After all, Lucy is of royal descent. Who wouldn't fear death and dare to oppose the royal family?

Initially, she had been contemplating how to deal with Freya, but she hadn't anticipated Lucy targeting her as a romantic rival.

Now, she didn't need to lift a finger, just await Julia's Boutique's closure.

"Since you can't tamper with the design, can't you start with the raw materials?"

Selena had been brainstorming strategies to handle Freya all along.

Initially, she had considered hiring her as a private designer and then framing her.

Who would've thought this woman was so indifferent? Not even the allure of profit could sway her.

"No, Julia's raw materials are all custom-made and heavily guarded. It's difficult to tamper with them. I once sent someone to infiltrate Julia's store, but we couldn't find an opportunity to act."

"There is always a loophole to be found! Handle this matter yourself. Even if you can't close Julia's Boutique, you must tarnish their reputation."

"I can't even get near Julia's now, so it might be a bit difficult."

Lucy gave her a glance. "If you want to defeat Julia, starting with Freya is your chance. If you can't even handle her, forget about your future in the design world, you won't even make it in Solterra."

Her cold tone left Selena stunned.

"Lucy, you have to give me some advice."

"Let me tell you this, Freya is associated with Julia. Once her reputation is tarnished, Julia herself will be affected. If you can't touch Julia's Boutique, can't you deal with a living person?"

"If you can't, just ruin her reputation, put some photos online. Do I need to teach you these tricks?"

Upon hearing this, Selena suddenly understood.

"You want me to plant that thing on her?"

"Selena, you're a smart person. I believe you'll know what to do. Besides, isn't the International Design Competition about to start? If you don't get rid of this woman, maintaining your second position this year will be difficult."

The International Design Competition is held every three years.

In the last competition, Julia achieved outstanding results and ranked first, while Selena ranked second.

But this year, she was indeed in danger.

After all, Freya's designs were even more outstanding than hers.

If she couldn't maintain her second position, it would be even harder for her to survive in the design world.

"Alright, I promise you, but you have to help me secure a position in the International Design Competition."

"Don't worry, I've already inquired. Apart from Julia, the other designers this year are all newcomers. I'll bribe the judges, and securing you the second position will be easy."

Selena was a bit dissatisfied. "Can't I get first place?"

"If you want first place, it depends on how you handle this matter. If you do well, maybe I can make some arrangements in secret and help you achieve that."

Upon hearing this, Selena was delighted. "Don't worry, I'll definitely make Freya... fall from grace."

"Go on, I'll be waiting for your good news."

Selena immediately went to take action."

She recalled that several employees had previously transferred to Julia's store. She needed to identify who they were and approach them.

Selena immediately instructed her assistant to investigate.

Soon, the assistant returned with news, "Boss, three people joined Julia's store last time. One is named Lily, and the others are Max and Aaron."

"Alright, find a way to persuade them. If the soft approach doesn't work, resort to something more forceful. I recall these three are all married, with families..."

The assistant nodded understandingly, "Don't worry, I know what to do."

Selena gestured for her to leave, then sat on the sofa, lighting a cigarette.

She hadn't expected to be so ruthless, but with the International Design Competition rapidly approaching, she couldn't afford to waste time.

Lucy promised that if she succeeded in this, she would help her secure the title of 'Top Designer.'

She had always aspired to be the best. How could she let such a golden opportunity slip away?

But her recent reputation had taken a hit, with many people questioning her designs.

So, before anything else, she needed to find a way to restore some of her reputation to avoid any surprises during the competition.

…

Ella reserved a seafood restaurant.

After everyone had eaten their fill and had enough to drink, they invited each other to go to karaoke for some singing.

Freya was in a good mood and decided to join in.

Ella had booked a luxurious VIP room and ordered plenty of drinks and food.

As the group sang and drank, the atmosphere was lively.

"Freya, the International Design Competition is just around the corner. Do you plan to participate?"

Ella asked, raising her glass with a smile.

Freya took a sip of her wine and replied, "Same as always, I'll do the designs, and you can take them to the competition. I won't make an appearance."

"Sounds good. I have a feeling this year's competition won't be smooth sailing. Let's stay low if we can."

Selena was dragged into court and was rumored to have to compensate consumers with millions.

Knowing Selena's cunning nature, she would undoubtedly seek revenge.

"I'm not overly worried about the competition. You should look into Lucy. I have a hunch there's something peculiar about her. Suddenly appearing today and expressing interest in hiring me as a designer, it's quite suspicious."

"Okay."

As they chatted, a colleague came down to invite them, "Freya, Ella, come join us for some singing."

"No thanks, you guys go ahead,"

Ella waved her hand.

She was tone-deaf and never sang.

"What about Freya? Come join us."

"I'll pass. Just enjoy yourselves,"

Freya declined. Singing was not her forte, and she seldom frequented such places. Even when she did, it was merely for a drink.

However, Ava and her friends were too enthusiastic. They promptly dragged Ella onto the stage.

Ella had no choice but to hum along.

As Freya listened to Ella's singing, she smiled softly.

Lily, seated nearby, stood up and approached Freya, raising her glass to clink with Freya's. "Freya, how long have you been studying design?" Lily inquired.

"About three years," Freya replied.

"It's quite impressive to achieve your current level in just over three years," Lily remarked, admiringly.

Freya returned the smile.

Though it had been only a little over three years, Freya had poured countless efforts into her studies during this time.

"I've been studying for six years, yet I haven't seen much progress in my skills. If it weren't for your guidance, I fear I'd still be at a standstill," Lily confessed.

"You have potential. With dedicated learning, progress will surely come," Freya encouraged, clinking glasses with Lily once more.

Lily humbly accepted the advice and clinked her glass with Freya's again. "Thank you, Freya. You're truly my mentor," Lily expressed sincerely.

"I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a mentor, but as long as you continue to work hard, life will bring you surprises," Freya replied warmly before excusing herself. "I'll step out for a moment. We can chat more later."

"Of course,"

Lily replied as she watched Freya head to the restroom, her gaze lingering on her glass for a moment.

Ten minutes later, Freya returned to her seat.

Feeling a bit thirsty, she picked up her glass and downed its contents in one go.

Observing this, Lily silently clenched her fists.

At that moment, Freya's phone rang.