3. Making Daring Moves

Kelly's POV

By the time I finished telling her all that happened, Hope's face had gone from deep concern to absolute, blinding fury. "Those absolute monsters,"

she breathed, her voice shaking with rage. "To threaten you like that over a business loan? On the street in broad daylight?"

"They know where I live, Hope," I whispered, the cold reality settling deep into my bones. "They said they'd drag me out of here. I don't know what to do. I have no money, no job, and no time."

Hope didn't let me spiral. Instead, she gripped my shoulders, forcing me to look her straight in the eyes.

"Listen to me, Kelly. You are safe right now. They gave you two weeks, which means they aren't coming back tonight. We are going to handle this together, okay? You are not alone in this."

She stood up firmly, wiping a rogue tear from her own eye, and walked over to the grocery bag. "First, you need to eat. You can't think straight when you're running on pure adrenaline."

With quick, efficient movements, she unpacked the bag, setting out soup, bread, and fruit.

She opened one of the beer bottles and pressed the cold glass into my hand, forcing me to take small bites until the hollow ache in my stomach finally began to ease.

As the warmth of the food settled the worst of my hunger, Hope sat down beside me on the futon, her expression dead serious.

"Okay. Let's talk strategy. The landlord gave you three weeks, and the sharks gave you two weeks. Applying for retail jobs online isn't going to save you, Kelly.

A paycheck like that won't even cover your past-due rent, let alone thousands in debt."

I stared at the bottle in my hand, a heavy weight pressing on my chest. "Then what am I supposed to do? I'm completely out of options."

Hope took a slow sip of her drink, as a sudden, glint appearing in her eyes.

"Since I know you will rather chew glass than take money from your brother, what you need right now is a high-paying corporate position, or a serious connection with someone who has real financial leverage.” She said.

“And you're not going to find them in this dark apartment. Which is why you and I are going to Savágé tonight."

I blinked, seriously caught off guard by her train of thought. "What? The exclusive lounge downtown? Hope, did you not hear a single word I said? I was just assaulted. The last thing I want to do is go to a high-end club."

"No, Kelly, think about it strategically," Hope countered, leaning in, her tone shifting into pure focus.

"Right now, your mind is full of fear, and staying trapped in here staring at nothing is going to paralyze you.” She said, dramatically.

“Savágé isn't just a place to dance. Tonight is the city's annual venture gala's after-party. The entire lounge will be packed with high-rolling CEOs, and corporate executives.

The kind of people who can clear your debt with pocket change in their suits."

"Hope, I can't just walk up to a CEO and ask for money…" I said, shock that she could think that.

"No, but you can network. You can look like the brilliant, stunning fashion designer you actually are instead of hiding away like a victim," Hope interrupted firmly, cutting off my protest.

"You need to clear the fear out of your head so you can plan your next steps, and you need to put yourself in a room where opportunity actually exists.

Also I’ll be paying for the drinks. You just need to dress up, snap yourself out of this panic, and then we will go find a lifeline tonight."

I looked up at her, my arguments dying in my lips. She was right. Minimum wages wouldn't save my life in three weeks.

And if I stayed here, the panic would drive me insane before the deadline even arrived. I needed to act, I needed to step into a world that actually had the power to pull me out of the dark.

A small sigh escaped my lips, and I looked up at my best friend, the fear in my chest slowly hardening into desperate determination. "Okay. Let's go to Savágé."

Hope's face broke into a triumphant, radiant smile. "That's my girl. Now, let's go find something in that closet that will make heads turn.”

———————

The door of the cab slammed shut behind us as with a loud thud as we stepped out, cutting off the low hum of the engine and leaving us standing on the wet pavement.

I could hear the bass from inside the exclusive club vibrating straight through the concrete and into the soles of my heels, an intimidating pulse that matched the frantic rhythm of my heart.

Neon lights from the massive Savágé sign bled into the puddles at my feet, casting fractured streaks of crimson and gold across the wet ground.

I tugged at the hem of my dress, my fingers straining against the fabric as the chilly night air hit my bare legs.

"Hope, seriously, I can't do this. Wearing this dress was a mistake. It is way too short, way too tight, and I feel like if I take a deep breath or walk too quickly, the entire back is going to split wide open."

Hope grabbed my wrist, pulling my hand away from the hem with a firm, exasperated sigh.

"Kelly, stop touching it. You've adjusted it three times since we left the apartment." She said,

“You look absolutely incredible. That emerald green color makes your skin glow, and the dress hugs your curves in all the right places. You are a fashion designer; you should know better than anyone that this dress was made for your body."

She spoke with so much enthusiasm as she tried to convince me.

"It was built for a mannequin, Hope, or for someone who actually has a life to celebrate," I muttered, shivering as a sharp gust of wind swept down the block, biting into my exposed shoulders and back.

"Right now, I feel like I'm wearing a neon sign that says 'Desperate and Unemployed.'"

"You look like a goddess, so start acting like one," Hope countered smoothly, adjusting the collar of her bright pink gown.

She reached out and linked her arm firmly through mine, anchoring me to the spot before I could turn back toward the street to hail another cab.