CLARA'S POV
I groggily woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing on the table beside me. My hand fumbled around, searching for the device until I finally located it. Glancing at the screen, I noticed that the call was from an unknown number.
"Argh... What is it?" I muttered, my voice still heavy with sleep. I answered the call, the third ring echoing in my ear.
"Hello?" I said, my voice laced with a touch of annoyance.
"Am I speaking to Miss Clara?" a familiar female voice asked on the other end of the line. I couldn't quite place where I had heard that voice before, but it sounded oddly familiar.
"Yes, this is Clara" I replied, rubbing my eyes to clear away the remnants of sleep.
"This is F&B Enterprise. We are pleased to inform you that you have been offered the job, and we expect you to start on Monday."
A chuckle escaped my lips as I realized that my desperate wish to get the job had come true.
"What? You mean... I got the job? Thank you!" I exclaimed, the shock of the news finally sinking in. I ended the call, my heart pounding with excitement.
"Yes! Yes!" I shouted in jubilation, overjoyed that I had secured the position. 
Eager to share the good news, I immediately tried calling my boyfriend James, but he didn't answer. I persisted, dialing his number for the tenth time until he finally picked up.
"I got the job!" I screamed into the phone, unable to contain my excitement.
"Really?" James responded, his voice filled with surprise.
"Yes, they called me today" I replied, a wide smile spreading across my face.
"So when do you start?" James inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"On Monday" I answered happily, my voice brimming with anticipation.
"This Monday? Wow" James exclaimed, clearly impressed by the swift turn around.
"I'm so happy. My parents won't have to worry anymore" I said, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.
"Foster parents, Clara. Foster parents" James reminded me, emphasizing the word "foster" to clarify that they were not my biological parents.
"Anyway, I'm still thrilled. I should call Anna right away" I said, determined to share the news with my best friend.
"Okay" James replied simply, and I ended the call.
Without wasting a moment, I dialed Anna's number, and she picked up on the first ring.
"Hey, girl! Good morning! Did you sleep well?" I greeted her, unable to contain my excitement.
"I got the job!" I blurted out without preamble.
"Oh, really? Congratulations! I'm so happy for you" Anna exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine joy.
"I knew my bestie would do it" she added, her words brimming with pride.
"Aww, thank you" I replied, feeling a surge of warmth at her unwavering support.
"So, you'll need some new clothes for your new job" Anna suggested.
"Anna..." I began, knowing exactly where she was headed.
"Yes?" she prompted, anticipation evident in her voice.
"I know it's because of your love for fashion" I said, playfully teasing her. "Say you who is going to start working in a fashion enterprise. And you promised last time, and you didn't follow through. So, please, do it now."
"Okay, I'll come see you, and we'll go shopping. Don't say no this time" Anna insisted, her determination shining through her words.
"Okay, I'll give it a shot" I agreed, knowing that Anna's enthusiasm for fashion was contagious.
---
AT THE SHOPPING MALL
"You promised to go shopping with me" Anna reminded me as we stood in front of a magnificent building that housed a high-end shopping mall. I couldn't help but wonder why she had chosen the most expensive option.
"I know I said so, but isn't this a bit too much? We could go to a more affordable mall" I suggested, eyeing the grandeur of the structure before us.
"No, I want this one. We're not going anywhere else. You already promised" Anna insisted, determination evident in her voice as she grabbed my arm and led me inside the shopping mall.
"Wow, this place is huge" I marveled, taking in the opulence of the mall's interior.
"Come on, let's head to the clothing department" Anna suggested, tugging me along.
"Do we really need to buy new clothes? I can just wear what I already have" I protested, not keen on spending a fortune on a wardrobe overhaul.
"As the president's secretary at F&B Enterprise, you can't dress like this. Don't you think it would be off-putting if you don't dress appropriately?" Anna reasoned, her tone insistent.
"That's not my concern. I'm not there to dress to please anyone" I retorted angrily, pushing back against Anna's fashion-centric argument.
"You're something else, Clara" Anna sighed, clearly exasperated by my resistance.
"Fine, but can we at least focus on shopping for me?" I relented, realizing that compromising on a few new outfits wouldn't hurt.
"Okay, deal" Anna agreed, a mischievous glint in her eye.
We made our way through the bustling mall, browsing through racks of clothes and trying on different outfits. As Anna disappeared into the fitting room to try on a particularly enticing garment, my attention was momentarily drawn to a nearby conversation between two young girls.
"Should I buy it?" one of the girls asked, contemplating a piece of clothing.
"Hmm... I think Kai would like it" the other girl mused, her voice filled with uncertainty.
"I've told you before, it's not about that" the first girl replied, her tone tinged with a hint of longing.
"I know you have feelings for him... why don't you tell him? He might even like you, you never know" the second girl suggested, sounding hopeful.
"If it works out and my brother finds out, he would definitely bury me alive" the first girl confessed, her voice filled with worry.
"Speaking of your brother..." the second girl began, but was quickly interrupted.
"No, don't go there. You know he already likes someone else... I wonder how beautiful she must be for him to be so smitten" the first girl lamented, her words tinged with a touch of envy.
I couldn't help but chuckle at the two girls' conversation, finding it oddly relatable. It reminded me of Anna, and as I watched them, I guessed they were in their early twenties. My eyes met the gaze of one of the girls, and I quickly averted my gaze, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, even though their voices was loud enough for people around them to hear.
Lost in my own thoughts, I suddenly realized that someone was staring at me. I looked up and saw that the girl had approached me, her curious eyes locked onto mine.
"Hi, my name is Mia" she introduced herself with a friendly smile.
"Oh, nice to meet you" I replied, returning her smile.
"What's your name?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine interest.
"I'm Clara" I answered, and she repeated my name, as if savoring the sound of it.
The other girl hurried over to join us, curiosity etched on her face.
"Mai, why are you here? And who is she?" the second girl asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
"Her name is Clara" Mia replied, her gaze never leaving me. "I just met her, and her beauty attracted me. I'm sure if my brother sees you, he would like you," she added, causing a foolish smile to creep onto my face.
"Mia, what do you mean? Carl is mine" the second girl retorted, a possessive tone in her voice.
"A/N"
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