Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 13

In the design department's conference room, Scarlett and her team gathered around the long table. Her fingertips traced each material name on the list, her voice barely containing her excitement.

"The primary fabric for the 'Starlight' show has arrived at the warehouse—pearlescent satin flown in from Seraphim. Under the lights, it'll reflect like the Milky Way. The custom starlight fixtures have been calibrated too. We'll have shooting stars during the opening sequence." 

"And we've confirmed the final batch of models—all runway veterans with enough presence to really carry the looks."

Scarlett watched the spark in her team members' eyes and couldn't help but smile. 

"Starlight" was eight months of her blood and sweat, evolving from a hazy concept to something she could now visualize in perfect detail, every element infused with her dedication.

She picked up the fabric swatch card from the table. The pearlescent satin caught the light, shimmering with tiny flecks of brilliance. 

She'd visited three fabric mills before finding the perfect material for "Starlight"—the custom order alone had cost nearly a million dollars.

Just then, the conference room door swung open. Edith clicked in on her heels, followed by an assistant carrying fruit tea and pastries. A wave of cloying sweetness immediately overpowered the coffee scent in the room.

Dressed in a pink suit with perfectly painted red lips curved into a smile, she looked as manufactured as a Barbie doll in a display case. 

"You've all been working so hard. I brought some afternoon treats and thought I'd check on your progress."

The team's smiles froze momentarily. No one stood to greet her—only the new intern timidly murmured, "Thank you, Ms. Seymour."

Edith, seemingly oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, walked straight to the table. Her gaze fell on the materials list, her finger tapping the line that read "custom pearlescent satin." "This fabric looks quite ordinary. How much did it cost?"

"Ms. Seymour," Scarlett began, keeping her tone as even as possible, "this is custom pearlescent satin. Yes, it's expensive, but it creates the layered depth of a night sky—it's the core element of 'Starlight.'"

"Core element?" Edith let out a soft laugh, holding the fabric swatch up to the light. 

"It looks like regular chiffon to me. Let's switch to standard chiffon in a similar color. We'll save on the budget."

Her tone was airy, as casual as commenting on the weather, but it instantly froze the air in the conference room.

Scarlett stared in disbelief, certain she'd misheard. "Switch to chiffon? Absolutely not! Chiffon has no luminescence, the drape is completely wrong—it would collapse the entire design concept; it would ruin the entire show!"

"It's just one fashion show. Don't be so dramatic," Edith set down the swatch, her smile fading slightly. 

"I'm the design department manager. What I say goes. We don't have budget for these extravagances."

"The budget is completely reasonable for what we're creating!" Scarlett shot to her feet, her chair scraping harshly against the floor. 

"Regular chiffon won't work. 'Starlight' isn't something you can just throw together. It's—"

"Enough." Edith cut her off, all pretense of warmth vanishing, replaced by the arrogance of someone who knew they held power. 

"I don't have time for your lectures. It's decided. Tomorrow, have Procurement switch to chiffon."

With that, she turned and walked out, her assistant hurriedly gathering the unopened refreshments and scurrying after her, leaving behind a room full of stunned faces.

---

Scarlett practically burst into the director's office. "Mr. Edwards! We cannot change the 'Starlight' fabric!" 

She slammed the fabric swatch onto his desk, her chest heaving. "That's custom pearlescent satin—chiffon will completely destroy the effect! I've spent eight months on this show. We can't let it be ruined like this!"

Peter sat behind his imposing desk, looking at her reddened eyes with a resigned sigh. He pulled a document from his drawer and slid it toward Scarlett. "See for yourself."

The paper bore Sebastian's flamboyant signature, with a clear directive written beneath: [Have Scarlett cooperate with Edith.]

Scarlett's fingers traced those cold words, trembling uncontrollably. So this was why Edith acted with such impunity—she had his permission.

"Mr. Howard said," Peter lowered his voice, sympathy evident in his tone, "not to butt heads with Ms. Edith Seymour. Just cooperate and don't make trouble. Their engagement party is next month, after all. Creating tension now won't do anyone any good."

Make trouble? Standing up for her work, protecting her vision—in their eyes, this was "making trouble"? 

Scarlett clutched the fabric swatch, its edge digging painfully into her palm. She looked at Peter's evasive gaze and suddenly found it all darkly comical. 

In this company controlled by the Howard Group, her passion, her ideals, the designs she valued more than life itself—apparently meant absolutely nothing.

Back in her office, Scarlett sank into her chair. In the small space, only a single ray of sunlight from the window illuminated the scattered designs on her desk. 

She stared at the starry sky sketch she'd drawn countless times, suddenly feeling a burning sensation in her eyes.

"Scarlett, still upset about the fabric issue?"

Edith's voice pierced the silence like a needle. Scarlett looked up to see Edith standing in her doorway, holding a fruit tea, her face wearing a mask of "concern."

"Don't take it so personally. It's just a fabric change. So what if the effect isn't perfect? No one really cares anyway." She walked in, her gaze sweeping over the designs on the desk before letting out a soft laugh. 

"Actually, I think this 'Starlight' theme is too gloomy—all that darkness feels depressing. Why not switch to pink tones? Like my engagement party—balloons and roses everywhere. So much more festive."

Scarlett clenched her fists but remained silent. 

Edith leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper only the two of them could hear, malice flickering in her eyes like a serpent's tongue, "Have you forgotten? This entire company belongs to Seb. I can do whatever I want. What can you possibly do about it?"

Those final words, like a poison-tipped dagger, struck precisely at Scarlett's most vulnerable point. She shot to her feet, the chair legs scraping against the floor again, this time with resolute fury.

Edith appeared startled, instinctively stepping back, but her eyes reddened with theatrical speed. 

She turned toward the doorway, her voice quavering. "Seb, you're here to pick me up? I was just trying to give Scarlett some suggestions. Did I say something wrong? She seems very angry."

Sebastian stood in the doorway, dressed in a dark suit, his tall figure commanding, his gaze settling heavily on Scarlett's tense face. 

Scarlett's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Sebastian, a faint glimmer of hope still lingering in her eyes. 

Would he ask what had actually happened? Would he... care even slightly about the work she'd poured her heart into?