Chapter 2

Fransisca’s POV

I slumped beneath the tree in the hospital courtyard. The quiet night atmosphere enclosed around me. My thoughts drifted, contemplating how to repay the loan shark's interest.

Yup, my aunt and I managed to secure the house certificate and handed it over to the cruelest loan shark in the village. He gave us a year's time, and I thought that was a short period.

$150,000 turned into $200,000; where could I get all that? The monthly interest I had to pay was substantial too, $1,000. If I returned to work at the flower shop where I earned only $1,100, that would leave me with just $100 for my living expenses.

Shit. This won't work.

"Drink, ease the things troubling your mind." My aunt appeared, offering her whiskey bottle.

I stared at the black bottle for a moment, then decided to take the drink and gulp it down. It was the first time in my life, and it didn't taste too bad, actually.

"Can I?" I looked at my aunt, hoping that she would let me down the remaining bit of whiskey..

"Sure, I've enjoyed it for decades; I won't be stingy in sharing my whiskey with you. So, I want to apologize for my nasty attitude earlier, which I'm sure you found annoying."

The moonlit glint in my aunt's eyes was soothing; I hadn't seen her like this in a long time. Her green eyes that usually held anger and grudges now seemed calm.

"It's okay, I understand your situation. I hope you can really take care of Mom and... start working again. How long will you stay idle and regret my mother's past actions? My father is gone; none of you can have him anymore. Stop crying over the past. I'm sure you need money too, right? You can't expect much from the $400 I can send you. You need to rebuild your life, Aunt Mary."

My aunt gave a crooked smile, raised her eyebrows, and said, "I've been thinking about it. Since we went to that loan shark earlier, my mind, which had been filled with revenge and anger to destroy your mother, seemed irrational. I shouldn't keep living like this. By the way, I saw in the newspaper, there's a job opening in the city."

My aunt handed me a newspaper clipping, and it stated a job vacancy as a secretary at AS Corp, a renowned company owned by Alexander, a young CEO adored by many women.

"This won't suit me, I've never worked in an office like this, and you know, it's a prestigious company, the CEO is so famous, and most of those working there are either well-known people or their children. I'd probably be kicked out by security the moment I step onto the premises." I handed the newspaper clipping back to my aunt.

"Okay, this is one of the traits I hate about you. You inherited your mother's trait; both of you often back down before moving forward. Odd. You have to take it, or you won't be able to pay the loan shark's interest, remember, Fransisca. This company is the only option that only requires neatness, agility, and discipline to be a secretary. Isn't that easy?"

I sighed deeply, took back the newspaper clipping, and stared at it intently. The job opening would close tomorrow, which meant if I wanted to apply, I had to return to New York tonight.

"Well, it says here--."

"What's your excuse now? Deadline? I understand what's going on in your mind. One of my friends is heading to New York in an hour. You can go with her. I told her to stop by here before leaving. Somehow, I believe you can work there. Even if you fail, I'm sure you'll find another job. I'll also look for work again once my mother recovers. We'll both pay off the debt you took on."

I couldn't hold back my tears, my heart was touched. I immediately hugged my aunt, and we both sobbed.

"Thank you for understanding, Aunt Mary. I'm leaving my mother in your care."

**

At exactly eight in the morning, I arrived at Alexander Smith's company. Luxurious cars passed by me as I walked on the sidewalk, creating an intriguing sight for me.

My heart was now filled with two things: excitement and anxiety. I was glad to see all this grandeur; working here was the dream of many, yet seeing the employees and the luxury cars made me feel down. I seemed unworthy to be among them.

My heart seemed ready to leap out when I stood before the company entrance. The disdainful glances from a few women who appeared to be employees here made me even more nervous.

"Good morning, Miss. Can I help you with something?"

A security guard smiled kindly at me. Maybe among all the people in this company, he was the only one who still remembered how to smile.

"Um, I... I want to apply for the position of Mr. Alexander Smith's secretary. I got the information from the job listing in the newspaper."

"Alright, then. Please come in, go to the fifth floor, and wait in the waiting room. There are other applicants waiting there as well. The interview will be conducted one hour from now."

Doubt momentarily enveloped me as the security guard handed back my application. I felt like running away and canceling all of this, but the image of my weak mother lying in bed and the promise I made to Aunt Mary pushed me to step into the grand building.

A luxurious aroma filled the air, and I was certain it was the scent of the employees here, worth thousands of dollars. I had never encountered a fragrance like this in my entire life.

Strangely, the more I walked, the more my doubt faded. In fact, my imagination started to picture how my life would change if I managed to work here. Perhaps, it was time for me to put aside my worries and think optimistically, believing that luck would be on my side today.