Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Author: Kyla Zhao
- Language: English
- Genre: Asian American Literature
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 20.7 MB
- Price: Free
ZOE ZENG WAS having an absolute blast.
It was a balmy summer evening—the kind that showed Manhattan
at its best. A slight breeze whipped around the rooftop terrace, but her
braided updo didn’t budge an inch thanks to extra-strong Alterna hair spray.
In her Paco Rabanne dress and Charlotte Olympia wedges, she fit right in
with the other guests at this party—a launch event for a.I.r, the hottest
sustainable fashion brand as of late, whose claim to fame was turning
mushrooms into leather.
The thumping electronic music—played by a DJ who was apparently
“the next Diplo”—and the party chatter faded as Zoe walked closer to the
railing and gazed out at the city. New York City was always prettiest at
night, its blemishes disguised by the bright lights and flashing billboards.
She took a deep breath of the calm evening air, her spirits lifting further as
some other guest’s sparkling perfume hit her nostrils. It was a welcome
change from the rubbish stench that she still hadn’t gotten used to after
moving into an apartment right next to an alley with a nice selection of
dumpsters.
A microphone-amplified voice boomed out. “Everyone, please join me
at the front to welcome a.I.r’s founder and CEO, Vladimir Trotsky!”
It wasn’t clear to Zoe exactly where the front of the rooftop was, but
somehow everyone else seemed to know. She followed them toward a patch
of empty space right next to the refreshments table, but found herself
squeezed toward the back, only just able to glimpse Vladimir Trotsky’s
beaming face over the crowd. A statuesque woman—probably a model—
jostled past her, the pointy heel of her stiletto landing right on Zoe’s right
foot.
“Ouch!” But her pained exclamation was drowned out by Vladimir
Trotsky’s voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, a broad smile on his tanned face.
“Thank you for joining me at the preview launch for a.I.r’s second
collection. My debut collection, Evoke, released last fall to great acclaim,
and I am delighted to announce that we have taken everything people loved
about Evoke and made it even better. This collection, Birth, celebrates the
greatest creator of all, Mother Nature, for aren’t we all birthed from her
loving embrace?”
As he continued, Zoe could feel her concentration waning. Vladimir
Trotsky was quoting a.I.r’s press release word for word. She shifted from
one foot to the other as twinges of pain shot through her ankle—these heels
were the biggest she could find in Chic’s photo shoot closet, but still small
for her size nine, extra-wide feet. Could she duck out now while it was still
somewhat early enough that she could take the subway home alone without
fearing for her life?
“Hey.” A warm puff of air skated across Zoe’s left cheek. “What did I
miss?”
Zoe turned toward the source of the whispered question. A man was
pressed close to her, squeezed on his other side by someone else.
Instinctively, she took a step back and crossed her arms as she studied this
stranger.
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