Ashes of her heart

The sun rose slowly, casting its golden light through Lily's bedroom window. She groaned and turned over, her body aching from the lack of sleep. The haunting message from the previous night had kept her tossing and turning, unable to calm the storm brewing in her chest.

Her alarm rang sharply, slicing through the quiet. With a sigh, Lily opened her eyes. It felt like she had just fallen asleep, but today was far too important to miss. Her designs were to be showcased in front of the entire design team.

She forced herself up, dragging her tired limbs to the bathroom. After a warm shower, she dressed in her formals and threw on an overcoat for a more composed look. She tied her hair up, hoping her expression didn't betray her fatigue.

In the kitchen, she poured a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice. Her cab was still a few minutes away, so she took the time to scroll through the latest design trends on her phone. It helped distract her, even if only briefly.

Once done, she grabbed her sketchpad, phone, and purse, locking the door behind her. The cab was already waiting at the curb. Without a word, she got in, and the driver silently began the journey to Hayes & Co.

As the city passed by her window, Lily whispered to herself, "Today, I'll be braver."

The cab pulled up to the sleek building of Hayes & Co. She stepped out and thanked the driver, clutching her sketchpad to her chest.

Just as she was walking through the main doors, a familiar voice pierced the morning quiet.

"Looking good. I hope your work is presentable too," Vanessa sneered, sarcasm dripping from her words.

Lily forced a tight-lipped smile in return, but before she could reply, Vanessa smirked again. "Well, all the best, intern." Her tone made it sound like anything but good wishes.

Lily frowned slightly at the cryptic comment, but before she could dwell on it, a more familiar and friendly voice called out to her.

"Don't mind her."

Lily turned to see Aisha walking up, holding two cups of coffee.

"Good morning," Lily greeted, genuinely smiling now.

Aisha returned the smile and handed her a cup. "This is to calm your nerves. You're going to need it."

"Thanks," Lily said, grateful for the small gesture of kindness.

"Vanessa is the team lead of Design Team 2," Aisha explained in a low voice. "She hates anyone who even slightly threatens her spotlight. Just... keep your eyes open."

"I don't want the spotlight," Lily replied with a calm strength. "I just want what I've earned."

There was a new firmness in her tone—quiet, but clear. Lily was tired of being afraid.

They headed to the design room to prepare for the presentation. When it was time, they walked together into the conference room.

Noah was already seated, dressed in a sharp, tailored suit, his presence commanding attention. His dark eyes met Lily's for a brief moment, just long enough for her heart to stutter in her chest. She quickly looked away and focused on her laptop.

The meeting began, and Vanessa stood to present first. As her designs flashed across the large screen, a heavy frown formed on Lily's face.

She recognized them immediately.

They weren't just similar—they were hers.

Lily's heart dropped. Her breathing hitched as she tried to understand what was happening. Those were her designs, the ones she had worked on until late last night, the same ones she had sketched in her sketchbook.

Even Aisha's eyes widened, her gaze snapping between Vanessa and Lily.

Vanessa had stolen them.

Lily's mind spiraled. All her hard work—gone. Someone else was standing there, taking credit for it without a trace of shame.

Noah's expression remained unreadable, but Lily noticed the slight clench in his jaw. He had seen her sketches. He knew.

"That's all from my side. What do you think, Noah?" Vanessa asked confidently, her tone arrogant as she folded her arms.

Noah leaned slightly forward. "Are these all your original designs?"

There was a subtle edge to his voice, but Vanessa didn't flinch.

"Of course, Noah. Designed them myself," she said smoothly.

Noah nodded slowly. He didn't press further. Instead, he looked at Lily. She was trying to keep herself composed, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the table.

"Alright. Let's take a small break. We'll resume with Team 1's work after," Noah announced, standing up and walking out.

As soon as he left, Vanessa leaned toward Lily with a smug smile.

"Just looking pretty won't help you. You need talent, too," she whispered with a small laugh, then picked up her laptop and exited the room.

Aisha immediately turned to Lily. "Are you okay, Lil?"

Lily shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "She stole my designs. I don't have enough time to redo everything. What am I supposed to do now?"

Before Aisha could respond, Noah's assistant, Mark, entered.

"Miss Lily, President Noah would like to see you in his office."

Lily's heart pounded. She looked to Aisha, who gave her an encouraging nod.

With a deep breath, Lily followed Mark to Noah's cabin. He knocked, and a calm "Come in" echoed from the other side.

Mark gestured for Lily to enter. She walked in slowly, her nerves fraying with every step.

Noah sat behind his desk, fingers interlocked. "Please, have a seat."

She sat down stiffly, gripping the hem of her dress.

"What did you think about Vanessa's designs?" he asked, diving straight to the point.

Lily hesitated. "They... they look very similar to mine. But maybe I'm wrong."

Noah raised an eyebrow. "So what do you plan to do now?"

Lily looked down at her hands. "I'll make something new," she said, her voice shaky.

Noah stared at her for a moment before giving a short nod. "Alright. You may leave."

As soon as Lily left the cabin, Noah called Mark back in. "Get me the CCTV footage of the design room. I want to know who accessed Lily's sketches."

"Yes, sir," Mark replied and left without questioning.

Lily was waiting for the elevator when Vanessa appeared again.

"You don't belong here, little intern," Vanessa whispered, stepping close enough to be threatening. "People like you don't survive long at Hayes."

She walked away with a smug smile, leaving Lily frozen and rattled.

Aisha, who saw the interaction, clenched her fists. She wanted nothing more than to knock that smirk off Vanessa's face.

***

It was late in the evening. Most of the office had cleared out. Lily sat at her desk, sketching.

Jane walked up to her, concern in her eyes. "You're not leaving?"

Lily shook her head. "I need to finish these."

Jane patted her shoulder. "I wish I could slap that Vanessa. The nerve of that woman..."

She crouched beside Lily and smiled warmly. "But remember, you're not alone. We've got your back, alright? We're a team."

Lily's heart warmed. She had spent her life dealing with pain and disappointment alone. But here, here she had Aisha and Jane. She wasn't as alone as she thought.

Jane gave her a small hug and left the office. Lily bent over her sketchpad again, immersed in her designs.

Behind the glass door, Vanessa smirked as she watched.

"Finish your design? Not today, Lily," she whispered.

She slipped away to the power room, making sure no one saw her. With one swift motion, she flipped the power switch.

"Let's see how you work in the dark," she murmured and left.

Back in the design room, Lily gasped as everything went black. Her pencil slipped from her fingers. Her breath quickened.

The darkness—so sudden, so absolute—threw her mind into chaos.

Her past came flooding back.

"P...please don't. Please don't lock me in there. It's very dark here!" Lily had once pleaded.

"That's your punishment for disobeying me. Be a good girl and stay quiet," the man had replied coldly, slamming the door shut and walking away from her cries.

She covered her face, her hands trembling. Her legs refused to move. Her breath came in short, painful gasps. The tears spilled, uncontrollable.

"You deserve it, Lily."

"You're mine. Only mine."

His voice echoed in her mind.

She squeezed her eyes shut, covering her ears. "Stop," she whispered. "Please... just stop..."

***

Noah was making his usual round through the design department when he noticed something was off. The floor was unusually dark.

He frowned and immediately called the power team, but then—he heard it.

Soft, broken sobbing.

Alarmed, Noah rushed in and froze at the sight before him.

Lily was curled up on the cold floor, hugging her knees, shaking and crying uncontrollably.

"Lily!" he rushed forward, but when he reached out, she flinched and pushed him away.

"No! Please don't lock me in here again! Please, I beg you!"

Noah's heart twisted.

"Lily," he called again, more firmly. But her panic kept her locked in her mind.

He gently held her shoulders and shook her slightly. "LILY, LOOK AT ME!"

Finally, her red, puffy eyes met his.

"Just me, okay? It's Noah," he said softly, cupping her face with both hands.

"I'm here. You're safe. No one's locking you anywhere," he whispered, brushing away her tears.

Her breathing slowly returned to normal, but the adrenaline crash took its toll. Her body went limp.

She fainted into his arms.

Noah caught her, holding her tightly against his chest as if shielding her from the darkness itself.