Page 88 of Five Years
“Do you think you’d be good for it?” Leah asked, her voice sincere. She leant back slightly in her chair, giving Camila the space to gather her thoughts.
Camila straightened her back, adjusting the collar of her blazer nervously.
“Yes, I have studied the requirements. I have spent time outside of my normal working hours in recent months learning from other advisors. I think it poses a challenge, but I think with the support of the company I could thrive in the role.”
“Okay, first, let me say this: I think you’re more than capable. If we’re talking about your ability to do the job, I have no doubt. What’s important to understand is the advisors here rely on much more than just their technical abilities—it’s about how you can relate to the clients, how your confidence can help them feel confident in their financial decisions. Your belief in your own ability is crucial.”
Camila nodded, but still looked uncertain. “I’m worried because I haven’t been in a role like that before.”
Leah smiled. “I had never been a CEO before now. It’s not a dealbreaker. What matters most is your ability to listen; you can learn the technical side over time. You’re already good with people, Camila, you just need to believe it.”
“That’s kind of you to say. I think I’ve been so focused on what I don’t have that it’s made me doubt my own ability.”
Suddenly, there was a gleam in Camila’s eye. Leah knew it all too well.
“If you’re excited about the opportunity, then run with that. If you’re struggling to gain the confidence, then the best advice I can give is to spend your time finding what drives you. It could be a friend, a family member, a partner, a pet, a hobby, a desire to be the best, a need to prove a point to someone or something, a want to make a difference. Everyone has a driving force—it could be more than one—but discover what yours is and use it.Hone in on it, understand the power of it. There’s no going back once you do.” Leah smiled encouragingly.
There was a moment in time when Leah considered quitting. There had to be someone more qualified for the CEO role than her. The belief her father had in her was false. She wasn’t cut out for it. She couldn’t steer such a large ship to safety day after day, night after night—it was impossible. She struggled to see it, but then she found her driving force—Ariana.
“Thank you so much.”
“I believe in you. And if you need any support or advice along the way, you know where to find me.”
Leah watched Ariana from her office as she so often did; she found comfort in seeing her face.
Leah was shaping a future for herself, for the company she now led, and the woman she loved. And whenever it felt too much, and the decisions became too daunting, the weight of it all felt a little lighter knowing she had someone who would always be in her corner.
Later that evening, the snow had slowed to a quiet drift, coating the city in a soft white shimmer. Streetlights glowed hazily through the frost. Leah’s scarf was pulled high around her face, her breath visible in the cold, but her hand was warm in Ariana’s.
The city was half-asleep. Shop windows dimmed, taxis rolled by in a blur of gold, and music from a rooftop bar drifted through the night. Leah tilted her head back, letting the snow land against her lashes.
“I love this time of night,” she said quietly.
Ariana glanced at her. “Why?”
“Because it feels like the world’s still figuring itself out. Like everything’s paused long enough for us to catch up.”
Ariana smiled. “You always did know how to romanticise insomnia.”
Leah laughed, nudging her shoulder against Ariana’s. “Occupational hazard of being in love with a night owl.”
They stopped beneath a streetlight, their shadows overlapping on the snow. Ariana’s fingers slipped under Leah’s scarf, brushing the side of her jaw. The touch was light, reverent almost.
“Do you think we will ever make it home at a reasonable hour?”
Leah nodded. “Sure. On a weekend.”
They stood there, smiling. They both knew what their careers—and New York itself—demanded of them, yet none of it felt like a burden. They were driven, determined to achieve great things together. As Leah’s world grew busier, she learned to cherish the small things. Walking home beside the love of her life on a cold winter night might’ve seemed ordinary to some, but to her, it was everything.
By the time they reached their building, their coats were dusted white. Inside, the warmth wrapped around them. Ariana hung up their coats, watching Leah as she padded barefoot through the living room. Her hair was damp from melted snow, her cheeks flushed pink.
Leah poured two glasses of red wine. Shortly after Ariana appeared from the kitchen with two bowls of pasta and a look that saidI told you we’d survive another Friday.
They ate cross-legged on the sofa, half-drunk on the comfort of being home, a movie played quietly in the background.
Ariana leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn’t desperate or apologetic anymore, not like two years ago—it was unhurried, knowing. When they finally broke apart, Leah’s lips curved into a grin.
“You taste like merlot.”
