Jasmine’s heart slammed against her ribs. Ethan Caldwell? The owner? The man splashed across business magazines as the “Golden Bachelor” and Wall Street’s favorite shark?
This had to be a mistake. Or a cruel prank.
“Mr. Caldwell?” she asked, her voice trembling. “For what?”
“For an interview, ma’am. Don’t be late.”
The call ended.
Jasmine stared at her phone, stunned. Fear and hope tangled inside her. She knew this was her last chance—the lifeline she needed before everything sank. But she also knew she was being called straight into the mouth of the wolf, to the top of the glass tower that had just spat her out.
When she reached her small apartment, the smell of warm soup and medicine wrapped around her. Her mother coughed from the bedroom, but smiled when she saw Jasmine.
“How did it go, sweetheart?”
Jasmine drew a slow breath, swallowing the fear. “I have another interview tomorrow, Mom. With the owner.”
Rose’s eyes lit up. Despite the illness draining her strength, she pushed herself up and shuffled to an old wooden closet.
“Then you need this,” she said, pulling out a garment bag. “It belonged to your Aunt Diane. I saved it for something special. I think that day is today.”
Inside was a navy dress—classic cut, heavy fabric, elegant in a quiet, dignified way. Old, yes. But it carried pride.
When Jasmine tried it on in the cracked bathroom mirror, she didn’t see the poor girl counting coins for bread. She saw a strong woman. She saw Rose’s daughter.
That night, Jasmine barely slept. She stared at the ceiling rehearsing answers, imagining scenarios. She had no idea her life was about to turn completely around—or that the man quietly pulling the strings wasn’t just looking for an employee. Without realizing it, he was searching for someone who could restore his faith in humanity.
At dawn, Jasmine smoothed the dress, lifted her chin, and walked out to meet her fate. The sky was clear now, but a storm of emotion churned inside her—one that was about to collide with Ethan Caldwell’s unshakable calm.
A meeting was coming—one that would defy odds and rewrite the rules of their two opposite worlds.