Page 42 of Everything About You
I swallow, because I know that what’s going to come next will be bad for me. Painful, like when you’re a little kid and you
pocket a candy bar at the grocery store and your parents make you take it back and apologize for stealing.
“I also tried to sabotage him. Before the Tuileries event. I switched the labels on some boxes, so that his mother’s pieces
would go to British Vogue . Rhodes knew I’d do this, and he got ahead of it, so the event went smoothly.”
Yvette’s mouth is ajar, and her eyes are wide. “Milo...”
“Rhodes doesn’t deserve to have his apprenticeship terminated,” I say. “I do, I will admit that. But please don’t make him
go back to London. He has worked hard, and even when he did all those tasks after the gala that were clearly meant to punish
him for a mistake that wasn’t his, he didn’t complain or give up. He should be working for Maison Dauphine, and he should
get to work the resort show.”
Yvette is rendered speechless, and she takes a sip of her water, glancing around the restaurant.
“Why would you sabotage him?” Pascal asks. “Why would you risk ruining the event?”
I visibly cringe. “I know, it was absolutely awful of me. I have never done something like that in my life, and I am so ashamed and embarrassed of it. Back home, I played tennis
competitively for my high school, and one of our family values was to always have integrity and honor. Never cheat, never
do anything to get ahead. It’s not a reflection of my character, and I apologize for jeopardizing the event like that. It
was thoughtless and selfish and immature.”
Pascal chuckles. “Indeed, but I truly wonder why ? What possessed you to do this?”
Yvette bats her lashes. “Yes, Milo. Feel free to expand on this.”
It feels like I’m in the principal’s office. Or something even worse. I’m beginning to get choked up by the circumstances
and by the brutal reflection of myself I’m forced to face in this moment.
“I don’t know,” I say, voice shaking. “I guess I felt threatened by Rhodes. He’s famous and wealthy and charming. I thought
everything came easily to him. Before I got to know him, I assumed I knew all there was to know about him, and I viewed him
as competition with an impossible edge. I viewed him as having an advantage over me I couldn’t possibly hope to challenge.”
Yvette’s face softens just the tiniest amount, but she catches it and lifts her chin.
“Why adjust your own values, then?” Pascal asks.
“It was stupid,” I admit. “Really stupid. But I wanted this so badly. I kept thinking... You’re here, Milo.
You’re in Paris, with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Maison Dauphine.
I had the chance to experience and do things that people across the world would kill for.
And I fully understood the gravity of it.
I felt the weight of what it’d mean to lose, and I couldn’t stand to accept that possibility, even if I never had a chance all along. ”
Pascal frowns. “That is a bit of a bleak outlook on yourself, Milo.”
“Pardon?”
“Very often in life, we’re faced with challenges and barriers. Particularly when we are going after big things. The bigger
the dream, the bigger the obstacles.” He adjusts a bit in his chair so he’s facing me full-on. “In order to succeed, we have
to fully believe in ourselves. We have to believe we are able to overcome any obstacle. That we can rise to any challenge.
Otherwise, there is no point in moving forward at all. If we cannot believe in ourselves, after all, why should we expect
someone else to?”
I try not to show too much emotion, though my bottom lip is beginning to tremble.
“I understand wanting to get ahead,” Pascal says. He waves his hand. “I have done things I am not proud of, especially as
a younger man wanting to make it in fashion. Many of us have seen ambition as a dagger, with which we stab ourselves or the
back of another. But the truth is there is the option to sheath the dagger and not do any harm at all. We often seem to forget
that.”
Yvette seems bored of this conversation, letting out a near-silent sigh.
“Renard Florin himself had a slightly cunning side, I’m sure you know. He was a bit mischievous, a bit rebellious. Pushed
the envelope. Wanted the best. Wanted to be the best. But sometimes that could present as being a bit too ruthless.
A bit too cold and perhaps, at times, inconsiderate of the effect on others.
” He shrugs. “Renard was not a bad man, and most accounts of him are positive, but I know he had his moments.
“The point I am trying to make is that we have a choice, Milo. Those of us with a competitive nature—with ambitions and aspirations
and a desire to be the best—we can act from a place of desperation and fear, or we can find confidence in ourselves and trust
that what is meant to be, based on merit and hard work, will be.”
I nod. “Right. Yes, of course. I’m sorry. I really am.”
“I’m not asking you to apologize.” Pascal laughs. “I’m asking you to do yourself a favor and learn from this. Grow from it.
Don’t make these mistakes again.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very good.”
Yvette claps her hands together. “Well, this was nice.” With her eyes, as they shift toward the door, she tells me it’s time
for me to leave.
“I’m sorry again,” I say. “For all of it. I hope maybe there is a chance you’ll reconsider terminating Rhodes. I really believe
he deserves a chance.”
“Thank you,” Yvette says. She looks at Pascal and nods slowly. “We will discuss.”
“ Bonne journée , Milo ,” Pascal says.
“Bonne journée .”
It sounds like there might be a chance for Rhodes, so I leave.
Though it’s with a heavy heart I will leave Paris behind, at least I might have corrected some of my mistakes.
No matter how humiliating it was to say all of that to Pascal and Yvette, it’s freeing in a way.
The truth is all out. I just hope they’ll find it in their hearts not to punish Rhodes after everything I’ve said.
Standing outside the hotel, I open the maps app and look to see if there’s anything in Paris I haven’t done yet. I may be
overwhelmingly depressed right now, but I may as well be overwhelmingly depressed at a Parisian landmark, since I won’t have
access to them soon.
I haven’t visited the Sacré-Coeur, so that might be a start. There’s also Notre-Dame and Place de la Concorde. I wonder if
I should go back to ditch the jacket first or if I should—
“Milo.”
I turn around to find Yvette emerging from the revolving door. Her heels are loud against the concrete as she comes to stand
beside me.
Squinting under the sun, she looks pretty pissed, so I instinctively pocket my phone and face her. “Yvette, I’m really sorry
about that, but I had to—”
“You haven’t booked a flight home, I presume?”
“Not yet. I plan to tonight.” Her face indicates this conversation might be going in an unexpected direction, and my chest
is instantly lit on fire. “Why?”
Yvette rolls her eyes. “You made quite the impression on Pascal.”
This can’t mean what I think it means.
“I’ll expect you both in the office tomorrow at eight thirty sharp. We’ve got a lot left to do for the resort show, which
you both will be working.”
“Wait, what?”
“Eight thirty sharp,” Yvette says, turning on her heel and walking back toward the hotel.
She stops, glances back, and lowers her chin, eyes hooded.
“No funny business, Milo. I expect you and Rhodes to both exceed all expectations, or I guarantee neither of you will ever get a job in fashion. In any city. Are we understood?”
I gulp. “Oui.”
With a stony stare, she purses her lips. “Bon courage, Milo.”