Bound by Betrayal

ia's

ce fell from my h

page in bold black letters which read, in part, that we had thirty days before we had to close down our s

s and fabric swatches, my vintage sewing machine I had bought from a thrift shop, my mannequins

r which was supposed to hold our finished pieces, but held just three. A hand-embroidered jacket inspired by my Chinese heritage, a lovely body-skimm

e as I read it for what felt like the hundredth time

afford this?" I ask

ent stayed the same-which was awesome luck in New York City's competitive re

g table. Displaying a smiling

me cheer into my voice. "Hey, Lil!

ue in her bright voice. "We just had an awesome cardio worksh

d our mom's scientific mind and kind heart. A perfect combination for

towards the window. "I have n

t way I had come to recognize "There is a lab project comin

tared at the eviction

ed, keeping my vo

a lot, but it is mandatory for our final evaluation,

the very few orders we had, we were already wiped out. But five years ago when our parents died, I made a promise to them that I would do

er the phone. "Business is picking up a b

ct. "You're the best, Soph! I promise I'll pay you

you to that. Maybe when I'm a famous designer dressi

her smile through the phone. "Oh, I have go, I h

hoed, but she ha

slumped from the weight of responsibility, three thousand dollars I didn't

bell, I quickly wiped the wetn

lled out, not bother

ered the voice of Elena Rodriguez, her war

utiful in a stylish red wrap dress and flawless ma

g a good look at me as she set the p

taking the cup from her. "Just

elf in the mirror across the room, I noticed the dark circles under my eyes a

y at the notice in my

e and she read it quickly, her per

t? They can't do that!" H

ice of any changes." I settled into the worn chair next to my desk, holding my coffee in my hands.

. "Okay. Let's try to look at this clear

rments. "The jacket for the Thompson wedding, Mrs.

spective

quiries. Nothing concrete.

ing back and forth across the room. "We need exposure. We need to

have," I reminded her. "Or mone

forth, a slow smile forming o

suspiciously. "Wh

n gala on Friday ni

"The gala with

invitations. "What if I told you my cousin Javier is catering the event, and his b

y wrestling with the excitement in m

into my hand. "We'll be like Cinderella, if Cinderella

ghed. "That's definitely

ping from her coffee. "Princes are seriously

's elites, designers, investors, influencers. If just one

inally said

"Let me make a list of all the people we need to target. You finish that j

and took a long sip, the heat and caffeine settling my

"you won't believe why the rent has tripled! Montg

ontgomery I

himself!" Elena flipped her phone around for me to see

ying up half of Manhattan. And now,

st hope Mr. Montgomery doesn't like charity gala fashion shows. I certainl

One way or the other, I had to find a way out of this, for the business, for L