"No. No. No. No. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe." I paced back and forth. "Why! Why!"

"Thena. Just calm down." Valeria said.

"I can't calm down, Val! It's like I can't have one moment without someone ruining shit. Fuck!" I groaned.

"You need to get it together now." Val grabbed me by the shoulders. "Wipe your tears now. The show must go on. No one or anything can stop it."

I nodded. "Sorry. Sorry."

"Now let's go finish. We've come too far." Valeria demanded. I took in a sharp inhale, trying not to cry. "Suck it up, now!"

10 Hours Earlier

"No! Don't put that there." Valeria directed.

"Wonderful by Bailey Elease from the top."

I sighed while scribbling on my clipboard. "Where's Lotus! I need Lotus now."

"I'm here! I'm here." Lotus ran in. "I'm sorry Thena, I overslept."

"This is not me yelling because I don't, but no more inconveniences. It's show day and I'm
already going grey by the hair."

"I know. I'm sorry. What do you need me to do?"

"Make sure the seamstress is steaming the outfits, also check with the stage manager about light cues. Make sure models are here to do a run-through."

"Got it." He said before running to the back.

"Name cards? Any specific placings."

"Yes. Tobias Landon, front and center." I smiled. "Then Beverly Landon next to him."

Kayla, my second assistant, placed the cards down.

"Then Kaleb is on the other side of Tobias. The rest, just get the list of important people and sit them in the front."

She nodded.

"Oh. And don't seat the Fleurs' by the Landon's."

Kayla nodded before walking away.

I heard a screeching voice come over the mic and I winced. Bia stood dancing with Bailey to her song 'wonderful.'

"As much as I'm glad you're having a good time, no games right now." I sighed. "Where did Val go?"

They shrugged. I sighed before walking behind the stage.

"Athena. You weren't supposed to come back here." Valeria frowned.

"What's happening?"

She held up the diamond cape. I gasped. It had blue stains all over it. I quickly placed my clipboard down before grabbing the cape.

"No! No! No! How did this happen?" I whined. "Fuck. I was painting and it got on it. This is my fault."

"Don't fret, okay? I'll run to the store and get some paint remover." Lotus said.

"No! You stay. I'll get Kayla to go." I huffed before walking back to the seats. "Kayla, don't hate me, but I need you to run to the store and get paint remover."

She nodded. "On it!"

Kayla quickly ran.

"That's the kind of urgency I need people!" I yelled.

"Ms. Solana!" The blonde yelled.

"Yes?"

"Uh." She paused. "Uh."

"Everything okay?"

"No. One of the models called in sick."

"Sick! Are you serious?" I questioned. "Who? Ingrid?"

"Esté."

"No! She wears the final look. I can't find someone with her measurements in time." I groaned.

"I know and I'm sorry." Ashley stood nervously.

"Talk to Lotus, he's in charge of the models. Report back to me when the problem gets fixed, please."

She nodded before scurrying away.

"Okay, Bailey." I walked towards the stage. "You'll be standing in the middle right there."

She nodded before looking at the center of the stage.

"Wonderful will play and then the models walk out. If you feel satisfied with your sound check, you can leave. But it's really up to you."

"Athena, can I please hang out with her? Please?" Bia pleaded.

"Only if it's okay with her. But you have to check in with me every hour! Can't have you loose."

Bia cheered.

"Let's go." Bailey laughed before walking out with Bia.

My phone buzzed and I sighed.

"How are you holding up?" Tobias questioned. "Need anything? Any lunch? I can bring your favorite wine."

"You're so sweet. I'm okay though. Just running with my head cut loose."

"Let me know if you need anything. Seriously."

"Of course, Tobi." I chuckled at the nickname.

"Not you too."

"You'll never hear my call you that. Unless I'm drunk." I laughed. "But thank you again!"

"See you later."

I hung up the phone.

"Back with the paint remover!"

"That was very quick."

"I asked stage management if they had some and they did!"

"Well, let's get to removing."

~

The show started in five minutes. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I felt like I was gonna die.

I peeked through the curtains scanning the rows. I saw Anteros and Eros, Bia sat next to them talking their heads off. Beverly sat shaking her leg. I looked at the seat next to her, empty.

Where was Tobias? He had to show. I needed him here.

"He's gonna come, love." Valeria softly touched my shoulder.

"Valeria. I'm not ready." I shook my head. "It's happening. It's really happening. The show is in ten minutes. Like it's actually happening."

"I know." She chuckled. "Just breathe, okay? Everything's gonna be okay. You're going to go out, say your speech."

"Right." I nodded.

"The models are going to walk out. Then boom shows over, everyone is in love with the art you created." She softly spoke. She peeked out at the enormous crowd. "Look who's here."

I peaked through the curtains. Tobias sat down in his seat, he had a red bouquet in his hands. He made eye contact with me before smiling. I smiled back. Kaleb sat down next to him and waved at me. I winked.

"Ms. Solana." Ashley nervously said.

"Yes?"

"There's a malfunction."

"No. No. No." I huffed before rushing to the models. "What's wrong?"

"This ripped." Layla frowned. "I apologize, Athena. I thought I got into it carefully, but it ripped."

"Where's the final model? Did she get the cape on?"

"I can handle this," Valeria said. "I just need a needle and thread. You go do the speech."

I nodded before rushing back to the front. The lights dimmed and I was handed a mic. The venue erupted in loud clapping. I slowly walked out.

"Hello everyone and thank you for coming to S&W's summer fashion show. Before we get started, I'd like to thank a couple of people."

I took a pause.

"Thank you to my wonderful assistant Lotus and my COO, Valeria Hernandez. Without them, I don't think we would be here today."

I chuckled.

"They challenged me, pushed me, worked with me, and helped me with anything I needed. I don't have enough words to show how thankful I am for my two best friends." I smiled. "So can we cheer for them?"

The venue erupted in applause. I smiled waiting for them to start.

"I never thought that I would have something that was me. I've never done something like this before so I'm extremely nervous to share, but I have to take that leap. This collection is my baby, so please treat it with care. Or I'll cry."

The audience laughed.

"But without further to do, here's my summer collection."

Bailey Elease walked out to the center of the stage and her song began to play. I quickly hurried backstage to the monitor as the first model came out.

Valeria and Lotus grabbed my hand.

"Look how the lights reflect off the dress." I smiled.

"You're dancing diamonds." Lotus squealed.

As the models came out, one by one, I couldn't help myself from crying. I was proud of the work we created. I never felt so sure in my life.

I did it.

We did it.

We made it.

"The finale. Are y'all ready?" Valeria questioned as the lights dimmed.

I nodded anxiously waiting to see the diamond cape. The lights came back up and the tall dark skinned woman stood. I squinted my eyes.

"That's my mom." I furrowed my eyebrows.

The venue gasped as Kaelyn slowly walked down the runway. I shook my head.

"How did she get on the stage? What the fuck?" I questioned. "This is a disaster. How the fuck did this happen?"

"I don't know. We had a model for the finale piece." Lotus furrowed his eyebrows. "How did she even make it backstage?"

The audience stood up slowly clapping as my mom strutted down the runway. She stood at the bottom, striking a few poses before turning back around.

"Why would she-" I shook my head while staring at the screen in disbelief.

"Thena." Valeria grabbed my shoulders. "Breathe."

"No. No. No. No. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe." I paced back and forth. "Why! Why!"

"Thena. Just calm down." Valeria said.

"I can't calm down, Val! It's like I can't have one moment without someone ruining shit. Fuck!" I groaned.

"You need to get it together now." Val grabbed me by the shoulders. "Wipe your tears now. The show must go on. No one or anything can stop it."

I nodded. "Sorry. Sorry."

"Now let's go finish. We've come too far." Valeria demanded. I took in a sharp inhale, trying not to cry. "Suck it up, now!"

"I'm trying."

I watched as my mother walked off the stage. She went to the back of the line to join the models. I let out a shaky breath.

"Ms. Solana." The lady handed me the microphone.

I grabbed Lotus and Valeria's hands before walking out. The audience grew louder as they cheered. The models follows behind. We did one last walk before returning stage.

"Take it off!" I yelled while walking toward her.

"Athena." She crossed her arms.

"How dare you, huh?"

"Lower your tone."

"No, you don't tell me what to do." I crossed my arms. "You skip out on my life and then you come back on the biggest nights?"

"You're causing a scene."

"I hope I am! I hope everyone sees how much of a leech you are! How could you do this to your daughter? Your own daughter!" I yelled.

"I'm supporting you."

"Supporting me would be you sitting in the audience cheering me on. This isn't support. This is you stealing my spotlight. God forbid Athena to be happy for once in her life. God forbid." I threw the mic down.

"Calm down."

"I wish you would stop telling me what to do. You selfish bitch. You're dead to me. Seriously, you're dead to me."

"You don't call me out to my name."

"Go to hell!"

"Athena. Let's take a walk." Tobias grabbed my arm.

"No!" I snatched my arm away. "Take my shit off now! Take it off!"

I ripped the cape off before tossing it on the ground.

"Come on! Take off my shit!"

"Tobias. Do something." Valeria said.

"Let's go." He picked me up.

"Put me down, Tobias." I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he held on tight. He carried me outside and sat me down on the stairs.

"I know you're angry, you have every right to be, b-"

"For once in my life, I had something. This wasn't associated with the disappearance of my mom or the scandals of my dad. This was me." I wiped my fallen tears.

Tobias pulled me into his embrace.

"This was Athena Solana. Now it's 'Kaelyn Solana made her return to society'. I've never been selfish, but tonight was about me." My voice cracked. "And she took that."

"She didn't. Okay? This is still you and you still worked hard. When you get to the red carpet, you don't mention her. Don't give her the attention that she wants. You hold your head up like nothing has happened." Tobias said.

I closed my eyes, sinking into his embrace. It eased the pain, but still I was hurting. I wanted to be strong, but I wanted to allow myself to hurt.

"This is still your night. You just have to take it back."