The Venue

"What?!" she gasped her mind reeling with the realization that she had slept with someone whose name she didn't even know.

Nora's thoughts raced as she tried to piece together the events of the night before. She couldn't believe she had let herself be swept away by the passion of the moment and the thrill of the forbidden. Regret washed over her as she realized the enormity of what she had done and the consequences that could follow.

With a heavy heart, Nora got up from the bed and started to gather her things. She knew she had to leave and put the events of the previous night behind her. As she picked up her bag and made her way to the door, Nora couldn't help but wonder if she would ever see the stranger again, and if she did, would she even recognize

him?

One Month later

"Come on, Nora, let's go!" Alice, Nora's best friend, called out as she slipped on her shoes.

"Just a minute," Nora replied, studying herself in the mirror one last time.

"Why are you so obsessed with your reflection lately?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I've finally moved on from Austin's betrayal, and I want to be happy now," Nora said, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"You've said that multiple times since you moved out of your parents' house, swearing you don't want to see the faces of those who hurt you," Alice teased, causing Nora to roll her eyes.

"I know, I know. Don't remind me," Nora said with a chuckle as she grabbed her bag and joined Alice at the door.

"So, how's this job going to work?" Nora asked as they made their way down the street.

"It's simple and pays well. As I told you yesterday, all we have to do is help design the wedding hall, and then we'll get our money. Easy as pie," Alice replied nonchalantly.

"How much did they say we'd get paid again?" Nora asked, frowning in thought.

"$1000 each. Isn't that a great deal?" Alice replied with a hint of excitement in her voice.

Nora's eyes widened with surprise. "That's a week's pay for a full-time worker! We hit the jackpot," she exclaimed, a broad grin spreading across her face.

"I know, right? If only we could find deals like this every day," Alice said with a laugh, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Alice checked the time on her wristwatch and hailed a taxi that was passing by. The taxi came to a stop, and Alice and Nora got in hurriedly. Alice informed the driver of their destination, and the driver nodded before accelerating away.

As they approached the intersection leading to the venue, they found themselves stuck in a sea of cars. The traffic was at a complete standstill, with no sign of movement anytime soon. Alice checked her watch yet again, her anxiety building with each passing second.

"We're almost late, Nora. Mrs. Sarah said any delay would cost us our pay," Alice said, her tone urgent.

Nora looked worriedly out the window, watching as car after car piled up in front of them. "What should we do now? The traffic is terrible, and we're not even moving," she said, her voice tinged with frustration.

Realizing that time was running out, Alice knew they had to act fast. "Our only solution is to run there, Nora. It's only a 50-minute walk, but if we run, we can make it in 30," she said, determination etched on her face.

Nora looked at Alice incredulously, the thought of running in the sweltering heat seeming unbearable. "I don't know if I can do it, Alice. Running isn't exactly my forte," she said, biting her lower lip nervously.

"Neither is it mine, Nora, but we have no choice. We can't afford to lose this opportunity," Alice replied, her voice resolute.

With no other options available, they paid the taxi driver and hopped out of the car, their legs pounding the pavement as they began to run. The sun beat down on them mercilessly as they weaved in and out of pedestrians, hoping against hope that they would make it in time.

Nora and Alice finally arrived at the venue, panting and sweating from their impromptu run. As they approached the wedding hall, they saw Mrs. Sarah standing at the entrance, her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face.

"We're in trouble, Nora. I hope we're not too late to work," Alice whispered, her heart sinking at the sight of Mrs. Sarah.

Nora nodded in agreement, her own nerves frayed as they made their way over to Mrs. Sarah.

"We're so sorry, Mrs. Sarah. The traffic was terrible, and we ran here as fast as we could," Alice said, desperation creeping into her voice.

Mrs. Sarah's expression remained unchanged, her eyes fixed on the two of them. "You promised me you would be here early, Alice. Look at the time now. I don't think I can pay you both and let you work," she said, her voice laced with disappointment.

Alice and Nora exchanged a look of dread, their worst fears coming true. "Please, Mrs. Sarah, we did everything we could to get here on time. We even ran all the way from the intersection. Look at us, we're sweating and out of breath," Nora pleaded, hoping to appeal to Mrs. Sarah's better nature.

Alice chimed in, her voice shaky. "We understand if you can't pay us, but please don't send us home. We really need this job," she said, her eyes brimming with tears.

Mrs. Sarah looked at them sternly for a few more moments before finally relenting. "Fine, I'll let you work, but you'll have to make up for the lost time. You're lucky I need all the hands I can get," she said, her voice still tinged with irritation.

Alice and Nora breathed a sigh of relief, thanking Mrs. Sarah profusely as they hurriedly made their way into the wedding hall to begin their work.

Nora and Alice quickly made their way into the wedding hall, joining the other girls who were already hard at work. Each girl had been assigned a specific area to design, and Nora and Alice wasted no time in getting started on theirs.

After a few minutes of designing, Nora pulled a chair closer to her second spot, which was higher up. As she stood on the chair to continue her work, her vision suddenly began to blur. Nora's head spun and her body felt weak and unsteady. Her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own, rolling uncontrollably. The weakness took over, and Nora slowly toppled from the chair, collapsing onto the ground below. Alice's voice rang out, shouting "Nora!", but it was too late. Nora's eyes slowly closed, and she lost consciousness.