First chapter

Imagine you get invited out on Friday evening at six o’clock to a luxurious restaurant. Would you find something in your wardrobe that you would actually want to wear?
I just got a call. A call from someone whose voice I had never heard before. It did not seem like a secretive call, but I was strongly told to make sure I chose a good outfit. I’ve been invited out on Friday evening. I was given the location and the time. It all leaves me feeling confused and full of questions, but I definitely plan to be there, because no matter what, I only live once.
I did my research, and it turns out it is an incredibly beautiful luxury restaurant. Looking at it gave me the feeling that I have absolutely nothing suitable to wear. This is not the kind of place you go to in sweatpants or just a regular T-shirt. I only have a couple of days, and by then I need to have the perfect look.
I rushed straight to my wardrobe, because time shows no mercy. I opened the door, and every piece of clothing in front of me seemed so dull and ordinary. There was no sparkle, no beauty, no elegance. The dresses and skirts I had always loved suddenly felt unfamiliar and distant to me. I searched and searched the entire evening. When I finally looked at the clock, it was midnight. I had to wake up early in the morning, so I decided to go to sleep with the feeling that I probably would not find anything.
When I woke up in the morning, I was exhausted, because I had probably only slept a few hours. During the night, all I could think about was that I would probably look the worst there, because I had put no effort at all into my clothing. But at the same time, what am I doing right now, and what will I probably be doing for the next few hours? Exactly that — I am putting a huge amount of energy into my outfit through my awful overthinking about some ridiculous event and the clothes I am desperately trying to find. All of this speaks to me so deeply, but that OUTFIT!!
I went straight to work in the morning and thought that maybe an idea would come to me during the day, and that perhaps it would be good for a change to do and think about something else.
Only half an hour later, I stumbled across some kind of magazine. You are not ready for what I found there or for how much better it made the whole situation. In front of me was a newspaper, and on the cover was Samié. What was it, and was it fate? I was very curious, so I picked it up from the ground and started flipping through it quickly. I realized that I needed to set aside separate time and focus properly on that magazine, because I had accidentally walked into a completely unfamiliar place, wandering down random streets. I had gotten lost exploring pages that introduced something new and exciting.
Right after work, that strange newspaper came back to mind. I immediately grabbed it from my bag and began looking into that unfamiliar place.
A new brand. A new collection. New clothes. Outfits to wear when something important is happening. Beautiful shades and fabrics. I was surprised when I realized that I was on their online store choosing my size for myself, but something told me they would be perfect for me.
I paused for a moment, placed my hands in my lap, and decided to leave it there and continue with the rest of my day. Only a few minutes later, I clicked the purchase button. I had made the decision without even really noticing it, but I was not disappointed, because what I saw on the screen was perfect — exactly what I had imagined in my head.
A few days passed, and I had completely forgotten what had happened during the previous days. I was sitting quietly in the kitchen, drinking coffee and reading a book, when suddenly someone knocked on my door.
But outside the door there was only a package.
Not just some ordinary cardboard box, but a book-shaped box with beautiful covers and a ribbon, with Samié written on it. I immediately understood that it was my package — the one I had almost ordered by accident.
I looked around, but there was not a soul in sight. It was a strange situation, one that made me feel slightly uneasy.
When I woke up in the morning, I realized it was Friday. Instantly, my day became a hundred times better, because I realized that today was the day I would go to the unknown restaurant in my brand-new outfit and show it to the world.
I still had not opened the box I received yesterday, because I had been waiting for exactly the right evening moment. I got myself ready in front of the mirror, although my hands were trembling slightly. I did not know what to expect there, but I knew that I had to go and push past my fear. And now, the most important part. The outfit I had ordered from that strange brand — and finally opened from the package — suited me perfectly.
It felt… different. There was something special in that elegance. I let my hair down, put on my earrings, and stepped closer to the mirror. For a moment, my gaze caught in my own eyes — they seemed deeper than usual, as if someone else were looking back at me. I shook my head and smiled nervously. “Just anxiety,” I muttered to myself.
When I arrived at the restaurant, it was exactly six o’clock. The place I had arrived at was mysterious and slightly cold. At the door stood a waiter whose gaze briefly swept over me. His eyes widened for a moment, but he said nothing.
“Good evening,” I said.
“Good evening, miss… Your table is already prepared,” he replied, as if he had known my name for a long time.
In that moment, I realized that I was not wearing just something that made me happy, but a garment that changed the environment around me.
The man led me into a room where there was one table, one chair, and one envelope. No menu, no people. Only soft piano music somewhere in the distance, and that envelope, which read: Thank you for coming.
I sat down and opened it.
Inside was a card with only one sentence:
“Not everything is a coincidence. Samié found you, not the other way around.” My heart began to beat faster. I looked around — the waiter was gone. Then I heard a soft woman’s voice coming from somewhere I could not place. I looked around and glanced behind me. Suddenly, there was a woman standing before me, dressed in a black gown, her face hidden beneath a hat. The woman handed me only a book and walked away. I was confused and did not manage to say a word. There was nothing on the cover of the book, but when I opened it, the first sentence inside read:
“Are you ready to continue writing the book?”