Chapter 2 — The Woman Behind the Uniform
The applause lasted nearly a full minute.
Regina couldn't hear a single clap.
All she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat.
The actress slowly turned toward Maya.
"What's your name?"
"Maya."
"Last name?"
"Maya Bennett."
The actress smiled.
"I'm Vivian Cross."
"I know who you are," Maya replied with a polite nod.
Vivian laughed.
"And now I know who you are."
She gently touched the newly sculpted folds of her gown.
"I've worked with the best designers in Paris."
"Milan."
"New York."
"No one has ever transformed a disaster this beautifully in under ten minutes."
Reporters rushed toward Maya.
"Did you really create this?"
"Where did you study?"
"Who taught you?"
Before Maya could answer—
A deep voice echoed across the ballroom.
"I did."
Every head turned.
An elderly gentleman in a navy tuxedo slowly walked through the crowd.
His silver hair was perfectly combed.
His posture remained straight despite the cane in his hand.
The moment Regina saw him...
Her face went white.
"Mr... Mr. Laurent?"
It was Victor Laurent.
Founder of Laurent Couture.
One of the most respected fashion houses in the world.
He walked directly toward Maya.
Then...
To everyone's shock...
He hugged her.
"I've been looking for you."
The ballroom erupted into confused whispers.
Regina blinked.
"What?"
Victor smiled warmly.
"Three years ago..."
"My best student disappeared before graduation."
He looked proudly at Maya.
"She left school because her mother became terminally ill."
Maya lowered her eyes.
"I had to work."
"I couldn't afford both."
Victor nodded.
"So you became a janitor."
"I became whatever paid the bills."
Silence spread across the ballroom.
Then Victor slowly bent down.
He picked up one of the torn sketches Regina had thrown onto the floor.
He studied it for several seconds.
Then looked directly at the crowd.
"These aren't amateur drawings."
"They're brilliant."
Regina felt her knees weaken.
May you like
Because every sketch she had destroyed...
Had been worth more than her entire career.
