Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

"Let them know I'll be at the gala tonight at seven."noveldrama

Fiona ended the call, the phone card she had been fiddling with now slightly creased in her palm. With a quick flick of her wrist, she sent it spiraling into the nearby trash can.

A lot of her issues could be traced back to her own stubbornness. If she could just let go, life would be a lot less complicated.

Turning her attention away from the phone, she opened her laptop and clicked on the latest email. It was filled with information about International Glamour. As she skimmed through it, a familiar face jumped out at her.

Zoe.

The woman she'd seen linked arm-in-arm with Jackson outside the Woods Corporation.

Fiona tried to shove the thought aside, but it kept creeping back, relentless as the tide.

Luckily, Zoe was only listed as an investor in the documents. As for the real decision-makers at International Glamour, Zoe was likely not in their league yet. Logging into her messaging app, Fiona fired off a photo, making sure to highlight Zoe's image.

Fiona: I need all the intel you can gather on her.

A thumbs-up emoji popped up in response. Fiona then casually forwarded her latest design sketches to the competition organizers. Having cleared the preliminary round, she was now in the semifinals. This time, she submitted a piece she had once deemed unworthy.

Unexpectedly, the discarded design stirred up quite a buzz in the design community. It featured bold illustrations, a sharp departure from her usual vintage vibe. Her bracelet design, which traditionally relied on gold and silver, instead used a daring pale green as the main color with wine red accents-bold yet refined.

Compared to her initial vintage route, this design felt more like something from the early 20th century.

Designs from that era weren't overly complex but required precision and meticulous craftsmanship, refined to the tiniest detail.

"H is truly amazing. If I could reach her level, my life would have meaning."

"I bet H is a woman, maybe in her seventies or eighties."

"Regardless of her age, I'd love to meet her someday."

Just as Fiona was about to shut her laptop, a new email notification popped up.

It was an invitation from the competition organizers.

Fiona deleted it without a second thought. An invitation without substance was not worth her time.

After closing her laptop, she dug out a fox mask from a box and chose a simple black dress. It was last year's, and she'd grown so much that it barely reached her knees now.

...

By seven in the evening, she arrived at the hotel via taxi. The five-star venue was completely booked out for the event. The entire first floor had been transformed into a gala setting, the second floor hosted a pool party, and the third was reserved for meetings and relaxation.

Luxury cars worth millions were parked everywhere, some even international limited editions. If International Glamour hadn't announced H's appearance, these wealthy folks might not have bothered to show up.

International Glamour, as the name suggests, wasn't just about design; it was about the perfect fusion of talent and skill. H was celebrated for her exceptional designs, and her techniques had earned International Glamour global fame.