Her Decision

The city glowed beneath me, its skyline a

dazzling sea of lights stretching far beyond the glass windows of my apartment. From this height, the world felt distant—almost unreal. Yet, the faint hum of traffic below grounded me, reminding me of how far I had come.

I leaned against the cool glass, tracing a finger along the edge of the window. My reflection stared back—sleek black hair falling in glossy waves over my shoulders, skin polished to

perfection. I barely recognized the girl who once delivered chicken wings, struggling to make ends meet.

That girl felt like a different person—a ghost from a past life. And yet, she was still here, buried beneath the surface, watching as everything around her changed.

It all started that day.

The day Miss Glender stopped everything and chose me.

I still remember the way my hands trembled when I left PT Entertainment’s building,

clutching the glossy black card with their

golden logo pressed against my palm. I spent hours after that wandering the city, the weight of their offer heavy on my mind.

Was this real? Could I trust it?

By the time I made it home, the sun had dipped behind the horizon, casting the

worn-down apartment complex in shadows.

I slipped inside quietly, careful not to wake my mother, whose fragile body lay curled on the living room sofa. The scent of old medicine and faint cleaning supplies hung in the air—a

reminder of the bills I couldn’t afford to pay.

I stood in the dim light of the kitchen, staring at the card. My heart thudded in my chest.

I could say no. I could keep delivering chicken, dragging myself through late nights and missed dreams. I knew that life. It was

safe—predictable.

But… I could say yes.

The next morning, with barely any sleep and my stomach twisted into knots, I called the number on the card. The woman on the other end—sharp, efficient—didn’t sound surprised to hear from me. Within hours, I was back in their glass skyscraper, the ink drying on a

contract that would change my life forever.

The first months were a blur.

Early mornings and late nights. Training

sessions that left my body aching. Walking in heels for hours until my feet blistered. Miss Glender didn’t accept anything less than

perfection, and neither did the industry.

I learned quickly—how to carry myself with confidence I didn’t feel, how to angle my face toward the light to capture the perfect shot. How to smile when I wanted to cry.

There were moments I wanted to

quit—moments when exhaustion sank deep into my bones. But every time I thought about giving up, I remembered my mother’s face, pale and weary, and the hospital bills piling up. I couldn’t go back. I wouldn’t go back.

And, somehow, the work started to pay off.

Photo shoots turned into magazine covers. Runway shows turned into exclusive invitations. One day, I was the girl no one noticed—just another face in the crowd. The next, I was everywhere. My image plastered across billboards, my name whispered in conversations I wasn’t supposed to hear.

I became Rovina.

But no matter how many flashing cameras surrounded me, I never forgot the truth: This world wasn’t mine. I was still just a girl trying to survive.

“Big day tomorrow.”

Miss Glender’s voice echoed in my ears, pulling me back to the present. I shifted my gaze away from the window and toward the sleek phone lying on the coffee table. Her message had come through an hour ago—short and direct, as always.

Tomorrow, I would walk the biggest runway of my career.

Everything I had worked for led to this moment. The world would be watching—waiting to see if I would shine… or if I would break.

A soft sigh escaped my lips as I pushed away from the window. I crossed the room, my heels clicking softly against the marble floor. My apartment was nothing like the cramped place I once shared with my mother. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the glittering skyline, and sleek, modern furniture filled the open space. It was the kind of home I never thought I’d have.

And yet, standing here alone, I felt the weight of it pressing down on me.

I paused by the coffee table, running my

fingers across the black and gold invitation.

The Grand Luxe Fashion Show—A Celebration of Elegance.

Tomorrow, I wouldn’t just be another

model—I would be the centerpiece. Miss

Glender had made sure of it.

But beneath the glamour and the flashing lights, one truth still clung to me.

I wasn’t supposed to be here.

I had fought my way into a world that wasn’t meant for girls like me—girls from broken homes who delivered chicken to make ends meet. But now that I had a seat at the table, I wasn’t about to give it up.

Not for anyone.

As the city lights flickered outside, I turned my back on the view and walked toward my

bedroom. Tomorrow, the world would see me. The real me.

And this time—I wouldn’t let them forget it.

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