Introduction
The runway has always been my refuge, my designs my lifeline. Love has been my backbone, smiles my inspiration, and my father has been my biggest supporter. I could never imagine betraying him. As the face of his company, I hold onto the hope that one day I will inherit the title of CEO and owner. Yet now, I find myself under pressure from those who expect unwavering loyalty, even as Corey, the love of my life, chooses a different path. I support him wholeheartedly, but that can only go so far.
“I’m leaving for England tonight. Come with me,” Corey pleaded, desperation lacing his voice as if his very future depended on my answer.
“I can’t, Corey. Not now,” I replied, my heart heavy. “If I step back from the runway, my father will hand everything over to Courtney. The chaos she would unleash? I can’t let that happen.” I resisted the pull of his embrace, searching his eyes for understanding.
He rolled his eyes, frustration bubbling to the surface.
“If this company sinks; so let it! If you come with me, we could launch our own design line. You could be the face of it! Imagine the freedom and artistry!” he tried hard to persuade me. Even though it did sound like music to my ear, I couldn't forsake my dad and the amount of work we put in to build the company up.
“Trust me, I’d love to go,” I insisted softly, “but what if we make a deal? I’ll visit you often.” I hoped that might assuage his disappointment.
“That’s not enough!” His voice rose, raw with emotion. “I want you there, next to me. I want to breathe the same air you breathe, every damn day!”
I fell silent, locking eyes with him as pain swirled in my chest. He was fighting for us, but his plea only intensified my resolve to stay.
He released me, and I sensed the storm brewing inside him. “Fine. If you won’t come with me… then at least let’s make love,” he said, the bluntness of his tone catching me off guard.
“Excuse me?!” I gasped, bewildered.
“Skye, we’ve been together three years! You’ve never let me touch you!” he shouted, urgency burning in his eyes.
“Because I’m saving myself for marriage!” I shot back, my voice steady even as my heart raced.
“You’ve got to be kidding! It’s 2025! When was the last time you heard of a woman waiting until marriage to sleep with her boyfriend?” His irritation was concreted.
“Because I have morals!” I retorted, defiance bubbling within me. “I’ll give myself to my husband. Not you!”
“I am your boyfriend! Come on, just give me something to remember you by. Your virginity!”
“Why didn’t you marry me, then?” I barked, feeling the heat of anger flush through me.
He hesitated, caught off guard. “Because…” he started but fell silent, weighing his choices.
“Because he was sleeping with me this entire time!” my sister, Courtney, interjected triumphantly, stepping into the chaos with a smirk that could cut glass.
Shock washed over Corey’s face. “I—I can explain! She came onto me! I was drunk! It meant nothing, I swear!” he stammered, desperation creeping into his voice.
“Really, Corey?” I asked, my heart dropping into my stomach.
“Yeah, really Corey?!” Courtney shot back, venom in her words. “Then why do I have texts of you begging me to come to England with you? You asked me to marry you last night while we were in bed, remember?”
She brandished her phone, thrusting it into my view, the message illuminating betrayal in stark contrast to the fading light of our love.
“Give me that!” Corey lunged for her, panic rising.
“Stop!” I shouted, tears blurring my vision. “Just stop this, please!”
“Just stop!” Courtney mockingly sobbed. “Why? Are you going to cry like a baby? I told you countless times—love doesn’t exist!” Her cruelty dripped from her words.
“Skye, don’t listen to her!” Corey pleaded, anguish weaving through his gaze. “She’s just jealous; I love you, really!”
“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have slept with my sister!” I sobbed, feeling their betrayal suffocate me.
“Skye, it was a mistake! I was caught up in the moment! I swear!” He dropped to his knees, desperation etched into every line of his face.
“Enough, Corey! It’s over between us!” I shouted, my words as powerful as a thunderclap.
“Yeah, it’s over!” Courtney echoed, cruel laughter punctuating my sorrow. “You sound as pathetic as your mother when she found out our father was living a double life!”
“Courtney, from today, consider yourself no longer my sister!” I screamed, rage and heartbreak surging within me.
I turned away, my heart pounding like war drums, locking eyes with Corey. Guilt swam in his gaze, a silent admission of his betrayal. I couldn’t let them witness my pain—my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. In a daze, I stormed to my car, my hands shaking on the wheel as I drove off, desperate to escape the chaos.
I had an obligation to attend an event in a few hours. My father was counting on me to showcase his designs, and I couldn't falter now.
Courtney was only my half-sister, born from infidelity—a constant reminder of my father’s betrayal. Courtney was always jealous of the bond our father maintained with me. She would hate it if he called me pretty, particularly now that I was the face of the company. I graced magazine covers while she lagged in the shadows, talentless but ever hungry for the spotlight.
***Later that day***
The venue buzzed with excitement as celebrities, fashion buyers, and influencers filled the seats, all waiting for the highlight of the evening—my walk down the runway in my father’s breathtaking gown.
I searched my phone to find over 100 missed calls from Corey. On a day like this, I longed for his comforting presence. Instead, he was preparing to leave for London, leaving without even a proper goodbye.
As I prepared to step onto the runway, anticipation coursed through me. Just before I made my entrance, my makeup team rushed in for last-minute touch-ups. Suddenly, my phone vibrated; the screen lit up with a message from Courtney. My stomach twisted as I opened it—a photo of her hand adorned with a massive diamond ring, captioned “I said yes!” A shiver ran down my spine as I recognized the familiar figure beside her—Corey.
“The bastard asked her to marry him?” I whispered, disbelief spiraling through me.
“Time to go, you’re up next,” the wardrobe assistant urged, nudging me forward. Heart heavy, I grappled with a smile that felt like a mask as I stepped onto the runway. Each stride felt like an anchor pulling me deeper into despair. Anxiety surged, clenching my throat as I fought against rising panic. I inhaled sharply, willing myself to make it through the walk, but as I crossed the runway, the weight of betrayal became unbearable. My vision blurred, darkness closing in as I staggered, the world spinning into a haze of lost love and shattered dreams. Everything went black, and then silent.
