Chapter 18 - The Senior Partner
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The success of the Arcadia site visit put me in a brilliant mood. I returned to the studio with a box of expensive pastries from a local French bakery, setting them on the main counter and calling the entire team together.
Sarah walked out of the material library, wiping dust from her black trousers. The two junior designers, Emily and Rachel, followed closely behind, their eyes lighting up at the sight of the elaborate desserts.
"What are we celebrating?" Sarah asked, picking up a perfectly glazed chocolate éclair.
"We are celebrating growth," I announced proudly, looking around the beautiful space we had cultivated. "The Arcadia project is officially on schedule, and we just received the initial deposit for the massive commercial lobby renovation downtown."
The girls cheered enthusiastically.
"But more importantly," I continued, my voice dropping to a softer, more intimate tone as I turned specifically to Sarah. "We are celebrating loyalty. When I first started this firm, I had nothing but a laptop, a terrifying amount of trauma, and a friend who absolutely refused to let me fail."
Sarah stopped chewing, her eyes suddenly shining with unshed tears.
"Clara, you don't have to do this," Sarah whispered, shaking her head.
"I do," I insisted, pulling a thick, legal folder from my desk and handing it to her. "I had Luke draft these up yesterday. Sarah, I am officially naming you a Senior Partner at Clara Vance Designs. You now own a twenty percent equity stake in the entire firm."
Emily and Rachel gasped, clapping loudly.
Sarah stared at the legal documents, her hands trembling slightly. She looked up at me, a tear finally escaping and tracking down her cheek.
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"I am so incredibly proud to stand beside you, Clara," Sarah said, pulling me into a fierce, crushing hug.
"We built this together," I whispered into her shoulder. "And we are just getting started."
