Chapter 08: The Bitter Compromise.

Elara sat motionless at her workstation in the sleek, modern fashion studio, staring blankly at the glowing laptop screen.

Her fingers hovered uselessly over the keyboard. She hadn’t designed a single thing in the past thirty minutes.

Her mind was consumed with Jasmine, the hurt in her eyes, the sharp betrayal in her voice, and the painful silence that now stretched between them like a wall.

The studio door opened. Jasmine walked in, her usual bright energy replaced by cold indifference.

She dropped her bag on her desk without a word and sat down, refusing to even glance in Elara’s direction.

Elara’s heart clenched. She turned slightly in her chair, studying her best friend’s stiff posture.

After several tense seconds, she gathered her courage.

“Jasmine… I’m very sorry about last night,” Elara said softly, her voice laced with genuine remorse. “I never meant to hurt you.”

Jasmine didn’t look up. Instead, she reached into her bag, pulled out her headphones, and slipped them over her ears with deliberate slowness.

The message was crystal clear: I don’t want to hear it.

Elara felt a sharp sting in her chest. She stared at Jasmine for a long moment, her eyes burning with unshed tears, then sighed heavily and turned back to her laptop.

She tried to focus on work, but the heavy atmosphere made every second feel suffocating.

A few minutes later, one of the junior staff members entered the office nervously.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” the young woman said politely. “The boss needs to see you right now.”

Elara looked up, surprised. “The boss is around?”

The staff nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Elara nodded, forcing a small smile. “Alright. Tell her I’ll be there in a jiffy.”

The junior staff member left. Elara quickly saved her work, arranged the fabric swatches on her desk, and smoothed down her dress.

With a deep breath, she walked out of the office toward Orella’s private suite.

She stood outside the heavy oak door for almost a full minute, heart pounding. Finally, she knocked softly and entered.

Orella was seated behind her massive glass desk, completely absorbed in her tablet. She didn’t raise her head or acknowledge Elara’s presence.

Elara stood awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other. “Good day, ma’am. You sent for me.”

Orella slowly lifted her head. Her sharp, perfectly made-up eyes fixed on Elara with cold authority. “Yes, I sent for you.” She leaned back in her chair. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Elara felt a storm of anger and frustration swirling inside her.

Orella had pushed her to the edge last night, yet here she was, acting like the victim.

Still, Elara knew she was trapped between losing her job and losing her friendship with Jasmine. She swallowed her pride.

“I’m sorry about last night, ma’am,” Elara said, her voice steady but respectful. “I was heartbroken and emotional. I shouldn’t have reacted that way or walked out on you. It was unprofessional.”

Orella stood up gracefully and walked around her desk, stopping a few feet away from Elara. A satisfied smile curved her lips.

“Well… I would only accept your apology on one condition,” Orella said smoothly.

Elara stared at her for a long moment, disappointment and annoyance flashing across her face. She sighed heavily. “What condition, ma’am?”

Orella’s smile widened. “You will go to Mr. Kael’s estate right now and do exactly what we discussed yesterday.”

Elara’s stomach twisted. For a brief second, she felt deep resentment.

But then she remembered Jasmine’s hurt expression. She thought to herself: 'If I go… maybe I can push him toward Jasmine instead, my way of proving that I'm a genuine friend who supports her.'

A small, calculated smile formed on Elara’s lips. “Okay, ma’am. I don’t mind. I’ll go right now.”

Orella looked pleased. “Good. That’s very smart of you. Jasmine will cover your tasks for today. You’ll head straight to Mr. Kael’s office.”

“Sure, ma’am. I’ll gratefully do that,” Elara replied with forced enthusiasm.

Orella pressed the intercom. “Jasmine, please come to my office.”

A few moments later, Jasmine entered. She avoided looking at Elara.

“Jasmine,” Orella said calmly, “Elara will be going out to handle our new client. You’ll cover her workload today.”

Jasmine’s jaw tightened. She clenched her fists at her sides, shooting Elara a look full of disdain and hurt. “Alright, ma’am. Please, who is our new client so I can log it properly?”

Orella smiled. “His name is Mr. Kael of Eclipse Holdings Limited.”

Jasmine’s expression darkened further. She gave Elara one last cold stare before nodding stiffly. “Yes, ma’am. Mr. Kael. Makes perfect sense.”

Orella waved her hand dismissively. “What are you waiting for? Get on with your work.”

Jasmine nodded once and walked out without another word.

Elara’s heart beat fast as she watched her friend leave, the weight of their broken friendship pressing heavily on her chest.

As Elara turned to follow, Orella stopped her. “Hold on. You don’t need to go back to your office. Leave right now. Mr. Kael is a very busy man. You won’t catch him if you waste time.”

Elara hesitated. “But ma’am, can I at least grab some things from my office?”

“No, Elara,” Orella said firmly. “Go now.”

Elara nodded reluctantly. “Sure, ma’am.”

Outside, the company driver, Drake, was already waiting. Elara climbed into the back seat.

As the car pulled away from the studio, her thoughts spiraled wildly. What am I doing? How did my life become this messy in just two days?

The drive felt endless. She stared out the window, anxiety and determination warring inside her.

When they finally arrived at the impressive glass building of Kael's estate, Drake turned to her. “We’re here, ma’am.”

Elara blinked, pulled from her thoughts. “Oh… thank you. Please come pick me up in about an hour.”

She stepped out of the car and stared up at the towering, luxurious building.

Taking a deep breath, she whispered to herself, “Okay. You can do this, take it easy.”

With steady steps, she walked into the grand lobby and approached the private elevator area.

A tall, strikingly handsome man in a sharp black suit was waiting near the entrance.

He had smooth dark skin, sharp cheekbones, intense grey eyes, and a clean, professional fade haircut. His presence was commanding yet polished.

“Good day,” he said politely. “May I help you?”

Elara looked at him for a moment, slightly taken aback by how attractive he was. “You’re Lucas, right?”

The man’s expression remained neutral and professional. “Can I help you, ma’am?”

Elara quickly recovered. “Oh, yes. I’m here to take Mr. Kael’s measurements and discuss his clothing designs. I would love to see him right now.”

Lucas nodded. “Alright. Let me inform the boss.” He assured her and turned toward the private elevator.

Before he could take a step, a cold, mean voice echoed from the upper level through the intercom system.

“I want her off this property. Now!”

Elara’s head snapped up in shock. “What the fuckk...”