جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 7

Emma walked into her friend’s fashion shop, Velora Boutique, with a sigh. She had lost her job. Again. At this point, unemployment was becoming a personality trait. “Hi, Luan,” Emma said as she walked to the counter. Luan looked up from the notebook she was writing in and smiled. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” “Long story short, I got fired again. So now I’m officially jobless.” Luan laughed softly, not looking surprised at all. “Emma, it would be a miracle if you kept a job for five months.” Emma rolled her eyes. “I still need money for that beach outfit.” “The beach outfit,” Luan repeated, and they both laughed. Kristie had called it unnecessary, but Emma didn’t care. Everyone going to the beach party was getting one, and she refused to be left out. “Well, guess what?” Luan said excitedly. “We have it in stock, and my boss said I could get it at a lower price if I do well this month.” Emma’s eyes lit up. “Seriously? Show me!” Luan led her to the display. “I need

Emma finally stirred awake and sat upright so suddenly that the chair creaked beneath her. For a moment, she blinked in confusion, rubbing her eyes as she looked around the office. Then it hit her. Her eyes widened. She had fallen asleep. The sleep vanished from her body instantly. Slowly, almost fearfully, she turned her head and saw Lucy standing nearby with her arms folded tightly across her chest. The look on Lucy’s face was enough to make Emma wish the chair would swallow her whole. “My interview…” Emma said quickly, jumping to her feet. “Did I miss it? Was I rejected?” Lucy stared at her for a second before letting out a sharp breath. “Rejected?” she repeated. “Emma, tell me, who in the world falls asleep during an interview?” Emma winced. “Well… technically, the interview hadn’t started yet.” Lucy glared harder. “That’s not the point.” Emma stepped back slightly and gave an awkward smile. “No hard feelings?” Lucy’s eyes narrowed. “There are v

THE RULE BOOK“You’re joking,” Emma said, calmer this time, though disbelief still rang clearly in her voice.Jerry leaned back in his chair and smirked, the kind of smirk that instantly irritated her.Without saying a word, he reached for the landline telephone on his desk and dialed a number.Emma frowned.What exactly was he trying to prove now?After two rings, someone picked up.“Hello sir, what can I help you with?” Lucy’s voice came from the other end.“Lucy, come to my office. Now.”Lucy paused.For a brief second, her heart skipped.Was something wrong?Were they about to sack her?She quickly shook the thought away and forced herself to answer.“Right away, sir.”Jerry hung up the call and placed the phone back down slowly, all while keeping that infuriating calm expression on his face.Emma folded her arms.“Why did you call her?”Jerry glanced at her.“You’ll see.”Emma frowned harder.She hated that answer.And she hated how calm he looked.It made her feel like she was t

ASSIGNMENT Jerry tapped the pen against his desk repeatedly, the soft sound echoing through the office as he waited for Emma. One minute passed. Then two. Then five. A slow smirk crept onto his face. “She’s doing this on purpose,” he muttered under his breath, leaning back lazily in his chair. Meanwhile, on the other side of the floor, Emma dragged her feet dramatically toward his office like someone being led to execution. She stopped in front of the door and narrowed her eyes at it. The stupid door looked expensive too. Emma lifted her hand, ready to barge in, but paused. Unfortunately, she remembered his ridiculous rules. Knock twice. Wait for permission. Don’t barge in. Don’t breathe incorrectly. Don’t blink too loud probably. Emma rolled her eyes so hard she nearly saw her ancestors. Still, she knocked twice. Then waited. Silence. She frowned. “Is this man sleeping in there?” she muttered quietly. Inside the office, Jerry heard every word clearly. He deli