LIANA The four of us stood up from our seats. “Come on. Tell the gos—” Aaron froze in his spot when he felt a hand over his shoulder. “I don’t remember paying my employees for gossiping during the work hours,” Zaylen said coldly. Aaron gulped, and the moment Zaylen removed his hand, Aaron rushed out, leaving the poor innocent girls with the grumpy boss. Zaylen stepped inside with his hands in his pocket, looking damn hot. He wore a light-blue suit, his black hair disheveled. As if sensing my gaze on him, Zaylen directly looked at me. “Why are y’all huddled here when it’s not lunch break yet?” he asked calmly this time. “I…” I couldn’t form any words in my mouth. He was looking so nice. How could I speak when someone this hot is standing right in front of me? “Answer me, Liana,” he motioned for me to answer until my eyes locked with his. There was a hint of amusement and playfulness in it. Oh, so he is playing with me! He knew I was ogling at him! That jerk! “Why are you as
LIANA Finally, today was the day for one of the most glamorous and biggest fashion shows. It was the first event after the scandal a few days ago, so the paparazzi was buzzing with hype. Every employee on the set was busy with work. But I was not in charge of any of it. My job was to market it, but I think I did a pretty good job with it. Now, I was a guest here, who earned the invitation from the lead designer of the event. I watched the decorations and a gasp escaped my lips. It was so beautiful. The venue was transformed into a stylish and immersive space that reflected the theme of the collection — Neo-Victorian Romance. I watched as the other attendees entered. They were greeted by a carefully curated ambiance that set the tone for the show. The runway itself was the focal point, often elevated and centrally located, with dramatic lighting to highlight each look as it made its way down the catwalk. Large screens adorned the walls, displaying mood-setting visuals and clo
LIANA I wore the gown and decked up properly. When I saw myself in the mirror, I couldn't even believe it was me. I looked so different… good different… “Lia, I— Woah!” Noelle’s voice was heard from behind. She looked at me, and a gasp escaped her lips as I just stared at her, waiting for her to say something. “You look so beautiful! I expected you would look good, but wow!” “Really?” I asked, still a bit nervous. She smiled warmly. “Trust me on this, okay? I am a fashion designer.” I nodded as she continued, “Speaking of that, I am so scared, Lia! This is my first time being a lead designer alone, so I don’t know. What if people don’t like my designs?” As Noelle voiced her fears, I could feel the weight of her uncertainty. She was embarking on a journey that every designer experiences at some point — the fear of not being good enough, of not living up to expectations. But I knew she had nothing to worry about. Noelle had a talent that shone brighter than any doubt. "Hey,
LIANA I was sitting in my designated seat, watching the models walk on the runway. The fashion show was going great so far. I was really happy for Noelle. She worked really hard for this. “This is fantastic, isn’t it?” said a random stranger, who was sitting next to me. I glanced over at the stranger sitting next to me, offering a polite smile in response to his comment. His presence was unexpected, but I figured he was just another attendee enjoying the show. "Yeah, it's quite impressive," I replied, hoping to keep the conversation brief. My focus was on the runway, where Noelle's designs were captivating the audience. He turned to face me, a charming smile playing on his lips. "You know, I couldn't help but notice how stunning you look tonight," he said, his tone dripping with flirtation. I felt a flush of discomfort creep up my neck, but I managed to maintain my composure. "Thank you," I replied tersely, hoping to discourage any further advances. He leaned in closer, his g
LIANA I rushed to Noelle immediately and placed a hand over her shoulder. “What’s wrong, Noelle?” I asked with pure concern. She looked at me with her watery eyes and pulled me into a tight hug instantly. She cried for some more, as I patted her back. I wondered where something went wrong with the fashion show or not. But as per what I saw, it was a huge success, right? “Let me give you some water to drink. Wait,” I said, breaking free from the hug. Then I took a water bottle and handed it to her. She gulped it in one go, calming a bit. "Noelle, what's wrong?" I asked gently, my voice laced with concern as I brushed a stray tear from her cheek. Her response came in choked sobs, each word laden with pain. "Lia, my brother... he just came in and... he shouted at me," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Why? What happened?" Noelle took a shaky breath, her words coming out in a broken rush. "He's angry... because I invited my boyfriend to my event.” I furrowed
LIANA Stunned and hurt, I recoiled from Zaylen’s harsh words, the sting of rejection cutting deep into my soul. How could he dismiss me so callously, especially when all I wanted was to help Noelle find happiness? Blinking back tears, I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to maintain a semblance of composure despite the ache in my chest. With a heavy heart, I nodded silently, unable to bear the weight of his anger any longer. Turning on my heel, I fled from the room, the sound of Zaylen's harsh words echoing in my ears like a haunting refrain. In that moment, I felt utterly alone, the warmth of my friendship with Zaylen replaced by a bitter chill that seeped into my bones. As I made my way through the empty corridors, my heart heavy with the weight of Zaylen's harsh words, a movement caught my eye. Turning a corner, I stumbled upon a scene that stopped me in my tracks. A handsome man, almost of my age, stood beside a dustbin, his features contorted with anger as h
ZAYLEN When I saw Liana walk away, immediate guilt filled me in. I shouldn’t have talked to her like that. It was indeed rude. I should have controlled my anger and talked to her calmly. My trance was broken when I heard sniffles coming from Noelle. My heart sank at that sight. So I approached my sister. I saw the tears streaming down her face. "Noelle, listen to me. It’s—" I tried to explain out of concern, but she rudely cut me off. “Please, Zaylen.” She looked at me, her expression hardened with anger. "I don't want to talk to you right now," she spat, her tone sharp and biting. "Just leave me alone." I felt a pang in my chest by her words. I knew that I had upset her with my earlier behavior, and now seeing her so upset made me feel terrible. Maybe I should have been softer while explaining. But what could I have done? She wasn't willing to listen to a word of mine when I was being soft. "Noelle,” I mumbled, reaching out a hand towards her. But much to my disappoin
ZAYLEN "Zaylen, no! Let him go!" Liana's voice had cut through the haze, panicked and urgent. I could barely hear her over the rush of blood in my ears, the rage clouding my vision. “Zaylen!” Liana's cries pierced through the haze of my fury. But all I could picture was my wrecked family due to his father. All of a sudden, Liana touch landed on my arm in an attempt to pry me off, and it was like a shock of cold water. "Zaylen, please!" Liana's voice was desperate now, her fingers gripping my arm tight. "You're hurting him!" I hesitated, the anger slowly ebbing away as I met Liana's pleading gaze. My grip loosened on Trevor as I turned to look at her, breaths heavy and ragged. Trevor was gasping for air. “Liana,” I mumbled, finally closing my eyes and calming myself down. “What do you think you are doing?” Liana asked, her eyes wide with fear and concern. Then she turned to Trevor. “Are you okay, Trevor?” Trevor nodded, and I pulled Liana to my side, not wanting her