Chapter 189: An offer
"What? Resignation?" Zack exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice. He had imagined a future with her, a chance to start over, but now she was talking about leaving. Panic set in. Was she going to leave him?
"Why do you want to resign?" he asked hurriedly, confused and anxious. "Did anyone wrong you? Tell me, I’ll teach them a lesson."
Bella’s response was immediate. "No, no one wronged me." She hesitated for a moment, then continued with determination. "I want to pursue my dream and work with Willow. She is my inspiration, my mentor—I want to become a designer like her."
Zack stared at her, processing her words. He understood Bella’s desire to pursue her dream and admired her ambition. However, the thought of letting her resign filled him with an overwhelming sense of reluctance. He couldn’t bear the idea of her leaving the company, and he was willing to do whatever it took to keep her there.
"I respect your ambition to follow your dream," he began, regaining his composure. "But there is no need for you to resign. You’re still involved in the project, and I have plans to offer Willow the position of head of the design department. You could continue working under her as her assistant."
Bella was momentarily taken aback, surprised by his unexpected proposal. She hadn’t anticipated such an offer.
Noticing her hesitation, Zack pressed on, "After Ivy, the position is vacant, and Willow is perfect to lead the department."
"But she already has her own fashion house," Bella pointed out. "She is only here temporarily, just for this project. I don’t think she’d agree to stay."
"I’ll talk to her," he assured her. "And I’m not accepting your resignation. Focus on your work instead of worrying about leaving."
Bella hesitated. She knew Theodore would be upset if she didn’t go through with her resignation, but what if Willow did accept Zack’s offer? The possibility made her reconsider.