The Master's Hidden Target

About this story

Noah Miller, a tailor’s apprentice from a small town on the shores of Lake Michigan, alters performance costumes at a community theater by day and mends bed sheets for a hotel laundry by night. He comes to Chicago not for romance, but to cover rehabilitation and legal fees for his younger brother’s custody hearing, or his brother will be sent to an out-of-state foster system. Desperate for a way out, he applies for Ashford House, a premium men’s haute parfumerie and formalwear brand, hoping to land a stable job with his exquisite costume-tailoring skills. Grant Ashford, the openly out and authoritative brand owner, is stern, demanding and unapologetically possessive. While preparing an immersive salon show that determines the brand’s annual orders, he is cornered by his former partner and core spice supplier. The former controls salon access and VIP clients, claiming to be the brand’s true muse; the latter monopolizes exclusive iris root absolute and custom fastener supplies, threatening to block contract renewal unless Grant surrenders control of the new collection. Noah stumbles into the fitting scene and saves a flawed finale coat with one precise stitch, drawing Grant’s attention and becoming everyone’s cheap substitute. Grant offers him a contract as resident muse and personal assistant, prepaying enough money to secure his brother’s treatment, on the terms that Noah endure high-pressure training, be on call at all times, and dedicate his body proportions, scent memory a