Chapter 279

Audrey

Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last- minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through the walls.

“I guess no one would have noticed our little tryst anyway,” Edwin mused under his breath with a smirk.

I glanced up at him, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. But a sound caused us both to whip our heads toward the dressing

area.

“Owww! My ankle!”

Exchanging worried glances, Edwin and I rushed toward the sound. A small group had gathered in a huddle near the back of the dressing area. In the center of the commotion was a young woman, one of the models, seated on a chair with her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook as she cried out.

I hurried over, Edwin following closely behind.

“What happened?” I asked, kneeling in front of the model. She looked up at me, her face pale, tears clinging to her lashes. “I–I twisted my ankle really bad,” she stammered, wincing as she shifted her foot slightly. “I was fine earlier, but it hurts to put any weight on it now…”

Someone behind her chimed in, “She tripped backstage. I thought she’d just shaken it off, but…”

I glanced down at her ankle, which was already beginning to swell slightly under the delicate straps of her shoe. The show was minutes from starting. Panic might have been setting in, but I couldn’t afford that luxury–not now.

I took a calming breath, tapping into that silver pool of energy inside of me. With a reassuring smile, I reached out to touch/ her ankle. “May I?” I asked.

She winced, flinching away.

“It’s alright,” I murmured. “I’ll help you.”

a moment of hesitation, the

touch her ankle.

my fingertips. It started off as a cool stream, like trickling water, but then turned

took a few seconds. I felt the tension in the model’s ankle release, her muscles relaxing as the pain ebbed away.

whispered, pulling my hand back. “Try

ankle with a look of surprise and

breathed, a smile

here for. Now, get into

limp now gone. The relief from the surrounding crew was palpable, and I looked up at Edwin, I saw a look of pride in his eyes. He gave me a subtle

as

clapping her hands together.

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lights dimmed and the music began to play, a hush fell over the audience. I slipped into the

first model stepped

trousers and blazer set with an oversized,

here, the silver and gold threads that he had used to stitch everything together glimmered under the stage lights. Cameras flashed, the crowd

neckline accentuated the model’s bust, the strappy heels and golden arm bands

the countless hours, the intricate stitching, the late–night sketches, and the dreams the three of us had poured into this collection. My heart swelled close to bursting as I watched our designs come to

I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond.

watched in awe, holding each other. Piece after piece walked the runway, and the audience’s murmurs of appreciation

then, finally, it was time

my mother. I hoped that this piece wasn’t too out there, too eccentric. I hoped

nonsense.

onto the runway. I held my breath

into every inch of the design. There were the cheerful drawings he’d shown me, the

were hundreds, all of them coalescing into the train at the back of the

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