Chapter 13: The Ultimate Challenge
521 Words
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Victor Kane stood confidently before them, his expensive suit perfectly pressed and a smug smile on his face.
"I'll give you forty-eight hours to decide," he said, sliding the contract across Emmanuel's desk. "Sell Clatford Fashion House to me, or watch it crumble."
Emmanuel didn't even glance at the document.
"I'm not selling."
Victor chuckled.
"Don't answer too quickly. Pride doesn't pay salaries."
He turned and walked out, leaving the office in silence.
Daniel slammed his fist on the desk.
"That man has been waiting for us to fail!"
Mrs. Clatford sighed. "Victor has always wanted this company. He'll do anything to get it."
Cinta looked at Emmanuel.
"What are we going to do?"
Emmanuel took a deep breath.
"We're going to fight."
---
The next morning, the entire design team gathered in the conference room.
Cinta stood before them with her sketches for the Destiny Collection.
"I know everyone is scared," she began. "But this company gave me a chance when no one else believed in me. Now it's our turn to save it."
The room erupted in applause.
Inspired by her words, every designer volunteered to work overtime.
The sewing machines hummed day and night. Fabrics were cut with precision, crystals were sewn by hand, and each outfit became a symbol of hope.
Meanwhile, Victor wasn't sitting idle.
Inside his luxurious office, he met secretly with a fashion blogger.
"I want every rumor about Clatford Fashion House online by tomorrow morning," he ordered.
"What kind of rumors?"
Victor smiled.
"Tell the world the company is bankrupt, that employees aren't being paid, and that our upcoming collection is a disaster."
The blogger hesitated.
"But none of that is true."
Victor placed a thick envelope of cash on the table.
"It doesn't have to be."
---
By sunrise, social media was flooded with false stories.
Customers began canceling orders.
Sponsors backed away.
Even loyal clients started to doubt the company.
Daniel rushed into Emmanuel's office.
"Sir... we're losing customers by the minute."
Emmanuel rubbed his forehead.
"This is exactly what Victor wanted."
Cinta looked at the negative comments online.
For a moment, fear crept into her heart.
Then she closed her laptop.
"We're not going to waste time arguing with rumors."
Everyone looked at her.
"We'll let our work speak for itself."
Emmanuel smiled.
"I couldn't agree more."
Just then, Daniel's phone rang.
His face turned pale as he answered.
"What?"
He looked at Emmanuel.
"The venue for the Destiny Collection fashion show has canceled our booking."
"What?" Emmanuel asked in disbelief.
"They said someone offered them twice the price."
Everyone knew exactly who was behind it.
Victor Kane had made his next move.
With only five days left before the launch, they had no venue, dwindling funds, and rumors spreading everywhere.
But Cinta refused to give up.
She looked at Emmanuel with determination.
"We've come too far to stop now."
End of Chapter 13
Cliffhanger: With their fashion show canceled and their reputation under attack, can Cinta and Emmanuel find a way to launch the Destiny Collection before Victor destroys everything they've built?
- Writer
