Noor's hair was pulled into a messy bun, with a few loose strands hanging down her face. Her work glasses rested on the bridge of her nose as she sat in her designated room, making last-minute touch-ups to her collection. The fabric of her designs whispered under her fingertips as she adjusted hems and checked details.

The sound of a familiar voice broke her concentration. "Didi?" Parminder called softly from the doorway.

She looked up, nodding as she acknowledged him. "Yes?" she replied, her tone gentle but focused.

Parminder scratched his moustache, hesitation evident in his stance."Kal tuhanu agge hona paega. Main camera de samne nahi aana chahunda", he said, a hint of nervousness in his voice. ("Tomorrow, can you be at the front? I'd prefer not to be in front of the cameras,")

Noor folded her hands and asked, "Kyun?"

Parminder, fiddling with his wedding ring, said, "Logan nu mere kapde changay nahi lagde, is karke main camera de samne nahi aana chahunda."( "The people here don't look at me nicely when they notice my clothes, so I'd prefer not to be in front of the cameras.")

Looking at Parminder with empathy, Noor replied, "I don't care about the other things. What matters to me is your talent and the reason you're here. You're an integral part of this show, and your work speaks for itself."

Parminder, looking uncertain, said, "Still, didi..."

Noor sighed, closing her eyes briefly before opening them to make a call. "Kaake, bring me some good clothes for Parminder for the show and parties."

As Noor ended the call, she returned to Parminder with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about the clothes. I'll make sure you have something that fits the occasion. What matters here is your talent and hard work."

Parminder's shoulders relaxed, a grateful smile forming on his face. "Thank you, didi. I appreciate it."

Noor's gaze was firm yet kind. "We're all here because we believe in what we're doing. Tomorrow, focus on putting your best foot forward."

Noor smiled as an excited Parminder left the room. This was the least she could do for him compared to the endless hours he had put into the boutique, helping her reach the stage. His precision and dedication in his work were truly unmatched.

After an hour or two, a knock on her door broke Noor's reverie. She already knew who it was. Before the person could peep into the room, she opened the door and blocked the view, knowing her impatient best friend wouldn't wait for the runway to see her work. With a wide, sweet smile, she took the clothes and was ready to close the door when he stopped her.

"No, thank you. Nothing? How ungrateful," he pouted. 

Noor rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, come on, you know how I am. You're lucky I even let you in here. Now, if you don't mind, I have a lot to do. But I promise, you'll see the final result soon enough."

"Noori, please, just a little glimpse?" Shubman pleaded, resting his forehead against hers. The way they interacted, so close and intimate, belied their best-friend status. As their noses touched and Shubman pressed his forehead slightly more into hers, Noor only reciprocated because she no longer cared about Ghazal's opinions, especially after everything Ghazal had done for her gain.

Squinting her eyes playfully, Noor gave him a quick kiss on the nose. "A no is a no, Kaake," she said with a mischievous grin.

Shubman was about to whine again when a call interrupted. Noor pushed his face away and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her to prevent him from peeking inside. Standing in front of the door handle, she answered the call.

Noor's face fell as she heard that the models weren't coming, the reason being someone else had paid a higher amount. When she inquired who it was, the answer was unmistakable: it was the one who had taken everything from her. Biting her lips to hold back her emotions, she ended the call, tears welling up in her eyes.

Shubman, noticing Noor's distress, gently cupped her face in his hands. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Noor's tears began to fall as she looked up at him, her voice trembling. "The models... they're not coming. Someone else outbid me."

Shubman asked, "Who was it?"

Noor hesitated, wanting to say it was Ghazal but stopping herself. She didn't want to give Ghazal the satisfaction of causing a fight between her and Shubman. "They didn't tell me," she said, taking a deep breath. "I don't know who outbid me."

Shubman's concern grew. "We need to find out. This isn't right, and you deserve to know who's trying to mess things up."

Noor shook her head, her voice tired. "It's okay. I'll figure out another way to move forward."

"Love," a voice echoed through the corridor as a tall, confident figure walked toward them. Shubman's eyes lit up at the sight of his girlfriend.

Ghazal smiled politely at Noor, a practised facade of charm on her face, before turning to Shubman. "I guess you lost your way. My room is over there."

Shubman returned the smile, holding up a bundle of clothes. "No, I was just delivering some clothes for Parminder to Noor."

Ghazal's smile faltered slightly, but she maintained her composure. "Oh, I see. Well, if that's all, I'll leave you two to it. Let's catch up later."

"No, darling, we're done here. Let's go," Shubman said, holding Ghazal by the waist.

Noor clenched her fists behind her, struggling to keep her composure.

"Then let's find our way back. Noor's got a lot of work to do," Ghazal said, her tone laced with subtle taunting as she glanced at Noor.

Shubman nodded, seemingly oblivious to the underlying tension. "Sure, let's go."

Before leaving, Shubman rubbed his hands gently over Noor's arms. "Let me know if you need any help," he said, his tone warm and sincere.

Noor managed a small, appreciative smile despite her inner turmoil. "Thank you, I will," she replied, watching as Shubman and Ghazal walked away.

As Ghazal walked away, she glanced back, expecting to see Noor's sad and defeated face. Instead, she was met with a smirk on Noor's lips. Confused and angered by the unexpected reaction, Ghazal's expression hardened.

Noor blew Ghazal a kiss, waving her fingers. "See you at the runway," she mouthed.

Ghazal's face tightened in anger as she stormed off with Shubman. Noor watched them leave, her mind racing. Despite the setback, she was determined to push through.

She took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and turned back to her tasks. The runway was approaching fast, and she had no intention of letting anything—or anyone—stand in her way.

As she sat at her table, Noor tapped her phone, wondering where she would find new models. Her gaze landed on her changing wallpaper. If these people agreed, her runway show could be the best yet, and maybe she could believe that everything happens for a reason.

She scanned through her contacts and called the person who could make it possible. "Hello, don't ask me much. Just tell me—can you convince them to be part of my runway for the Regalia Global Fashion Gala? You know who I'm talking about."

A heavy voice on the other end spoke, "I can try."

Noor, speaking more urgently, replied, "Don't just try. Please, make it possible."

There was a brief pause before the voice responded, "I'll do my best.

You'll hear from me soon."Noor quickly replied, "I'll message you all the details about the event. Please, just make it happen."

As the call ended, Noor looked up to find Parminder sorting through his clothes, a broad smile on his face. "Parminder, wear your best clothes," she said, her blue eyes shining brightly. "It's going to be a high-profile event."