"A Leap of Faith"

Mia sat in front of her laptop, her heart pounding as she watched the confirmation email appear in her inbox. She had done it. She had officially applied for a contract with Webnovel. There was no turning back now.

She exhaled, running her fingers through her hair. The excitement and nervousness intertwined, making her hands tremble slightly. The weight of the decision still lingered, but a new feeling emerged—determination. This was her dream, and she was going to chase it no matter what.

The soft chime of an incoming message pulled her from her thoughts.

Lucas: Proud of you, Mia. No matter what happens, you took the first step, and that's huge.

Mia smiled, feeling warmth spread through her chest. Lucas had always been her biggest supporter, encouraging her when she doubted herself. She quickly typed a response.

Mia: Thanks, Lucas. I still can't believe I did it. What if they reject me?

His reply came instantly.

Lucas: Then you keep writing. Rejections don't define you. Your persistence does.

She let his words sink in. He was right. Every great writer had faced rejection at some point. The important thing was to keep going.

Determined to distract herself, she opened her notebook and flipped through her notes. Her next chapter awaited, and she refused to let fear hold her back any longer.

Over the next few days, Mia fell into a routine. She woke up early, wrote for a few hours, and spent the afternoons reading feedback from her readers. Every comment, every encouragement fueled her motivation.

Her following grew faster than she expected. Readers were engaging with her story, asking about upcoming chapters, and even speculating on what might happen next. For the first time, Mia felt like she belonged in the world of writers.

One evening, as she was about to start writing, her phone rang. It was an unknown number.

She hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Mia Carter?"

"Yes, speaking."

"This is Sarah from Webnovel's editorial team. I'm calling regarding your contract application."

Mia's breath caught. She gripped her desk for support. "Oh! Yes, of course."

"We've reviewed your submission, and we're very impressed with your writing style and engagement. We'd love to offer you a contract."

Mia blinked, her heart slamming against her ribs. "You… you would?"

"Yes. We see great potential in your work, and we'd love to have you as one of our exclusive authors."

Her head spun. This was it. This was what she had dreamed of.

"I—I'd love to accept," she stammered, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Great! I'll send over the details via email. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions."

As soon as the call ended, Mia let out a scream of joy, startling her cat, who darted under the bed. She grabbed her phone and quickly typed a message to Lucas.

Mia: I GOT THE CONTRACT!!!

The reply was immediate.

Lucas: I knew it! You deserve this, Mia. Congratulations!

Tears welled up in her eyes. She had doubted herself so much, but here she was, taking the next step in her journey.

She wiped her eyes and turned back to her laptop. There was still work to do, chapters to write, and stories to tell.

This was just the beginning.