CHAPTER 1

Twelve years later.

Katherine Cooper threw open the door to her uncle's apartment and tried to switch on the light. The dimness in the room assured her that the power had been cut off again because they were delaying payment. Shaking her head in self pity, she groped and drew open all the curtains in the living room to let in enough light. She reached into her bag and brought out a beautiful jade jar. A tear made its way down her face as she set it on the table. Inside that jar was the cremated remains of uncle Jonathan.

When her parents had died in a car accident on her tenth birthday, he was the one who took her in. When uncle Jonathan had told her that her parents had died twelve years ago, she'd argued, and yelled, and cried but he was there for her through it all. He was the only one she had left. And now he was gone. Katie had never felt so useless in all her life. Uncle Johnathan didn't have much, but the little he had he gave all to her. He had deprived himself of quality medication all these years just so he could send her to the best college around. And she couldn't do anything for him in return. She couldn't even afford to give him a proper burial. Reaching out, she ran a finger down a picture of him on the table.

"I'm sorry uncle…" she choked amidst her sobs. "... I'm so sorry." Just then, her phone began to ring. Fumbling through her bag, Katherine composed herself and wiped her eyes. Then she picked the call.

"Hello?" She said.

"Miss Cooper?" Came the bland male voice on the other end.

"Yes? Who is this?"

"This is Andy Brewster from Cole Corp. Ltd. You were at our main branch on Monday for a job interview?"

"Yes." She calmly repiled.

"Congratulations! You got the job. You are to resume work from tommorow." Katie was so overjoyed she nearly jumped and danced around like a little child.

"R-really?" She stuttered. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" But the man at the other end had already hung up after passing his message. Katherine didn't mind. This time she really did get up and jump. Scrolling through her contact list, she quickly dialed the phone number of a friend. Katie paced back and forth waiting for her to pick up the phone.

"Betty! Guess what?!" She yelled as soon as she answered the call. "I got a phone call just now, and they said I got the job! I got the job!" She said in glee.

"Congratulations Katie!" Came the warm hearted reply from the other end.

"Thank you so much for everything Betty. I couldn't have done it without you and your husband." She churred. A part of Katie's conscience pricked at her. Just a minute ago she brought in her uncle's ashes.

"No worries. Though I can hardly say it was us. It was more of you Kate. I mean, with your qualifications, even if you'd gone there on your own you'd have them chasing you all over California begging you to come over and work with them." Betty expressed her condolences over uncle Jonathan's death before she hung up.

Katherine Cooper had accepted her fate. With the last money she had left, she took her best formal blouse and the only skirt she had to pair with it to the drycleaners herself. She'd barely settled down when there was a knock on the door. Katherine peeped out through the little hole at the top. It was a man.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"Delivery for Miss Cooper." He replied. Katherine opened the door, and in came a man she hadn't spotted earlier on at once wheeling in a large moveable fashion wardrobe clustered from one end to the other with the latest business formals. Katie had still believed she was in a trance when he had asked for her signature.

"Are you sure all this is for me?" She asked in disbelief. Collecting his clipboard and pen from her, he flipped up a page and shrugged indifferently.

"Says so on the clipboard. Have a nice day Miss."

And just like a trance they were gone, except the clothes were still there. There was a little note on one of the hangers.

'Good luck at your new place of work Katie. Lots of love, Bet.'

Bet? It was Betty. Katie's eyes nearly filled with tears. She'd never felt more grateful to anyone as she did Elizabeth that moment. Among all the people whom she claimed to be her friends, Elizabeth was the only one truly worthy of that title. And the irony of it all was that Betty was the oldest friend she had. Why, Betty was nearly thrice her age.

Katherine hardly got any sleep that night. She was much too excited to begin work. She'd never felt this way about anyplace before, but something inside her told her that Cole Corp. Ltd. was where she was meant to be. Perhaps she'd meet someone special there, or go through a life changing experience, she didn't know. She just felt that way.