**Chapter 24: Amends**  

Ellie contextualised Lucas in a whole new light after learning that he had a cousin. He had caused her so much distress, and while she may have loathed that, she now understood it was unwarranted. The relief and guilt stemming from that was indescribable, and the only path left for her to take was to rectify her wrong. 

One day while Ellie was sorting out Lucas's timetable, Clara walked up to her desk with that same scowl she possessed. 

"Miss White," she said, "Mr. Hunter would like to see you in his office." 

"I nodded my head." 

Clara led Ellie to Lucas's office, and Ellie's heart began racing. 

Lucas raised his gaze from the table, where he sat behind the desk with a nonchalant expression. 

"Miss White," he said as I entered the room and took a seat, noticing a placid face. "Please take a seat." 

"Ellie nodded." 

"Issue regarding the project," he spoke detachedly. 

Her heart began racing as she gripped the floor with her hands. 

"I thought you were understanding the placement's context." Joe shifted slightly with an expressionless face while leaning lucidly into the table. 

Ellie, equally aghast and angry, looked intensely at him. 

"I hope you don't expect me to imagine what is the right fit for your company." 

It took a surge of mental fortitude to contain her vexation, but Ellie chose to remain aloof.

"With all due respect, Mr. Hunter, these designs are series of innovation and forward-thinking which seems to be missing in the company." 

He looked at her for a moment, deep in thought. "But they're too innovative. We need something more conservative that appeals to our older clientele." 

Ellie's focus shrouded, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Bold movements along with risky strategies are what put us in this pit, and that is exactly how we are going to achieve success." 

As the room was engulfed in silence, the tension between them grew stronger. 

Lucas stood up at last, his expression stormy. "Miss White, this isn't open to your opinion. We are going to use my outline." 

Ellie felt anger surface, but forced herself to stay composed. "Of course, Mr. Hunter." 

Ellie couldn't fight the feeling of anger once the meeting ended. 

The project was so near and dear to her, the entire concept was thrown out without second thoughts. 

Yet, no matter how infuriating the entire concept began to sound, Ellie knew they wouldn't be able to break her. 

The next few days were smeared with anger and disturbance. 

Ellie's and Lucas' relationship seemed to become more contentious over time. Their arguments became hotter and hotter as time passed. 

One of the evenings when Ellie was finishing some work at the office, Lucas barged into her room. 

"Miss White," he said. His tone sounded cold, almost disinterested. "Care to explain why you are here at this hour?" 

To that, Ellie looked up and replied, "I was hoping to finish some tasks, Mr. Hunter." 

"It's late," said he. "You should go home." 

When Lucas made that comment, Ellie nodded but didn't budge. "I will, just going to wrap this report up first." 

"Mind telling me what this report is about?" asked Lucas while reluctantly heading over to her desk. 

"I did not want to assume," said Ellie while blinking and feeling uncertain. "Um, it is a breakdown of the most recent sales figures. Thought it would come in handy for the meeting scheduled tomorrow." 

He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head, as if in deep thought. "Good, but under no circumstances should you overexert yourself. The company can afford a wait." 

At his words, Ellie, even though she did not want to show it, was a little surprised. "I understand, Mr. Hunter." She forced herself to speak. "I just want to ensure everything is done nicely." 

He locked eyes with her for a moment before finally speaking again. "You've exceeded expectations with all your efforts." 

Those remarks made Ellie feel embarrassed, her face turned rose red. Even with a hint of embarrassment, Ellie made sure not to feel overconfident.

"Mr. Hunter, I'm just doing my job, but thank you." 

Hunter's face gave nothing away. "Good. But do not forget to focus on your wellbeing." 

Ellie had no idea how to respond. "I will take care of myself, Mr. Hunter." 

He curtly acknowledged her, pivoted, and exited the room. Ellie remained frozen in shock, staring at the door. 

It wasn't a compliment, but it was the most positive thing she had heard from him in a long time. 

And for now, that would suffice. 

Ellie spent the next few days drowning in work, but she could feel herself slowly adapting to her surroundings. 

Determined to keep proving herself to the company, she had already shown them that she was a valuable asset. 

Except that now, she and Lucas were elevating the tension with each passing day. 

As Ellie was busy rearranging Lucas's calendar one afternoon, Clara approached her desk. 

"Miss White," she called, her voice even sharper than her expression. "Please report to Mr. Hunter's office." 

Ellie's heart raced alongside her pulse, but she signalled her resignation to Clara. 

When she walked into the office, she felt Lucas's blank stare. 

"Miss White," he said, cool and detached as he leaned back casually in his chair.

"Take a seat." 

With her legs crossed, Ellie sat down while placing both of her hands over her lap. 

After a moment of examining her, Lucas spoke as he reclined his chair. "We have made great strides toward addressing the public opinion crisis, though telling you there's progress would be an understatement." 

Ellie's mind was going a mile a minute. However, she managed to nod in comprehension. "Yes, Mr. Hunter. I have been working on a strategy which aims to improve the reputation of the company and bolster its standing in the market." 

"Interesting." Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Go on." 

Ellie laid out her plan after taking a deep breath. "To start off, I think we need to be more in touch with the public and portray the actual face of Hunter Fashion Group. This can be achieved through social media campaigns, press releases, and community outreach programmes. To add onto that, we can put our focus on innovation and product development to keep our competition at bay. Finally, we have to put more emphasis on sustaining our relationships with clients and partners, so that we can solidify their support." 

"That's a solid plan. But it's not enough." Lucas looked at her. His face was expressionless. 

Striking the perfect balance between staying calm and freaking out was difficult at this point for Ellie. "What more do you have in mind?" 

Lucas did not break eye contact as the tension in the room grew stronger. "We need to go on the offensive."

"We need to show the public what Ellie White really is: talented, disciplined, and a true professional who has added value to this company." 

Ellie's cheeks burnt from the embarrassment, but she made an effort to stay calm. "And how exactly do you suggest that we do this?" 

His chair reclined as his gaze focused on the ceiling. "You will be the spokesperson in a press conference we will organise. You will be ready to deal with the allegations head on, and we will also present the coordinated findings that would build our case. I will be there and I will testify to your good character." 

Ellie's heart raced, but she made an effort to keep calm. "That sounds pretty horrible. Are you certain that it will not only amplify the issue?" 

He looked at her for a second without revealing any emotion. "Sometimes, in order to extinguish a fire, one needs to start one. We have to turn the tables and make sure people understand that we have nothing to hide." 

Ellie nodded, her head spinning. "Fine. I will do it." 

He nodded curtly and waved his right hand dismissively at her. 

By the time Ellie was walking across his office door, she felt a swell of energy that led to a feeling of resolve. 

She was prepared to go on the offensive. 

The next few days were a whirling haze of focus on the preparations that were to be made.

Ellie gathered evidence, formulated her declaration, and prepared for the press conference with unwavering diligence.

When the moment finally came, Ellie was overcome with an unfamiliar cocktail of anxiety and resolve.

She entered the conference room, where an army of journalists with cameras stood in waiting, prepared to pounce.

Lucas was already present, with his signature lifeless monolithic stare, standing at the podium.

Taking a deep breath to collect all her thoughts, she positioned herself next to him at the podium.

As she started to talk, the audience began to quiet down to listen.

*"Good morning,"* she said, her voice surprisingly calm considering how jangled her nerves were. *"I'm presenting myself today to respond to the most recent claims that have been lodged against me. I would like to make it known that the allegations made against me are completely untrue, and in fact they are an attempt to tarnish my reputation and indeed the reputation of Hunter Fashion Group."*

After pausing for a beat, she added, *"I have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into my career and my place in this industry. I'm not shy to say that I'm proud of the work I have done and I will not let people take that away from me."*

She then went on to detail all the evidence that had been collected, which included statements from friends and ex-colleagues along with evidence refuting the accusations.

Lucas moved an inch closer, staring into the cameras whilst taking a stand.

"I want to be clear: Ellie White is an invaluable member of this company. She has worked tirelessly to contribute to our success, and I have the utmost respect for her character and integrity. These allegations are baseless and malicious, and we will not hesitate to take legal action against those responsible."

People began making inquiries. Ellie and Lucas maintained their composure while responding to all the questions that were posed to them.

Once that conference was over, Ellie felt relieved.

She did it.

She conquered the challenge and is stronger than before.

After their exit from the conference room, Lucas turned to her with a blank expression.

"Miss White," he said, his tone neutral. "You handled that… satisfactorily."

Unsure of her response, Ellie muttered, "Thank you, Mr. Hunter."

With a curt nod, he left, but that left Ellie in shock.

She hadn't received praise but it was definitely better than any other week.

And that will do for now.

She managed to deal with the commission.

And she is poised for the next challenge that comes her way.