All Chapters of FASHION AND CRIME: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Sylvania watched him for a second, and then she switched on the TV. The news came on right away."Breaking news: A large fire has broken out at Abibba’s commercial house in downtown New Haven. Firefighters are on the scene."Her eyes widened. Abibba House? She had no time to think about it. With a little look at the clock, she knew she was running late.“Damn!” Sylvania muttered, rushing to the bathroom for a quick shower.After getting dressed in a white, fitting dress and heels, she checked herself in the mirror. With a swipe of red lipstick and she was ready to go. She grabbed her bag and patted Coco one last time before heading out. Climbing into her beautiful black Benz, she drove off to Style Studios, and she was willing to be there on time.In another part of the city, Zagaff Manscent, also known as “The Don,” sat in his office, sipping wine and thinking about how to expand his power in New Haven. The police were a big problem, but he knew he had to find a way to show them he w

Sylvania couldn’t stop smiling at how open Russell was, her heart was beating faster. Before she could respond, he stepped closer with his hands in his pockets. "Can I drop you home tonight?" he asked, sounding relaxed."I have a friend waiting outside," she said, trying to hide her excitement.Russell smiled. "I see. Would you like to meet again sometime?"Sylvania’s heart raced as she looked into his eyes. "I’d love to," she said softly."Great. Let’s exchange numbers," he said, handing her his phone.Sylvania took out her phone, and they quickly swapped numbers. The excitement of the evening was all around them as Sylvania looked toward the exit. She saw her friend, Vivian, waving at her from across the garden."I should go. My friend’s leaving," Sylvania said softly."Okay," Russell nodded, smiling. "I’ll call you tonight."Sylvania smiled. "I’ll be waiting." She gave him one last look before heading toward Vivian, who stood near her car.As she walked through the crowd, a few peo

He walked towards the garage, his footsteps soft in the evening air. The garage door was already open, and the guard, noticing his boss, hurried over to open the gate. He quickly unlatched it, pulling the heavy metal door wide.Russell slid into the driver’s seat, turning the key in the ignition. The engine purred as he smoothly reversed out of the garage. When he reached the gate, he nodded at the guard in thanks, who stood aside respectfully.He drove onto the street, the cool breeze filtering through the window. Russell was heading to Style Studios, a well-known spot in town. He didn’t even need to ask Sylvania for directions; everyone knew where it was.As he drove, the city lights began to flicker on. People walked along the sidewalks, some hailing taxis, while a few vendors still sold snacks.As he drove on, Russell's thoughts drifted to his family. His brother, Marco, had crossed his mind earlier. It had been a while since they last spoke. Though Russell wasn’t the type to dwel

Charlotte’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. "It was Capital Bank! I can’t believe this!" she gasped, leaning forward as if to get a better look at the news ticker running across the screen. She gripped her coffee mug tightly, her finger tips turning white.Russell let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, we saw the smoke on our way here," he said, his voice laced with disbelief. "Crazy." His eyebrows wrinkled as he glanced at Sylvania, who was absently stirring her coffee, lost in thought."They say the robbers wore ski masks," Sylvania murmured, her fingers tightening around the spoon. She exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the unease creeping up her spine. "How terrifying." Her eyes turned toward the screen again, as if hoping to see something that would make sense of it all.Charlotte shook her head, pushing her half-eaten pancake aside. "If people are brave enough to rob a bank, it feels like anything could happen." Her voice was softer now, an

Everyone in the restaurant clapped and cheered as Russell slid the ring onto Sylvania’s finger. The two of them shared a kiss, lost in their own world, not caring who was watching. In that moment, they felt like nothing else mattered but their love and the future they were about to build together.Meanwhile, at the other part of the city, Victor Morano and his associates were seated in a dimly lit corner of their favorite pub, "The Iron Flask." The pub was small, with wooden tables scattered around and there was a long bar at one end where bottles of alcohol lined the shelves. There was a heavy smell of smoke and the sound of laughter from other customers who shared deals and business ideas. Victor and his men sat around a large round table, drinks in hand. They were drinking whiskey; strong and dark, and occasionally taking slow sips, enjoying the burn as it went down their throats.The men were leaning in close, speaking in a language of their own. They were talking about the drug b