CHAPTER 14
1367 Words
While Lily and Michelle were discussing the design details and how she came up with the concept, Jonas returned, accompanied by a man in a black suit.
Jonas had stepped out earlier, most likely to bring the man beside him.
“Excuse me, ladies. I apologize for interrupting your discussion, but young lady, I have brought the attorney as you requested,” Jonas said.
I nodded in acknowledgment, and Michelle did the same in understanding. Lily, on the other hand, looked confused about what was happening.
“Shall we take a short break? Would that be fine with you, Ms. Michelle?” I asked.
“Of course,” Michelle agreed with a polite smile.
I turned to Jonas, and without needing further instruction, he understood. He invited Michelle to take a break at the hotel’s restaurant, leaving just me, Lily, and the attorney in the room.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Montemayor. I am Lloyd, an attorney from Montewise Law Firm,” the man introduced himself, extending his hand to both Lily and me.
We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries before he continued, “Mr. Avila has already briefed me about your purpose, Ms. Clara.”
“Yes, but before we proceed, I’d like to speak with Lily first,” I said.
“Of course. Please take your time,” Atty. Lloyd responded.
Lily leaned closer to me and whispered, “Hey, what’s going on? Why is there suddenly a lawyer here?”
“To legally secure your designs,” I whispered back.
“What do you mean?” she asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.
I sighed, knowing she hadn’t fully considered the legal side of things.
“We need to draft a formal agreement, Lily. This will ensure that you retain full creative rights over your designs. Even after Michelle’s atelier produces the piece, no one else will be able to claim ownership of your work. Without a contract, there’s a risk that someone—whether intentionally or unintentionally—might copy, alter, or even take credit for your design.”
Lily blinked in surprise. “Wait, so you mean… if I don’t secure my rights, someone else could legally use my design?”
“Exactly,” I nodded. “If we don’t put the right protections in place, the boutique could technically claim partial ownership because they’re the ones making it. But with a contract, we can ensure that you’re the sole owner of the design, and they’re only providing a service. That way, you keep control over how it’s used in the future.”
Lily swallowed hard, clearly taking in the weight of what I was saying. “I never even thought about that…”
“That’s why I called the attorney,” I reassured her. “Ideally, we should also apply for a patent, but that can be a complicated and time-consuming process. It requires proving that your design is unique, among other things. For now, a legal contract will be enough to protect your rights.”
Lily let out a deep breath and nodded. “Alright, I’ll trust you on this. Thank you, Clara.”
“Of course!” I smiled.
She straightened up, her expression turning determined. “Okay, let’s do this.”
I turned back to Atty. Lloyd. “We’re ready.”
With that, we sat down to discuss the terms of the contract, ensuring that Lily’s rights were protected before proceeding with production.
By the time Jonas and Michelle returned, we had already finished drafting the contract. I smiled at Michelle and gestured toward her seat.
“I hope you had a good break, Ms. Michelle.”
“I did, thank you, Ms. Montemayor,” she replied with a polite nod.
“That’s good to hear. Shall we continue where we left off?”
“Of course,” Michelle said, settling back into her seat. She then turned to Lily. “Before we proceed, do you have any particular materials or fabric preferences for this piece?”
Lily hesitated, glancing at me. “I never really thought about the materials in detail. I just designed it based on how I imagined it would look.”
Michelle smiled reassuringly. “That’s completely fine. We can explore fabric options that will complement the design. Given its structure, we’ll likely need something with a strong yet flexible form—perhaps a blend of structured neoprene and lightweight metallic threading for that futuristic edge.”
Lily’s eyes lit up. “That sounds… amazing.”
Michelle nodded. “It’ll be a challenge, but I love working on ambitious designs. Now, let’s talk about production timelines and costs.”
Before we could move forward, Atty. Lloyd adjusted his glasses and spoke. “Before we proceed, I’d like to ensure that the formal agreement is clear—Ms. Lily will retain full creative rights to her designs, even after production.”
Michelle nodded in understanding. “That’s a given. I have no issue with that.”
She paused for a moment before adding, “However, would it be possible for our atelier to have exclusive rights to the first full collection of this design? Only of course if Ms. Lily is planning for a collection”
Lily’s head snapped toward me. “Wait, a full collection?”
I shrugged, smiling. “Why not? You have talent, and this is just the beginning.”
Lily blinked at me in disbelief before a slow smile spread across her face. “Alright then, I’ll give my consent for that if ever I want this to become a collection”
Michelle’s eyes brightened. “That’s wonderful. If we’re going to launch a full collection under your name, I’ll provide financial backing, and we can discuss a fair partnership.”
She clapped her hands together excitedly. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s draft the initial agreement and get started as soon as possible!”
With that, we settled into negotiations, setting the foundation for what could very well be Lily’s first step into the world of high fashion.
By the time everything was finally sorted, evening had already fallen. The discussion was mostly wrapped up, especially on the legal side.
After bidding farewell to Michelle, Atty. Lloyd, and Jonas, Lily and I headed back to the penthouse.
I couldn’t help but notice how she walked absentmindedly, as if she were floating on cloud nine.
I had to keep pulling her back now and then to prevent her from stumbling, walking into walls, or knocking over to the innocent plants.
“Hey, Clara, can you pinch me?” she suddenly blurted out.
I gave her a weird look. “What for?”
“Just do it! Hurry!”
Amused, I reached out and pinched her cheek, stretching it slightly.
Lily yelped before breaking into laughter. “Oh my god….this is real!”
I raised a suspicious brow and took a small step back. “Have you gone mad?”
“What mad? Hey, you’re the one who signed me up for this!” Lily shot back, crossing her arms.
“Fine,” I said with a small smile. “But don’t spend too much time floating in the clouds—you still have a long way to go.”
“I know, I know. I was just….happy.” She exhaled deeply before looking at me with sincerity. “Thank you, Clara. Really.”
I blinked at her sudden shift in tone and awkwardly scratched the back of my head. “Hey, it’s kind of weird seeing you like this. It’s like you’re a completely different person.”
Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You really know how to kill a mood, don’t you? Tsk.”
"Whatever, just don't forget me when you get famous," I teased.
Lily smirked. "Would you like my autograph now? You might have a hard time getting it in the future."
I gasped dramatically and bowed toward her. "Yes, please, Ms. Lily! Will you bestow this lowly one with your magical signature?"
Lily lifted her chin playfully. "That depends on your attitude, Ms. Clara."
We then both burst into laughter, our giggles echoing through the hallway as we made our way back to the penthouse.
- Writer
