aded home to get changed. I spent so much time trying to find the perfect outfit but in the end, I just pulled an old dress from my closet and after mul

ere a vehicle zoomed past me, taking my focus. "Watch where yo-" my words froze as the car lost c

lled, my voice was filled with panic. The wind

y. My nose caught the blended smell of burning oil and something unplacea

ped forward, her face resting against the airbag which had already deflated. I immediately remembered what I'd learne

e you okay

d the police. It wasn't long before the loud sounds of sirens wailing cut through the evening quiet and an ambulance pulled up. I

ant to be there. As I walked through the ster

titch through her skin with quiet precisi

ch for saving me, ma'am," sh

ke it sounded like I was years older than h

said, settling into

y reason you were driving like you w

w sigh. "There's.

get it. Life

r that. Not the tense

y boyfriend broke up with me because I'm a failure." Her laugh was flat, the

t say

her but I hesitated. We were strang

ow me," she a

m sorry... I just-"

re definitely not worth your life, move on and you'll find peace" I s

in, then a continuous set of vibrations. I glanced down. Messages

mn

know everything you're going through," I said, voice firm

t her eyes followed me

r and headed toward my car. My heels clicked briskly on the pavement, ech

d by the time I arrived, the s

d with a wicked grin. Marco had an arm wrapped around

ving her the satisfaction of a reply. I h

e. Jillian darted between models, double-checking that each one was dressed c

ackstage when everything dangled on the edge of chaos. The designer would be stressed and confused, desperate to make

n accident," I said, a

nted to a faint stain on my dress.

now. The smudge must've come from when

"Yeah. I'm fine

e same shade as my dress. "Take this," she said, wrapping it around me with qui

eside Mr. Virelli, acutely aware of every turned hea

?" he asked, vo

ixed on the runway, heart still catchin

well deserved bow, she was glowing beneath the spotlight. The chaos and pressur

ands were shaken, champagne flutes clinked. I wanted to speak to him, to share in the m

I made my way over to the broad-shouldered man s

u worked on your pronunciation

replied with a shrug, settling in

she chatted animatedly with a group across the ro

nning it for mo

reaching into his suit pocket

, quickly clapping

yeing the large emerald ston

ow. "Da... I'll surprise

ll lo

ked, a flicker of unc

olut

g box back into his pocke

iting," she said, gi

murmured, pulling her

ter-party with

urned back to her. "I was thinking...

We don't have

aid, a small grin

the p

will be there tomor

with him, Jilly.

. "Fine. Though you're awfully cheerfu

r a wink. "Can't help

yet I found myself staying up, hoping Jillian would post a p

w!" she

hed. "Congratul

We'll talk more lat

rst time in a long while, I drifted