: Hart Co

review of your resume and eagerly antic

8 AM on

o Hart Co

and something she couldn't quite place

it would just go away. She kept reading it repeatedly to confirm it wasn

the couch. Her phone let out a second buzz. An email

formal confirmation, company lett

g things, oh my w

loud laugh that vibrated

with water, but she

Charlotte," Ivy said as she

ring. "What's up, Ivy? Missing

aled, Unable to retain the

quiet, then

t she was smiling so hard and filled wit

bration. I'm bringing wine. No, cake. Or ice cream, we are gonna need

. "Char, tha

herwise, you deserve some sugar ce

ed at the phone in her han

Not the shatterable type, not the one that ends with disappointment wh

the work table that sat in

r give it a bit of time so they don't think I'm desperate? But I am desperate! But they don't know that. What if they decide

ract until Charlotte arrived, she clo

a saving from the brewing tension. As she settled into her space, the world

ed with lots of bags that were filled with snacks and w

hing hug and fell o

popped her own open. "Here's to Ivy Sm

bottles. "Let's hope I mak

ow you'll do a lot better than pulling through. You'l

almost pooling in her eyes. Charlot

ned the contract?

came. I've gone through it, though."

ract one more time before I

employed! I'm a proud mother." Charlo

head, smiling

vy would dress on her first day of work. Charlotte finally decided to g

ke up to horrid noise blasting ou

oceeded to prepare for the d

ed she wear, which was a navy, pencil-shaped skirt that

he clothes, "It's your first day at work. Girl, you've got to wear

me lip gloss, and headed to the

with her legs crossed, reading a magazi

oke up from your fantasy world and stopped hoping to work in a big corporation and focus on your freelancing or whatever it is you

my choices. Stop butting in my affairs and mind your business." Ivy retorted. Having lost i

d know that this is not another interview. I got a job, and it's a very big company." Ivy ad

her nerves. She wasn't going to let Evelyn ruin her first d

of waiting, the

eighborhood disappear from her sight as the bus moved

nd another interview but as an official employee of a big company

the bus announcement blasted from the

s the company's building ca

t, who was a different person. Not the one she met here on

"Good morning, how can I be of a

an interview on Monday, and I received

. Give me

watched her mak

. Welcome to Hartwell Corporation, Miss

r and headed t

le to get a job on the top floor. The top floor was not easily accessible as it was

fferent building entirely. She gaped at the design of the place with her mouth open. It was so beauti

't notice the presence of the person behind her

te 20s. He was taller than average, with a warm brown skin tone and e

checking him out until he said c

apologized immediately. "I

Alexander, Alex for short. You must be I

him. "Yes, Ivy Smith,

e, you're such a beauty," Alex s

"I don't un-" Ivy started to say,

o you think y