EMILY

New York City never slept, but Emily Carter often wished it would. At twenty-four, she lived in a small Brooklyn apartment where the radiator rattled through winter and the kitchen window refused to close properly. Her life consisted of crowded subway rides, long working hours, and the quiet determination to become a fashion designer in her own right. She worked as a junior design assistant at Steele & Grace, an exclusive fashion company in Manhattan. Her salary barely covered her expenses, but every month she put a little money aside for the business she dreamed of opening. Everlight Designs. The name came from her mother, who had died three years earlier. “Even the smallest light can survive the darkest night,” her mother used to tell her. Emily repeated those words whenever she felt discouraged. On Monday morning, she hurried toward the subway with a folder of designs tucked beneath her arm. Her best friend, Jake Miller, caught up with her outside a coffee shop. “Big day?” he asked. “I'm presenting my collection.” “The one you've been working on for six months?” Emily nodded. Jake grinned. “Then today is the day you stop being the office girl and start being the designer.” “Or the day Victoria Steele explains why I should never touch a pencil again.” At the mention of Victoria, Jake's smile faded. Victoria was the company's executive director. Elegant, wealthy, and intimidating, she had a habit of making people feel grateful for opportunities they had earned through hard work. Emily had learned to keep her head down around her. But she had spent six months creating twelve original designs, and she refused to let fear prevent her from presenting them. At ten o'clock, Emily entered the conference room. Victoria sat at the head of the table. Beside her was an unfamiliar man in a charcoal suit, quietly examining the sketches. Emily began her presentation. She explained the fabrics, the silhouettes, and the inspiration behind the collection. Her voice trembled during the first few minutes, then steadied as she became absorbed in the work. When she finished, the unfamiliar man turned a page. “Who developed the color combinations?” “I did, sir.” “And the structural details?” “Those too.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Interesting.” Victoria interrupted before he could ask another question. “Emily has assisted our design department for some time. We should be careful not to exaggerate the extent of her contribution.” Emily felt the familiar sting of humiliation. “These are my original designs, Ms. Steele.” The man looked up. For the first time, Emily noticed that he was studying her rather than the papers. “Then I suggest we evaluate them on their merits,” he said calmly. Victoria's smile tightened. The man closed the folder and introduced himself as Ethan Brooks, a new investor in the company. “Thank you for your presentation, Ms. Carter.” “Thank you for listening.” It was a small exchange, nothing more. Emily left the room without expecting anything from him. She had no idea that they would eventually become important to each other. For now, he was simply a man who had listened when she spoke. And she had more important things to worry about than a stranger's opinion.