Chapter 259

• The room had settled into a calm hush after the final reveal, the quiet almost sacred. I let my eyes wander over the designs, each piece a chapter of my life, stitched with my fears, my triumphs, and my resilience. It felt strange to look at them without the pressure of judgment, without the sharp edges of expectation slicing through my chest.
• Julian stayed close, his presence grounding me as I walked among the displays. “It’s like a lifetime wrapped up in silk and thread,” he said quietly, letting his words float between us.
• I nodded, tracing the hem of a gown that had once been ripped during a rehearsal. “Every tear, every late night, every failure—I’ve carried them here,” I said softly. “And now they’re part of something whole.”