Evelyn POV
I didn't sleep immediately after Adrian left.
Not because of what he said — or didn't say — but because of how quiet the apartment felt once the door closed behind me. The kind of quiet that made your thoughts louder than they deserved to be.
I showered. Changed. Lay on my bed staring at the ceiling.
Across the city, he was probably doing the same thing in his own way — calculating, planning, deciding how much space to give and how much to take back.
I turned onto my side and shut my eyes.
Tomorrow wasn't about him.
Tomorrow was about Halcyon.
Morning came with the sound of movement in the kitchen.
Not rushed. Not panicked. Just steady.
I checked the time on my phone — earlier than usual — and sighed before sitting up. My body felt alert in a way that told me I hadn't truly rested, but there was no exhaustion either. Just awareness.
I pulled on a sweater and stepped out of my room.
The smell hit me halfway down the hall.
Something warm. Savory. Familiar in a way I wasn't used to.
Liora's mother stood by the stove, sleeves rolled up, hair tied back loosely. She glanced over her shoulder when she heard me.
"Oh — good morning," she said quickly, wiping her hands on a towel like she wasn't sure if she was allowed to be here.
"Good morning," I replied. "You're… cooking?"
She smiled, a little shy. "I couldn't sleep. Thought I'd make something simple."
Liora appeared from behind me, yawning. "She's been up since dawn," she said. "I told her to rest. She ignored me."
Her mother clicked her tongue. "You eat too little. Both of you."
I almost laughed.
Breakfast wasn't extravagant. Eggs. Toast. Tea. But it felt grounding. Real. We sat together at the table — not rushed, not dramatic — just eating.
Liora broke the silence first. "Today's the announcement, right?"
I nodded. "Third round first."
Her eyebrows lifted. "Third?"
"They didn't tell you?"
"They tell me nothing," she said flatly. "I drive. I wait. I panic quietly."
Her mother looked between us. "Whatever happens," she said gently, "you've already done well."
I met her eyes.
"Thank you."
The words stayed with me as I went upstairs to dress.
The drive to the industry was quieter than usual.
"Still not nervous?" Liora asked, eyes on the road.
I considered it. "I'm nervous about the part where they talk," I said. "Not the part where I exist."
She smiled. "That's terrifyingly confident."
"That's survival," I replied.
When we arrived, the atmosphere had changed.
No cameras outside. No reporters. Just industry cars and security. The building felt sealed off from the rest of the city, like whatever happened inside wouldn't leak unless someone wanted it to.
Inside, the five of us were gathered in a smaller conference room this time.
Same faces.
Different tension.
Lina sat beside me again, twisting her fingers together. Selene sat across the table, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
A Halcyon representative entered — the woman from before — followed by two others.
"This won't take long," she said, taking her seat. "Before we announce our decision, there's one final confirmation."
She looked around the room.
"This industry doesn't only test talent. It tests judgment."
She slid five identical folders across the table.
"Inside is a scenario," she continued. "You'll each respond in writing. There is no correct answer. But there are revealing ones."
I opened the folder.
The scenario was simple.
A fellow model — unnamed — violates contract terms. The breach could cost the brand reputation and money. Reporting it would protect the company but likely destroy the model's career. Staying silent would preserve the person but risk the brand.
What do you do?
The room went quiet.
Pens scratched paper.
I didn't rush.
I wrote exactly what I believed.
When time was called, the folders were collected without comment.
They stood.
"We'll be back shortly."
When the door closed, the tension finally cracked.
Lina exhaled. "That was cruel."
Selene scoffed. "That was obvious."
I looked at her. "Nothing about that was obvious."
She smirked. "If you think too hard, you lose."
I didn't respond.
Minutes passed.
Then the door opened again.
Everyone stood.
The woman didn't sit this time.
"Thank you for your honesty," she said. "We've made our decision."
My heartbeat slowed.
"This campaign requires someone who understands responsibility without ego," she continued. "Visibility without arrogance. Loyalty without blindness."
Her gaze met mine briefly, then moved on.
"The model selected to represent Halcyon is—"
The pause was deliberate.
"Evelyn Hart."
For a second, no one reacted.
Then Lina gasped.
Selene's face went still.
I stepped forward.
Not shaking. Not smiling. Just steady.
The woman nodded once. "Welcome to Halcyon."