Nemesis (Full Version)

Chapter 14 - New York Fashion Week: Exposing the truth

The sun is directly overhead as pedestrians crowd the sidewalks. Nearby, a woman walks gracefully toward a café adorned with hanging plants in every corner. The café isn’t too crowded, with many empty seats inside. Her brunette hair dances in the wind. Last night, Lily sent a message about wanting to share a plan she had made. Rani, Lily, and Sandra decided to meet at the café today.

When Rani enters the café, she is greeted by the warmth of the cozy interior, adorned with hanging plants that give a natural and calming atmosphere. Customers are busy with their activities, creating a lively yet relaxed ambiance. Rani soon spots Lily and Sandra sitting in their favorite corner. Lily, with her short hair and always neat appearance, looks excited and impatient. Meanwhile, Sandra, with her gentle smile and friendly eyes, warmly welcomes Rani.

“Here she comes,” Lily greets impatiently, her olive eyes shining with anticipation.

Sandra, sitting next to Lily, smiles warmly at the brunette-haired woman.
“Do you want to order food first?” Sandra asks Rani. After what happened yesterday, Sandra seemed better.

Rani politely shakes her head. “No need, Sandra, thank you,” she replies, sitting down and feeling comfortable between Sandra and Lily. Lily is busy with her laptop, her eyes moving quickly and eyebrows slightly furrowed, reflecting her deep concentration. She types at an impressive speed as if each keystroke is a crucial part of a carefully crafted plan. Sandra and Rani watch intently, sensing the gravity of the moment. Lily stops, and then looks up, her face serious.

“I want you to listen to this carefully,” she says, turning her laptop around. A collage of fashion show stage images from various angles and scattered notes is displayed.

“I visited the location of the Oscar de la Renta fashion week. The backstage doors are on the south and north sides, connected to the main stage,” Lily's finger points to the far left photo, showing the detailed plan she’s made.

Lily takes out her phone and shows the event rundown. “This is the event rundown. The right time to reveal this crime is during the peak of the event,” she says firmly. The peak is scheduled for eight PM when Monica’s designs will be showcased.

“What we need is the south door leading to the control room. The control room controls all the decorations, displays, and stage lighting. If we want to show the evidence we’ve gathered, only that room can do it,” Lily continues seriously.

Silence follows, considering the complex yet urgent plan.

“How can we get into that room? It won’t be easy, and I’m sure the guards won’t let us in easily,” Rani finally speaks, voicing a reasonable concern.

“Do you know how to use the equipment in the control room?” Sandra adds, wanting to ensure all details are accounted for and nothing is overlooked.

Lily smiles, confident in her plan. It’s what she’s thought about all night. “I’ll divide the tasks. My job is to make sure the evidence appears clearly on the big screen. You don’t need to worry about how, leave it to me,” Lily continues confidently, providing reassurance to her friends.

“We need a way to get into the control room. Rani, I need you to distract the guard, maybe with a sleeping pill,” Lily says this seriously, her eyes directly on Rani.

Sandra seems to raise an eyebrow, finding the idea too extreme.

Rani shakes her head, “Sleeping pills are too risky. I have a better idea. How about we bribe the guard to get their security uniforms? With those uniforms, we can enter without suspicion.”

Lily thinks for a moment and smiles, seeing the potential in the idea. “Good idea, Rani. We’ll do that.”

“Oh, one more thing, Sandra, your job is to focus on the fashion week preparations. You don’t need to worry about Rani and me,” Lily says while holding Sandra’s hand as a sign of reassurance.