Chapter 6: A Small Victory

POV: VIVIAN

By the time the taxi pulled up outside Natalie’s house, my feet were aching and my head was pounding.

I paid the driver, stepped out, and made my way to the front door with my bag hanging from one shoulder. Natalie opened it before I could knock again.

One look at my face had her stepping aside. “That bad?”

“Girl...” I kicked off my shoes near the entrance and let my bag fall onto a chair before dropping onto the sofa. “The meeting wasn't a total disaster.”

Natalie returned from the kitchen with a glass of water and handed it to me.

“Tell me everything. How did it go?”

“I met Harlan Reeves.”

“I know you met him. What happened?”

“I spoke to him. Properly. I told him about the collection, the direction I want the brand to take, and why I think it deserves a place in his store.” I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face. “And he listened, Natalie. He actually listened.”

Her eyebrows lifted. “That's good.”

“He asked about the pieces, materials, and our target customers. He actually listened, and before I left, he agreed to review three samples.”

Natalie's smile widened. “Vivian, that's wonderful.”

“I know!” I sat up, suddenly forgetting how badly my feet hurt. “If he likes the samples, we could get our collection in front of people who can afford it. We could get orders, expand, and stop worrying about every little expense.”

“And make so much money?” she asked, amusement touching her voice.

“So much money,” I confirmed. “The kind of money that means I never have to count every cent before buying something.”

Natalie laughed, but she didn't let me enjoy the moment for long.

“It's a good opportunity, Vivian, but let's not treat it like a confirmed deal. He agreed to review three samples. That doesn't mean he's buying the collection. We still have to make sure the pieces are ready, the quality is consistent, and the production cost makes sense. We can't spend more money before we know what he thinks.”

My smile slowly weakened.

There it was, the familiar reminder that everything could go wrong.

Natalie could turn the best news in the world into a list of things that could go wrong. I had secured an opportunity that could change my business, and she was already reminding me it might amount to nothing.

I pressed my lips together, taking another sip of water to keep the complaint from escaping too quickly.

“You always have to put a disclaimer on everything.”

She looked at me. “What?”

“Every single thing. Can't you just be happy for me without reminding me of all the ways it could fail?”

“Vivian, I am happy for you.” Her expression softened. “I'm not trying to spoil your excitement. I know how much this means to you, and that's exactly why I don't want you rushing into another decision because you're excited.”

“Another decision?”

“Your first collection was expensive, and we didn't have enough evidence that people would pay those prices. I don't want us repeating that mistake with these samples.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it again.

The first collection wasn't a subject I enjoyed discussing. Still, Natalie wasn't wrong. I had spent too much trying to make everything look luxurious before understanding what customers wanted.

“I know what happened with the first collection,” I said. “I'm not planning to make the same mistakes.”

“Good. Then let's use this opportunity properly. What exactly did Reeves ask you to send?”

“Three samples from the collection.”

“Did he mention a particular style or price range?”

“He wants to see what we can offer. He hasn't made a final decision yet.”

“Then we need to choose carefully. The samples should represent the brand, but we also need to know how much each one costs to produce. If he asks for more, I don't want us discovering that we're barely making a profit.”

I stared at her before letting out a breath. “You have already started planning.”

“Someone has to.”

I laughed. “You are so annoying.”

“And yet you came straight here.”

“Because you're the only person I know who can turn a meeting into a business lecture.”

“Would you rather I told you everything was perfect and watched you lose money again?”

“No.” I glanced down at the glass in my hands. “I suppose not.”

Natalie squeezed my shoulder. “You did well tonight. You approached him yourself, made your pitch, and got him interested enough to consider the samples. That's a real step forward. I'm proud of you.”

Her words eased the irritation I had been holding onto. I had wanted her to promise everything would work out, but she couldn't do that, and I knew it.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

She collected my glass. “Have you eaten?”

I shook my head.

“Of course you haven't. I'll get you something, and then we can decide which three pieces we're sending.”

I leaned back against the sofa. My phone sat beside my bag, and I had checked it several times during the ride.

Alexander hadn't called.

Perhaps he had gone home after watching me leave. Perhaps he was still with Catherine. Either way, it shouldn't have mattered. He had been the one to ask for a divorce, and I had no intention of spending another evening wondering whether he regretted letting me walk away.

Still, the memory of his expression followed me. For once, he hadn't looked as though he knew exactly what I would do next.

I turned my phone facedown.

Tonight was supposed to be about my business, not my husband.

A notification lit up the screen before I could settle into the thought. I picked it up, expecting another useless message, but the sender's name made me sit upright.

Harlan Reeves.

I opened the email, reading it twice to make sure I hadn't misunderstood.

Natalie appeared at the kitchen entrance, holding a plate. “What is it?”

“His office wants the three samples,” I said, looking up at her. “They've given us a date to submit them.”

Natalie placed the plate on the table and came closer. “Then I hope you're ready to work.”

I looked at the email again, and my smile returned.

“I was born ready.”