Chapter 10: Unexpected Invitation

"You've watched Inception, right?"

Gavin tipped back his beer, eyes twinkling.

"A person's dreams are ultimately shaped by their subconscious."

"Subconscious…? Right." Elias nodded, recalling the film. While Inception focused on entering another's dream to extract secrets, its deeper theme was that the subconscious can be influenced in unexpected ways.

"Exactly," Gavin continued. "We're talking about that hidden layer of your mind—most people are never fully aware of it, but it constantly drives your feelings, choices, and… yes, your dreams."

He leaned in, lowering his voice over the crowd noise.

"Put simply, your subconscious is your core cognition. You can lie to yourself, you can try to fool your brain, but—"

"You can never fool your subconscious."

Gavin glanced at the giant TV behind them—Argentina's match was still underway—then turned back to Elias.

"Am I making sense, or is this too heavy?"

"I get it on a basic level," Elias replied. "But how does it explain the big change in my dream?"

"Because your own subconscious changed."

Gavin drained the last of his beer. "So tell me—deep down, what do you really believe the cat should be called?"

Elias paused, mind drifting briefly to the glowing praise Ms. Harrington had given him for "Rhine Cat."

"…Rhine Cat," he admitted.

"There you go!" Gavin spread his hands. "If your subconscious is convinced it's 'Rhine Cat,' your dream is gonna update itself accordingly. Simple as that."

"That's it?" Elias frowned. "You sure you're not just spouting half-remembered movie logic?"

Gavin flashed a cheeky grin, wiggling a finger in mock admonishment. "I didn't just learn this from a blockbuster flick, you know." He pulled out his phone and opened someone's social media page. "One of my clients is a well-known psychologist. She shares a lot of articles and lectures about this stuff. I skim them now and then—pick up a few pointers."

Elias scrolled through a series of posts about mental health and dream theory. But Gavin soon waved him off:

"Look, man, there's no use overthinking. It's no big deal if stuff from real life shows up in your dream. That's normal. If, one day, your dream starts spilling into reality… now that'd be a real problem."

With that, Gavin got up to cheer for yet another close shot on goal. The bar rumbled with excitement. Elias just sat there, reprocessing what he'd heard.

Yes, it's true, humans constantly dream about bits and pieces of daily life. In this case, perhaps Elias had renamed the cat to "Rhine Cat" in reality—so now his centuries-ahead dream world was just "catching up."

After all… the cat was the same cat. Only the name had changed. Maybe he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

***

Argentina eventually won the match, and the crowd roared one last time before dispersing into the cold night air. Gavin, face flushed with excitement, hopped in place outside the bar, breath fogging in the winter chill.

"That was awesome! I hope Argentina goes all the way to the finals—maybe even wins the cup!"

Elias smiled wryly at his friend's enthusiasm.

"By the way," Gavin added, giving Elias a playful nudge, "I heard you got promoted?"

"Yeah… Ms. Harrington made me the leader of a new IP dev team for our brand."

"Dude, that's huge!" Gavin laughed, hooking an arm around Elias's shoulders. "Time to rake in the cash, so you can buy a car from me, right?"

Elias shook his head in amusement. "Sure, next time," he teased.

***

The very next day, Elias realized just how quickly Miranda Harrington moved. When he arrived at work, he found an entire new office space waiting—complete with a private office of his own. Although not large, it had everything he needed. His workspace had also been upgraded to "department head" standards: a large desk, a brand-new top-spec Apple computer, and a small bookcase. The difference was stark; even passing colleagues looked on with a mix of envy and excitement.

After settling in, Elias gathered his latest Rhine Cat sketches and headed upstairs to report to Ms. Harrington. Her executive suite was located on the 22nd floor, protected by dual keypad locks—a room only she knew how to access.

Click.

"Come in," her voice called from inside.

Elias stepped into Ms. Harrington's office for the first time. As rumored, it was immaculate—no superfluous decor, everything in its place. Yet it was also expansive, complete with two small side rooms for private breaks.

Today, Ms. Harrington wore a white trench coat, her makeup flawlessly done. Silver earrings glinted in the morning sun. Instead of her usual updo, her hair rested softly around her neck, lending her a more approachable air.

She spent a few minutes reviewing Elias's artwork, nodding as she flipped through each page.

"Very good," she said. "Take these to the Production team. We'll get them in line for mass manufacturing, to release alongside our flagship Rhine cosmetics. We'll package them as promotional gifts."

"Once the first plush samples are ready, I'd like one on my desk," she added, looking amused. "I'm rather fond of your design."

"Sure thing," Elias answered. He moved to gather the papers.

Just as he turned to leave, Ms. Harrington spoke again. "Elias. Looking at your résumé, you're a graduate of Hudson University here in New York, right?"

"Yes, Ms. Harrington."

She gave him a once-over, an odd gleam in her eye. "Do you own a suit?"

"I… do. Bought one for job interviews."

"Go to the mall next door—visit the Brioni boutique. Pick out something proper."

She flipped open a file without looking up. "Now, please. There's a scientific fundraiser dinner tonight, and I'd like you to attend with me. I'll text you the address."

"Oh…"

Bang.

The heavy office door closed behind Elias. He stood in the hallway, at a loss. Ms. Harrington wants me to go with her to some fundraising event?

He shrugged. In a corporate environment, high-level employees often accompanied the boss for networking events. Looks like Elias was about to join those ranks sooner than expected.

Elias returned to his new office, assigned tasks to his small four-person team, then headed to the upscale mall next door. Located in Midtown, it featured many of the world's top luxury brands—places Elias never envisioned shopping at before.

***

Following the directions, Elias found Brioni, a classic Italian menswear boutique known for its refined, high-end suits. He slipped inside, immediately noticing the elaborate, old-world charm of the interior.

"Welcome, sir!"

A young sales associate greeted him with a polite bow, motioning him to step further into the store.

She began explaining the brand's storied history: established in Italy, famed for meticulous craftsmanship, beloved by discerning customers worldwide. Elias suspected this was a subtle test. The wealthier or more serious a client appeared, the more detail they offered. If a customer wasn't truly in the market, they'd likely excuse themselves quickly.

He listened, absorbing the atmosphere of wealth and elegance. No "snobby clerk" scene here—this was quiet sophistication, and the staff seemed well-trained in high-end customer service.

Suddenly, an older woman—likely the boutique manager—approached. She offered Elias a respectful nod.

"Apologies for not greeting you sooner, Mr. Crane. I was occupied. Ms. Harrington called ahead to let us know you'd be coming. Please, follow me. The items displayed here in the front are from our basic lines, but for you, we have something special in our private showroom."