Hazel had been smiling the entire walk home.
Even though the day at Valentino Fashion House had been exhausting, she still felt a strange excitement inside her chest.
She had survived her first meeting with Luca Valentino.
Barely.
Thinking about how she had embarrassed herself earlier made her groan softly.
"Impress rich people…" she muttered to herself.
She shook her head in disbelief.
Why would I even say something like that?
Still… despite the embarrassment, something good had happened today.
Something she couldn't wait to share.
Abi.
Hazel climbed the stairs to their apartment and pushed the door open.
The small space felt unusually quiet.
"Abi?" she called.
No response.
Hazel remembered immediately.
Abi had mentioned earlier that she had a school activity that would keep her out late.
Hazel sighed and placed her bag on the table.
She would tell her later.
She had imagined this moment many times already.
Abi would be excited.
Maybe she would scream.
Maybe she would hug her and say how proud she was.
After all… Hazel had always celebrated Abi's victories the same way.
Every good grade.
Every achievement.
Every step forward.
Abi's happiness had always felt like her own.
Hours later, the door finally opened.
Abi walked in, looking slightly tired but still effortlessly beautiful as always.
Her smooth skin glowed under the light, and her long hair fell perfectly around her shoulders.
Hazel always wondered how her sister managed to look so flawless even after a long day.
"Hey," Abi said casually.
"Hey," Hazel replied, her excitement returning immediately.
"You're back late."
"School stuff," Abi shrugged, dropping her bag.
Hazel stepped closer, barely able to hide the smile on her face.
"I have something to tell you."
Abi raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
Hazel took a small breath.
"I got the job."
Abi blinked.
"What job?"
Hazel's smile widened.
"At Valentino Fashion House."
For a brief moment, Abi didn't react.
Then slowly, her eyes widened.
"The Valentino Fashion House?" she asked.
Hazel nodded excitedly.
"Yes."
Silence filled the room for a few seconds.
Hazel expected her sister to jump up with excitement.
Instead, Abi simply stared at her.
"That company… belongs to Luca Valentino, right?"
Hazel nodded again.
"Yes. He was even at the company today."
Abi's eyes flickered slightly.
For years now, Luca Valentino had been someone she admired from afar.
The young billionaire CEO who dominated headlines, fashion magazines, and business news.
Tall.
Powerful.
Handsome.
The kind of man people talked about like he was untouchable.
Abi had secretly crushed on him for a long time, the same way people admired celebrities they could never meet.
But she had never imagined someone like Hazel would ever enter his world.
Hazel… who spent most of her time working endlessly.
Hazel… who never cared about beauty or fashion for herself.
Hazel… who she had always seen as someone from a completely different class of life.
Abi forced a smile.
"That's… good," she said.
Hazel paused.
That reaction wasn't what she expected.
Not at all.
"I thought you'd be more excited," Hazel laughed lightly.
Abi shrugged.
"I mean… it's just a job, right?"
The words were simple, but they landed strangely.
Hazel quickly pushed the thought aside.
Maybe Abi was just tired.
After all, she had just come back from school.
Still smiling, Hazel continued talking about her first day, explaining everything that had happened.
How the company looked.
How nervous she had been.
How she had met Luca Valentino himself.
Abi listened quietly.
But inside her mind, something uncomfortable had begun to grow.
She had always admired Luca from a distance.
But she had never imagined someone like Hazel would even stand in the same room with him.
Still…
Abi wasn't worried.
Not really.
Luca Valentino was a billionaire.
A powerful CEO.
Men like that didn't fall for girls like Hazel.
Right?
So instead of jealousy…
Abi focused on something else entirely.
If Hazel was working there now…
Her salary would definitely increase.
Which meant…
Life would become even easier for Abi.
And that thought alone was enough to make her smile.
*Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I'm a new author, and your support truly means everything to me right now.
If you're enjoying the story, please feel free to follow the book and drop a power stone. It really helps the story grow and keeps me motivated to keep writing.
Thank you for being here! 💙