Chapter 4 – First Encounter
Noverin stared at her laptop, fingers hovering over the keyboard, restless. One task never seemed enough. Even the e-commerce platform she was building — for a women's clothing brand owned by her mother's friend — could not fully occupy her mind. If she could, she would spend all twenty-four hours of the day working, organizing, creating, controlling.
Her mother's friend had trusted her implicitly. The task was simple in words: set up the platform, manage the product listings, and organize the visual presentations. Noverin had agreed, knowing it was only a favor. She didn't yet know how this favor would reach deeper into her life.
The platform was ready. Everything was in place — except the models and the product photos. Noverin picked up her phone and called her only friend, Night.
"Can you help me find someone?" she asked, voice calm but edged with a rare impatience.
Night paused. "Actually, I know someone who does this. She's good at it. Confident. Can help with the shoots and modeling."
Veyra. The name resonated, unfamiliar yet strangely memorable. Noverin wrote it down, unaware that the moment this girl would step into her world, nothing would remain the same.
By the time Veyra arrived, Noverin had already prepared the studio. Calm, precise, and completely in control, she inspected the space, checked the angles of light, the placement of products. She didn't expect anything to distract her — and yet, when Veyra walked in, full of energy, smiling, the air shifted subtly. Noverin noticed immediately.
Veyra extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Veyra. Night told me you could use some help?"
Noverin's eyes met hers. Cool, measured, unyielding. "Yes. Follow my instructions."
That was it. No smile, no softness, just a clear, controlled boundary. But Veyra didn't falter. In fact, she leaned in, curious, observing, testing, yet respectful. And something about her made Noverin's pulse quicken in a way she wasn't expecting.
The project had begun. But neither of them knew how deeply intertwined their worlds were about to become.