The Name That Wont Leave
Country: Aurivelle
City: Auremont
Grayson
“The fashion house headquarters is the last stop for today,” Vivienne said as we slid into the backseat of the car.
“The meeting with the fashion house is your final one for the day,” she added as the car moved smoothly down the street.
I nodded, scrolling through my tablet.
It had been a long day.
The usual routine.
The fashion headquarters was the last stop.
And also the most important.
The runway show was only a month away.
My thoughts drifted.
The mention of the institute… it kept pulling me back.
I tried not to think about it.
But I couldn’t.
Alvara.
Her name kept echoing in my head.
Even when I didn’t want to remember.
Her face.
Fearless.
It kept coming back.
I didn’t want to admit what I felt.
The car stopped, and I shook my head free of my thoughts.
The door opened.
I stepped out.
We entered the building.
And then the elevator.
Up to the top floor.
The conference room was waiting.
Mother.
Cassian.
Lucienne.
Corvanni.
All seated, waiting for us.
The room was made to impress.
Floor-to-ceiling glass.
Polished marble.
A long obsidian table reflecting every movement.
Power didn’t just sit here.
It settled.
“Let’s begin,” Mother said.
I sat by her right.
Cassian, Lucienne, and Matteo were already on the opposite side.
Vivienne took the seat beside me.
Mother looked flawless as ever.
She stood, tapped her tablet, and the screens along the walls lit up.
Clean. Precise.
Layout designs.
Seating arrangements.
Lighting simulations.
And the collections.
Sketches became digital renders.
Fabrics flowed in motion.
Silhouettes rotated slowly under simulated runway lights.
“We have exactly four weeks,” she began.
“This meeting is about execution. Not just designs.”
I leaned back slightly, one hand resting lazily against my jaw.
“We started with fifty designers,” she continued.
A swipe.
The number split.
“After internal evaluation, ten were selected.”
Another swipe.
The top ten designers appeared on the screen.
“These ten are the only ones presenting at the runway showcase,” she said.
A brief pause.
She let it sink in.
“From these ten, three will be chosen on the night of the event.”
No one interrupted.
“These three will be recognized as the institute’s top designers for the year.”
She tapped the screen again.
A new column appeared.
TOP 3 — PROPOSED BENEFITS
1.Startup funding to launch their own brand.
2. Direct investment from Hawthorne Luxury Fashion Division.
“A strong position. It ensures immediate industry placement,” Cassian said.
Mother inclined her head slightly.
“That is the intention.”
Lucienne leaned forward just slightly, her tone polished.
“It also aligns the institute with long-term brand ownership. Very strategic.”
Matteo added calmly,
“And positions them as assets, not just graduates.”
Mother gave a brief glance before continuing.
Another swipe.
REMAINING 7 — PROPOSED BENEFITS
1.Startup funding to launch their own brand.
2. Cash prize.
Mother turned slightly.
“The cash prize amount is yet to be finalized.”
All eyes shifted to the figures on the screen.
Cassian spoke.
“If I may, Mrs. Hawthorne, positioning it too low may reduce perceived value.”
Lucienne followed smoothly,
“And too high may dilute the distinction between them and the top three.”
“It should be enough to establish independence… but not enough to overshadow the investment tier.” Matteo added.
“Suggestions,” Mother said.
Cassian responded first.
“A structured range between $25,000 to $50,000 per designer would maintain balance.”
Lucienne nodded once.
“Forty thousand would sit well. It signals prestige without excess.”
“And allows them to execute a controlled launch without immediate reliance.” Matteo added.
Mother considered.
Then gave a single, decisive nod.
“Forty thousand per designer.”
Vivienne noted it immediately.
Finalized.
Mother continued.
Another swipe.
REMAINING 40 DESIGNERS — PROPOSED BENEFITS
1.Startup funding to launch their own brand.
No additions. No embellishments.
Lucienne spoke,
“Baseline support ensures institutional credibility.”
Cassian added,
“And maintains the perception that no participant leaves empty-handed.”
Matteo inclined his head slightly.
“It also encourages long-term affiliation.”
Mother nodded once.
“Exactly.”
A brief silence followed.
Then…
I finally spoke.
Calm. Precise.
“Add something.”
All eyes shifted to me.
Not surprising.
But attention.
“For all tiers,” I continued,
“Not just financial.”
Vivienne’s pen hovered.
Mother looked at me.
“Clarify.”
“Access,” I said.
“Not money. Opportunity.”
A pause.
Then I continued,
“Mentorship. Industry exposure. Controlled introductions.”
Lucienne’s expression shifted…interest, approval.
“That would significantly increase long-term success rates.”
Cassian added,
“And strengthens institutional influence.”
Matteo gave a faint nod.
“They become extensions of the brand.”
Mother considered it carefully.
“Approved,” she said.
Vivienne wrote quickly.
Mother finalized it aloud:
“All fifty designers will receive startup funding.”
“Top ten will receive elevated visibility and structured support.”
“The top three will receive direct investment and brand backing.”
“The remaining seven will receive a forty-thousand-dollar cash prize in addition to funding.”
“And all participants will gain access to mentorship and industry connections.”
“I believe this set will be the best we have ever had,” Cassian said.
“They're very talented,” Matteo added.
“Yes, I still can’t believe you gave someone 99%,” Mother said, placing her hands on the table and facing us.
“I was surprised. She's exceptional. Very good,” Cassian replied.
“That girl from Cressford… What was her name again?” Matteo asked.
Lucienne answered calmly,
“Alvara.”
Here we go again.
The name I’d been trying so hard to erase.
Matteo nodded.
“She has something.”
Lucienne agreed,
“Her design felt… alive.”
“She understands structure. Her design pulled me in…you can literally hear it speak to you,” Cassian said.
Mother smiled at me.
That I-told-you look.
“I’ve been tracking her progress,” Mother said, smiling.
“And believe me, she’s more than what you all saw at the evaluation.
She will surprise you at the showcase.”
I swallowed.
I still didn’t understand why Mother liked her so much.
I wasn’t an exception.
It seemed… I was lost in her.
I couldn’t believe it.
I’d always had everything under control.
But this lady…
She slipped into my heart without permission.
And now… she refused to leave.
Whatever this feeling is…
I refused to name it.
I wouldn’t acknowledge it.
Not now.
This wasn’t the time for distractions.
And yet…
I could feel it.
Something was coming.
Something I couldn’t control.
Something that would force me to face it…
Whether I was ready or not.