43.

Alina barely remembered the walk home.

Her thoughts were a whirlwind, her heart pounding with exhilaration. The city lights blurred past her, the cold no longer biting—she was too warm, too full of something electric.

She had done it.

She had a job. A real job. As a translator. As a writer.

By the time she reached her apartment, she nearly fumbled with her keys, her fingers still trembling from excitement. She pushed the door open, stepping into the familiar space, and—

"Jace!" she called, her voice bright, uncontainable.

A second later, her brother appeared from the kitchen, a bowl of instant noodles in one hand, chopsticks in the other. His dark hair was slightly messy, and he squinted at her like he had just woken up.

"Whoa, what’s with the energy? You win the lottery or something?"

Alina let out a breathless laugh, dropping her bag onto the couch. "Better. I got the job."

Jace blinked. "The translator one?"

She nodded rapidly. "And not just that—they also offered me a writing contract!"

For a moment, Jace just stared at her. Then, suddenly, he was grinning—wide and proud, the way he always did when something truly made him happy.

"Alina!" He put the bowl down with a clatter and rushed forward, grabbing her shoulders. "That’s amazing!"

"I know!"

"Wait, wait—hold on." He stepped back, rubbing his temples like he needed to process it. "So, they want you to translate and write?"

"Yes." She exhaled, barely able to believe it herself. "They read my work. They said they were impressed. Jace, I—" She hesitated, then met his gaze, voice softer. "I feel like... like this is it. Like this is my chance."

Jace’s expression softened, his mismatched eyes—so much like hers—brimming with something warm.

"It is," he said, his voice steady. "Alina, this is huge. You deserve this. After everything, after all the rejection emails, after all the sleepless nights—you did it."

She swallowed hard. "You really think so?"

"Are you kidding? Of course." He nudged her lightly. "And now I get to brag about my little sister being a published author."

Alina laughed, shaking her head. "It’s just a contract, Jace. It’s not like I’m famous or anything."

"Yet," he corrected with a smirk.

Alina rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t stop smiling.

For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt seen.

—

The next morning, she arrived at the publishing house again, her nerves slightly steadier but still present.

She was led back to the meeting room, where the woman from yesterday—Ms. Davenport, her soon-to-be manager—greeted her with a warm smile.

"Alina, welcome back. Please, have a seat."

Alina settled into the chair, taking a small breath before speaking. "Thank you so much for this opportunity. I really appreciate it."

"We’re thrilled to have you," Ms. Davenport said genuinely. "Did you have any questions before we finalize everything?"

Alina hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Actually... yes. I wanted to mention something important before we move forward."

"Of course."

She clasped her hands together. "I’m still a student. I’m in my final year, and my studies are really important to me. I want to make sure I can balance both without compromising either."

Ms. Davenport listened attentively, then smiled reassuringly. "That’s completely understandable, Alina. We value education here, and we wouldn’t want you to struggle with juggling both. We can absolutely work around your schedule."

Alina blinked. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Ms. Davenport confirmed. "We can adjust your workload to be flexible. You’ll have deadlines, of course, but we can discuss a pace that works best for you. If you need lighter weeks during exam periods, just let us know. Your education comes first."

The tension in Alina’s shoulders eased. "That means a lot. Thank you."

Ms. Davenport nodded. "We believe in nurturing talent, and we see a lot of potential in you. We want you to succeed—not just here, but in every part of your life."

Alina exhaled, a sense of relief washing over her.

This was real. This was happening.

She had a job that understood her. A company that wanted her to grow.

And for the first time in years, she didn’t feel like she was standing in place.

She was moving forward.