Betty poured her some more coffee. “You’re so talented. Have you ever thought about starting your own studio?”
Emily answered honestly, “I have thought about it before, but I still feel like there’s so much I haven’t mastered. Especially lately—meeting new people and seeing more of the world—it’s made me even more aware of my limitations. And right now, I don’t have enough money, either.”
Betty smiled softly. “When I first moved back, I found it really hard to adapt to the job market here. I felt lost for quite a while. Eventually, I followed my passion and opened this café. But now, when I think about it, I feel like I’m wasting time. After all those years in school, it’s a shame not to do something in my own field.”
Emily took a bite of dessert and listened quietly.
Betty leaned forward a little, continuing, “If you’re interested in starting a studio, I’d love to team up with you. With our abilities, I’m sure we could establish ourselves in J City and build something great together.”
Emily wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth and looked at Betty in surprise. “Are you going to stop running the café?”
“I’ll still keep it open!” Betty laughed. “There’s already a steady crowd of regulars, so I don’t have to be here every day. I can easily handle both.”
Emily grinned. “I didn’t expect you to be such a go-getter.”
Betty’s smile was gentle. “I just don’t want to give up on my own profession. What about you—how do you feel about it?”
Emily frowned, thinking. “Starting a design studio would take at least six hundred thousand in capital. I don’t have that much at the moment.”
Betty replied, “We’ll open the studio as partners. I can put in four hundred thousand. You’d only need to invest two hundred thousand.”
Two hundred thousand?
Emily could handle that.
“Being your own boss, having the creative freedom to design however you want without anyone’s constraints—that’s every designer’s ultimate dream. Emily, let’s do it together,” Betty encouraged.
Emily didn’t immediately agree. “Let me think it over.”
As they walked outside, a Porsche pulled up. Wilson took off his sunglasses and got out, surprised to see Emily. “What are you doing here?”
Betty linked arms with Emily in a friendly gesture. “I invited Emily over. We were discussing something.”
Wilson gave a slight nod. “Where are you headed? I’ll give you a ride.”
Emily responded quickly, “No, that’s okay. You came to see Betty, right? You two go ahead—I’ll just catch a cab back.”
“It’s so hot out—getting a cab would be a hassle. Let Wilson drive you; I’m sure he’s not here for anything urgent,” Betty said, making the decision for Emily. Then she turned to Wilson. “Emily has to get back to her company for an urgent meeting. Could you drop her off?”
Wilson agreed without hesitation. “Hop in.”
Emily paused, then said nothing more. Smiling at Betty, she said her goodbyes and got in the car with Wilson.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Thank you for the updates....
I love it, I love it! Thank you for the updates....
Dear author Lucy, may we please have updates. Thank you....
There's a song currently playing via YouTube and TikToc by LowDii "Touch Me Softly" that makes me think of Norah and Xavier (Gonzalez). Please, I'm looking forward to updates. Thank you for your writing....
May we please have updates. Thank you....
As the plot thicken. Adrian is done for and he can't try to control Norah, so he'd probably tattle to Janice who's gone for two weeks. Thank you soooo much for the updates....
These updates were too funny. Thank you so much for the updates....
I forgot to add Amy to the group of pregnant women,since she was the first. Emily and Sylvia better be careful since pregnancy is in the air....
Wow! This is great, both Estelle and Magdalen are pregnant at the same time and I hope that Xavier is Norah neighbor. Thank you for the updates....
Author Lucy you're a blessing. Thank you so my for the updates. I hope that Norah's neighbor is Xavier she gets her memory back....