As Fate Would Have It

View from Thorne Tower

Across the street, in the floor-to-ceiling glass office of the Thorne building, Julian stood in the dark.

He did not need the telescope to see the commotion in the corner of the ballroom. The glass of the Thorne Tower was polarized, a one-way mirror that allowed Julian to see the world.

He stood with a glass of neat bourbon, his eyes locked on the balcony

He had noticed the lady in the silk dress and fur coat when she had arrived. If he had not looked at her so intently, he might have not recognized who it was.

It was Fate Mason, the best Data analyst at his rivals company. She knew her work really well and there was a lot about her that interested him.

So when he noticed her interaction with Leo Valerius, he was a bit surprised to see that it ended with the girl ruining her silk dress and leaving the room in such a bad way.

He watched as she hurried out, taking the lobby instead of the main exit clearly in an attempt to avoid interaction with anyone but it was too late to hide now, he had noticed the paparazzi taking pictures of her during and after her fall.

Once she got to the Valerius lobby she collapsed onto a stone bench in the plaza, and leaned her head back so that she was looking up into the night sky.

He watched her remain in that position for a few minutes, he just knew that he needed to help the young lady and so he did what he could.

"Marcus," Julian said, with his attention and eyes still on the lady.

Marcus Rowland, Julian Thorne’s long time assistant stepped out of the shadows.

"Sir?"

"That lady." He said as his assistant came forward to see where Julian's attention was and who he was talking about.

"Yes, sir." Marcus said as he recognized the woman his boss was talking about.

"Yes. She just left the gala through the service exit on the west side. She is in a state where she might try to leave for home soon and with everything that just happened at the gala, I think this is the right time for me to introduce myself."

Julian turned around to look at Marcus.

"Send a car to pick her up. Not one of mine. One of those ones I never use, something nice but discreet. Have the driver tell her there's a seat waiting at the café on 4th if she wants to talk to someone who actually understands the importance for sustainability in the fashion industry"

"And if she refuses?"

Julian watched as Fate lifted her head from that awakward position.

She got up and stretched, her tiny figure unable to mask her fatigue and maybe heartbreak?

"She won't. She is a data analyst and a very good one at that, Marcus. She knows when the odds are stacked against her. She will be looking for a variable that changes the equation."

********

It was forty minutes later and the air in the 4th Street Café smelled of roasted beans a bit of dampness in the air -not in a bad way.

Fate sat in the corner booth, wrapped in an oversized trench coat that smelled faintly of expensive sandalwood.

She was grateful for the driver who had insisted that she collected the French coat because her faux fur coat was ruined and so was her dress.

The mysterious driver had insisted she follow him to a warm place where she could warm herself up.

She would normally not accept but she was ready to do anything to hide the physical evidence of the disappointing night but then the driver went further to say his Boss had been the one who told him to make sure that he had her here.

She wondered why and she wanted to know why so she agreed and now as she felt a lot better after the unfortunate incident earlier all she could do was wait and wonder who she was expecting.

The bell above the door chimed calling Fate's attention to the door.

She saw a tall man walk through the door and she suddenly felt unable to speak.

The man walked like a predator, and then he looked up and their eyes locked, Fate wanted to stop staring but her eyes were held prisoner to his gaze.

When he stopped in front of the booth opposite her, Fate realized that he had been walking to her.

"The stitching on the bodice was very neat and it flowed into the fabric, I loved it.”Julian Thorne said, his voice a low, gravelly baritone.

"An interesting choice for a silk-denim blend. It gives the garment structural integrity without sacrificing the drape."

Fate's c****d her head to the side and sniffed as she studied the man before her. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but the fire Julian had sensed from the balcony was there, simmering under the surface.

"That’s actually what I was going for but I never got to present it.” she looked at him, a bit suspicious then she asked,

“Who are you?"

"Someone who knows the value that you have" Julian said, getting into the seat and leaning forward.

He reached into his pocket and slid a small, encrypted flash drive across the table.

Fate looked at the drive, then at him.

"I am too exhausted to guess things right now, sir. So I ask again, Who are you?"

There was an amused smile on Julian's lips as he spoke,

"My name is Julian Thorne and it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss mason."

"You are Julian Thorne?" Fate asked unconsciously adjusting her seating position, "The Julian Thorne? Owner of the second tower?"

Julian nodded,

"Your name is not mentioned in Valerius House."

"Of course not." Julian responded, the amusement still there.

"I am here because I hope that we will have more serious conversations."

His countenance changed; he was now more serious then he continued saying,

"Leo Valerius humiliated you tonight. He did not just reject your design; he tried to erase your worth. I'm offering you the ink to write a different ending."

She could not say a word and just as she was about to speak, he suddenly stood up, adjusting the hems of his sleeves.

"I do not want your designs, Fate. I want your eyes. I can give you the power to break away from Leo's empire from the inside out and own your self. To create and own your designs and your life too.”

He turned to leave, but paused, his back to her.

"You should keep the coat," he said softly. "The driver will take you home. I will be expecting to hear from you very soon.

Good night, Miss Mason.”