One Night in Valeria - Chapter 2: Chapter 2
You are reading One Night in Valeria, Chapter 2: Chapter 2. Read more chapters of One Night in Valeria.
Jessica stood frozen in the mirrored elevator of Velar Global Headquarters, staring at her reflection like she didn’t recognize the girl in the glass.
Her blouse was neatly tucked. Her curls were pinned up. She had a real portfolio in her arms not a hopeful sketchpad or a recycled binder, but something that felt official.
And yet her heart still beat like she was bluffing.
How had this even happened?
She’d been rejected just weeks ago. No call. No second chance.
And then out of nowhere an email:
"Congratulations. You’ve been selected as a finalist for the Velarian Fashion Initiative. Report to Velar Global."
Her hands still trembled.
Maybe it’s a mistake, she’d thought.
But deep down… it didn’t feel like a mistake.
It felt like something was pulling her forward.
The elevator doors opened into a boardroom made of glass and gold.
Several panelists sat at the long table. Executives. Investors. All of them intimidating. Jessica stepped forward, forcing her shoulders straight as she laid out her designs.
She’d barely made it halfway through her pitch when the door opened quietly…
…and he walked in.
Liam Velar.
She didn’t know his name yet. Didn’t know his face.
Not in the light.
Not in this suit.
Not with the cold mask of authority he wore like armor.
But he knew her.
He felt it in the tension that moved through his chest like fire.
Her voice. Her hands. Her eyes. Her.
She didn’t glance at him twice.
But he couldn’t look away.
She finished her presentation, stepping back with a shaky breath. The others nodded, flipping through her designs with murmured approval.
Only Liam stayed silent.
Finally, he closed the folder.
And spoke.
“Tell me, Miss Hale… What’s your endgame?”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You want funding. Support. Opportunity. But what are you really trying to build? A name? A legacy? Or a distraction from how quickly this industry chews up girls like you?”
His words cut sharp, polished, and deliberate.
She swallowed hard but held her ground.
“I want to build something that outlives rejection,” she said evenly. “I want the world to wear pieces that tell a story… including mine.”
His jaw twitched.
He nodded slowly.
“Then prove it.”
🖤 Later…
The other finalists were dismissed. Only Jessica remained.
She was alone in the room when Liam re-entered coat off now, sleeves rolled to the elbow, looking far too human.
She turned, confused.
“I thought the interviews were over.”
“They are,” he said. “You’ve been approved.”
Her eyes widened. “I… really?”
“You’ll be given full mentorship, a design studio, and private access to our innovation labs.”
Amira blinked, stunned. “Why me?”
He paused. Just a second.
“I believe in potential,” he said coolly.
She gave a small laugh, nervous. “You don’t even know me.”
Liam’s voice dropped slightly.
“Don’t I?”
She looked up at him.
And for just a moment one fragile second something flickered in her eyes.
Recognition.
Not quite memory.
But… familiarity.
The air between them changed. Charged. Heated.
She stepped back instinctively.
He didn’t move.
But his eyes said everything he wouldn’t.
That Night…
Alone in her new studio, Amira sat beside her sketchpad with trembling hands.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the CEO.
His voice. His stare. The strange way he looked at her like they had shared something.
Something she couldn’t place.
Something she wanted to remember.
But couldn’t.
Not yet.
Her blouse was neatly tucked. Her curls were pinned up. She had a real portfolio in her arms not a hopeful sketchpad or a recycled binder, but something that felt official.
And yet her heart still beat like she was bluffing.
How had this even happened?
She’d been rejected just weeks ago. No call. No second chance.
And then out of nowhere an email:
"Congratulations. You’ve been selected as a finalist for the Velarian Fashion Initiative. Report to Velar Global."
Her hands still trembled.
Maybe it’s a mistake, she’d thought.
But deep down… it didn’t feel like a mistake.
It felt like something was pulling her forward.
The elevator doors opened into a boardroom made of glass and gold.
Several panelists sat at the long table. Executives. Investors. All of them intimidating. Jessica stepped forward, forcing her shoulders straight as she laid out her designs.
She’d barely made it halfway through her pitch when the door opened quietly…
…and he walked in.
Liam Velar.
She didn’t know his name yet. Didn’t know his face.
Not in the light.
Not in this suit.
Not with the cold mask of authority he wore like armor.
But he knew her.
He felt it in the tension that moved through his chest like fire.
Her voice. Her hands. Her eyes. Her.
She didn’t glance at him twice.
But he couldn’t look away.
She finished her presentation, stepping back with a shaky breath. The others nodded, flipping through her designs with murmured approval.
Only Liam stayed silent.
Finally, he closed the folder.
And spoke.
“Tell me, Miss Hale… What’s your endgame?”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You want funding. Support. Opportunity. But what are you really trying to build? A name? A legacy? Or a distraction from how quickly this industry chews up girls like you?”
His words cut sharp, polished, and deliberate.
She swallowed hard but held her ground.
“I want to build something that outlives rejection,” she said evenly. “I want the world to wear pieces that tell a story… including mine.”
His jaw twitched.
He nodded slowly.
“Then prove it.”
🖤 Later…
The other finalists were dismissed. Only Jessica remained.
She was alone in the room when Liam re-entered coat off now, sleeves rolled to the elbow, looking far too human.
She turned, confused.
“I thought the interviews were over.”
“They are,” he said. “You’ve been approved.”
Her eyes widened. “I… really?”
“You’ll be given full mentorship, a design studio, and private access to our innovation labs.”
Amira blinked, stunned. “Why me?”
He paused. Just a second.
“I believe in potential,” he said coolly.
She gave a small laugh, nervous. “You don’t even know me.”
Liam’s voice dropped slightly.
“Don’t I?”
She looked up at him.
And for just a moment one fragile second something flickered in her eyes.
Recognition.
Not quite memory.
But… familiarity.
The air between them changed. Charged. Heated.
She stepped back instinctively.
He didn’t move.
But his eyes said everything he wouldn’t.
That Night…
Alone in her new studio, Amira sat beside her sketchpad with trembling hands.
She couldn’t stop thinking about the CEO.
His voice. His stare. The strange way he looked at her like they had shared something.
Something she couldn’t place.
Something she wanted to remember.
But couldn’t.
Not yet.
End of One Night in Valeria Chapter 2. Continue reading Chapter 3 or return to One Night in Valeria book page.