Becomes

Chapter 0135

Serena’s POV

Taylor’s question is the one I’ve been expecting. I take a deep breath, my fingers interlacing as I prepare to respond.

I shift in my seat, sitting up straighter. My hands rest in my lap, and I take a moment to collect my thoughts.

“Max and I don’t really get along,” I begin, keeping my voice steady. “We started off on the wrong foot when we first met. Our personalities are different, and we have different ideas about our work.”

I pause, choosing my next words carefully. “But I respect Max as a designer. His talent and creativity are clear. It’s just a shame that things got so bad between us.”

Taylor leans forward slightly, her expression serious.

“Why do you think Max would do that?” Taylor asks, her voice gentle but probing. “Right now, people are really upset with him.

Thesitate, thinking for a moment. Should I tell Taylor about what I know, that Max was bribed by Elena? But I don’t want to drag Bill into this because of his mother’s actions.I take another deep breath, choosing my words carefully.

“I think Max was under a lot of pressure,” I say slowly. “There are always so many factors behind the scenes that people don’t see. It’s complicated, and sometimes people make bad decisions when they’re feeling desperate.”

Taylor’s eyes soften as she processes my response. “Can you forgive Max for what he did?” she asks, her voice filled with genuine concern.

“Oh, I’ve already forgiven him,” I say. “If anything, this whole mess showed me that I can really work under pressure. I managed to fix and even recreate some of the jewelry.”

I pause, a playful glint in my eye. “But next time, I’d rather not find out how well I can do everything last minute,” I joke.

Taylor laughs with me. Phew, I think I handled that question with grace.

Taylor and I talk more about how I fixed everything within less than four hours before the show started.

1 tell her about a friend who helped me. I just don’t mention it was Calvin because I don’t want Bill to

get the wrong idea and be upset with me.

It’s not like Bill and I are back together, but I still care about how he feels.

Taylor’s eyes light up with excitement as we approach the end of the interview. “So, what’s been keeping you busy these days? And how’s the baby doing? I’ve been dying to know all the details!”

I smile, feeling a warm glow as I place a hand on my belly. “I’m 20 weeks pregnant,” I say. “The baby’s doing great. All the check–ups have been positive, and I’m starting to feel those little kicks.”

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415 BONUS

“That sounds amazing. I’m sure you’re taking it easy since your due date is coming up soon?” Taylor asks, her eyes filled with concern.

I laugh softly. “Actually, I’m working on a summer collection for my brand.”

“Wow, that’s incredible! You’re really superwoman, juggling pregnancy and a new collection. How do you manage to do it all?”

I shrug with a smile. “It’s not easy, but I love what I do. Plus, I have Stevie helping me. We make a great team, and honestly, the baby seems to give me extra motivation.”

Taylor grins. “That’s truly inspiring, Serena. Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us. I’m sure our viewers are just as impressed as I am. We can’t wait to see your new collection.”

“Thanks, Taylor,” I say, feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment. “It was great talking with you.” With that, the interview wraps up.

Taylor gives me a warm hug. As she pulls away, she smiles brightly.

“You’re amazing, Serena,” Taylor says warmly.

“Thanks, Taylor. You’re pretty great yourself,” I reply with a smile.

“I hope this isn’t the last time we can work together,” Taylor says. “As promised, I’d love to be one of your models in your summer collection.”

Even now, I’m still amazed that a fashion icon like Taylor wants to wear my jewelry.

“That would be incredible, Taylor,” I say, grinning. “+can’t wait to see you rocking my designs.”

Taylor smiles brightly. “I’m excited, Serena. I’ll stay in touch and let you know when the video goes up.

“Perfect,” I reply.

As I leave the studio, I feel more confident than before. The interview went well, and I’m excited about how the video would turn out.

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