Anne got busier with every passing day. She spent all her time designing Cherry's outfit.
Her entire routine had changed after she took up the project. Anne left early in the morning and came
home late at night after everyone retired to bed.
Eddy was getting older. He had lots of homework and assignments to complete. Therefore, he went to
bed early. He hadn't seen his mother for many days and missed her a lot.
Eddy was a sensible boy. He never asked for too much. Although the little boy missed Anne, he kept it
to his heart and never complained. However, Selma was aware of her grandson's feelings. She
understood that Eddy was suppressing all his emotions in his heart.
Selma looked at Kevin with a disgruntled look. "I understand that Anne is busy working hard to
establish her company, but family comes first. The children are more important; she has to spend time
with them regardless of how busy she is."
Selma didn't care about Anne's new company. Her grandchildren meant everything to her and she
wouldn't compromise their happiness for anything in the world.
Kevin felt helpless because Anne had really been busy. They were getting closer to the ceremony, and
he knew that his wife would be free after that.
"Mom, Cherry is nominated for the role of best actress. As her designer, Anne will be busy for the next
few days. But she will get free once the ceremony is over. Please understand her." Kevin smiled
apologetically and added more food to Selma's bowl.
The frown on Selma's forehead deepened. She glanced at Eddy and sighed. "Your mother has always
wanted to be a designer. Now that she finally has the chance to prove herself, we all should be happy
for her."
Selma understood Anne's situation but felt sad for her grandson as well.
Meanwhile, Anne was still in the office, oblivious to what was going on in her house.
She devoted all her time and energy into designing Cherry's outfit. She inspected every intricate stroke
and supervised embroidery workers to embroider the dress.
Although Anne was good at conceptualizing and designing, she wasn't good at embroidery. Therefore,
she hired the best embroidery workers to make the outfit.
Handmade dresses had a personal touch and looked more elegant. Therefore, she chose to craft every
detail with hand.
Emily somehow found out that Anne had finished designing Cherry's outfit. After dinner, she asked
Sam to take her to Anne's office.
Anne was happy to see Emily; her gaze instantly flitted to the woman's stomach. Emily had been
pregnant for more than two months, yet her belly was still flat.
"Is this Cherry's dress?" Emily's eyes lit up in awe as she looked at the sketch.
"Yes, this is the one." Anne smiled.
"Oh my God! I never thought that Cherry could wear such a majestic dress." People had already
developed an impression of Cherry after watching her performances. However, the computer
generated pictures left Emily baffled.
"The audience will be amazed to watch Cherry in your dress," Sam agreed.
Everyone was aware of Anne's talent, but they didn't expect her to come up with a stunning design.
If Cherry appeared in this dress, she would outshine all the other female stars and captivate everyone's
attention. Moreover, after the event, the world would realize Anne's talent.
"I hope so." Anne couldn't stop smiling, for the compliments boosted her confidence. From what Kevin
had heard, four stars were competing for the title. The other nominees had also hired established
designers. They would undoubtedly flaunt an opulent outfit at the red carpet.
Even though the dress that Anne had designed looked bold and unique, the talent of her competitors
frightened her. She was worried that Cherry's dress would fade in comparison to the others.
Anne pursed her lips and wondered about what might happen if Cherry didn't win the 'best actress'
award. No one would notice the woman and all her efforts would end in vain.
"Only three more days are left for the award ceremony." Anne rubbed her temples and sighed.
"Yeah, so what? Are you not confident enough, Anne?" Emily asked in shock.
She always believed that Anne was a confident woman. However, she was surprised to see the doubt
and worry in her eyes.
Anne looked at Emily and smiled. "I have been researching about the designers who are designing the
outfits of the other stars. I have observed their works as well. They all seem talented."
"Oh, come on. Don't even get to that. I have been looking at their designs at home to kill time. Their
previous designs are nothing compared to yours!" exclaimed Emily, feeling proud of Anne.
Her remarks were not mere words of encouragement. She was stating the truth.
Anne shook her head, smiling. However, the smile disappeared when she looked at Cherry's photo.
"You are overthinking everything. Stop looking at her picture. Otherwise, you will lose confidence," Sam
suggested, shaking his head.
Anne closed her eyes and nodded. He was right; she had been too nervous off late.
"Oh, it's so lively here." Just then, the door of the office opened, Anne's eyes lit up as she turned
around. Kevin was standing at the door, holding Sally in his arms, smiling tenderly.
Eddy and Simon were standing beside him.
Kevin brought the children to her office so that she could spend time with them.
Anne's heart swelled with emotions. She smiled and waved her hand, gesturing them to come in. The
children missed her so much, so they ran up to her at once.
Sally was also equally excited to see her mother, so she began jumping in Kevin's arms. He smiled and
placed her to the ground. The little girl quickly ran up to Anne and hugged her tightly.
Seeing her children brought Anne a new sense of joy. She wrapped them in a tight embrace. The
unique fragrance of milk brought a smile to her face. She closed her eyes, feeling complete.
Anne was ready to face any obstacles as long as she had her children and husband by her side. She
considered herself as the happiest woman in the world.
"I'm sorry, I have been busy with work and didn't have the time for you guys. Everything is my fault. I
won't do that again, I promise. Please forgive me." A wave of guilt engulfed Anne as she realized that
she hadn't been there for her kids for days.
The task of designing Cherry's outfit had earned all her attention. Anne worked day and night. The kids
would be fast asleep by the time she went home and wouldn't wake up until she left for work.
Eddy couldn't help but smile at his mother.
"Mom, don't worry. We all support you to pursue your dream, so don't worry about us. Just concentrate
on your work." Eddy was the oldest child, so he understood his mother's situation better than the
others.
Simon nodded in agreement. "We have the greatest mother in the world and we are the best kids. We
support our mommy!"
Sally silently stared at her mother. The trust in her eyes revealed what she was thinking.
Anne's skin prickled. She was blessed to have an understanding family who supported her at all times.
'No one in the world can be happier than I am, ' thought she.
Anne's gaze shifted to Kevin who was standing at the door. His eyes gleamed with love for his family.
She took a deep breath and smiled at him. "Did you have dinner? I am hungry. Let's eat together."
"Okay!" Although the kids had finished eating dinner, they still agreed to eat with their mother.
Anne looked at Kevin. He smiled and nodded.
Emily and Sam were standing in a corner, witnessing everything. Neither of them wanted to interrupt
the happy family. They looked at each other and silently left the room.
Kevin didn't stop them, for he wanted to spend time with his wife.
Anne chose a lively night market to have dinner.
Eddy had the day off the next day, so everyone decided to stay up late that night.
Selma took great care of the three children. She consulted a special nutritionist who charted a diet plan
for the children and made sure they only ate rich and nutritious food.
The children have never been to a night market before. The roadside stalls fascinated them.
The flavorful food tingled their taste buds.
The children got excited and ate more than they usually would. They tasted every dish in the menu.
Anne chuckled and looked at Kevin. "If Mom finds out that I have brought the kids here for dinner, she
wouldn't hesitate to hunt me down."
Kevin nodded in agreement.
Selma paid attention to the children's health and hygiene. She usually washed the fruits and
vegetables several times, to get rid of germs and bacteria, before serving them.
"It's okay. She won't find out." He smiled.
Anne nodded and gulped down her bowl of wonton in a hurry.
Selma loved her grandchildren more than anything else in the world. She treated them equally and
spoiled them with love and care. Anne was happy that the kids had the best grandmother in the world,
and respected Selma for that.
Mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws usually shared a strained relationship. Kevin didn't expect that his
mother would accept Anne. He was happy to see them get along well.
It had been his dream to live a happy life where everyone loved and respected each other. Kevin felt
lucky to have an incredible family.
The children let out a loud burp after the sumptuous meal. It was late at night; Kevin and Anne were
worried that the kids might suffer from indigestion. They took the kids for a long walk before driving
back home.
The filling dinner and the long walk had exhausted the kids. All three of them fell asleep in the car.
After reaching home, Kevin and Anne carried the children to their rooms and tucked them into bed. It
was late at night, so they quickly washed their face, brushed their teeth, and plopped on the bed to
sleep.
Kevin wrapped Anne in his arms and kissed her forehead. "The day to vote for the best actress is
coming soon. Are you worried?"
Anne nestled her face into the crook of his neck and took a deep breath. "The designers of the other
three nominees are equally talented. I can't stop worrying about it."
Everyone had been complimenting Anne's work so far, but she couldn't help but question her talent.
Kevin was stunned. "Anne, you have to trust my judgment! Understand that I'm not saying all this to
please you. The dress you have designed is so much better than what the others have designed in the
past. You are incredibly talented; never forget that."
An ecstatic grin stretched across Anne's lips. Her heart fluttered with joy.
"I have finished designing the dress. Nothing is going to change regardless of how nervous I am.
All I have to do now is transform Cherry into a diva."
Cherry was cunning and insidious. The role of a pious and virtuous woman didn't suit her. She should
be like a queen.
Anne had to help Cherry find her true self instead of trying to morph her to be someone else. It would
be Cherry's rebirth on the red carpet.
Kevin kissed the top of Anne's head and hugged her tighter. He had started to make all his promises
come true.
Kevin had faith in Anne's talent and was aware of Cherry's connection in the industry. Therefore, he
didn't bother to communicate with the judges. He believed that Cherry would be awarded as the best
actress this year.
Moreover, the award function would change people's opinion of Anne. She could finally get rid of the
pain and humiliation that she had endured all these years.
His wife deserved only the best things in the world.
Excitement bubbled in Kevin's heart. He lifted his head to kiss Anne's lips but realized that she had
fallen asleep.
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