Three years later…
Twenty-one. Graduation looming. Final exams staring me down like predators. And me? I'm still trying to balance school, life, and my future empire. A fashion empire. A standard, world-class studio where every stitch I design screams Crystal Whitman.
Sounds simple, right? Wrong.
Apparently, adult life comes with a cruel sense of humor. A decent fashion studio doesn't come cheap. Not even close. Six to eight million dollars. My jaw dropped the first time I heard it. Six to eight million. Millions. My savings? Barely a fraction. A million, five hundred seventy-five thousand dollars. Enough to get a decent car, maybe an apartment. Not enough to build a brand, not enough to set the stage for my empire.
I've never been one to settle for less. Never. Mediocrity and compromise are for people who don't have visions. I needed the studio I imagined, not some sad, overpriced space pretending to be the cradle of fashion brilliance.
So there I was, leaving yet another failed negotiation. The elderly owner smiled politely, probably expecting me to cry at the price. Five million dollars, he said. And I laughed. Out loud. The man didn't appreciate it.
"Five million?" I asked, tone soft but dripping with disbelief. "For this? Overrated. I can't afford it." I turned on my heel and left, letting the city swallow my irritation.
Walking down the street, my thoughts were heavier than my designer heels. Everything in life costs too much. Everything. And my empire? Apparently priceless.
Then I heard the familiar roar of an engine. Liam's car pulled up beside me. Figures.
"Crystal, are you okay? You look… worried," he said, voice careful but tense, eyes scanning me like a hawk.
I didn't think. Didn't hesitate. I opened the passenger door and slid in. "Acquiring a property is exhausting," I said plainly.
He frowned. "Don't forget you have an exam today. You need to—"
I cut him off. "Liam, I've got it. Trust me."
The car fell into silence. Tires hummed. My thoughts raced. The studio, the money, the impossible price tags, the pressure… and Liam sitting beside me, thinking he could swoop in to "help."
Then he said it.
"Let me help you."
I blinked, raising an eyebrow. Typical. Always swooping in when he thinks I need him, when I don't ask. "Help me… with what?"
"To get the studio," he said casually. As if dropping millions into someone's life is like offering water.
I laughed. Softly. Dryly. Just enough for him to feel it. "Oh, thank you. But I don't need a billionaire swooping in to rescue me. I'm good."
His brow furrowed. "Why not?"
I gave him my softest scoff. "Do you have ten million dollars just lying around? Even if you did, and your father found out… what would you say? 'Oh, yes, Dad, I spent ten million on a girl who has no interest in me?' Really, Liam? Do you expect that to go over smoothly?"
His silence was delicious. I let him stew. Patience, Liam. My little mind game. If I let him acquire it and his father come causing trouble for me in the nearest future? There's no telling what I'll do to him!...
Finally, I leaned back slightly. "If you want to help… lend me some money. That's all. I've tried banks. They offered barely a million, which wouldn't even cover a decent down payment."
He studied me. Ten seconds. Twenty. I could feel him weighing options, plotting. Then finally, "Five million?"
I nodded. "I'll pay you back once my business flourishes."
He didn't flinch. "Settled. I'll send it tomorrow."
I smiled. Genuine, faint, but enough to show I appreciated it.
He leaned back, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "You know… consider it an investment. A client investing in your future empire."
I nodded. Fine. Let him think that.
The rest of the ride passed in quiet. Tires hummed, the city whizzed past. I stared out the window, lost in thoughts of fabrics, designs, and calculating every next move for my future. Graduation. My empire. Exams. Every detail had to be perfect. Nothing less. Nothing below my standard.
Finally, the car slowed. The school park.
I stepped out, heels clicking against the pavement. Liam remained in the car, watching me, analyzing me, probably thinking he was protecting me from some invisible danger. I didn't care. Not yet.
One step closer. One step nearer to my dream. My empire. To showing everyone who ever doubted me that Crystal Reed doesn't do average, doesn't do small, doesn't do weak.
My heels clicked harder as I walked into the campus, determination fueling every step. Dangerous? Maybe. Calculated? Always. I liked being untouchable, untamed.
As I reached the school gate, my mind wandered briefly to the studio. How could a place be worth millions and still feel so… ordinary? My vision would change that. My hands would create magic. My mind would craft perfection. And someday soon, the city would know the name Crystal Reed.
And Liam? Let him watch. Let him try to understand. Maybe one day he'd realize I'm not a damsel to save or a prize to win. I play my own games, my own way. And for now, that's enough.