pte

0,000 L

apartment, her breath hitching as she s

od... th

reread the number. Forty

oked

is the

e picture of corporate discipline, her blazer pressed and h

out a ja

ing about a life-altering, b

? What

oo

Ella's hand. Ella leaned c

denly sh

blurted. "Ace Warren's

Pearl said. "Loo

ped to the botto

w fell

earl, that's forty thousand dollars

Pearl said, already mo

most professional

ued. "I don't care about the dozens of 'ove

abbed

goi

ht n

arm, her excitement qui

sound too good to be true usually

rned to

t-not just with hop

legit' companies have been slamm

ced a d

an't get and certificates

d up th

ob versus three thousand for

ice st

is no c

la into a qui

out me. I'm goi

felt like it l

her hands clasped tightly in her lap

nsion," she to

through the rearview mi

sked. "I've dropped off five girls already.

w," Pearl re

mmered again

up to the towering wrought-ir

acked. Luxury cars

dbags. Women

terview and more like a cast

epped ou

lly simple compared to the glamorous d

n doing here?

doubt crept

ld change everything-her r

n mansion, she suddenly wondered if she wa

e joined

watched applicants

them loo

she stormed past Pearl. "The kid is the

dged mascara from her cheeks. "She told me my outfit

man's plunging neckline

kid has a point, s

s pa

systematically dismantled the confi

crisp suit stepped outsi

Follo

d smoothed her skirt. T

hite marble floors, towering ceilings, an

the escort down

a small girl in an ov

s were

y against a tablet resting

It was a su

," Mia commanded w

d quickly correc

ed a pol

lo,

ile?" Mia snapped,

. Observant. Far to

ately droppe

sor

am

Augus

ge

ty-th

something on

Fluent English.

ly scanned Pe

lean. Uni

o date my dad," Mia asked bluntl

t her ga

re for

I'll do it better

stylus against

asked suddenly, "if I r

idn't h

e out why,

the problem instea

her-Then a small, satisfie

ward the esco

one outside

an bl

foun

breath

like

yet," Mia said, sli

o approve you befor

ked pas

d closer and w

ong you can actu

ps faded down

the massive room. T

g echoed i

had she jus