The night had barely begun, yet Eloise was already tossing in bed, staring at the dark ceiling of her room. It wasn't insomnia.

It was worry.

Her father's pension had dropped again. The amount barely covered his medication, and the surgery was thirty thousand dollars. That was the price of keeping the most important man in her life alive.

Ever since she found out he needed a valve in his heart, she hadn't rested. She took every extra shift she could, turned down invitations, canceled days off. Everything just to watch the money slowly grow, even if it was only inch by inch.

The system was cruel and her father didn't have time.

The exhaustion weighed heavily on her shoulders, but she wore her smile like armor.

The unexpected encounter happened early the next morning at the hospital. The doctor had called her in to discuss a test result, and she rushed there. In the hallway, she ran into her aunt.

And of course… her cousin.

The same cousin now wearing an engagement ring worthy of a magazine cover.

The same ring that had been Eloise's months before.

"Well, what a surprise to see you here, Eloise," her aunt said, in a tone that tried to sound kind but dripped with venom.

"Life is full of surprises," Eloise replied, her expression steady.

"We're here for routine exams. Nicole has been such an example, hasn't she? So dedicated. Engaged to such a stable man. A blessing for our family."

Eloise gave a crooked smile and crossed her arms.

"I can imagine. Too bad stability and character don't always go together. But at least she got what was left. I hope she takes good care of it."

Nicole raised an eyebrow but didn't respond.

Her aunt huffed.

Eloise turned away before the argument could grow.

But as she walked down the hallway, the mask slipped.

Her chest ached.

The wound hadn't healed. Maybe it never would.

-

August was home, but his mind wasn't.

The image of her rushing out of the company the day before bothered him more than he cared to admit. She hadn't explained. Hadn't asked permission.

She had simply said she needed to leave urgently, and he wanted to know why.

Since when did he care?

He never had.

But now…

-

The next morning, Eloise arrived right on time.

A perfectly tailored beige suit hugged her silhouette. The fitted blazer emphasized her posture, and the nude lipstick highlighted the firmness of her lips. Her hair was pulled into a high bun that made one thing clear.

She was there for whatever the job demanded.

August was waiting with a folder in his hand.

"You'll be accompanying me to every meeting today. Pay attention and take notes," he said, his eyes fixed on her.

"Of course, Mr. Montgomery," she replied firmly, grabbing a pen and notepad as she followed him with confident steps.

Montgomery Tech was the largest technology company in North City, a reference point for innovation. They were developing a revolutionary product: augmented reality glasses with voice commands and retina scanning, aimed at the education sector.

It was a bold investment.

And it demanded sharp marketing.

Inside the meeting room, the marketing director presented the proposal through slides filled with graphs and projections that, despite looking polished, lacked real strategy.

"We believe younger audiences will be drawn to the futuristic aesthetic," the director said.

Eloise hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"Excuse me…" she said, interrupting with calm confidence.

Every head in the room turned toward her.

August slowly rotated his chair, facing her with one eyebrow raised.

"May I add something?"

August gave a small nod.

"The futuristic aesthetic is good, but marketing for this type of technology needs to speak to usefulness. Show how it will make learning easier, how it will have a real positive impact. Young audiences are saturated with flashy promises."

She paused briefly.

"They want transformation."

Silence filled the room.

"Go on," August said.

"I suggest a more emotional campaign. Videos showing students using the glasses in different environments. Show accessibility, inclusion, usability. Humanize the innovation."

August said nothing.

He simply looked at the director.

"Redo the proposal based on what she just said."

Eloise hid her surprise with a small nod.

She followed him into two more meetings afterward, quiet and attentive. Only at two o'clock did he finally speak again.

"You're free for lunch. Be back at three."

As she turned to leave, she heard his deep voice behind her. He didn't even look at her.

"Good suggestion, by the way. Don't get used to compliments. They tend to disappear when people make mistakes."

She laughed softly as she walked out of the company.

Spring had dressed North City in vibrant colors. Flowering trees painted the skyline, and a gentle breeze brushed against her face as she walked toward the small café on the corner.

The scent of fresh bread drifted through the air, mixing with the perfume of flowers hanging from the balconies above.

For a moment, Eloise allowed herself to forget her worries.

She took a deep breath and thought that maybe, little by little, she was stepping into a new season of her life as well.