Chapter 2 2

I exited the elevator onto the 22nd floor of King Fashion House building; excitement surged within me. Light from some transom windows flooded this enormous corridor decorated with beautiful paintings among other things as my new workplace beckoned. My heart was racing because I have followed Alexander who had both the authoritative presence and reassured me at the same time down that corridor. "Welcome to the heart of King Fashion House, Ms.

Taylor," said Alexander in a warm and inviting voice, "This is where the magic happens." I smiled as my eyes widened before me at what lay ahead: it was truly every designer's dream; an expansive atelier. The large windows allowed sunlight into all corners, thereby filling it with natural light streaming through them. There were sketches along these walls and fabric swatches hanging from them! Mannequins stood motionless in their poses showcasing first-rate dresses that were still undergoing design work; sewing machines hummed softly while classical music streamed faintly in background. He pointed towards one large desk tucked inside the corner, bathed in gentle light "This will be your workspace Ms Taylor," he said "I hope you get inspiration here." As I walked toward him, my heart fluttered: "It's so perfect Mr. King!" I exclaimed "I am ready to begin!" He smiled with eyes filled with warmth and encouragement "I'll introduce you to our team then we can make sure you are comfortable," he said.

On the table I had laid out my portfolio, my eyes wandering around the busy design studio. Designers bent over their tables, working diligently with the materials, skillfully stitching fabric and thread together. Voices whispered while pieces of cloth rustled softly; it created an atmosphere filled with creativity. Alexander took me through, introducing each designer who made up the King Fashion House team. They all greeted me warmly, whimsy dancing in their eyes. Then there was Sophia Laurent – Alexander's closest confidante and head designer– who approached me wearing a broad grin. "It is such an honor to finally meet you Ms. Taylor! Your talent is already here and people are noticing it!" This made my heart swell with pride as I felt welcomed. "Thank you Ms. Laurent! It's truly an honour to be part of King Fashion House," I said nervously. While looking around at the rest of the workshop, my gaze landed on someone strikingly beautiful with sleek dark hair and piercing blue eyes. She moved elegantly oozing confidence while attracting attention to herself.

"Victoria Evans is our amazing marketing manager," said Alexander pointing to her. "She is an important aspect of our achievement." Victoria smiled at me warmly, and her eyes sparkled with interest. "Welcome to the team Ms. Taylor, your designs are going to sell like hot cakes." As I shook hands with Victoria, my stomach did a small flip because what she said mattered so much. "Thank you Ms. Evans. I am really looking forward to being part of such a gifted team." Alexander took me over to a welcoming seating area where there were snacks waiting for us. "So we need to make sure that you feel comfortable here first then we can go ahead and talk about the new collection coming soon." As I sank into the cushions, I couldn't help but gaze at the stunning sight of the city skyline. The sun had begun descending slowly on its own making everything the perfect shade of gold in color around in buildings. Gratitude filled my heart along with being amazed by how fortunate one could be. Accepting a glass of champagne from him, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he said, "To new beginnings and may our forthcoming collection be successful. The warmth washed over me when I hit my glass against his warming up my cheeks as if they were on fire; "To new beginnings," I repeated quietly filled up with yearning and dreams.

The glasses in their hands were several, raised in a toast together by the folks around me; as such I felt a sense of warmth that flooded through me for I truly belonged. Under the shining stars, an intimate atmosphere was taking shape within the atelier. This was evident from Alexander's pull towards me onto a nearby seat whose countenance glowed. "Let's explore your designs now, Ms. Taylor. They have been long overdue," he said with excitement oozing from his eyes. My heart raced with excitement as I opened up my portfolio; fixing my stare on him made it even worse than before. Laying down all sketches made by hand before him - every single one - Alexander and his mates took their time scrutinizing them carefully and quietly shared murmurs indicating approval or admiration amid themselves within the room. Every sound made in there fuelled my courage towards future endeavors. We had our fun that night talking fabrics matching colors diving deep into each motive behind every piece made by me such that every passing moment plunged deeper still within this chic society life she lead before us thanks to them. What I could not see was how dangerous such beauty can turn out to be because it swallows everything including mystery!