Teewrites

The sharp click of high heels echoed through the marble hallway as Eliana Williams hurried toward the conference room, clutching a folder filled with her latest fashion sketches. Today was supposed to change her life. After four years of sleepless nights, endless overtime, and sacrificing every dream she had, she was finally presenting her first luxury collection to the board of Lancaster Fashion House—New York’s most prestigious fashion company. She took a deep breath and pushed open the doors. The room fell silent. Her smile disappeared. Her designs… Every single sketch she had spent months creating was displayed on the large screen. But someone else’s name was written underneath them. Vanessa Carter.  “What is this?” Eliana asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Vanessa folded her arms and smirked. “My new collection.” “No… those are my designs.” The board members exchanged uncomfortable glances. The Creative Director slammed a file onto the table. “Enough.” He stared at Eliana with disappointment. “We’ve reviewed the evidence. You stole Miss Carter’s work and tried to claim it as your own.” Eliana’s face turned pale. “What? That’s impossible! Those sketches are mine. I created every one of them.” “Then explain why every file was sent from your company account to one of our competitors last night.” Her heart stopped. “I… I didn’t send anything.” “You expect us to believe someone hacked your account?” “I swear I didn’t do it!” No one believed her. The security guards stepped forward. “Eliana Williams, your employment is terminated effective immediately.” Her world shattered. She packed the few belongings from her desk into a cardboard box and walked out of the building she had once dreamed of leading. Outside, dark clouds gathered above Manhattan. As the rain began to fall, her phone rang. Dad ❤️ Relief washed over her. “Dad—” But it wasn’t her father. “Miss Williams?” a woman’s voice said urgently. “This is New York General Hospital. Your father collapsed at work. He’s in critical condition.” The box slipped from Eliana’s hands. Her sketchbooks scattered across the wet pavement. “The surgery he needs must be performed immediately,” the nurse continued. “Without it…” “How much?” Eliana whispered. “There is a two-hundred-thousand-dollar deposit.” Two hundred thousand dollars. She had just lost her job. She had no savings. No one to turn to. Tears blurred her vision as she stood helplessly in the rain. A sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up beside her. The back window lowered. A man in an expensive black suit looked at her with calm, unreadable eyes. Damian Blackwood. The billionaire CEO every magazine called the most powerful man in New York. He glanced at the soaked sketches lying on the ground before meeting her eyes. “I’ve been looking for you, Miss Williams.” Eliana frowned. “I think you have the wrong person.” Damian’s lips curved into the faintest smile. “I never make mistakes.” He opened the car door. “Get in.” “I have an offer that could save your father’s life.” Eliana froze. Little did she know… Accepting that offer would change her life forever.