Rewriting My Heart's Fate (Ethan and Evelyn)

"No worries, go ahead and handle your stuff." I forced a smile and opened the door. "Thanks for the ride. Drive safe."

Ethan hummed in response, his eyes full of affection. "Get some rest. Call me if you need anything."

I nodded and watched his car fade into the distance, a flood of feelings hitting me all at once.

There was nothing beyond work between us. I'd been down that road before, and once was enough.

...

I got to the studio the next morning, just like any other day, ready for a busy day. I buried myself in work, cranking out a few design sketches before noon.

Right when I was about to take a break, Lianne burst in. "Evelyn, guess what? Our brand made it into Lendora Fashion Week! They want us there next month!" "What?" I shot up in surprise. "We made it in already? That's awesome!"

Getting featured at Lendora Fashion Week was a huge honor and a big break for any rising designer. It was unbelievable that our brand, still in its early stages, was getting this much attention.

"It's all thanks to you, Evelyn," Lianne said, her voice warm with sincerity. "Your designs set our brand up for success right from the beginning."

I shook my head, keeping it humble. "It's a team effort. I'd be nothing without all of you."

Just then, Kevin came running in, breathless and holding a newspaper. "Evelyn, look! Our brand's on the front page!"

I took the paper and read the bold headline. "Rising Designer Evelyn Wiley and Her Brand Shine at Lendora, Creating a Buzz in the Industry." Alongside the headline was a close-up of me and a teaser poster for the brand.

My heart was pounding. The media as more than I'd ever

. It looked like my trip ne

Lendora was about to grab adot of attention.

"Congrats, Evelyn," Kevin said, his voice filled with sincerity. "You're making our university proud! After this Fashion Week, you'll definitely be the next big thing in design!" en

"Thanks." I could feel myself blushing.

IMS

Just then, my phone rang. I checked the caller ID, and my heart skipped a beat. It was Ethan.

I took a deep breath, calming my nerves before answering the call. "Hi, Mr. Grayson, how can I help you?"

"Evelyn, I've got some great news for you," Ethan said, his voice deep and calm. "The police arrested Carlos. He won't be bothering you anymore."

My jaw dropped in shock. "Really? They caught him that soon?"

Ethan hummed in response, clearly pleased with my reaction. "I filed a report with the police about last night. To be honest, I knew he'd try to cause you trouble, so I set him up. And since Carlos has a record, the cops were able to catch him quickly. He'll probably be behind bars for a while." All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

I breathed a sigh of relief, the weight I'd been carrying finally lifting. I was finally free from Carlos hassling me.

"That's great to hear. Thanks, Mr. Grayson. I can't imagine how much longer I'd have put up with Carlos' harassment without your help."

"Isn't that just what a business partner supposed to do?" Ethan chuckled, his voice full of affection.