Becomes

Chapter 0074

Serena’s POV

“Excellent! This is going to be a fantastic show, I can feel it,” Marjorie exclaims as we hand her the signed contract.

I respond with a smile, “We’re just as excited, Marjorie. It’s going to be incredible working together on this.”

“Are you two busy right after this? I’d love to show you something,” Marjorie asks.

I hesitate for a moment, mindful of our schedule. “We actually planned to get started on the preparations for the fashion show,” I begin, considering our workload.

But Stevie jumps in quickly, “We’ve got a bit of time, Serena. What do you want to show us, Marjorie?”

Marjorie’s smile turns secretive. “Great! Follow me,” she says.

As we follow Marjorie through the hallways of De Luca Couture headquarters, I lean in to whisper to Stevie, “Why did you say we have more time? We have so much to do for the show.”

Stevie whispers back, “Girl, chill… Maybe Marjorie is about to show us something that could inspire our work. Who knows? This might give us some fresh ideas.”

“You’re right. Let’s just see what she has up her sleeve,” I reply.

Marjorie leads us into a large room where mannequins display her vibrant designs. On the left, a mannequin sports a flowing maxi dress adorned with bold, tropical prints and a deep V–neck, perfect for balmy evenings. Another is dressed in a breezy, off–shoulder sundress in pastel yellow, its fabric dotted with tiny, delicate seashells.

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In the center, a standout piece captures our attention: a lightweight, azure blue jumpsuit with a cinched waist and wide legs. Next to it, a mannequin wears a chic, white linen suit, its blazer paired with tailored shorts, and a crisp, lavender shirt underneath.

Marjorie beams with pride as she gestures around the room. “This is our upcoming summer collection,” she explains, her enthusiasm palpable. “It hasn’t been released to the public yet, but I thought you might like to have a first look.”

Stevie looks around in awe. “Wow, these are amazing,” she murmurs, her eyes darting from one outfit to another.

I’m just as struck by the collection. “Marjorie, these pieces are fantastic,

I comment. “Thanks for showing this to us.”

“Feel free to try any of them if you want,” she offers with a generous wave of her hand towards the mannequins.

Stevie’s face lights up with excitement, and she looks at me with an eager grin. “Should we?” she asks.

“Why not?” I respond, feeling a thrill at the idea of slipping into one of these exquisite creations. We both move toward the collection, our fingers brushing the fabrics as we decide which pieces to try first.

Marjorie claps her hands, delighted by our enthusiasm. “Let me know if you need help with sizes or adjustments,” she says.

Stevie chooses the breezy, off–shoulder sundress, while I’m drawn to the chic white linen suit. We slip behind a folding screen set up in the corner of the room for privacy. Moments later, we step out, transformed. The outfits fit wonderfully, making us feel like part of the vibrant, lively essence Marjorie intended to capture with her summer

line.

Looking at ourselves in the full–length mirror, we can’t help but smile,

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twirling a bit to see the outfits from different angles. Marjorie watches us, her smile wide and genuine. “You both look fantastic,” she says.

For a moment, Stevie and I are not just business partners; we’re two little girls playing dress–up. The world of high fashion is our new playground.

**

***

After our visit to De Luca Couture’s headquarters, I head back to my own apartment studio, filled with fresh inspiration.

Today, instead of opening the shop, I decide to work on a new piece of jewelry, inspired by a pastel yellow sundress I tried on at Marjorie’s–it was covered in seashells. That dress took me straight back to a summer when I was a kid, spending days at the beach.

There was this boy I met just that summer. He was a lot bigger than me and some of the other kids would pick on him. I ended up standing up for him once, and afterward, he gave me a seashell necklace as a thank you. His face is fuzzy in my memory now, but I’ve never forgotten that necklace. It’s actually what got me into making jewelry.

Today’s project is inspired by that memory. I’m shaping a blue aquamarine gemstone into the form of a seashell. I’m trying to capture the essence of the sea and that summer in the shape and color of the stone. I even start filming the process, planning to share this story on my Tik Tok page.

But I decided to hold off on posting it right away – I want to make sure it perfectly captures the memory. 2

Deep in these thoughts, I barely notice Calvin until I look up and see him standing in the doorway, watching me work.

I smile at Calvin and say, “Oh, hello there… I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

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He leans one arm in the doorway, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Not a chance. It’s impossible to forget someone like you, Serena,” he replies.