. Up until now, the sketches were her lifeline to success; landing her the cushy position of interim assistant manager in the designing department at HT. But now, she didn’t know what she was going to do. Christian was already starting to notice to difference in her work. The past two months, many of the designs she’d submitted had actually been created by her; nowhere near the technique or creativity of Josie.

Vanessa fumed as she thought about how much more talented Josie was over her. That was the main reason she’d decided to get rid of her four years ago. At the time, she knew the Taylors favored her over Josie, but if they started to notice her talents she wasn’t sure how long that favor would last. In order to get rid of Josie, she’d caused a car crash that took the life a young mother and staged it to look like she was intoxicated when it happened. She was banking on the Taylors forcing Josie to take the fall in her stead. Like dancing puppets, they’d did exactly what she knew they would do. She used the next four years to secure her spot as the heiress of HT-Corp. Now, all of her hard work was being threatened because of some stupid Elizabeth Bowen!

Needing some fresh air, Vanessa made her way to her favorite café.

********

*“Ms. Wright, I think I just saw the woman you hired me to watch enter the café.”*

Emily smiled lightly. Looks like Josie was right; eventually Vanessa would show up at that café.

*“Good. Now do what I told you to do.”*

*“Yes ma’am.”*

The woman stood up and began to walk towards Vanessa. As soon as Vanessa walked out of the line with her order, as instructed, the woman bumped into Vanessa causing her to spill her iced latte.

*“Oh my gosh!!! I’m so sorry!!!”*

*“What the fuck! Are you blind! Why don’t you watch where you’re going!!”*

Vanessa fumed as she grabbed her purse off the ground. The woman bowed apologizing over and over.

*“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention!”*

*“Ugh! Obviously!”*

Apologizing one more time; the woman grabbed her bag and hurried out of the café. Still irritated, Vanessa stalked back into the order line to purchase another iced latte.

*“Stupid bitch. I should have made her buy me another latte. Ugh!”*

As Vanessa pulled her wallet out, a man tapped her on her shoulder.

*“Um, excuse me miss.”*

Still upset, Vanessa instantly snapped at the man.

*“What is it!”*

Nervous, he handed Vanessa the folder.

*“I-Is this yours? I found it over there on the ground.”*

Vanessa looked in the direction the man pointed too and then at the folder. Realizing the folder wasn’t hers, she figured the woman must’ve dropped it. Just as she was about to tell the man no, she noticed to the blueprints hanging out. Her eyes instantly widen.

*“Yes! Yes this is mine.”*

Vanessa snatched the folder from the man and hurried out of the line and cafe. As she quickly made her way to her car, she opened the folder. Vanessa could hardly believe her eyes and her luck. Inside the folder was blueprints and sketches of houses and condos; but more importantly…the designs were good!

*"I can't believe it! Maybe she was going to enter the competition?"*

Nervously looking around the parking lot to make sure that woman didn’t return, Vanessa quickly got into her car and left.

As she drove off, the woman walked out from behind a pilar with her phone to her ear.

*“It’s done ma’am. She took the folder with the sketches.”*