Chapter 11 Six months later , I stood in the floor - to - ceiling windows of my new office , overlooking the bustling streets of New York . The nameplate on my desk read " Lydia Shaw . Creative Director , RJ Fashion Division . " ] " Ma'am . Mr. Williams still hasn't delivered the accessories , " Sarah announced from the doorway , sweat trickling down her face . She'd been my assistant for three months now - sharp , efficient , and thankfully straightforward about the chaos we constantly dealt with " What the hell is Williams waiting for ? The fashion show is next week ! " I rubbed my temples , feeling the familiar stress headache building Days of sleepless nights were taking their toll . Sometimes I wondered if I should've just bought a cottage somewhere and raised chickens for a living . ] employed Williams because he's supposed to be the best . But what is he doing now ? On time ? Now is the right timer " ] Sarah nodded sympathetically . None of us had been getting much sleep lately . own terms , and The irony wasn't lost on me - I'd fought so hard to build this independent life , to prove I could succeed on my here I was drowning in stress just like before . The difference was , this stress was mine . This company , this success , this exhaustion - it all belonged to me . " Ma'am , the investors confirmed for the show . Bergdorf's , the Empire Group , YJ Group , and the Bolton's . They're all very Interested in our new line . " I nodded , reviewing the seating charts . This show would make or break our international expansion plans . Everything I'd worked for these past months came down to next week . [ ] " Perfect . Make sure the Empire Group gets premium seating . Dad mentioned they're important for some upcoming collaborations . " * Already handled , ma'am . " My phone buzzed with a text from Sophia : " Saw the magazine feature about your upcoming show ! I'm so proud of you . You're going to absolutely kill it . " [ ] I smiled . Sophia had been right all those months ago - 1 did need to remember who I really was . And apparently , I was someone who thrived under pressure and built empires from nothing . " Ma'am , your 3 o'clock is here , " Sarah interrupted my thoughts . The rest of the day blurred into fabric swatches , model fittings , and vendor negotiations . By evening , I was exhausted but satisfied . My phone showed several missed calls from Dad , but I was too tired to deal with whatever RJ board politics he wanted to discuss . I'd call him tomorrow . Tonight , I just wanted to soak in a hot bath and prepare for the most important week of my professional life As I looked out at the city lights from my apartment , I felt a sense of pride I'd never experienced with Jason . This was mine . I'd built this . No one could take it away from me . ] My phone buzzed one more t time - another text from Sophia : " Can't wait to see you conquer the fashion world . You've come so far from that broken girl who came home six months ago . " She was right . That scared , defeated woman felt like a different person entirely . Moving to New York had been the right choice . even if it meant leaving the comfort and safety of Charleston behind . But first , I had a fashion empire to launch . Freelance photographer Violet Beck is forced into an engagement with CEO Roy Payne. He is everything her wild heart rebels against: proper, predictable, and painfully kind. But love has a way of devel...