What Comes Next
Country: Aurivelle
City: Cressford
Alvara
I checked myself in the mirror and smiled.
I was wearing high-waisted wide-leg jeans in dark indigo, a fitted white crew-neck top tucked neatly in, and a camel trench coat layered over it.
I sat on my bed and slipped on my white leather sneakers, then added my small gold hoop earrings.
My hair was packed into a loose French twist.
I picked up my cream bucket bag from the bed.
Then I stepped into the sitting room.
It was just Mom there… Leo was probably in his room.
A moment later, Isabella knocked and walked in.
And just like that, we left.
The moment we stepped outside…
The air felt different.
Cooler.
Softer.
Late September had settled in quietly, wrapping everything in that gentle in-between feeling autumn always carried so effortlessly.
The trees along the street had started to change…leaves shifting into muted shades of gold, amber, and soft brown.
Some had already fallen, scattered across the pavement in uneven patterns, crunching faintly beneath our steps.
The breeze was light.
Just enough to slip through our hair and brush against our skin without biting.
The sun hung lower now… no longer harsh, just warm and distant.
Everything felt slower.
Calmer.
Like the world itself was easing into something new.
It matched exactly how I felt.
We walked to the bus stop and waited.
“This is bringing back old memories,” Isabella said suddenly.
I smiled. “I can still remember how I used to rush to meet you here.”
She laughed. “And the days we used to sit here eating breakfast like it was normal.”
“I can’t believe we actually did that,” I said, laughing.
“We were obviously crazy,” she added.
I nodded. “Completely.”
Just then, a long hiss sounded as the bus pulled up.
We got on and sat side by side near the window.
When we arrived, we stepped down and walked toward Maison Aurelle.
Even before entering, I could tell something had changed.
And once we stepped inside, it became obvious.
The door chimed softly behind us.
The entire space had been redesigned…refined, elevated.
The lower floor was now strictly the boutique area. The designing section had been moved upstairs, along with everything else that belonged to the creative side of the business.
Everything looked more polished.
More elite.
Grayson had clearly overseen the changes after his visit.
“This place looks so different,” Isabella murmured beside me.
I nodded. “It really does.”
We stood for a moment, taking it all in.
My gaze drifted to the area where we used to work.
A small smile formed on my lips.
Isabella noticed.
“I still remember the day you stood up to Helena and the others,” she said softly.
“That was when I first saw a different side of you. It still feels like yesterday.”
I smiled. “Yeah…”
We both fell quiet for a moment.
“Isabella.”
“Alvara.”
We turned at the same time.
Ms Clara was coming down the stairs.
We hurried toward her and wrapped our arms around her in a hug.
She laughed softly, surprised but warm.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?
“We wanted it to be a surprise,” Isabella said, pulling back slightly from the hug, her eyes bright.
I nodded, a small smile still resting on my lips.
“You’ve been seen everywhere,” she said calmly. “Surprises are a little difficult when your faces are all over the country.”
Isabella laughed softly.
“Fair enough.”
Clara’s lips curved faintly, then she stepped aside and gestured toward the staircase behind her.
“Come upstairs.”
We followed her without hesitation.
The moment we reached the top floor, I slowed slightly.
Everything had changed.
The designing section was no longer crowded. The space had been completely restructured… wider, brighter, more intentional.
Large windows stretched along one side, letting in clean natural light that reflected off neatly arranged workstations.
Mannequins stood in clean rows.
Fabrics were sorted, displayed… almost like they were being respected, not just used.
It didn’t feel like the same place.
“Wow…” Isabella murmured beside me.
Clara didn’t turn this time.
“There were upgrades after the inspection,” she said simply.
We didn’t need her to explain which inspection
We knew.
We stepped into her office shortly after.
Nothing about it screamed luxury, but everything about it spoke of control, order, and quiet authority.
“Sit,” she said.
We did.
For a moment, she didn’t say anything.
She just looked at us.
Carefully.
“You both handled yourselves well,” she said.
No excitement.
No exaggeration.
“You watched it?” Isabella asked.
Clara raised a brow.
“The final selection?” she replied. “Of course I did.”
“You didn’t just win,” she added, her gaze resting on me.
“You proved exactly why I made that exception
Something in my chest tightened at that.
I didn’t know what to say to that… so I didn’t try.
Isabella glanced at me briefly, then reached down for the bag beside her.
“We actually brought you something,” she said.
Clara’s expression shifted slightly.
“You didn’t need to…”
“We wanted to,” I said gently.
Isabella placed the box on the desk between us.
Clara looked at it for a second.
Then at us.
Then back at it.
She opened it.
Her fingers moved slowly over the fabric, taking in every detail… the structure, the stitching, the intention behind it.
“You made this,” she said quietly.
“For you,” I replied.
She glanced up.
“Why?”
The question came softer this time.
Less guarded.
I held her gaze.
“Because you saw something in us before anyone else did,” I said.
“And you didn’t just leave it there… you gave it a chance to grow.”
Isabella nodded.
“You didn’t have to,” she added. “But you did.”
Clara didn’t speak immediately.
Her hand rested lightly against the fabric, almost absentmindedly.
Then she closed the box gently.
“This is… thoughtful,” she said.
Coming from her, that meant more than anything louder.
She opened the smaller box next.
The gold piece caught the light subtly.
Elegant.
Understated
Very her.
A faint smile touched her lips.
“I’ll keep it,” she said. “Both of them.”
I smiled.
“That’s all we wanted.”
A quiet pause settled between us.
Not awkward.
Just… full.
Then I spoke again.
“We came to tell you something else too.”
Clara leaned back slightly.
“I can guess,” she said.
I blinked.
She held my gaze.
“Auremont,” she said simply.
Isabella let out a small breath.
“…is it that obvious?”
Clara gave a slight nod.
“You don’t stay in places like this after stepping into something bigger,” she said.
No judgment.
Just a fact.
I nodded slowly.
“We’re leaving soon.”
“Like very soon?” she asked.
“Yes.”
She studied us for a moment.
Then…
She smiled.
Soft.
“I expected that.”
My chest tightened slightly.
“This place…” she gestured lightly around her office, “…was never meant to hold you for long.”
Her eyes moved between us.
“But don’t let where you’re going make you forget what built you.”
“I won't”
“ I won't” we both said at the same time.
“I know,” she replied.
Then, more quietly…
“Just make sure the next place you stand… you own it the same way you earned your place here.”
A small silence followed.
Then she straightened slightly, her usual composure settling back in.
“Now,” she said, “tell me everything they didn’t show on camera.”
That made Isabella grin instantly.
And just like that…
The tension melted.
Not into goodbye.
But into something softer.
Something lasting.
We eventually stood to leave.
Clara walked us down the stairs.
At the entrance, we paused again.
“Don’t disappear completely,” she said lightly.
Isabella smiled. “We’ll visit.”
“You better,” Clara replied.
I stepped forward and hugged her again, tighter this time.
“Thank you… for everything.”
She returned it gently.
“You earned your path, Alvara. I just pointed you toward it.”
That stayed with me.
We finally stepped out of the boutique, the door chiming softly behind us.
The evening air had shifted.
Cooler now.
Darker.
Streetlights had begun to flicker on one by one, casting soft glows along the sidewalks.
We walked to the park in comfortable silence, the kind that didn’t need to be filled.
Then I spoke.
“We need to sort out the moving.”
Isabella glanced at me immediately.
“True.”
“I was thinking…” I paused slightly, organizing my thoughts. “We’ll need something simple. Not too much. Just for clothes and essentials.”
She nodded.
“Yeah, definitely not anything big.”
A few seconds passed.
“A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van,” she said.
I looked at her.
“That… actually makes sense.”
She shrugged slightly.
“It’s spacious enough, comfortable, and still low-key. A lot of people use it for relocations like this.”
I nodded slowly.
“Okay. That works.”
Decision made.
Simple.
Clean.
Exactly what I wanted.
By the time we got home, the sky had fully darkened.
I dropped my bag on the bed and sat down, pulling my laptop toward me.
Isabella sat beside me, already leaning in.
“Let’s find a good company,” she said.
I nodded.
We searched quietly, scrolling through different relocation and moving service websites.
Options came and went.
Some were too expensive.
Some were complicated.
Some just didn’t feel right.
“This one,” Isabella said, pointing at the screen.
I leaned closer.
The details were clear.
Professional.
Straightforward.
Sprinter van option available.
Flexible booking.
Good reviews.
I exhaled softly.
“Yeah… this is good.”
We went through the process together.
Pickup date.
Location.
Time.
Vehicle selection.
Payment.
Everything.
Simple.
Efficient.
Done.
A confirmation message popped up on the screen.
Booking successful.
Then Isabella leaned back slightly.
“Well…”
I smiled faintly.
“It’s happening.”
The house was quiet when we stepped out of my room.
Mom had already retired for the night.
The lights were dim.
We walked to the door together.
Isabella adjusted her bag on her shoulder.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
I nodded.
“Yeah.”
She hesitated for a second, then smiled.
“Things are moving fast.”
I let out a small breath.
“They really are.”
Then she turned and left.
I watched her go for a moment before closing the door softly.
The night wrapped around the house gently.
Still.
Quiet.
I leaned back against the door for a second.
Just breathing.
Everything was falling into place.
Not perfectly.
Not smoothly.
But steadily.
That felt even better.
I pushed myself off the door and walked to my room, the soft hum of the night settling around me.
Tomorrow will come quickly.
It always did.
But for now…
This moment was enough.