Matthew Johnson arrived, holding a document. "Ms. Scott? The initial sales report is ready."

"Let me see it," Elise replied, her voice steady.

As he handed it over, Matthew couldn't contain his excitement. "The numbers are incredible—far exceeding our projections. Sales launched at 10 AM sharp. The most sought-after designs vanished instantly. Other styles are performing over thirty percent better than forecasted, and the figures keep climbing. Physical store data is still coming in, but nationwide feedback indicates they're overwhelmed. Supplies are struggling to keep up with demand." A smile touched Elise's lips as Matthew produced an iPad, swiping through photos. "Humphrey Wickers—our sales director—is currently at Aurora Plaza, our city's largest mall, conducting an on-site review. These are live shots from our retail locations. Every other brand on our floor is practically deserted. Honestly, the entire mall seems quiet except for our stores."

It was undeniable—Stellar Fashion had made a spectacular debut.

The success wasn't just a shock to Stellar Group; their competitors were utterly blindsided.

In his office, Samuel Mitchell slammed a stack of papers onto his desk.

He never imagined Elise could actually propel Stellar Fashion to such dizzying heights. Meanwhile, Mitchell Corp's seasonal collection had barely reached a third of Stellar's sales. For Crestwood's leading local fashion house, a company that had long dominated the industry, this was a humiliating blow.

Snapping his laptop open, Samuel forced his fury down as he scrutinized Stellar's new designs.

Previously, his focus had been entirely on Elizabeth. He'd paid little attention to the actual collection. Stellar hadn't produced anything remarkable in years. How could Elise have worked miracles so quickly after taking charge?

But now, actually seeing the designs, his face darkened with a scowl.

Even he had to admit—the quality of Stellar's autumn line far surpassed anything Mitchell Corp's top designers had conceived.

His temper erupted, directed at his cowering team. "Why did no one inform me Stellar Fashion had new design talent?! Is basic competitor monitoring beyond you?! Or did none of you sense the threat when their standards skyrocketed?!"

"Our intelligence confirmed no new hires at Stellar, Mr. Mitchell!" the design director quickly interjected. "Ms. Sophia Mitchell was credited with the autumn collection designs. Our source is reliable—Christopher Brown, formerly a key figure at Stellar. Elise even awarded Sophia a significant bonus for her work!"

Samuel's expression turned thunderous.

Sophia designed those? Whose side was she actually on?!

"Get out!" Samuel barked. His team scurried from the room.

Once alone, he dialed Sophia's number. "What were you thinking, Sophia?!" he roared the moment she answered. "Do you have any idea how much damage your designs for Elise have caused me?!"

On the other end, Sophia was seething.

She'd been stunned when Elise presented the final autumn collection templates. But she never anticipated Elise would drive the entire season to such wild, unprecedented success!

Frankly, she hadn't believed Elise's promotional strategy would work at all.

Even Elizabeth had thrown herself into her role as brand ambassador with unexpected fervor. She promoted the line relentlessly to the public and on her private social media, constantly mentioning Stellar Fashion and lavishing it with praise.

With such prominent placement and designs that truly stood out, Stellar became an instant sensation, capturing the market's full attention.

"I had no idea it would be this popular," Sophia said, injecting a tone of wounded pride. "I just threw some ideas together on a whim. Elise kept rejecting my initial concepts, so I retaliated with my best work. I never thought the final result would resonate like this."

"You should have warned me," Samuel growled, his rage barely contained. "You never mentioned Elise was signing Elizabeth York. You said nothing about her overhaul of Stellar Fashion! Understand this, Sophia—I am your real family! Do you honestly think helping Elise this much will get Starstream Group back for you? Are you an idiot?!"

Sophia was no fool—Elise was simply several steps ahead.

A vicious glint flashed in Sophia's eyes. "Actually, Samuel, Stellar Fashion's current popularity might not be entirely a bad thing."

"What are you talking about?!" he snapped, frustration evident.

"The higher they soar," Sophia hissed, each word dripping with venom, "the harder they'll crash."