90

CHAPTER 90
Celine arrived at the diner, relieved to see Rachel already there, sipping on a cup of coffee. Rachel looked up and beamed at her friend. “Hey Celine, you’re right on time!” Rachel said, motioning for Celine to sit down.
Celine took a seat and commented, “You look radiant. The competition must be treating you well.”
Rachel smiled, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. “Thanks, Celine. I’m nervous, but I’m excited too. I just can’t wait to get out there and show the judges what I’ve got.”
Celine nodded, understanding the feeling all too well. “How’s everything going with the building and your team?” she asked.
Rachel took a sip of her coffee before responding. “Everything is going great. We’re almost done with the building, and my team has been fantastic. They’ve been putting in extra hours to make sure everything is perfect for the competition.”
Celine nodded, impressed. “That’s great to hear. I’m so happy for you, Rachel. You deserve all the success that’s coming your way.”
Rachel smiled and looked at her friend. “Thanks, Celine. That means a lot coming from you.”
As they finished their breakfast, they talked about Lucia’s studies and Celine’s new project. Soon enough, it was time for the competition.
As Rachel walked out on the runway, Celine couldn’t help but feel proud of her friend. Rachel was a natural, with her confidence and poise. But just as the model turned to walk back, Celine noticed a wardrobe malfunction. Rachel saw it too and immediately rushed to fix it.
Celine held her breath, watching as Rachel managed to calm the model down and fix the outfit. It was a close call, but Rachel had handled it with such grace and skill.
When the results were announced, Celine was thrilled to hear that Rachel had made it to the next round. As Rachel came off the runway, she was greeted by Leo, who wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Celine smiled, happy to see her friend in such good company.
After the competition, William came to get Rachel and they talked about her fears of conceiving again.
****
THE NEXT DAY
Rachel boarded the bus for work, a little tired from staying up late the night before to make final preparations for the upcoming fashion competition. As she was putting on her headphones, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Will, one of her close friends and smiled.
“Hey, Will! What are you doing here?” Rachel asked, removing her headphones.
“I was on my way to work and saw you, so I thought I’d say hello,” Will replied.
They chatted for a few minutes about their weekends, and Rachel mentioned that she was working on a big project for a fashion competition. Will’s eyes widened with interest, and Rachel knew she had to tell him more.
“I’m one of the finalists in the fashion competition, and the grand finale is in a few days. I’d really love for you to come and cover the photography for my first runway fashion debut show,” Rachel said.
Will was ecstatic at the opportunity and thanked Rachel repeatedly for trusting him with such an important job. They continued chatting about the details of the show, and Rachel promised to send him all the information he needed.
As they neared Rachel’s stop, she thanked Will for the chat and hopped off the bus. She walked to her office, feeling energized and excited about the upcoming competition.
After the talk, Rachel headed to work, feeling excited and nervous about the competition. She knew that this was a big opportunity for her, and she wanted to make the most of it. As she arrived at work, she was greeted by her colleagues who congratulated her on making it to the next round of the competition.
During her lunch break, Rachel’s mother called her, asking her to accompany her to the hospital for a routine checkup. Rachel was hesitant at first, but she agreed to go with her mother. She informed her supervisor, who gave her permission to leave for the day.
As they arrived at the hospital, Rachel’s mother checked in with the receptionist. Rachel took a seat in the waiting room and picked up a pamphlet about pregnancy signs. She began to read it, and the more she read, the more she realized that she was experiencing some of the symptoms mentioned in the brochure.
Rachel’s heart began to race, and she could feel the blood pounding in her ears. She quickly made her way to the pharmacy in the hospital and purchased a pregnancy kit. She couldn’t wait to get home and find out if her suspicions were true.
As she waited for her mother, she couldn’t stop thinking about the possibility of being pregnant. She imagined herself holding a baby in her arms and wondered how it would change her life. She was excited but scared at the same time.
After what felt like an eternity, Rachel’s mother emerged from the doctor’s office, and they left the hospital. Rachel couldn’t wait to get home to take the pregnancy test. As they drove back, her mother talked about her plans for the weekend, but Rachel couldn’t focus on the conversation. Her mind was consumed by thoughts of the pregnancy test.
******
Rachel felt a wave of nausea hit her as she stepped into her apartment after a long day at work. She didn’t feel like cooking, but her mother insisted that she needed to eat something. As they sat down to dinner, her mother asked why she wasn’t spending the night at Leo’s place.
“Mom, can we not talk about this right now?” Rachel said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.
“I’m just saying, you two seem to be getting on so well. And I’m sure he would love to see you,” her mother said.
Rachel sighed. “I just have a lot of work to do. That’s all.”
As they finished their meal, Rachel’s phone rang. It was Leo calling. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head from being completely worn off.
“Hey, how are you?” he asked.
“I’m okay. Just tired,” Rachel replied.
“Is everything okay?” Leo asked, sensing that something was off.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I just have a lot of work to do tonight,” Rachel said.
“Okay, I understand. Just wanted to check in and make sure you’re okay,” Leo said.
The next day, Rachel met up with some of her father’s associates to discuss the upcoming fashion show. As she was leaving, she had a feeling that someone was following her. She quickened her pace and ducked into a nearby store to avoid being seen.
Her heart pounding, Rachel decided to take a different route to her next meeting. She was relieved when she arrived without incident, but her relief was short-lived when she received a call from the seamstress she worked with.
“Rachel, I’m so sorry to tell you this, but your costumes were ruined at the shop. There was a leak in the roof and they got soaked,” the seamstress said.