Agnes

As I left the studio that evening, Elijah was waiting for me by the door. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes held a quiet approval, and something more—a connection we hadn’t yet defined.

Without thinking, I stepped toward him, feeling the shift between us.

Our tension was broken by Katy barreling out of the office after me, her face flushed with excitement. She caught sight of Elijah and quickly waved.

“She was amazing, Elijah! She really was!”

Elijah’s lips curved into a small smile, but his eyes never left mine.

“I knew she would be.”

There was something in the way he said it, his voice low and steady, that sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn’t just the words—it was the way he looked at me, as if he saw something in me that I couldn’t quite see in myself. The tension between us crackled, unspoken but undeniably there.

Katy, oblivious to the weight of the moment, gave me a quick hug before darting back into the office, leaving Elijah and me alone in the hallway. I could feel the heat of his gaze, the subtle pull that seemed to grow stronger with every second.

“You handled that well,” he said, stepping closer, his voice quiet but firm. “Melinda may not show it, but I know she heard you.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady.

“It didn’t feel like it. I’m not sure if they’re ready for the changes I want to make.”

Elijah’s expression softened, but there was still that smoldering intensity in his eyes.

“Change is never easy, but you’re doing exactly what needs to be done.”

There was a beat of silence, the tension between us thickening. For a moment, I wondered if he was going to say more, if he was going to break down the walls he always kept so carefully in place. But just as quickly as it came, the moment passed.

Elijah stepped back, his usual guarded demeanor returning.

“I have some work to finish,” he said, his voice more formal now. “But I’ll see you later.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there in the hallway, my heart still racing. The intensity of the moment lingered, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. All I knew was that something between us was shifting, but neither of us seemed ready to acknowledge it.

The next morning, Katy and I met at a small café near Silvermoon’s headquarters, the buzz of the city filtering through the glass windows as we sat down with our coffee.

“I’ve been thinking about what we discussed,” Katy said, her eyes bright as she spread out a stack of papers between us. “What if we start with a capsule collection? Something small, maybe five or six pieces. We can focus on comfort but keep it elegant and stylish.”

I nodded, though my thoughts were still muddled from the previous day’s events.

“That’s a good idea. But we need more than just a small collection. The department needs a full overhaul if we want to make a real impact.”

Katy’s enthusiasm was contagious, and despite my lingering doubts, I found myself getting caught up in her energy. But as I sipped my coffee, I couldn’t help but think about the obstacles that still stood in our way—namely, Melinda’s resistance and Olivia’s looming influence.

“We’re up against a lot,” I said, setting my cup down. “Melinda’s not going to support any of this, and Olivia’s vision for Silvermoon has been ingrained in the department for years.”

Katy leaned forward, her brow furrowed in thought.

“You don’t need Melinda’s approval to make this work. You have Elijah’s support, and that’s what matters.”

At the mention of his name, my heart did its familiar little flip. Elijah had been more supportive than I expected, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was still so much left unsaid between us. His approval meant everything to me, but it also carried a weight that I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

“I know,” I said softly. “But it’s complicated. The department doesn’t trust me yet, and they’re used to Olivia’s way of doing things.”

Katy gave me a reassuring smile.

“You’ll get there. It just takes time.”

I wished I could share her optimism, but the weight of everything felt heavier than ever. Still, I couldn’t let myself back down. Not now.

“We need to shake things up,” I said, an idea starting to form in my mind. “What if we make a video? Something simple but impactful. We can ask people when was the last time they wore something truly comfortable.”

Katy’s eyes lit up.

“Yes! And we can show them that comfort doesn’t mean sacrificing style. We could feature real people—not models—showing how fashion can be practical and elegant.”

The idea sparked something inside me, a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, we could turn this around. I grabbed a napkin and started jotting down ideas, the excitement building with every word.

That afternoon, I found myself outside Elijah’s office, my pulse quickening as I knocked on the door. When he called for me to enter, I stepped inside, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Elijah,” I began, “I have an idea I want to run by you.”

He looked up from his desk, his expression softening as he gestured for me to sit.

“Let’s hear it.”

I explained the concept for the video, outlining how we could use social media to spark a conversation about comfort and style. Elijah listened intently, his eyes never leaving mine.

When I finished, there was a brief silence before he smiled—a slow, approving smile that made my breath catch.

“I think it’s a brilliant idea.”

Relief flooded through me, but before I could respond, Elijah stood and walked around the desk, closing the distance between us. His gaze was intense, his presence overwhelming.

“You have vision,” he said quietly, his voice low and steady. “It’s one of the things I admire about you.”

The way he looked at me made my heart race. There was something in his eyes—something deeper, something I hadn’t fully understood until now. I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat.

Before I could say anything, Katy burst into the room, her eyes wide with excitement.

“The video’s ready! We should upload it right now!”