Aria made her decision public in the only way she knew how:

A post.
One photo.
The unopened envelope from Vivian, placed on the edge of a firepit.
Flames rising. Caption short:

“I’m not here to be palatable. I’m here to be permanent.” #NoMoreSilence

The image went viral. Again.

The likes? Massive.

The comments? Divided.

Half hailed her a hero.

The other half called her reckless.

And Mira, standing at the edge of the studio’s communal table, said what no one else had the guts to say out loud.

“This isn’t just your reputation anymore.”

Aria looked up.

“You think I forgot that?”

“I think you’re playing with fire because you like how it feels to stand in it.”

The room went quiet.

Aria walked closer. “You think I shouldn’t have burned the offer?”

“I think you should’ve let us weigh in,” Mira said. “The Collective isn’t just your name—it’s our work. Our future. And while you’re burning money to prove a point, some of us are still choosing between rent and ambition.”

That one hit deep.

Because it was true.

The burn wasn’t just symbolic—it came with real fallout.

A mentor dropped out.

A supplier paused their contract.

And one of the young designers quietly packed up and left a week later.

No scene. No email.

Just gone.

That night, Aria sat alone in the workshop.

Hands ink-stained, heart unsteady.

Dominic called. She ignored it.

Because this was her mistake.

And she needed to sit with it.

Not escape it.

The next morning, she called a meeting.

Everyone showed.

Even Mira.

No slideshow. No press. Just Aria, standing at the front, owning it.

“I made a choice that affected all of you without asking.

I thought I was protecting our mission. But I forgot our mission is shared.

I don’t regret burning the offer. But I regret not opening the conversation.

So from here forward? No more founder-first decisions. No more silence. No more hierarchy.

The Collective will be run by a council of five. Rotating. Transparent. Accountable—including me.”

Mira crossed her arms. “And if we vote you out?”

Aria didn’t blink.

“Then you better build something better.”