The hum of Hayes & Co buzzed around Lily like background static. She sat at her new desk, sunlight spilling in through the wide glass windows, illuminating the blank sketchpad in front of her. She had been given her first real task to design the upcoming fall collection to chance to show her skills.
Yet the lead in her hand felt heavy,
Every time the lead touched the blank page, his voice came through,
'You are not good enough, Lily'
'You are not a designer, you are just playing dress up'
'No originality, just scribbles'
Lily gripped her pencil so tightly that her knuckles turned white. No matter how hard she tries, the self-doubt won't go away. Even in the hustle and bustle in the design room, his voice echoed loud enough to her.
Aisha was sitting across, noticing Lily's trembling hands. She didn't say anything, but when she saw how restless Lily was being she silently pushed the coffee cup towards her.
"You okay there?" her voice was low but kind, "you have been staring at the blank page for the past 20 minutes." Hearing her, Lily gave her a weak smile with a small nod.
"Yeah, just first day nerves."
Aisha didn't press further, but she gave her a small smile, which clearly said You are allowed to be nervous, but you belong here.
It calmed Lily's racing heart. She took a deep breath, stared at her blank sheet, and with small encouragement from Aisha Lily, slowly began to draw.
***
Noah had the habit of walking the floor, not to intimidate, but to micromanage; he just wanted to see how his employees worked without him watching over them.
This morning, steps slowed outside the design room.
Through the glass partition, he spotted Lily. head bowed, shoulder tensed, her pencil danced shakingly over the sketch pad, hesitating every few lines, then erasing and redrawing. She was biting her lips, clearly showing how nervous she was. She looked like she was trying to will her thoughts into confidence.
Noah subtly leaned against the wall, arms crossed. He didn't interrupt, nor did she notice.
But something in him stirred. A strange mix of admiration and anger, not at her but at whatever ghost kept her hand from moving freely. He could see it in her eyes, even from this distance, the war between fear and ambition. She wasn't untalented, far from it. Her sketch, half finished already, carried grace in its curves. But there was hesitation in every stroke, like she was constantly bracing for someone to tell her she was wrong.
He'd seen that look before.
He hated that look.
Noah turned and walked away before she could notice. But in his mind, he filed her under watch closer, not because she was struggling but because she was trying to damn hard to rise.
Unknown to him, someone was watching his every move, she curled her hands into to tight fist. Vannes,a team leader of a design team 2. She was the best at her work, but like every other girl, she dreamed of marrying Naoh. She tried every way to gain Noah's attention, but every time he ignored her. He just didn't look at her.
But seeing how Noah's eyes softened every time he looked at Lily. How he stopped watching Lily made her mad. How could an intern gain his attention whom she had been trying to get for years?
"You have messed with the wrong person, Lily... just wait and watch how I'll make your life here a living hell."
***

YOU ARE READING
Ashes of her heart
RomanceLily thought she'd escaped her darkest secret. In a new city with a dream worth fighting for, she finally lets herself fall for Noah, the man who makes her feel safe enough to stay. But the past never stays buried. When shadows of her past return...