Chapter 3: The Offer That Changed everything
463 Words
Cinta stared at Emmanuel in disbelief.
"Me?" she asked, pointing at herself.
Emmanuel nodded. "Yes, you."
She laughed nervously. "There must be some mistake. I'm not a professional designer."
"I've worked with the best designers in the country," Emmanuel replied, holding up her sketches. "None of them have captured the elegance and emotion I see in these drawings."
Before Cinta could answer, his assistant stepped forward.
"Sir, we don't even know who she is. Hiring a stranger could be risky."
Emmanuel smiled.
"Great talent doesn't need a famous name."
He turned back to Cinta.
"My mother's sixtieth birthday is in two weeks. I want you to design a dress that will make her feel like the queen she is."
Cinta's heart pounded.
This was the opportunity she had dreamed about for years.
But reality quickly returned.
"My parents..." she whispered. "They don't support my dream. They want me to become a lawyer."
Emmanuel looked at her with understanding.
"Sometimes the people who love us can't see the future we're meant for."
His words lingered in her heart.
He handed her a sleek black business card.
"If you change your mind, call me."
Cinta accepted it with trembling hands.
Just then, her phone rang.
It was her mother.
"Cinta! Where are you?" Mrs. Okafor demanded.
"I'm on my way home."
"Forget whatever you're doing and come back immediately. Your father has something important to discuss."
The call ended.
Cinta looked at Emmanuel one last time.
"I'm sorry... I have to go."
She hurried away before he could respond.
---
That evening, the atmosphere at home was unusually tense.
Her father sat in the living room with several law school brochures spread across the table.
"Cinta," he began, "I've already paid the application fee for law school."
Her smile disappeared.
"Dad... I never asked you to."
"You don't need to ask. I know what's best for you."
She gathered the courage to speak.
"But my dream is fashion design."
Silence filled the room.
Then her father slammed his hand on the table.
"Fashion will never put food on your table! Lawyers are respected. Designers are not."
Tears welled in Cinta's eyes.
Without another word, she ran to her bedroom.
She locked the door, sat beside her sewing machine, and held Emmanuel's business card tightly.
For the first time in her life, she had met someone who believed in her talent.
Her phone buzzed.
A new message appeared.
Emmanuel: "I believe in your dream, Cinta. Don't let anyone convince you to stop believing in yourself."
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she smiled.
Maybe destiny was finally knocking.
End of Chapter 3
Cliffhanger: Will Cinta defy her parents and accept Emmanuel's life-changing offer, or will she sacrifice her dream to keep her family happy?
- Writer
