CHAPTER 3 – Elena Hart

New York City

The smell of burnt toast filled the small apartment.

“Mom!”

Elena Hart rushed into the kitchen almost slipping on the tiled floor.

“Oh no…”

She grabbed the smoking pan from the stove.

Her mother sat at the dining table looking guilty.

“I only looked away for a second.”

Elena laughed.

“You say that every time.”

“It was a very important second.”

“Of course it was.”

Shaking her head, Elena carried the ruined toast to the sink.

The tiny apartment wasn’t much.

Two bedrooms.

A small living room.

A kitchen that barely fit two people at once.

Old furniture.

Peeling paint near one corner of the ceiling.

Nothing luxurious.

Nothing impressive.

But it was home.

And after everything their family had experienced, Elena had learned to appreciate what they had instead of mourning what they didn’t.

“Is breakfast dead?” a voice called.

Elena looked up just as her younger brother, Liam, walked in from his room.

His hair was messy.

One shoelace was untied.

And he looked like he’d rolled out of bed exactly thirty seconds ago.

“Completely dead.”

Liam groaned dramatically.

“This family is falling apart.”

Their mother laughed.

“Such disrespect.”

“You tried to poison us.”

“I burned toast.”

“Same thing.”

Elena couldn’t stop smiling.

Moments like this made the hard days easier.

For a few minutes, life felt normal.

No medical bills.

No overdue notices.

No worries.

Just family.

And those moments mattered.

Especially after losing her father.

Even after fourteen years, the memory still lingered.

Some days she could barely remember his voice.

Other days, she remembered everything.

The way he used to carry her on his shoulders.

The way he laughed.

The promises he’d made about their future.

Then one day he was gone.

And life became harder.

Much harder.

Her mother had done her best.

But years of health problems from sickle cell disease made it hard for her to work.

Bills piled up.

Money was always a concern.

By the time Elena reached high school, she made a decision.

She wouldn’t let her situation define her future.

If opportunities wouldn’t come easily, she’d create them herself.

And she had.

Scholarships.

Part-time jobs.

Academic awards.

Long nights studying while everyone else slept.

None of it was easy.

But every sacrifice had brought her closer to the future she wanted.

A future where her family would never had to worry about survival again.

“You’re thinking again.”

Elena blinked.

Her mother was watching her.

“I do that sometimes.”

“You do it too much.”

Elena smiled.

“Someone has to.”

Her mother reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

Pride filled her eyes.

The kind of pride that always made Elena emotional.

“You’ve already done enough, sweetheart.”

“No.”

Elena shook her head gently.

“I’m just getting started.”

Later that afternoon, Elena stepped out of the subway station and adjusted the strap of her bag.

The city moved around her in its usual rhythm.

People rushing.

Cars honking.

Conversations blending together.

New York never seemed to stop moving.

Neither did she.

Today was important.

The scholarship foundation that had supported part of her university education was hosting a recruitment event for final-year graduates.

Several major companies would be present.

Including Wolfe Global.

The name alone carried weight.

Everyone knew Wolfe Global.

It was one of the largest multinational corporations in the world.

Finance.

Technology.

Real estate.

Luxury brands.

Their influence seemed endless.

Students practically dreamed about opportunities there.

Elena wasn’t any different.

But unlike many others, she wasn’t interested in prestige.

She was interested in stability.

A position at Wolfe Global could change everything for her family.

It could mean better healthcare for her mother.

A stronger future for Liam.

Freedom.

Real freedom.

The thought alone made her nervous.

As she entered the conference hall, dozens of students were already gathering.

Professional attire.

Resumes.

Carefully rehearsed smiles.

Everyone looked determined.

The atmosphere buzzed with ambition.

Elena found her seat and exhaled slowly.

“You nervous too?”

The voice came from beside her.

She turned.

A young woman smiled.

“Very.”

Elena laughed.

“Good.”

The woman frowned.

“Good?”

“If you’re nervous, it means you care.”

The woman considered that.

Then smiled.

“I like that.”

Elena extended her hand.

“Elena.”

“Maya.”

The conversation helped ease some of the tension.

At least until the presentations began.

Then reality returned.

One by one, representatives from different companies took the stage.

Some presentations were inspiring.

Others were painfully boring.

By the time Wolfe Global’s representative appeared, the room’s attention sharpened noticeably.

The company commanded that kind of respect.

A large image appeared on the screen.

The Wolfe Global logo.

Then another image.

Their headquarters.

Then another.

Their CEO.

A man in a dark suit.

Sharp features.

Cold expression.

Commanding presence.

Adrian Wolfe.

The room immediately reacted.

Whispers spread.

Everyone recognized him.

Even Elena.

She’d seen articles about him before.

Business magazines seemed obsessed with him.

Young billionaire.

Corporate genius.

Future of Wolfe Global.

The descriptions never ended.

Looking at his photograph now, Elena understood why people found him intimidating.

He looked completely unapproachable.

The kind of man who probably scheduled his emotions between board meetings.

The thought made her smile.

The representative continued speaking.

But Elena’s attention remained on the opportunity itself.

Not the man.

Not the wealth.

The opportunity.

That’s what mattered.

By the end of the event, participants were invited to submit proposals addressing a real-world corporate challenge.

The strongest candidates would be selected for private presentations.

Including a chance to present directly to Wolfe Global executives.

Elena stared at the announcement.

Her heart began racing.

This was it.

The opportunity she’d been waiting for.

That night, long after Liam and her mother had gone to sleep, Elena sat alone at the dining table.

Papers covered every surface.

Research notes.

Financial projections.

Draft ideas.

Half-empty coffee cups were everywhere.

Outside the city glowed beneath the night sky.

Inside, exhaustion threatened to pull her under.

But she kept working.

Hour after hour.

Refining.

Improving.

Perfecting.

Not because anyone expected her to.

Because she refused to waste the opportunity.

At nearly two in the morning, her phone vibrated.

An email.

She frowned.

Who was emailing at this hour?

Opening it, she scanned the message quickly.

Then froze.

Congratulations.

We are pleased to inform you that your proposal has been selected among the top candidates.

You are invited to present your project at Wolfe Global Headquarters.

For several seconds, Elena simply stared.

Unable to breathe.

Unable to process the words.

Then suddenly she jumped to her feet.

“Oh my God.”

The chair nearly toppled over.

Her hands trembled.

A laugh escaped her.

Then another.

She wanted to scream.

Cry.

Celebrate.

All at once.

Instead, she pressed both hands over her mouth.

Trying not to wake the entire apartment.

Tears filled her eyes.

Not from sadness.

From relief.

From gratitude.

From hope.

For the first time in years, the future felt closer than ever.

Elena looked back at the email.

A smile spread across her face.

She had no idea that accepting this invitation would change her life forever.

Or that somewhere inside Wolfe Global’s towering headquarters sat a man whose life was about to change just as much as hers.