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Story: The Strategist

Kaylee had handed Heartstrings over to Arrow’s team for development. Her interest had switched to unique stuffed toys now. I loved that Kaylee was exploring various aspects of her brilliance. Kaylee and Aimee started their own plushie collection called Stuffed Cuteness, and Kuraimee was their first toy. It was an adorable bunny with four ears, two long tails, and a cool vest. Very soft, squishy, and adorable. I had one in my bedroom.

Of course, my love had worked with his lawyer behind the scenes to help his sister finalize the legal process so that she and her friend could focus on the creative aspect. He’d also gotten her a team of assistants to help the girls in their business endeavors.

Kaylee didn’t know this, but her brother had bought thousands of Kuraimees and donated them to a few children’s hospitals and charities around New England. His friends also bought some and sent them to several children’s centers around the country. I couldn’t wait to see Kaylee and Aimee’s reaction to their success. They would be elated when they found out how many Kuraimees had been sold. The plushies also caught the eyes of some K-pop stars who had purchased some Kuraimees.

Along with Aimee’s parents, Arrow and I kept a close eye on the girls’ success. We didn’t want this to overshadow their education. They were still young and they should enjoy their childhood. Success came with stress and outside pressures. Sometimes, those things could destroy a person, especially with the power of social media.

The girls also invited Orion to Kuraimee’s debut at Adorable Toys inside Providence Place today. He said he’d be flying in to support them.

In addition, I’d invited Elena Sanchez. I’d gotten to know her after she did a wonderful segment on Empowering Women and Girls using the photo from the museum. Though she didn’t know the context of why my girls had been there, she’d used the image to show camaraderie and what it could represent. I knew she would love writing a story about two young female entrepreneurs. Kaylee and Aimee would inspire kids who had a passion for something like them.

As we headed out, Arrow held my hand. I loved that he never stopped.

“I’m cravingph?tonight.” He rubbed his stomach with his other hand. I’d been making the beef noodle soup for him every single week. “Maybe some fresh spring rolls with your special chicken teriyaki too?”

Smiling, I said, “I’ll make anything for myfiancé.”

“Ilovethe sound of it.”

“Wanna invite everyone over after the toy celebration so we can share the news?” I lifted my engagement ring into the light. “I can make an enormous pot of noodle soup for everyone. But we’re going to have to hold off on the spring rolls for another day.” They took a while to make, and I wanted to spend more time with him today rather than in the kitchen.

“That sounds perfect, Tulip. Let’s go celebrate.”

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