The music pulsed through the venue, echoing off the high ceilings and filling the space with an energy that was impossible to ignore. Riele stood backstage, her hands trembling slightly as she waited for her name to be called. The sound of other models walking, the faint murmur of the crowd, and the laughter of the host were all distant noises in her ears. Right now, the world seemed to narrow to the space right in front of her—the runway, the lights, and the anticipation building with every ...