Chapter 1: Vivian

"Thank you for shopping at Solenoir!"

I flashed my most brilliant smile at the bleached blonde whose card I'd just swiped and handed her the bag of dresses she'd purchased, even as she turned her nose up at me.

My smile dropped the moment her back was to me, and I sighed, massaging my temples in an attempt to soothe the aches that plagued my head.

This job is hard….

Retail jobs were always hard, but I didn't work in any old shop. I was a saleswoman at Solenoir, one of the most thriving stores in the heart of the bustling city—a sanctuary for luxury and style…or at least that was their tagline. They upheld that standard with high, vaulted ceilings and gleaming gold accents. Even the uniform, a form-fitting black dress, made someone like me look expensive.

I'd been smiling all day. It didn't matter that my jaw was hurting like crazy. A sunny smile was part of the uniform, even when dealing with the most devilish customers—and God, were they devilish. Why wouldn't they be? Solenoir was a well-known brand whose customers were mainly the rich and powerful.

Working at Solenoir had taught me to be more patient and welcoming. It wasn't like I had a choice anyway; I either learned that or lost the job. I couldn't lose my job, so I learned.

Now, it was second nature to smile at all the spoiled brats who came in with their daddy's Amex and threw tantrums over the littlest things. They were arrogant and treated staff like servants.

You're doing good, Vivian. It's just a matter of time.

I sighed softly, trying to tell myself that this would soon be over.

I had no plans of doing this forever. It wasn't like my passion was to be a retail worker. I was great with numbers, so going to college to study finance was my goal. Life had just dealt me a difficult hand….

With no one to support me, I had to put my college plans on the back burner and work to survive and save up. I wasn't fretting about it, though. I was only twenty, so I hadn't fallen behind too much.

Two years ago, I'd left my mom, who was wrapped up in her awful boyfriend and never even had time for me. With how distant we were, I'd sometimes wondered if I was really her daughter.

Regardless, I hadn't wallowed in self-pity. No, I'd taken a bold step to better my life; since I couldn't go to college after high school, I'd taken the time to leave home, work hard, and gather the money to chase my dreams.

Solenoir was the best place to do that, considering how well they paid compared to most other places.

I was so lucky to get this job; I never forgot that. There were many applicants, but Solenoir had hired me specifically because I had adequate knowledge of fashion, spoke well, and looked good…at least that was what they said when they'd hired me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the familiar sound of heels clicking against fine marble floors, prompting me to jerk my head toward the approaching customers.

It was a man in his thirties, dressed in an expensive suit, with a beautiful, classy woman—probably in her mid-twenties—by his side.

"Good afternoon. Welcome to Solenoir." I plastered on my customer-friendly smile, maintaining politeness as I asked, "How can I assist you today?"

The man ignored me entirely, instead glancing around the luxurious Solenoir showroom with something resembling disdain on his face, his brows furrowed and his lips curled into a scowl.

His companion gently hit his arm, seeking to draw his attention to me. "Babe."

His eyes settled on the meticulously arranged handbags in the showcase behind me.

"This place certainly doesn't live up to the hype, babe," he said to his lady, turning to face her. "I expected much better from a store of this supposed caliber. They even have riffraff running the front desks."

Excuse me?

I was careful not to let the words fall out of my mouth, but I was pissed. I could tell the lady with him was also uncomfortable with his reaction—her mouth falling open—but he didn't seem to care.

"I should take you to the store where my boss's daughter works next," he continued, lightly tucking the lady's hair behind her ear. "It's so classy that even someone like her is happy to work there."

Right…. Worse than the spoiled princesses were these types: arrogant, nouveau-rich men with beautiful girls on their arms who they sought to impress with a show of wealth and power. Since they had limited amounts of both, it was often unfortunate retail workers like myself whom they used to show off.

Just my frickin' luck.

I wondered what he would say if I told him his boss's daughter had probably applied to Solenoir, too.

My jaw tightened, but I refused to let his condescending attitude get to me. "I apologize, sir—"

"Ah, ah," he rudely interrupted me, gesturing with his hand that I should zip it.

You did not!

I frowned on the inside while maintaining a smile on the outside. I wanted to whack the idiot with my shoe.

He revealed his credit card and slammed it down on the counter.

"Just ring me up. I want that, that, and that," he declared, pointing at the items: handbags and shoes he wanted to purchase. "And do that quickly. I have more important matters to attend to. My time is far too valuable to be wasted in places like this."

He didn't even bother asking the prices for each item, a classic move from a showoff. Well, he was in the right place because it was my job to help him spend his money how he wanted.

The lady he came in with caught my eye and muttered inaudibly, but I read her lips: "I'm so sorry."

I smiled faintly at her and took his card, efficiently processing his purchase.

While attending to the couple, I couldn't help but notice a man in the customer service area speaking frustratedly into his phone. He wasn't causing a scene, but he caught my attention. He was good-looking and fashionable, wearing a white turtleneck over a pair of coffee-brown pants, complete with white sneakers. On his head was a nice hat, and a pair of sunglasses concealed his eyes. He seemed to be in his mid-forties, but he was quite the stylish one.

I scanned around for Lilian, who was supposed to be in the customer service area, but she was nowhere to be found. I watched the man take a seat as he continued over the phone. He seemed pissed, but this wasn't the right place for people to vent their anger. It was against our policy, and I didn't want any trouble with the manager. If Lilian didn't return soon, I'd be forced to intervene.

Once I'd processed the arrogant man's purchase, I packed his merchandise into our branded bags and handed them over to him.

"Thank you for choosing Solenoir," I said, grinning at him like he was the sweetest angel.

He accepted the bags without a word, but the lady spoke up. "You're welcome…Vivian." The slight pause came when she checked the name tag pinned to my shirt.

After the couple left, I let out a sigh and rubbed the bridge of my nose, eager for the day to come to an end. I really needed some rest, and I missed my bed.

I was about to take a seat when I heard the man in the customer service area exclaim loudly.

Oh. You're still here.

He hadn't gotten off the phone yet and was still upset, muttering as his lips continually pulled into a frown. Lilian still hadn't returned.

"Great," I mumbled to myself and headed toward him.

The closer I got to him, the more I heard the tight disappointment in his voice. I couldn't make out what was going on, and honestly, it was none of my business, but he seemed to be in a tight spot.

As I got to where he was seated, he put the phone down and exhaled sharply.

"Excuse me, sir," I called out in my usual working-hour politeness. "Is there anything I can help you with? Perhaps a purchase?"

"No, there isn't," he replied coldly, not even turning to look at me.

"Oh," I said, my smile growing more forced. "I'm really sorry, sir, but you can't stay in here if you're not going to buy anything. It's against store policy. Maybe I could show you to a coffee shop if you need somewhere to sit?"

That was enough to prompt him to look at me. He removed his sunglasses and examined me from head to toe, his brows raised and lips pursed, as though I was supposed to recognize him.

I didn't.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Smith's voice made me turn my head.

Shit…he was already walking up to the scene.

He was the manager I was avoiding trouble with.

"What's with the loitering? Where's Lilian? And why haven't you taken care of this earlier?" Mr. Smith looked slightly sour, but the moment the man faced him, his countenance changed.

His mouth fell open, and he straightened his shoulders. "Oh, my God. I didn't know it was you, sir!" He tossed me a raging glare, and I knew then I was in trouble.

"I'm sorry, sir. I was just telling him that he can't be in here…."

"You were doing what, now?" The manager jerked his brows at me, like I wasn't just following store policy, and walked over to the man. "Good day, sir. Please, pardon her ignorance. She recently just got employed."

"It's fine," the man replied coolly.

My manager grabbed me by the hand and, through gritted teeth, muttered, "Do you have any idea who this is? He is Asher Mickelson, one of the lead designers of this brand."

Lead designer of the…? Oh, fuck. What's with my luck today?

Immediately, my face heated, red surely crawling up my neck and cheeks. My stomach curled in embarrassment.

I turned to Asher Mickelson and bowed my head slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know."

He was studying me weirdly—not in a creepy or intimidating way, but with a speculative glance that implied he was mulling over something.

Hopefully, he's not considering firing me….

"Mr. Mickelson, what brings you here, if I might ask?" my manager inquired.

"I was passing by, and I decided to drop by the store to attend a call," he replied, his eyes still fixed on me.

My manager turned his narrow gaze on me. "What're you still doing here? You're dismissed," he barked.

"No, no, no!" Asher's voice prompted me to stop in my tracks just as I'd begun to make myself scarce and turn back to face them.

I wondered what he was up to as he approached me, light on his feet.

He paused in front of me and was quiet momentarily, examining me with a pensive expression. "Can you walk for me?" he asked bluntly, breaking the silence.

His words hit me, and I squinted at the random and sudden request. "I beg your pardon?"

"A catwalk."

I wasn't a model, but I did know some moves.

"Like, like right now?" I asked with raised brows.

"Yes. Can you do it?"

I pondered this a bit and shifted my gaze to my manager, but he was just as confused as I was, practically gaping at the unfolding scene.

Does he want to hire me as a model for Solenoir? No, that's not possible. They're very picky. Plus, they only hire top models.

What did I have to lose?

"Of course, sir," I agreed.

"Fantastic. Let's have it." He clapped once, concealing his excitement.

I stepped away from him and prepared myself with a soft exhale.

Here goes nothing.

I pretended that I was in my room while doing the catwalk for him, oblivious to the stares of those around me. My movement was still crooked and needed more work, but my limbs felt light, and my steps were elegant.

When I was done, I saw in his face that he was impressed.

"Love it!" He clapped again. "What were you doing, hiding such a gem, Smith?"

Oh…a gem? Me?

Before I could finish my thought, he turned back to me. "You're amazing, love. I have a runway show in two days, and I need you on it! Will you walk it for me?"

My head went blank.

Did this man just ask me to walk for Solenoir? As a model?

What the hell is happening right now?

Asher drifted closer and touched my shoulder, his eyes shining. "Look, I know this is sudden, and you probably need time to process it, but I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't important." He sighed. "You have the body of a model, and although your walk still needs some work, you're perfect for the job. Besides, it pays so much more than what you're currently doing."

I stared at him in bewilderment, my mind still struggling to catch up.

"One of my models bailed on me at the last minute, and I've been thinking about how to find a replacement for her on such short notice."

Oh, that explains the frustration earlier.

"But here you are: the perfect replacement." He gave me a once-over and added, "You're very similar to her: tall, beautiful, amazing figure, and catchy features. You'll do just fine. What do you say?"

How is this happening to me?