Chapter 4 Four

I woke before sunrise, as if my body remembered what it meant to wake with purpose. The city beyond the window remained mostly asleep, but on the horizon, a ribbon of pink began to stretch across the sky. It was subtle, the kind of quiet promise that tomorrow always carried, if you knew how to listen for it.

I dressed quickly. Black trousers that moved like intention. A white blouse without logos or distractions. Flats that made no noise against the hardwood floor. The kind of clothing that whispered efficiency rather than screamed for attention.

In the kitchen, Julian made breakfast with measured hands. He did not speak unless necessary, and I counted that silence as a form of understanding. Trust had not come easy in my life, but there was something in his stillness that gave the room an edge of safety.

While I ate, I opened my laptop. Mara's updates waited like sentries. She was already managing the early fires. One boutique client had flagged a morning interview where Alessia implied I was unraveling. She used words like "burnout" and "emotional recovery." The boutique had grown nervous. Their investors were nervous too.

I had expected this. Fear makes people transactional.

Some members of the board were shifting, their silence acting as permission. They had not yet removed Roman officially, but inaction spoke loudly. They were watching for weakness, calculating risk. That would be their mistake.

I closed the file and opened a new one. Strategy steadied me more than sleep ever could. Today would be about laying foundation. Studio structure. Resource mapping. Early-stage design ideation.

I glanced up as Julian nodded toward the door.

"The contractor," he said, already opening it.

A man entered with the quiet confidence of someone used to building spaces others only imagined. His name was Marco Daley. Tall, clean lines to his movements, eyes that catalogued without wasting time. He introduced himself, mentioned his experience with discreet clients, and began surveying the apartment with practiced ease.

I handed him the tablet with my draft layout.

"We'll need a mobile cutting table in that corner," I said. "And vertical sample storage here."

He nodded, jotting things down. "You'll need balanced lighting. No shadows near stitching areas. It's easy to misread color when the light is wrong."

"Exactly," I said. "Clarity equals credibility. Color distortion will not be tolerated."

Julian stayed near the kitchen. He listened but did not insert himself. His silence allowed me to lead.

Marco paused briefly by the window. "The space matters. You breathe better when the light is right."

I studied him. No hesitation. No subtle patronizing correction. Just alignment. He passed the first test.

By noon, we had fabric samples laid out beside early sketchwork. I tested swatches under different light angles. Charcoal, ivory, midnight blue. Shades that whispered confidence rather than demanded it. I had no interest in trends or noise. I was designing armor.

Later, another message from Mara came through. Roman had quietly pushed a "reinvention proposal" to the board. New designers. New leadership. He cloaked the plan in words like evolution and expansion. Alessia had already begun giving exclusive interviews, speaking of continuity and her desire to honor my legacy while I "healed."

The PR was slick. Soft lighting. Carefully selected quotes. All the performance of empathy without any of its weight.

I sipped my coffee while reading. I could feel it in my bones. Their timeline was too fast. Their pitch too polished. They were overcompensating.

"They're cornered," I said, barely louder than a breath. "But they don't know it yet. They still think they're winning."

"That is your edge," Julian replied.

By evening, I had contractors scheduled to install acoustic panels and ventilation systems. I was cataloging every movement of the studio. Every cable. Every drawer. Every bolt that held it all together. I was not just building a workspace. I was building evidence. Control. A sanctuary with a spine.

I turned on the lamp beside my desk and glanced toward the skyline. San Francisco glittered without asking permission. There was something comforting in its indifference.

I was not here to beg for attention.

I was here to reclaim power.

And soon, they would all understand that presence without substance was just noise. But substance, wielded with precision, was the sharpest weapon of all.