Mabel's phone had barely stopped ringing since the moment she stepped out of the cool, scented marble lobby of Maison Élégance. Its buzz was a relentless vibration against her palm, a persistent hum that cut through the soft murmur of the afternoon breeze. She ignored the first few calls, letting the screen flash and dim, it's content to linger in the fleeting quiet of the back seat.
By the fourth call, Jane leaned over the plush leather console, her eyes dropping to the glowing display. "Ava," she observed, raising an eyebrow.
"I know."
"You're not answering?"
"I'm kinda exhausted not in for a conversation."
"What if it's important?"
"Then she'll call again"
As if on cue, the ringtone erupted again. Jane let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "You know her too well."
Mabel offered a small, knowing smile before finally sliding her thumb across the screen and lifting the phone to her ear her tune showing signs of exhaustion. "Hello."
"Where are you?" Ava's voice came through, crisp, efficient, and direct as ever.
"Just got into the car not quit long anything?."
Ava sounded busy. In the background, Mabel could hear the rhythmic clatter of keyboards, distant chatter, and the faint rustle of papers the unmistakable soundtrack of a high-stakes agency office.
"Could you please be alone for a moment?" Ava asked, her tone dropping an octave.
Mabel glanced at Jane and Miriam, who were watching her with open curiosity. Giving them a quick, reassuring wave, she pushed the door open and stepped out onto the curb. The humid afternoon air hit her immediately. "I'm all ears."
"I've just finished a meeting with Belle Étoile."
Mabel's relaxed posture tightened instantly. Her gaze sharpened. "And?"
"They're quite interested."
A slow, deliberate smile spread across Mabel's lips. "How interested?"
"Interested enough to ask about your availability for a full campaign meeting."
Mabel leaned back, letting her shoulders rest casually against the warm metal frame of the car. "That was quick."
"It is, and the quicker the better," Ava warned, her voice turning sharp with characteristic caution. "Which is why I'm telling you right now not to get carried away."
Mabel's smile faded into a subtle frown. "Why would you say that?"
"Because the internet craves a new trend every week. Right now, you're the narrative. Next week , someone else will be."
Mabel let out a quiet, amused breath. "That's a little reassuring, coming from my manager."
"You know exactly what I mean, Mabel," Ava probed gently.
"I do." Mabel sighed softly, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose as a faint headache pulsed behind her eyes.
Ava pushed forward, her tone businesslike once more. "The other fashion houses haven't changed their minds either. I'm currently waiting on finalized dates from two of them. You'll need to head into the agency office later this week for final signatures."
"And Aurum?" Mabel asked, her brows knitting closely together.
"Still interested. But hesitant."
"Why?"
"I don't know yet. I haven't heard from their PR team in the last two days," Ava admitted. "Hopefully, we'll get a positive response by the end of the week."
"Okay..." Mabel murmured, her mind already spinning through the possibilities. There was a brief, heavy pause on the line.
"There's one more thing," Ava added, her voice dropping into a register that signaled real weight.
"What?"
"They want to know what your plans are after the wedding."
Mabel frowned, her hand dropping from her face. "After?"
"Yes. They don't want this to be a one-off bridal press burst. They want to know whether you're genuinely interested in building a long-term relationship with the brand."
Mabel stayed quiet for a long moment, watching the reflection of the passing city traffic in the glass building across the street. "That sounds serious."
"It is serious," Ava emphasized. "It's the kind of long-term backing most models fight years for."
"Did they say what kind of campaign?" Mabel inquired, her pulse quickening slightly.
"Not yet. They want to have a meeting with you first."
Mabel nodded slowly to herself. "Alright."
"And Mabel?"
"Yes?" She answered softly.
"Don't post anything on social media tonight. Nothing."
Mabel couldn't help a soft laugh. "I wasn't planning to."
"You say that now, but one tagged photo can ruin a rollout."
"I mean it," Mabel insisted. "Lest I forget, please contact Mary and tell her to forward my updated schedule for the week directly to my personal email."
"Okay, I'll take care of that right now."
"Good."
"I'll call you later tonight if there's any update from Aurum," Ava said before the line went completely dead.
Mabel stood beside the idling car for a moment longer, looking up at the towering glass façade of the building ahead of her. She took a slow, deep breath, pulling the cool, crisp air into her lungs to ground herself before slipping back into the leather warmth of the rear seat.
The moment the door clicked shut, Jane turned around from the front seat, her eyes wide. "Okay... so what's happening?"
Mabel adjusted her dress and offered a composed smile. "The campaigns are all moving forward nicely. Just..."
"Just? You're acting way too calm for a 'just' to be hanging in the air."
Mabel raised an eyebrow, amused. "What do you want me to do? Scream? Frown?"
"Yes! Give us something!" Jane giggled.
Miriam laughed quietly beside her, shaking her head. "Give her some space Jane"
Mabel let out a soft laugh of her own. "I'll scream when the actual contracts are signed and the ink is dry."
Jane pointed an accusatory finger at her. "Now that is the Mabel I know."
Mabel chuckled and turned her head to look out the tinted window. Just as she began to watch the passing trees, her phone buzzed with a short, double vibration in her hand.
A message from Daniel: Where are you?
She tapped out a reply: On my way home.
His response came back almost instantly, as if he had been staring at the screen waiting: Can you come over?
Mabel's brows pulled together in confusion: Right now?
A few agonizing seconds passed before his text appeared again: Yeah.
Her brow furrowed even deeper: Why?
A longer pause this time. Three dots appeared, vanished, and then reappeared: I want to discuss something with you.
She stared down at the crisp white text on the dark screen for a few beats, her chest tightening slightly before she clicked the power button, locking the screen to black.
Jane, ever observant, caught the subtle shift in Mabel's posture. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Mabel said smoothly, keeping her voice even. "Just heading over to see Daniel."
"About the wedding?" Jane asked, tilting her head.
"Probably. I really don't know."
Jane nodded, picking up her bag. "Hmm, okay then. You head straight there, Miriam and I can just step out and hail a cab."
Mabel laughed softly, the tension easing slightly. "Silly girls, I'm not letting you hail a cab in these heels. I'll drop you both off at your places first." She leaned forward toward the front seat. "Take them home first, please."
The driver nodded, stepping on the accelerator. The engine hummed to life, and the heavy luxury sedan glided smoothly into the thick flow of late afternoon traffic.
Mabel rested her head back against the cushioned headrest, closing her eyes as her thoughts drifted, racing in circles. They pulled between the complex details of the upcoming wedding, the high-stakes campaign proposals Ava was juggling, and the strange, sudden urgency in Daniel's text.
She had wanted this level of success for years. Not just the lavish wedding, not just the temporary burst of media attention, she wanted something vastly bigger. Something lasting that would launch her career straight onto the international stage, where she belonged.
Opening her eyes, she looked out as the city passed by in a blur. She let out a long, silent sigh.
Just focus on the wedding, she commanded herself in a firm mental note. You've always wanted Daniel, and now he's yours. Once the wedding is over, everything else will fall into place.