Her brother might not be considering her in this game he’s playing. He seems to think he’s taken over the throne and entered an age-old war against my family. But the origin story he’s been fed is all wrong.
He isn’t thinking about her, but she’s all that matters to me.
Her happiness. Her future.
Driving home, I get the security notification that Katerina’s car has entered the gates at the mansion. She’s home. What do I tell her about my meeting with Artur this afternoon? Do I tell her anything? Nothing good came of it, but she has a right to know that. I have no plans of hiding things from her. She is my equal. She needs all of the available information in order to make an informed decision. But I don’t want to burden her with more negative input for her already troubled thoughts.
Entering the estate grounds, the guard greets me with a nod as I drive past.
I nod in return, my eyes already searching the windows for a glimpse of Katerina. The light is on in the living room. The flicker of color tells me she might have the television on, but Katerina doesn’t really watch it. She’s usually sketching out ideas while something plays in the background, movies ormusic. The only time she really watches a show is when I watch with her.
I park and climb out, eager to see her.
Seeing her is the highlight of every day for me.
When I walk into the living room, she smiles beautifully. Today, she doesn’t seem as plagued by her stress, and it’s a relief for me. I want her to be happy. I know she can’t fully be happy until it’s over, but even the moments in between, while we figure it all out, I want to see her smile.
“Hi, beautiful, how were things at the studio today?”
“I’m still working on the wedding dress design,” she laughs nervously, a shy giggle. “I don’t know why, because…um…anyways. I got another new client. A woman who is becoming a partner at some big law firm. She wants a whole new wardrobe of power suits. Bold and eye-catching. Reds, whites, electric blues. It’s really exciting. She’s asked for seven different suits. How wild is that!” Katerina is smiling from ear to ear, her eyes glittering as she tells me. So this is what has her so happy today. Her dreams coming true, day by day.
I can’t possibly dampen this news with my news.
“We should celebrate,” I smile. “Let me take you to dinner?”
“Oh, that’s a great idea. This is my biggest client so far, simply because it’s not a one-off piece. And she’s already talking about having dresses made after the suits, so I think it will be a long-term thing. We should definitely celebrate!” she giggles, wiggling her hips in excitement, and my heart overflows with happiness at the sight of her glowing aura.
“Go get ready. Let’s go somewhere extra fancy. We’ll get overpriced champagne and eat steaks that are far too small forthe plate they’re served on. Then afterwards we can stop at that burger place and get takeout, because that fancy food is never enough to fill me up,” I laugh.
Katerina bursts out laughing, too. “No one has ever been more honest than that!” She jumps to her feet, and to my surprise, she hugs me. Before I have much of a chance to react, she’s already bolting away, running upstairs to get ready for our date.
Chapter 18 - Katerina
Today, when that client came in and spent a few hours talking to me about what she wanted from me, it flipped a switch in my mood. How could it not? This is what I’ve dreamed of since I first discovered my passion for fashion design.
By the end of it, it sounded like she wanted me to have her entire wardrobe redesigned, all in my brand. She saw our matching outfits at the gala. She said she had to have me as her designer. She had to have that unique, powerful flair to her daily business life.
“Men already rule the legal world. For a woman to make a place for herself in business, she has to be unique. She has to stand out. She kind of has to be a bitch.” She laughed, adding the last bit, but I could see she also meant it. I’m so happy I started interviewing and hiring additional staff members for my team. I’ve got my assistant, Belle, and a very skilled seamstress to work alongside me. If all goes well, I can grow the team even more over the next year.
After the new client left, it was hard to go back to worrying about the things Ishouldbe worrying about, and I decided that just for today, for now, I’m going to savor this moment. Savor this small blink of a dream coming into existence. I don’t know how long it will last. I don’t know when my brother will discover my design brand and snatch it away from me. I don’t know anything at this point. But for now…for today…I am a designer, being sought out by powerful women. And I’m really proud of myself.
Yulian didn’t waste a second in showing that he was proud of me, too. He suggested we celebrate almostimmediately. I can’t believe how lucky I am that he’s here with me to share in these moments.
I rush upstairs, giddy with excitement, to get ready for our date.
Is it a date?
Whatever. I don’t care to overanalyze anything right now.
Glancing through my closet, I decide on the bright pink bodycon dress. It hugs me tightly, accentuating my waist, curving over my hips, and lifting my ass in the most perfect way. And I’m feeling so happy that the pink is a perfect reflection of my mood. This morning, I wore black to the office because I was so somber. But that moment is gone, and this moment is here. Embrace it. Enjoy it.
I pair the pink dress with a stylish black leather jacket with silver buckles and heavy-teethed zippers, along with a pair of black leather ankle boots, studded with rows of small silver spikes along the outside length. I leave my hair up in a messy bun, pulling a few strands loose around my face to soften it.
I look fierce and bold and confident when I spin slowly in front of the mirror.
And my outfit will match Yulian’s black suit.
It’s perfect.
