DISCLAIMER:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, businesses, events, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.~~~“I wish you wore the dress I made for you tonight…” said Leila as she held Phyllis' hands.Phyllis' face crumpled upon hearing Leila. “Are you crazy? I'm in charge of everything here backstage, why would I wear a f*cking gown here?”Leila pouted. “I made it for you… And I don't think you'll have a chance to wear it in the next ten years for a wedding because you're single as f*ck…”Phyllis' eyes widened, ready to fight Leila. “Bi—”“Ladies, your words, please.”Rui interrupted the two as she walked in wearing the jumpsuit Leila made for her.Leila rushed to attach the lace cape that she made. Her delicate hands handled the fabric with great care. It flowed down gracefully as Rui twirled to show Leila's work around.Rui's eyes sparkled as she felt the softness of the lace. “I love it, Lei! It's so beautiful!”Leila blushed. “Really? I don't think my work is that great…”Phyllis found Leila's unusual reaction cute and so she pinched her cheeks. “What’s with you?! Why are you acting so shy and demure? Be confident and be proud of your art!”Leila pursed her lips to try and hide her smile. Her heart was full after seeing her best friends express their support for her work. Opening up an atelier was a big move for her at her young age. She usually works in her apartment’s living room which hinders her productivity since it’s a little cramped. She doesn’t have enough space to fit her personal belongings and everything that she uses for dressmaking.It was because of her best friend’s convincing words that she took the risk to buy an old house near her apartment and renovate it into a beautiful atelier. It was quite a spacious property so there’s room for a massive garden. She plans to hold fashion shows and shoots here in her garden because of the beautiful landscaping and it would fit a lot of guests. She filled the garden with beautiful flowers like roses and peonies. The good thing about this is that her office directly overlooks this lovely garden. She loves looking at her garden for inspiration and a little breather from an exhausting day.With all the overwhelming emotions filling up her heart, she couldn’t help but tear up.“Ah–ah! No! Don’t ruin your makeup!” Phyllis hurried to carefully wipe Leila’s tears away.Rui pulled Leila for an embrace. “Shh… Don’t cry, we're here…”“You’re treating me like Eon, Rui…” Leila complained with a pout.Rui chuckled. “Continue crying and I might just adopt you.”Phyllis also joined in and said, “Adopt me too, Mommy Rui~”“I'd rather throw you in my cousin’s house, Lis,” she joked.Phyllis’ cheeks lightly flushed as she avoided Rui’s inquisitive eyes. “Why—why not?! Throw me to him then!”Rui smirked. “Sure, I’ll tell Grandma Sandra. That way, you can use the wedding gown that Leila made.”Phyllis uneasily broke free from their hug and bravely replied, “Go ahead! Tell her! That way I can marry my long-time husband!”“I’ll check the lights and sounds team! Bye!” She picked up her tablet from the table before storming out.Rui and Leila both laughed at Phyllis. Her face was crimson red all because of Rui’s cousin, Zacharias.“She took her parasocial relationship with Zach to the extreme,” commented Leila.Rui’s lips curled up as she watched Phyllis seriously coordinate with the events manager.“We never know… It might just come true…” she vaguely said.Leila glanced outside and saw Zacharias and the other members of Luna from the attendees. “Well… If that happens, I might just give love another shot…”Rui patted her back. “You should.”Leila just smiled.‘I hope I can…’Love was such a heavy word for her. It’s been a while since she gave it a thought. Every man she dated before never progressed to something more than just a simple crush. Well—except for one man who broke her heart.Her bitter smile still concealed the pain she was feeling just from recalling that man.‘It’s been a while… And I think my newest crush is not that bad…’She shook her head to clear her mind.It’s a busy night for her. She’s finally back to her hometown. She doesn’t have the time to think about love.Right now, she only needs to focus on making her fashion show a success, everything else will follow later!With the gentle harp music filling the chilly night air, dazzling lights lit up the runaway.One by one, under the starry night, beautiful models wearing flowy lace gowns. Leila’s intricate crystal lace designs were the highlight of the collection. Her technique of making these complex lace designs has become her trademark.Ethereal and feminine.That’s how her works were known.She treated each piece as her child.Her works were all handled meticulously. She was extremely focused on making every detail perfect. She wanted everyone to appreciate every thread and crystal she had sewn.And so this show is so important for her brand. This is her official debut in Centriona’s fashion scene. Her credentials overseas are not gonna matter if this show flopped.Her hands trembled in excitement as she watched her dresses grace the runway.She bit her lips as she tried her best not to get emotional.She then felt a gush of warmth from her hands. She looked down and saw her petite friend, Phyllis.“I’m so proud of you…”Phyllis’ eyes twinkled as she watched the dresses move with the wind.Leila couldn’t help but hug Phyllis. “Thank you for helping me out, Lis…”Phyllis, who supportively helped her with the preparations, witnessed Leila’s passion for her brand. She was extremely hands-on.She hugged Leila back. “You deserve this, Lei…”Phyllis glanced at her smartwatch before hurriedly tapping Leila. “It’s time for Rui to come out! Compose yourself.”Rui waved at the two before making her way out.The white gold body chain shone under the plunging neckline. Every step that she made was sharp yet elegant. It’s exactly like her personality. The perfectly tailored jumpsuit elongated her already long legs.Leila’s inspiration for this piece is Rui's qualities. Her intimidating presence is strong yet it cannot hide her innate elegance. She wanted to show how she could add her touch to this style. A jumpsuit is just perfect for a busy mom like Rui. The addition of a body chain did not overwhelm the crystal lace on the cape. It blended perfectly as it flowed through the wind.Leila squeezed Phyllis’ hands and whispered, “Hurry and let me see you walk down the aisle with my gown…”Phyllis giggled. “Alright, next year!”Leila rolled her eyes at her friend. She knew that it was too much to ask her this. It’s impossible for Phyllis, who only has her idol in her heart and her online friend to fulfill her request next year.‘I know it’s selfish but I just want to see you girls wearing the pieces I made during my hardest times…’‘These two pieces brought me back from an awful art block… You girls kept me going to this extent…’‘So, please…’Still, in her heart, she quietly wished for it to come true.Leila glanced at Rui who was warmly holding her hand. She was about to grace the runway with Rui and her other models to formally close her show. She’s feeling a little nervous because even though she’s hearing positive reactions from earlier, she’s still unsure about the other guests. Rui massaged her hand and gently whispered, “Don’t worry, they loved your designs…” “How did you know?” “Well, because I saw it in their eyes.” Leila smiled. “It’s because you’re beautiful…” Rui giggled. “I am.” “But they paid more attention to your meticulous craftsmanship than all of the beautiful women who wore them.” “It’s all on you, dear. It’s your talent.” Leila bit her lips. She’s feeling a little more emotional now that she has to wrap up her show. Rui saw the break of emotion on Leila’s face. “Ah! Don’t you dare cry! Phyllis is going to lose it if you ruin your makeup!” Leila fanned her face with her hand and looked away, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m not! I won’t cry!” “Gu
Shane shook his head. His attention was also drawn to the two beautiful women talking a few meters away. He could not take his eyes away from his ex. His feet tapped on the floor, restlessly waiting for Leila to leave her. “Lucky you. Don’t miss the opportunities given to you, bro.” “Of course, you too, bro.” Julius remained mum as he observed his friend’s back disappear in the distance. ‘If only he did not cheat. Maybe he and Rui would be married by now.’ With a stoic look, he looked unapproachable. But still, there are people who recognized him as the heir of Crest Fashion Group. And… And as Leila’s ex. He smiled and politely talked to the people who asked him to send their regards to Leila. Of course, his presence means one thing. Leila and him are on good terms. After all, who would invite their ex-boyfriend to such an important event like this? Unbeknownst to him, another watchful eye observed everything that went down. Her hands gripped her mobile phone in disgus
“Leila! Hurry up!” A petite high school girl ran towards Leila who was tying her hair with a silky red ribbon. The red color emphasized her beautiful ebony hair. Her fair skin was glowing under the sunlight. Leila Parker and Rui Yoon hurried after their friend Phyllis Lu. They were all dressed in blue checkered skirts and navy blue blazers. The only difference is the color of their ties. Rui Yoon was wearing a navy blue tie for senior students while the other two ladies were wearing muted blue ties for middle school students. One can know the level of students of Centriona School of Gifted by looking at their neckties. In this case, Rui Yoon is already a graduating student, while Leila and Phyllis are middle schoolers. After a long and tiring school day, Leila and Rui were dragged by Phyllis to a nearby mall to see a mall show. Phyllis stood behind a pillar, far away from the stage. Leila confusedly looked at her friend, who was trying to hide herself from the artists on the
“So? What happened to your face, Lei?” asked Phylian Lu, who was comfortably resting his arms on top of Phyllis’ head. From the moment that Leila woke up, she’s been in a bad mood. She doesn’t know how to take in what her father just arranged for her. ‘Marriage?! I’m still too young for that!’ ‘Does mom know about this? When is she coming back from Paris? I need to see her…’ Her frown deepened as she thought about what happened. Just then, Phyllis yanked her twin’s arms away from her head. “Get off, asshole!” “Hey, I’m your older brother, watch your words!” “Oh, yeah? Older by a minute?” Phylian snorted. “I’m telling Mom!” “Go tell mom, you suck up!” Phyllis fearlessly argued back. Phylian couldn’t help but pinch his sister's nose in annoyance. “Isn’t that you? You even suck up to Grandma and Auntie!” Phyllis did not back down and delivered a flick on his arm. “They favor me because I’m pretty and you look like shit.” “We’re twins! We look alike!” Listening to the twi
Leila rushed out of the office and went straight back to their classroom. Phyllis and Phylian who just made up with each other both noticed the change in her mood. But since the afternoon class was about to start, the twins did not bother to ask her. RING~ The class bell rang once the class hours ended. One by one, Leila’s classmates all went out of the classroom to attend their extracurricular activities. “So? What happened to you?” asked Phyllis, who was fixing her bag. She was getting ready to attend a practice for an upcoming dance competition.“I… I’m getting engaged…” she said with so much difficulty. She couldn’t bear to think of the engagement, much less speak of it. “Pardon?! With whom?!”“HOLY SHIT?! With whom?”The twins’ loud voices echoed in the classroom. Both Phyllis and Phylian were surprised to hear about this news. They couldn’t believe that at their age, Leila would get engaged.Leila’s eyes watered as she suppressed the anger in her heart. She doesn’t want to b
“Laura…”Laura Ning glanced at her friend, Hillary. “Hmm?”“What if Leila wants to be engaged with that boy?” Hillary curiously asked. “There’s no way! She was crying when the kids brought her here yesterday! She hates that boy!” Margaret answered for Laura. Laura just looked at Hillary, crestfallen. The question made her think of the what-ifs. No matter how absurd the idea is, at the end of the day, Leila’s happiness is her top priority. “MOM!”Leila yelled in joy as she saw her mother waiting in the living room for her. She hurried down the stairs to hug her mother.Laura welcomed her daughter with a tight and warm hug. “My Leila, how are you?”“Mom! Dad, arranged a marriage for me!” she complained straight to the point without dilly-dallying. She did not bother hiding it from her mother. She has always been very close to her mother to the point that she shares everything with her. From the minor annoyances that she feels to the happiest moments of her life. Her mother knows it a
Later, at midnight, Leila sneaked out of their house to go to a nearby playground. Inside the pocket of her cozy jacket is a tumbler filled with red wine. She always heard that one would forget their problems with alcohol. And so she went out to try it. She cannot drink inside their house since she’s afraid that their helpers will see her. The yellow streetlights shone brightly under the moonless sky. The surroundings were dark and cold, enough to send shivers down Leila’s spine. She nervously sat on the swing seat as she looked around. There was no one around. Except for the security guards who are set to roam around the village, she practically won’t see anyone. She took out her tumbler and smelled it. “Ew! It smells strange! How can anyone drink this?”Her nose scrunched up upon smelling the intense fruity scent from the bottle. Since it was new to her, she couldn’t help but feel strange. She closed her eyes and covered her nose before taking a sip of the sweet red wine. Sur
Laura and Allen hurried to the Yu family’s mansion upon receiving the call about Leila. They were still asleep, but when they heard the news from Kimberly Yu, they immediately went out to go to their house. “Allen, hurry up…” Laura urged her husband to drive faster.Allen sneered. “Isn’t Leila just like you, Laura? Sleeping around with men at such a young age. That’s how I ended up marrying you.”Laura’s gaze darkened. “How dare you?! You don’t know what I’ve been through, Allen!”Allen laughed at his wife. “Laura, we both know what happened to you. So stop acting holy and admit that you’re a slut.”Laura clenched her fist. Of course, she knows the whole story. After all, it was she who decided to keep her dear daughter, Leila. And it was a decision to involve Allen in her troubles. ‘Just until Leila becomes an adult. I’ll divorce this piece of sh*t immediately.’She turned her head to face the road as she ignored Allen. It would be more peaceful for her if she just kept quiet and i