Chapter 1: The Rising Star

Seraphina's POV

The launch event was a shimmering success. The room buzzed with energy as guests floated from one glittering display to another, sipping champagne and murmuring in hushed, excited tones about the innovative designs on display. My designs. I should have felt proud, overjoyed even, but there was something that didn't sit right with me.

"Are you even listening, Sera?" Lila Hartman's voice broke through my thoughts. My best friend and right-hand woman had been chattering excitedly about a feature in Vogue. I forced myself to focus on her.

"Sorry, Lila," I apologized, giving her my full attention. "What were you saying?"

She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "I was saying that Vogue just posted about the launch on their Instagram. They called you the next big thing in fashion. Can you believe that? This is huge, Sera!"

A spark of excitement flickered inside me. "That is huge," I agreed, allowing myself a moment to revel in the success. This was what I had worked so hard for—long nights hunched over sketches, countless hours of tweaking fabrics and cuts to perfection. Seeing it all come together tonight was surreal.

Lila grinned. "Damn right it is. This is just the beginning. Soon, Seraphina Luxe will be the name on everyone’s lips."

I nodded, but that uneasy feeling settled back into my stomach. Something was off. "Have you noticed anything... strange tonight?" I asked, scanning the room.

Lila arched an eyebrow. "Strange? Like what? Strange how?"

I hesitated. "I don’t know. I just feel like someone’s watching us."

Lila chuckled. "Of course someone’s watching. Everyone’s watching, Sera. This is your night."

I frowned. "No, not like that. I mean..." I trailed off, unable to shake the feeling.

"You're just stressed. That's normal," Lila said dismissively. "You've worked so hard for this moment, and now it's here. Take a breath, relax, and enjoy it."

Maybe she was right. Maybe I was just on edge after months of preparing for this launch. I nodded and forced a smile. "Yeah, you're probably right."

But as Lila turned away to greet a guest, I felt it again—a prickle on the back of my neck, like someone's eyes were boring into me. I turned, scanning the dimly lit corners of the room, but all I saw were faces—most of them familiar, some not, but none of them looking particularly sinister.

"Seraphina!"

I was pulled back to the moment by the sound of my name. I turned to see Adriana Martinez, my creative director, rushing over. Her face was flushed with excitement, her dark curls bouncing as she moved.

"Have you seen this?" Adriana held up her phone, her eyes wide.

"What is it?" I asked, taking the phone from her.

"Someone just posted a video of your opening speech," Adriana explained. "It’s going viral. People are loving it."

I watched the video, hearing my own voice play back. It felt strange, almost surreal, to hear myself delivering the speech I had practiced so many times in front of the mirror. The applause was deafening, the audience's enthusiasm palpable even through the screen.

"This is incredible," I murmured, handing the phone back to Adriana.

"I know!" Adriana beamed. "This launch is a massive success. You should be so proud, Sera."

I nodded, but I still couldn’t shake that feeling of unease. I glanced around the room again, my eyes darting to every shadowy corner. And that’s when I saw him—a tall, broad-shouldered figure standing near the back, just out of reach of the light. He was watching me, his eyes dark and intense, his expression unreadable.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. Who was he? And why was he watching me like that?

"Who’s that?" I asked, nodding towards the man.

Adriana followed my gaze. "Who?"

"The guy over there, by the bar," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on him.

Adriana squinted. "I don’t know. I can’t see anyone."

I blinked, and suddenly the figure was gone, as if he had vanished into thin air. I shook my head, wondering if I was imagining things.

"Never mind," I said, forcing a smile. "I guess it’s just my nerves."

Adriana laughed. "You need to relax, Sera. Everything’s perfect."

"Yeah, you’re right," I agreed, but I couldn’t help feeling that something wasn’t right.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of champagne toasts, congratulatory hugs, and excited chatter. But no matter how much I tried to focus on the celebration, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. Every time I turned around, I expected to see that mysterious figure lurking in the shadows, his eyes fixed on me.

By the time the event finally wound down and the last guests had trickled out, I was exhausted. I collapsed into a chair, kicking off my heels and rubbing my sore feet.

Lila plopped down next to me, her cheeks flushed from the champagne. "Well, I’d say that was a success," she said with a satisfied sigh.

I smiled tiredly. "Yeah, I guess it was."

Lila frowned. "What’s wrong, Sera? You don’t seem happy."

I hesitated, not sure how to explain what I was feeling. "I just... I don’t know. I have this weird feeling. Like something bad is going to happen."

Lila rolled her eyes. "You’re just being paranoid. Everything’s fine. You should be celebrating."

I nodded, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. "Yeah, maybe you’re right."

As we sat there in silence, the lights dimming around us, I felt a chill run down my spine. I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting to see that mysterious figure standing there, but the room was empty. I shook my head, trying to convince myself that it was just my imagination.

"Come on," Lila said, getting to her feet. "Let’s get out of here. You need some rest."

I nodded and got up, following her to the exit. But as we stepped outside into the cool night air, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. I glanced over my shoulder, but all I saw were the shadows of the night.

"See? Nothing to worry about," Lila said, looping her arm through mine.

I forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess you’re right."

But as we walked away, I couldn’t help but feel that this was just the beginning of something much bigger, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

And I had a feeling that the mysterious figure who had been watching me from the shadows was going to play a much bigger role in my life than I could have ever imagined.

Two weeks later, the feeling still hadn’t left me. I had tried to push it aside, to focus on the success of the launch and the exciting opportunities that were coming my way, but it was always there, lurking in the back of my mind.

I was sitting in my office, going over some designs, when my assistant, Mia, walked in.

"Hey, Sera," she said, holding up a folder. "I’ve got some contracts for you to sign."

I nodded, taking the folder from her. "Thanks, Mia."

As I flipped through the contracts, my phone buzzed. I picked it up, glancing at the screen. It was a text message from an unknown number.

Unknown: Congratulations on the launch, Seraphina. I was very impressed. - M

I frowned, my heart skipping a beat. M? Who was M? And how did they have my number?

"Everything okay?" Mia asked, noticing my expression.

I forced a smile. "Yeah, everything’s fine."

But as Mia left the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being pulled into a game I didn’t understand, a game I wasn’t sure I wanted to play.

I stared at the message, my mind racing. Who was this mysterious M? And what did they want with me?

I had a feeling I was about to find out.