voice echoing through the quiet, isolated stree

haky. The street was almost empty, just dim streetligh

reath. The thief had vanished into the shadows. She l

from her small town to this massive, unfor

ace smelled faintly of detergent and struggle; beds squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder, one fan try

t to fold under pressure. Still, every night she prayed for a breakthrough, for that o

ropping applications, waiting endlessly. Each rejection chipped a

been

. It felt unreal. Her eyes had watered when she got the call. Fina

as she walked into the company buildin

d to the grand view; polished marble floors, silver elevators, cold air-con

nes now surrounded her, and for a m

ire. The receptionist, with perfectly painted nails and an overly polite smile, made a

n't what she expected. But she steadied

of strong cologne and tension filled the room. Everything was sleek; b

ating. His gaze was sharp enough to silence a roo

dered, his tone f

palms were sweating, bu

ed for any introductions as I have no time for storytelling. If you have no

like a slap. C

she stood up. She wasn't going to mess this

over the sink, and looked at her refl

pered to herself, "I'

with quiet fire and that wa

llowing instructions, refusing to make a single mistake.

for you," said a v

ch twiste

smoothed her dress, and

is deep voic

oice trembling slightly.

he said with

eting hers; cold, piercing.

mered, her lips trembling a

fix yourself," he snapped. "I d

office quietly, her heart heavy, eyes

day?" she muttered under

s better than enduring humiliation. But then she remembered her parents' faces, t

ing hour came, she felt her body loosen

voice echoed from his office again. "Ella

e dropped her shoulders and whispered, "Oh my Go

his voice sharp with orders, his face unreadab

. Because giving u

e slumped into her chair, chest

ispered, exhaling

out of the office, the cold night

come and she'd