3 Maya Yeung

Los Angeles, California. Stellar Moon Creative Agency.

A woman in a red dress and a beige faux fur coat sat cross-legged on a luxurious Chesterfield sofa. She leaned back and lifted a long silver cigarette holder to her plump injection-filled lips like an elegant woman from an old black and white film. "I want foxes!" Margaret Tanner exclaimed.

The smoke from her cigarette wafted across the air and into the noses of the two women sitting opposite her. The younger woman tried to fan away the smoke in secret as she held back a cough. Normally, smoking was banned in the office, but this woman was an important client, so the company did not want to offend her.

Next to the young woman, her boss nodded her head furiously. "Yes, Mrs. Tanner, we can certainly arrange that for you. Maya will be able to help you."

Maya Yeung looked at her boss in surprise. How could she put her in charge of something so ridiculous?

Margaret Tanner was the owner of a famous new 'ethical' faux fur fashion label that marketed itself as 'just like the real thing, but better', and she was looking to launch her first flagship store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills after the new year. For Stellar Moon, new companies like this were great potential as they usually ran a lot of advertising and events in their first year to get their name out there. So, Maya's boss was ready to agree to anything just to satisfy her client and secure an ongoing relationship.

That day, they were discussing the grand opening event with Margaret Tanner.

"I can definitely help you," Maya said confidently as she forced a smile on her face, "But foxes? Why do you need foxes?"

Margaret Tanner looked at Maya and scoffed in an arrogant manner. "I want a petting zoo," Margaret Tanner explained, "I want my customers to experience how similar my fur is to the real thing."

Maya furrowed her brows. Sure, Margaret Tanner's fashion label did not kill animals for their fur, but keeping a wild animal in captivity just so it could be exploited for profits, wasn't that just as bad?

"I'm sorry, but I think that completely contradicts the 'ethical' message that your company stands for," Maya said straightforwardly.

Margaret Tanner furrowed her brows and extinguished her cigarette in an ashtray. "I don't understand how this is contradicting. Don't animal lovers enjoy visiting animal cafes? How is this any different?"

Maya tried not to roll her eyes. Clearly, this woman did not start her fashion label because she truly cared about animals. She simply started it because she knew there was a market for it and she would be able to profit from people with a hero complex that thought they were saving the world.

"Why do you think a wild animal would allow a human to pet it without instinctively biting their face off? Foxes in petting zoos are normally removed from their parents at a young age and forced to be dependent on humans because they are not given the chance to learn the necessary skills needed for survival in the wild. They are kept in cages and exploited for profits, and they are never given the chance to live their lives freely. If you are serious about being an ethical company, you would…"

Before Maya finished her sentence, her boss nudged her in the hip and stopped her. "What are you doing Maya? Hurry and apologize to Mrs. Tanner."

Maya looked at her boss in surprise. Even if their client was ignorant and uneducated, her boss should know better. "This is not an ethical way to do business!" she reiterated. "If you insist on going ahead with this project, then I'm sorry, I don't want to be any part of it."

Maya's boss frowned. Even though Maya was one of their best art directors and had designed many unique solutions for their clients, including a controversial winter pool party in Vegas that was currently trending all over social media, she couldn't let her offend Mrs. Tanner. Trying to contain her anger, she said between gritted teeth, "If you don't want to be a part of this, then you might as well not be a part of the company at all…"

Although Maya's boss was truly angry, these words were just an empty threat. She simply said it to put Maya back in line and to show the client that she was on her side. But, to her surprise...

Maya had reached the limit of her tolerance.

This was not the first time that the company had worked on something unethical in the four years that she had been working there; she was simply never in the position to make decisions. But now that she was an art director and she was in charge of these projects, she couldn't let them continue.

However, the reality was, her boss was too greedy to care. She glanced down at her staff ID card. She had worked hard to become an art director but...she didn't want to be an art director at a company like this. This was not the kind of company that she wanted to represent. So, she took a deep breath and threw her ID card on the desk. "Fine, I quit! I don't want to be a part of a company like this anyway!" she said bravely.

She then grabbed her handbag and stormed out of the office.

As she angrily headed for the metro, rain clouds gathered above and the sky turned dark. Maya stretched out her palm and looked up as she felt a droplet of rain fall on her forehead. With a sigh, she tried to speed up her pace. She did not expect it to rain that day so she did not bring an umbrella.

Unfortunately for her, the rain grew heavy before she reached the metro. Left with no choice, she quickly ran under the only shelter she could find.

As she tried to shake herself dry, she glanced up at the thing that was sheltering her. It was an art installation: a black silhouette holding a transparent umbrella, painted on the wall with half the umbrella extending out to form a partially 3D shelter for one person. Above the umbrella was an eye with a teardrop, and on the wrist of the silhouette was a white symbol.

"L7," Maya read the symbol out loud.

She recognized this symbol. It belonged to her favorite street artist: a controversial artist that often left social messages around the city through the use of art.

This particular art installation highlighted the invisible feelings of social isolation and loneliness in a big city and it encouraged people to show concern for one another.

Maya looked around at the people that were hurrying past her. Some people glanced at her, while others had their eyes focused on the phone screens in front of them. If they understood the meaning behind this piece of art, they would stop and consider helping a stranger, but clearly, none of these people did. Maya looked down and sighed, "What an unlucky day."

She realized, at that moment, how lonely she was.

4 years ago, she had flown to this foreign city to chase her dream. And during those 4 years, she placed all her focus and energy on her job. She never made friends, she never attended social gatherings, and she never dated. Now that she had lost her job, it felt like she had lost everything. She checked the time on her phone and noticed the date: it was the 30th of December. It was New Year's Eve the next day! She had completely forgotten. In fact, she didn't even notice when Christmas had passed.

Just as she thought this, she suddenly felt her phone vibrate in her bag like it was trying to tell her that she was not alone. She reached her hand inside and picked up the call without checking the caller ID.

But, as soon as the phone connected, a voice started blurting loudly on the other end, "Is this Delilah's sister? Delilah got into a serious accident and she is in the hospital!! We need you to fly to Vegas immediately!"