Sophia's POV
I quickly stood up, almost springing from the uncomfortable plastic chair when I heard the woman call my name. A new person. Maybe this one would be different. She carried a bucket and a mop, but her face, though tired, held a surprising warmth, and her eyes, a kind, crinkled brown, met mine. She was dressed in a dark blue uniform, practical and simple.
"Sophia Thompson?" she asked, her voice soft, with a gentle accent I couldn't quite place. "I'm Clara. I believe you're with me today."
"Yes!" I said, my voice probably too eager. I offered her a bright, hopeful smile. "That's me. It's nice to meet you, Clara."
But my enthusiasm seemed to hit a wall. Clara’s kind eyes hardened, and the faint smile on her lips vanished. She gave me a cold, scrutinizing stare that made my ow
