CHAPTER ONE
"Please... give me one more week."
Ava Carter stood outside the landlord's office, her trembling hands tightly gripping a worn envelope that contained every dollar she had managed to save.
Her heart pounded so hard she thought everyone around her could hear it.
"Mr. Harris, I promise I'll pay everything. I just need one more week."
The old man sighed impatiently.
"Ava, you've been saying the same thing for two months."
"I know..."
"You owe three months' rent. If you don't pay by tomorrow evening, you, your parents, and your siblings will have to leave."
His words hit her like a heavy stone.
Tomorrow.
Not next week.
Not next month.
Tomorrow.
Ava lowered her head as tears filled her eyes.
"Please..."
"I'm sorry," the landlord said, closing the office door.
Click.
The sound echoed through the empty hallway.
For a few seconds, Ava simply stood there.
She couldn't move.
She couldn't think.
How was she supposed to tell her mother?
How was she supposed to look into her younger siblings' eyes and tell them they no longer had a home?
She slowly wiped away her tears.
"No," she whispered.
"I won't give up."
At twenty-six years old, Ava had become the pillar of her family.
After her father's accident left him unable to work, everything changed.
Medical bills.
School fees.
Food.
Rent.
Every responsibility landed on her shoulders.
She worked two part-time jobs, yet it was never enough.
Sometimes she wondered if life simply enjoyed testing her.
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
It was her best friend, Lily Brooks.
"Ava! Where are you?"
"I'm outside."
"Did you get the office job?"
Ava forced a smile even though Lily couldn't see it.
"They rejected me."
"What?"
"They said I wasn't experienced enough."
Lily fell silent.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"No, it isn't! You've worked so hard."
Ava looked at the cloudy sky.
"I'll find another job."
"You always say that."
"Because I have to."
After ending the call, she sat on a nearby bench.
She checked her purse.
Forty-three dollars.
That was all she had left.
Forty-three dollars to feed six people.
She laughed bitterly.
Life really had a cruel sense of humor.
Just then, a folded newspaper beside her caught her attention.
A headline was circled in red ink.
KINGSLEY GROUP INTERNATIONAL IS HIRING.
Her eyes widened.
Kingsley Group.
Everyone knew the name.
It was one of the largest companies in the country, owned by the famous trio the media called the Billionaire Brothers.
Working there felt impossible.
Still...
Impossible was better than giving up.
Without wasting another second, Ava stood up and rushed toward the nearest bus stop.
...
An hour later...
She stood in front of a towering glass skyscraper.
Kingsley Group International.
The building stretched into the sky, shining beneath the afternoon sun.
Employees dressed in expensive suits walked confidently through the revolving doors.
Ava looked down at her simple clothes.
For a moment...
She almost turned back.
Then she remembered her family's faces.
She took a deep breath.
"I can do this."
Inside the lobby, she joined a long line of applicants.
Most wore designer clothes.
Some carried expensive handbags.
Others talked confidently about their university degrees.
Ava quietly stood at the back.
She didn't belong.
At least, that's what everyone seemed to think.
Two women in front of her glanced at her worn shoes.
One smirked.
"She's applying here?"
The other laughed softly.
"Maybe she's lost."
Ava pretended not to hear.
She had learned long ago that silence was sometimes stronger than arguments.
After several minutes, her name was called.
She entered the interview room.
Three managers sat across the table.
The questions came quickly.
She answered every one with confidence.
When the interview ended, one of the managers smiled politely.
"Miss Carter..."
"Yes?"
"We're impressed with your qualifications."
Hope filled her eyes.
"...but unfortunately, the position has already been filled."
Her smile faded.
"I'm sorry."
For a second time that day...
She had been rejected.
Trying to hide her disappointment, Ava thanked them and walked toward the exit.
She had barely reached the lobby when someone suddenly spoke behind her.
"Miss Carter."
She stopped.
Slowly...
She turned around.
A tall man in a perfectly tailored black suit stood a few steps away.
His sharp jawline, calm eyes, and commanding presence made the entire lobby fall silent.
Employees immediately lowered their heads in respect.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Kingsley."
Ava blinked.
Mr. Kingsley?
The CEO?
Why was the CEO calling her name?
Adrian Kingsley looked directly into her eyes.
His expression revealed nothing.
"I have a job for you."
Ava's hear
tbeat quickened.
Was this really happening...
...or was it the beginning of a life she would soon wish she had never accepted?
