Chapter Five

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, Lila's phone began to ring. Once, twice, thrice… it was the insistent ringing on the sixth time that finally pulled Lila from the depths of her sleep. She stumbled out of bed, her heart pounding as she fumbled for her phone.

The caller ID didn't display a name, only a number she didn't recognize. With a sense of trepidation, she answered the call. "Hello, this is Lila," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Good morning, Miss Rose. I saw your designs at a boutique downtown. I must say, they are quite impressive," the voice on the other end was deep and smooth, like aged whiskey.

"Thank you," Lila replied a hint of surprise in her voice. Compliments about her work were always welcome, but they were rarely delivered so early in the morning.

"I am interested in placing an order," the man continued. "I need 50 pieces of your 'Midnight Bloom' design."

Lila was stunned into silence. The 'Midnight Bloom' was one of her most intricate designs and she had only one piece of it. The thought of producing 50 more was overwhelming.

"I… I…" she stammered, struggling to find the right words.

"I understand this might be a large order," the man said, seemingly unfazed by her reaction. "But I believe from the designs I saw you've done I believe you can pull this off, Miss Rose."

Lila took a deep breath, steadying herself. This was a huge opportunity, a chance to put Sparkle Rose back on the map. She knew it would be challenging, but she also knew she couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

"I appreciate your faith in my work," she finally said. "I will do my best to fulfil your order."

"Excellent," the man replied. "I look forward to seeing your work."

As she ended the call, Lila fell back onto her bed, a sense of despair washing over her. Tears welled up in her eyes and spilt over, trailing down her cheeks. The enormity of the task at hand seemed impossible. She wanted to fulfil this order more than anything, but it seemed like an insurmountable challenge.

Her phone rang again, jolting her from her thoughts. It was the same number. She wiped her tears and answered the call.

"Miss Rose, I would like to have the order shipped to me in four days," the man said.

Lila's heart sank. Four days? That was impossible. She stammered, "Sir… I… it's not possible…"

The man on the other end of the line was silent for a moment before asking, "Why not?"

Lila took a deep breath before answering, "Sir, 'Midnight Bloom' is one of my most intricate designs. I currently only have one piece available. Producing 50 more in just four days… it's just not feasible."

She waited for his response, her heart pounding in her chest. Sadly the man ended the call abruptly, leaving Lila in a state of disarray. She sat on her bed, the silence of her room amplifying the pounding in her head. 

The challenge seemed insurmountable, and the pressure immense. She felt a lump forming in her throat as she fought back tears. She was alone in her room, grappling with the reality of the situation.

***********

Across town, Maya Lee's day was off to a different start. She awoke to a heartwarming message from Ryan, adorned with a love emoji. She hadn't saved his number yet, so she responded with a casual, "How was your night?" He didn't reply immediately, prompting her to kickstart her day.

After a refreshing shower, she slipped into her chic corporate attire from the latest "Sophisticated Elegance" collection - a crisp white shirt harmoniously paired with a navy blue pencil skirt and matching blazer.

Just as she was about to step out for work, her phone buzzed. It was Ryan - his morning selfie radiating charm with his tousled hair and captivating smile. Maya reciprocated with a cute emoji, her heart fluttering with anticipation for this budding connection.

As she prepared to leave her apartment, her phone buzzed again. It was another message from Ryan. "Can I see what you look like this morning, darling?" he asked. 

His message brought a blush to Maya's cheeks. She quickly captured a selfie, ensuring her chic outfit and sparkling eyes were in the frame. She sent the picture to Ryan with an upbeat message, 

"Ready to conquer the day!"

Ryan's response was swift. He showered Maya with compliments that made her day. "Wow, you look stunning!" "That outfit suits you perfectly." "Your smile is absolutely radiant." "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." "You're going to turn heads at work today." "Have a great day, beautiful."

Basking in the glow of Ryan's compliments, Maya's phone buzzed again. It was Lila. "Maya, I need your help," the message read. Maya's heart skipped a beat as she quickly dialled Lila's number.

Meanwhile, Lila was pacing in her apartment, her mind racing with thoughts about the massive order. She felt overwhelmed and didn't know where to start. Just then, her phone rang. It was Maya.

"Lila, what's wrong?" Maya asked, concern evident in her voice.

Lila took a deep breath and explained the situation to Maya - the anonymous client, the massive order, the impossible deadline. Maya listened quietly, letting Lila vent her worries.

After Lila finished, there was a moment of silence before Maya spoke up. "Lila, this is a huge opportunity. It's challenging, yes, but not impossible. We can do this."

"Thank you girl for having my back I really do appreciate it" Lila breathed out heavily as she felt a feeling of ease knowing that Maya was by her side, maybe they could pull this off. 

"Bye girl!" Maya ended the call. And back in her apartment, she started making plans. She knew they needed more hands on deck to fulfill this order so she decided to reach out to some old colleagues from Parsons School of Design who might be willing to help.

As the day unfolded, both Lila and Maya found themselves going through a whirlwind of activities - calling who needed to be called, sourcing materials, and planning the production process. It was chaotic and stressful, but they were determined to seize this opportunity.

Meanwhile, while all this was happening Ryan sent Maya another message: "How about dinner tonight?" Despite how stressed and worried Maya was she couldn't help but smile. She smiled but replied, "Sorry dear, I'm gonna have to pass on this one, I'm going to help a friend. So maybe some time."