When I opened my eyes the next morning, everything was different. A different country, a different motto, a different life. I shifted on the couch I'd slept on last night, turning on my side to watch my mama. I found her already awake, and admiring me.

She smiled at me and said, "Aujourd'hui est ton premier jour de travail?"

(Today's your first day of work, right?)

"Oui, mama."

(Yes, mom.)

"Ne perdez pas votre temps ici. Laisse-moi juste et pars."

(Don't waste your time here. Just go.)

I smiled. "I will mama."

Rising from the couch, I sat facing the huge window, which graced us with the morning sunlight. The room Florian had booked for mama was one of the biggest in here. Equipped with a spacious bed and couch, and ceiling to floor windows which allowed maximum light to enter inside.

The golden glow caught my eyes, and shone on my face. It brought feelings of warmth as well as fear. The thought of stepping into the world of adults scared me, now that I thought about it. All my life, I'd lived alone. When I got my first job, it was a simple one - to handle kids at the local orphanage. Even though they were mischievous, they were nothing like the people I was going to meet here.

I had a feeling this was going to be very, very different than my previous life. But, I had to get accustomed to it, anyway.

Sighing, I stood up and directed myself towards the bathroom. I emerged out of it, wearing a white full sleeved shirt and a black full length dress with spaghetti straps. I paired it with black kitten heels, the only heels I had.

I tied my hair in a simple low bun, as it was my signature style, and I loved how it allowed me to do my work properly without the hair getting in my way. Since I didn't own a lot of makeup, I opted for a simple nude lipstick and kept the rest of my face bare. My dirty blonde bangs framed my large forehead anyway, so I knew no one would pay much attention to my face.

Grabbing my glasses and purse, I gave one last hug to mama, and left the hospital room. Just as I expected, Brice was waiting for me in front of the elevator, always ahead of time.

"Good morning, Ms. Fontaine. Did you sleep well last night?" He asked me in his usual upbeat tone, and I couldn't help but feel that familiarity creeping up inside me.

"Good morning to you too. I'm fine, and I slept very well last night. Thank you for asking."

The conversation didn't continue after that, as we hardly knew anything about each other. Still, I felt comfortable with him even after meeting him just twice. Unlike someone else, who had put me on edge since the first time I saw him.

His dull grey eyes were still deeply engraved in my mind, and how they flared up whenever he got angry, which was most of the time. Though I had seen pictures of André Beaumont almost everyday in the fashion section of the newspaper, that too from various angles, they still didn't do justice to his looks.

It was true when someone said he had the ability to render people speechless, as I too, was almost tongue-tied and couldn't stand up to him. But, I couldn't stand it when people said that his arrogant nature made him look ten times hotter, because I could never find someone as egoistic and arrogant as him attractive.

Not in a million years.

Brice led me towards the familiar black Mercedes Benz, and I sat down at the back. Brice climbed in the front seat, and gestured to the driver to go. The ride to Panache from the hospital fortunately didn't take too long, but the short distance only meant I got less time to prepare myself mentally.

I wasn't sure who I would meet today, and how I was going to fit in the new environment of the biggest fashion brand, but Florian's words often echoed in my head, giving me anxiety and nervousness instead of enthusiasm. Although I'd confidently told him I could handle everything, I wasn't exactly sure if I could.

As the car stopped in front of the same white stairs, my heart rate quickened. Forcing myself to take deep breaths, I closed my fingers into fists. Tightening my fists, I closed my eyes for five seconds, and felt all the pressure release from my body.

Feeling lighter than before, I released the grip on my hands, and stepped out of the car. Brice led the way again, as he would introduce me to the people I would be working with.

Panache during the day was quite distinct from what it was at night. This time, there weren't that many lights switched on inside, and there were much more people buzzing in and out of the building. Now, it definitely looked like the biggest fashion brand in the world.

I didn't have to introduce myself to anyone, as I was with Brice who took care of everything. Without waiting for the security check, we went straight towards the elevator, and Brice pressed the number six on the panel.

Once the elevator started moving, Brice turned to me. "The fashion designers occupy the floors six to ten in this building. The floors one to five are sets for shooting and various other purposes. Floors eleven to fifteen are for the production department, and sixteen to twenty for the sales, marketing and legal department.

From the twenty-first to the twenty-fifth floor, we have the dressing rooms and lounge rooms for our models, who often try out their dresses and wait there before any major events. The last five floors are reserved for the top executives, CEO and Chairman of the company. I've told you the basics, so just remember this first, and you'll be fine."

I nodded, marveling at the amazing use of space. The fact that they needed five floors to fit each of these departments reminded me how lucky I was to be chosen to work here just like that. Of course it was temporary, and of course it would take a lot more than that for me to stick here, but I had still gotten a job at Panache, my dream company, and in this moment, it was all that mattered.

The doors opened on the sixth floor, and we both got off. Crossing the broad hallway, we stepped inside the working space, which was bustling with people. Some sat in teams, huddled over a computer or piece of paper, others sat individually and worked on their laptops and phones. It indeed looked busy, and I was afraid to break their concentration on such a busy day.

Brice walked swiftly upto a desk on the far left, and I followed him rather timidly. Having so many people around me had always made me feel anxious, and today was no exception. As Brice stopped, I came face to face with five people sitting around that desk – a woman who must be in her late thirties or early forties, two identical twins, who must be no more than twenty years old, a young man in his late twenties, and another young woman, who seemed to be my age.

Although there was a slight confusion on their faces, I saw no sign of malice or disappointment in them, which was quite encouraging for me. Not knowing what to do, I gave them an awkward smile, and tried to introduce myself, before someone else interrupted me.

"Sophie, do you remember how you complained about being short of good designers? Now, you won't anymore. Welcome Ms. Lizette Fontaine, coming from Chantilly, France. She's a recent graduate in fashion design, and she will be working with you on all of your dream projects in the upcoming year."

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