She Was Fired From Her Father’s Fashion Empire—So She Returned and Became the Designer He Couldn’t Afford to Lose
CHAPTER 5
Being Miles was exhausting.
Mara had to remember to lower her voice.
Change the way she walked.
Hide her expressions.
And most importantly, avoid looking at her father like a daughter.
Jonathan introduced Miles to the design department.
Ethan was there.
He stared.
Mara nearly stopped breathing.
Ethan looked at her for several seconds.
Then he extended his hand.
“Miles?”
She shook it.
“Ethan.”
Something about his expression told her he was suspicious.
But he said nothing.
Maurice, an assistant designer, immediately welcomed Miles.
“You picked the wrong company if you hate drama.”
Mara laughed.
“I’ll survive.”
Within weeks, Miles became Jonathan’s favorite designer.
Not because he was brilliant.
Because his work reminded Jonathan of Mara’s mother.
Jonathan began talking about her.
Stories Mara had never heard.
How her mother designed their first collection in a basement.
How she once stayed awake for three nights fixing a dress.
How she believed fashion was supposed to make people feel seen.
Mara listened silently.
For the first time, she understood the father she had spent years resenting.
He hadn’t stopped loving her mother.
He had simply never learned how to survive losing her.
One evening, Jonathan showed Miles an old photograph.
“This was my wife.”
Mara stared at the picture.
Her own mother.
“I miss her.”
Mara swallowed.
“She must have been remarkable.”
Jonathan smiled.
“She was.”
He paused.
“She had a daughter.”
Mara’s heart stopped.
“Do you miss her too?”
Jonathan looked away.
“Every day.”
Mara nearly broke.
But then Jonathan said something that changed everything.
“If Mara had stayed, she could have been great.”
Mara lowered her eyes.
“Maybe she still can.”
Jonathan shook his head.
“I ruined that chance.”
She wanted to tell him.
She wanted to say:
I’m standing right here.
But she couldn’t.
Not yet.
That night, Ethan followed Miles into the parking garage.
“You.”
Mara froze.
“What?”
“I’ve seen you before.”
Her heart raced.
“Impossible.”
Ethan smiled.
“Maybe.”
He walked closer.
“You have the same eyes as someone I used to know.”
Mara looked away.
“Lots of people have brown eyes.”
Ethan laughed.
“That’s not what I meant.”
