Chapter 5: The Battle for the Starlight Brocade

The Grand Atrium of the Vance International Textile Gala was filled with beautiful fabrics and important people.

Silk, cashmere, and other expensive materials were displayed everywhere.

The most powerful people in the fashion world had come to compete for the best fabrics.

For Sarah, this was more than just a social event.

It was the beginning of her first major fashion collection with the Vance family.

Sarah walked beside Adrian's motorized wheelchair.

She wore a beautiful ivory jumpsuit that she had designed herself.

Its unusual neckline and sharp design made many people look at her with interest.

"The most important fabric here tonight is the Starlight Brocade," Adrian said.

His deep voice was easy to hear even with the music playing.

"It is a special silk made by one of the best textile factories in Milan."

He pointed toward the shining fabric.

"Only one fashion house will get the right to use it exclusively this season."

Sarah's eyes brightened.

"If I get that fabric for my first collection, it will make our fashion house stand out."

She smiled.

"And no one will be able to copy my mother's designs easily."

"Exactly," Adrian replied.

His eyes moved around the room.

"That is why Victoria has spent the last two days preparing a problem for you."

Almost immediately, the people near the main display moved aside.

Victoria walked toward them.

She was covered in expensive diamonds and wore a proud smile.

Beside her was another woman.

She had a sharp face and wore a bright red jacket.

Her name was Elena Vance.

She was Adrian's cousin and a famous fashion designer who had trained in Paris.

"Adrian, Sarah," Victoria said sweetly.

"What a lovely surprise."

She looked at Sarah.

"I see you're interested in the Starlight Brocade."

Victoria smiled.

"Unfortunately, I've already introduced Elena to Signor Rossi, the owner of the Milan factory."

She pointed toward Elena.

"They are almost finished making an exclusive deal."

Elena stepped forward.

She looked at Sarah with disrespect.

"Adrian, I respect your business skills."

"But giving a luxury fashion company to a former assistant with a bad reputation is ridiculous."

She raised her chin.

"High fashion requires experience and status."

She glanced at Sarah.

"Not emotional family drawings."

Several journalists and board members nearby began listening.

Sarah felt the insult.

But she didn't become angry.

She simply stepped forward.

"Experience is not very useful without real talent, Elena."

Elena's eyes narrowed.

Sarah continued.

"I studied your last collection from Paris."

"Your dresses looked beautiful, but your designs depended too much on tight corsets because you didn't know how to properly balance heavy fabric."

Elena's face became angry.

"What did you say?"

Sarah ignored her.

"Signor Rossi!"

An elderly Italian man walked toward them.

He was the head of the Milanese textile company.

"Madame Vance," he said warmly.

He smiled at Sarah.

"I have heard about how you exposed the fashion theft at the National Gala."

He nodded respectfully.

"A true designer protects the work of other artists."

"Thank you, Signor Rossi," Sarah replied.

She pointed toward the Starlight Brocade.

"Your workers have created something wonderful."

She touched the fabric gently.

"But there is something important about it."

Sarah examined the material carefully.

"The threads are very flexible even though they contain metal."

She looked at Elena.

"If Elena uses her usual stiff style of sewing, the metal threads could break when the person wearing the dress moves."

Elena's face became pale.

"That's impossible!"

She raised her voice.

"I'm an expert in structured fashion!"

Sarah remained calm.

"Then you should understand this."

She pointed at the fabric.

"A fabric like this needs to move freely. You can't force it into a stiff shape."

Sarah turned toward Signor Rossi.

"Give me three minutes."

The people around them became curious.

"I need one mannequin and one yard of this fabric."

She paused.

"If I cannot make the fabric look beautiful while protecting its threads, I will give up my offer."

Signor Rossi smiled.

His eyes were filled with excitement.

"I like that!"

He turned toward the studio.

"Please, go ahead."

Victoria quickly stepped forward.

"Signor Rossi, surely you won't let a beginner—"

"Enough, Victoria."

Adrian's voice suddenly cut through the room.

Victoria immediately stopped talking.

Adrian looked at Signor Rossi.

"Let her work speak for itself."

A few minutes later, a crowd had gathered around Sarah.

She stood in front of a mannequin.

She held a pair of scissors and several small pins.

Her hands moved quickly and carefully.

Sarah had been practicing fashion design for many years.

She didn't use a pattern.

Instead, she allowed the fabric to fall naturally around the mannequin.

She turned it.

She folded the fabric.

She pinned it.

Then she made one final pin near the shoulder.

Sarah stepped back.

Everyone gasped.

The fabric looked amazing.

It didn't look stiff.

Instead, it flowed down the mannequin like a shining waterfall.

The lights reflected off it.

It almost looked as if the fabric was glowing.

Even better, none of the seams were under pressure.

Signor Rossi clapped excitedly.

"Beautiful!"

He smiled widely.

"You didn't fight the fabric, Madame Sarah."

"You worked with it."

He turned toward everyone.

"The exclusive rights to the Starlight Brocade belong to Vance Fashion House!"

The crowd burst into excited whispers.

Elena stared at the mannequin.

Her hands shook.

Everyone around her was now talking about Sarah's talent.

Victoria looked furious.

Her plan had completely failed.

The designer she had brought from Paris had just been defeated.

A contract was brought to Sarah.

She picked up the pen and signed it.

Adrian moved his wheelchair closer.

He looked up at Sarah.

For once, his eyes showed real pride.

"You didn't only win the fabric," Adrian said quietly.

Sarah looked at him.

"You also surprised Victoria's people on the board."

"They won't question your ability again."

Sarah smiled.

She finished signing her name.

As she did, her fingers briefly touched Adrian's.

They both paused.

Something strange passed between them.

Neither said anything.

But Sarah could feel her heart beating faster.

They were becoming a powerful team.

And the people around them were beginning to realize something important:

Sarah and Adrian Vance were becoming very difficult to defeat.