Pretend Perfect

Part 5 : A Journey Begins

As the evening progressed, the trio savored their delicious meal, engaging in lively conversations. Eventually, they bid Mr. Smith farewell, expressing their gratitude for the delightful evening. Stepping outside into the night, Ella couldn't help but comment, "It truly was a wonderful night."

The atmosphere grew light-hearted as Peter, with a hint of bashfulness, suggested that Zoey spend the night at his place. Zoey hesitated, knowing that Ella would be left to return home alone. Sensing the situation, Ella intervened with a warm smile, saying, "Give me your key. I'll head home, and you can enjoy the night with Peter. Let's not leave our poor Peter heartbroken by denying him the pleasure of your company tonight. I'll be fine." Zoey's eyes filled with appreciation as she hugged Ella tightly, conveying unspoken gratitude and bidding her a heartfelt goodbye.

Alone in her car, Ella drove through the quiet streets, her mind wandering as she contemplated the events of the evening. Arriving at her apartment, she sank onto her bed, gazing at the ceiling and releasing a weary sigh. It had undeniably been a long day.

After taking a moment to reflect, Ella got out of bed and changed into her comfortable sleepwear. . She was determined and focused as she returned to her desk, With the warm glow of her desk lamp, she delved into her work and became fully immersed in the project.

As the early morning light filtered through the window, Ella stretched her body with a sense of satisfaction, having completed the design and forwarded it to the client. Grabbing her phone, she sent a quick text to Zoey, informing her, "Just finished the work and sent the design to the client. I'm going to take a quick nap and might be running late to the office today. Give me a call if anything urgent comes up." With that, she collapsed into bed and fell sound asleep.

Sunlight gradually filled the room as the morning progressed into noon. Unbeknownst to Ella, her phone, which had been set to silent, vibrated incessantly, signaling Zoey's attempts to reach her. Unyielding in her pursuit, Zoey eventually arrived at Ella's apartment, gently knocking on the door in an effort to wake her slumbering friend. Receiving no response, Zoey resorted to louder knocks, causing Ella to startle awake, sitting upright in bed. Hastily grabbing her coat, Ella stumbled towards the door, her drowsiness evident in her disoriented state.

Opening the door, Ella was greeted by Zoey, her face brimming with excitement. Without hesitation, Zoey rushed forward, enveloping Ella in a joyous embrace. "Our meeting with the Lee Group has been confirmed!" Zoey exclaimed, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "They've sent us tickets to New York, and we're leaving tomorrow!" The news ignited a surge of excitement within Ella, and the two friends jumped in elation, sharing in the anticipation of the adventure that lay ahead.

Zoey walked into the apartment all hyped up, sharing how everything had fallen into place so quickly and thanking Mr. Smith for recommending them. Ella agreed, and they sat down on the couch. Zoey suggested they go shopping in New York, specifically to find some awesome dresses. Ella, trying to keep things realistic, said, "Zoey, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. It's just a meeting, and there will probably be designers who are more experienced and influential than us." Zoey, not letting doubts creep in, replied, "Come on, Ell. I've got a good feeling about this, and I know how talented you are. We're gonna nail this project, no doubt." Ella smiled, appreciating Zoey's confidence, and nodded in agreement.