The door creaked open.
Zain stepped inside, and the moment he did, the air shifted. The low hum of voices died at once, replaced by an unnatural silence. Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward him.
He stood still at the threshold—tall, unreadable—while the room full of strangers stared as if he had disturbed a ritual.
Lylla was the first to break the silence. Rising from her seat with an almost feline grace, she walked toward him. Her lips curved into a half-smile, her eyes glimmering with something unreadable.
"Oh," she said, her voice carrying through the hush. "This is Zain. The one I told you about—the artist chosen to bring Miss JJ's fairytale world to life."
Across the table, a woman lifted her chin. Elegant, commanding, her sharp eyes assessed Zain with a mix of curiosity and something far more dangerous.
"Lylla, dear," Miss JJ murmured with a sly smile, "you didn't mention your new artist was such a handsome young man. This will be… entertaining."
Her assistants and a few editors exchanged quick, uneasy glances.
But before Lylla could add another word, Zain's voice cut through the tension—low, steady, carrying no hesitation.
"I haven't agreed yet," he said. "I never said I would join as your artist."
The words dropped like a stone into still water.
Miss JJ's eyes narrowed instantly. The playfulness vanished, her expression hardening into cold irritation.
"You didn't tell him?" she said sharply, her gaze snapping toward Lylla.
Lylla met that glare without flinching. "He came here, didn't he? That's enough. But still—" she turned back to Zain, her tone softening—"the choice is his. No one will force him."
Zain didn't move. His posture was unshaken, his eyes unwavering. "I have conditions."
Lylla arched a brow. "Conditions? What kind of conditions?"
"I'll read the story first," Zain said evenly, his tone final. "Only then will I decide whether to take this role as the artist or not."
For a moment, silence pressed against the walls. Then Miss JJ leaned forward, resting her elbows on the polished table. A slow, mocking smile tugged at her lips.
"Ooooh…" she breathed. "Perhaps you don't know who I am. Do you have *any* idea? You think you get to approve or reject *my* diary? My stories are not for—"
**"Fine."**
Lylla's voice sliced through Miss JJ's rising temper like a blade. Calm, but firm. She raised her hand slightly, as though drawing an invisible line.
"He has the right," she said simply, her gaze fixed on Zain. "Let him read it first. If he wants to walk away after, so be it."
Zain gave a small nod. "That's all I ask."
Miss JJ leaned back slowly, still frowning, but the sharp glint in her eyes suggested she wasn't finished. Not yet.
And for the first time since he had entered, Zain felt the weight of every gaze on him ease. Yet the way Miss JJ looked at him—as if he had challenged not just her authority but her very world—told him this was only the beginning of a much deeper game.
When the meeting ended, the room emptied one by one until only Miss JJ and Lylla remained.
Miss JJ leaned back in her chair, fingers tapping lightly against the polished table. A rare smile tugged at her sharp features, a glimmer of amusement breaking through her usual severity.
"That boy…" she said at last, her voice thoughtful, edged with curiosity. "He's stubborn. Odd, even. People fight for the chance to illustrate my stories, yet he dared to set conditions. At first, it angered me… but strangely, I liked it too. There's something about him."
Lylla, holding a steaming cup of coffee, smiled gently. "That's true. And… forgive me for cutting you off earlier. I didn't mean to."
Miss JJ's lips curved into a sly grin. "No need to apologize. Honestly… it's the first time anyone has dared interrupt me without running for cover. Hah!"
Lylla chuckled, nearly spilling a bit of her coffee. "Well, he *is* bold… or crazy. Maybe both."
Miss JJ waved a hand dramatically. "Bold, crazy… does it really matter? At least he's entertaining! My meetings have been *so boring* lately, I almost considered doodling on the walls myself."
Lylla laughed, raising her cup like a toast. "Here's to Zain—the boy who dares, annoys, and somehow charms all at once."
Miss JJ leaned back, smirking, but her eyes twinkled with pride. "He'd better like the story. My reputation is on the line too… though, honestly, a little chaos is good for the soul."
And with that, the two women shared another quiet smile—half amusement, half "let's see what trouble this boy stirs next."