Chapter 55: Her New Beginning
Renting the studio and buying equipment took a chunk, but a significant amount was left.
Sophie threw an arm around Evelyn's shoulder. "Don't worry, listen to me! Don't let his tricks scare you! Did you forget I have savings? My money is enough to get us through the final review, buy the best fabrics, and hire the best model!"
"And Professor Hayes thinks so highly of you," Sophie pointed to the nearly finished dress. "Even without Omni Group, you can still stand on your own talent! Why should we be afraid of him!"
Yes, she wasn't alone. She couldn't be defeated by a simple trick.
However, Evelyn underestimated Damian's malice.
Late that night, a black Bentley silently pulled up beneath the studio building. Damian stepped out of the back seat, followed by two burly men in black suits.
Damian walked straight to the building manager's booth and rapped on the glass with his knuckles. The elderly manager groggily opened the door, startled by the visitor.
Damian cut the small talk, pulling a thick wad of cash from his pocket and tossing it onto the manager's desk. "The design studio on the third floor, the one Evelyn rented. Change the lock."
The manager froze, his legs shaking under Damian's stare, stuttering, "But, sir... this... this isn't standard procedure..."
"Procedure?" Damian said. "I am the procedure now."
"Change the lock and give me the key. She is not allowed to set foot through that door again. If you can't do that..."
He nodded toward the bodyguards behind him. "I assume you don't want to find your badge in the trash tomorrow, do you?"
The manager looked at the two bodyguards' menacing eyes and didn't dare utter another word. He grabbed his tools and headed upstairs.
Early the next morning, Evelyn and Sophie arrived at the studio, laughing, carrying fresh coffee and croissants.
When Evelyn put the key in the lock, she found it wouldn't turn.
"That's weird..." She tried again. The key only went halfway, hitting something solid.
Sophie leaned in and tried, with the same result. "Shit, what's going on? Is the lock broken?"
Evelyn's heart sank, a dark premonition rising. She stepped closer and looked carefully, her face instantly falling. The lock cylinder was new, gleaming with cold metal.
They were locked out.
"Damian... it has to be him! This is his warning to us..."
Sophie's eyes widened in disbelief, then rage surged. She raised her foot to kick the door. "That son of a bitch!"
"Don't!" Evelyn grabbed her arm. "The sample and the sketches are inside!"
Her eyes were red with panic. "Damian has gone too far! The final review is in a week, we can't lose the sample!"
The 'Rebirth' gown was her hope and her life's work.
Sophie forced herself to calm down. She pulled out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen. "I'll find a skilled locksmith!"
As she dialed, she told Evelyn, "Right, I need to call Ethan! The more people we have, the better!"
The call was answered almost instantly.
"Ethan," Sophie's voice was sharp with urgency. "We have a problem! That bastard Damian changed the studio lock. We're locked out! Can you help us figure this out?"
Less than twenty minutes later, Ethan's white Volvo screeched to a halt by the curb. He hadn't come alone. He brought a sharp-looking middle-aged man carrying a toolbox.
"This is Mr. Roy, a locksmith a patient of mine recommended. There isn't a lock in all of New York he can't open," Ethan explained.
Without unnecessary talk, Mr. Roy put on his gloves and took out his tools. After a faint metallic sound, a soft click, and the brand-new lock opened in under five minutes.
The moment the door swung open, Evelyn and Sophie practically rushed in at the same time.
Everything in the studio was normal.
The 'Rebirth' gown hung quietly on the mannequin, radiating a pure light in the morning sun. The design sketches were stacked neatly on the table, untouched.
Evelyn rushed over, gently stroking the smooth silk of the skirt with trembling hands. She let out a long breath, confirming it was whole, and all the tension finally drained from her body.
"Thank God..."
After this close call, Evelyn and Sophie decided to move into the studio. They locked the door from the inside, drew the curtains, and didn't step outside again.
They lived on coffee and instant noodles, taking turns catching an hour or two of sleep on the sofa. All their waking hours were poured into the gown. Every stitch, every thread, was a testament to their dedication.
Ethan became their logistics guy. He delivered food and water daily, and he used his contacts to arrange everything with the final review venue staff, ensuring the sample would be delivered safely and on time.
On the night the gown was almost finished, the only sound in the studio was the monotonous whir of the sewing machine.
Evelyn's phone screen lit up again.
She picked it up, expecting it to be another spam message, but her heart clenched when she saw the sender's name: Director Worth from the orphanage.
[My child, don't worry about me. You must fulfill your dream. The Director will always support you.]
The short message was like a wave of warmth washing over Evelyn. She knew Damian must have gone after the Director again. That man never hesitated to use the lowest tactics to force her compliance.
Evelyn looked at the text, then lifted her gaze to the nearly perfect white gown before her. The outline of the dress radiated a soft, resilient glow under the lamp, like a ray of dawn struggling through the darkness.
The gown was named 'Rebirth'.
It was her new beginning, and her farewell to the past.
"I will win."
"Not just for myself, but for the Director, and for everyone Damian and Sienna have harmed."
Sophie walked over, stopped her work, and patted Evelyn firmly on the shoulder.
"Let's do this together. Let's show those blind bastards exactly who you are!"