Chapter 1 A glimpse of opportunity

It's Saturday morning, Aria woke up to the sound of silence. No alarm wailing, no rush to get to work.

She stretched, exhaled and swayed her legs over the side of the bed, her feet touching the tattered carpet.

Aria walked to the kitchen, massaging her eyelids to remove the sleep from her eyes, in search of her first meal of the day. She opened the fridge, revealing an almost empty shelf..

A partial empty jar of jam, a withered lettuce, and a carton of outdated milk stared back at her.

The cabinets weren't any better...stodgy cereal, expired crackers, and a bag of flour.

She sighed, settling for toast with jam. Not her favorite, but it would do for just this morning.

Aria kept on thinking about her financial struggles as she waited patiently for the toasted bread to pop out. Rent was unpaid, and her funds was declining rapidly.

How would she make ends meet?

The toasted bread popped out, interrupting her thoughts.

Just as She took a bite of her toasted bread, she heard a resounding knock on her door. Aria knew who it was already,only her best friend visited her.

"Aria, girl! Open up!" Beatrice's cheerful voice shouted from outside.

Aria lit up, welcoming the amusement. She unlocked the door to find Beatrice holding a shopping bag and flashing a bright smile.

"Hey, babes! I brought breakfast" Beatrice said, waving the bag.

Aria's eyes widened as Beatrice revealed a spread of fresh pastries, fruit, and coffee.

"Thank goodness! My fridge is practically empty" Aria admitted.

Beatrice arched her brows. "Babygirl, when did you last go grocery shopping?"

Aria sighed. "I've been postponing it. You know how it is"

"Sit down and let's discuss" Beatrice said, suddenly looking serious and they sat down.

"Now what?"

"I kinda found a job for you, but I don't think you will like it"

"What type of job?"

Beatrice took a deep breath. "It's...a dancing job at a club"

Aria raised an eyebrow. "Dancing? What kind of dancing?"

"Strip dancing, Aria"Her eyes widened in shock.

"Hear me out, Aria. This job pays incredibly well. You'll make more in one night than you do in a week teaching. You can finally pay off your debts and start fresh" she said and Aria shook her head firmly.

"No way, Bea. I'm a teacher, not a stripper. I have standards"

Beatrice sighed. "I knew you'd react like this. But think about it, Aria. This is a chance, you can't keep struggling financially"

"I appreciate your concern, Bea, but I'll find another way. This isn't for me"

"Okay, I get it. But promise me you'll have a second thought if things get worse?"

Aria hesitated before nodding. "I'll have a rethink about it, Bea. But I'm uncertain if it'll come to that"

"I'm glad we've resolved the issue, Aria" Beatrice said, getting to her feet.

"That's basically why I stopped by.... to inform you about the vacancy. Now that we've discussed it, I have other places to be"

Aria walked her to the door.

"Thanks for thinking of me, Bea. I appreciate it"

Beatrice smiled and hugged her.

"Anytime, baby girl. Please take good care and reconsider what I said'' with that Beatrice left, leaving Aria to think of her financial distress and the enticing but distasteful job offer. She shut the door and leaned against it, her thoughts churning.

She had been providing for herself since she left the orphanage, where she spent 18 years of her life. The doubts surrounding her parent's fate still dwelled. Were they alive? No one had ever told her they were no more, leaving her a spark of optimism.

She shoved the thoughts aside, focusing on her present predicament. The teaching job she landed a few months ago was her lifeline. It hardly covered her expenditures, but it was quite okay.

Aria stood for some minutes, lost in thought, she heard a knock on her door bringing her back to reality.

Who could that be? Beatrice had just left, and she wasn't expecting anyone else.

Aria snuck a look through the peephole and saw a man standing outside in a black suit and sunglasses and she became baffled pondering who the person was.

"How can I help you?" she asked as she unlocked the door.

"Miss, I'm here to relay information from Mr. Sebastian Green, Chief executive officer of Green's Corporation," he replied.

Aria's mouth dropped open in surprise. Sebastian Green, the billionaire mogul? What could he want from her?

"Mr. Green requests your presence at his office. He'd like to discuss a matter that will be beneficial to you both" the man continued.

Aria's mind was in overdrive, she had only seen Sebastian Green on the news, studied about his business agreements, and really loved his charitable initiatives. But why would he have a mutual interest in her?

"How did he get to know my address?" she asked, trying to pull herself together.

"Mr. Green has his ways, Miss"

"Okay I will consider his request,you can go now"

"Mr. Green requests that you accompany me to his office immediately"

Aria's eyes widened in surprise. "Now? But I'm not prepared for a meeting"

"I deeply apologize for the hassle but Mr. Green's schedule is busy, and he prefers to meet with you today"

Aria paused, not sure of what to do. She hadn't expected this immediate summons.

"What's the purpose of the meeting?" she asked.

"Mr. Green will discuss the details with you personally, Miss"

"Okay, just a moment" she said, taking a step back to grab her bag and keys.

The man gave a nod and smiled toward the exit. "Shall we proceed, Miss?"

Aria inhaled deeply and followed him out of her apartment.

What did Sebastian Green want from her? Was it a business opportunity? A benevolent endeavour?

The man swung the door open to the black Mercedes Benz car and directed her in, Aria settled into the luxurious leather seat gently.

They finally showed up at the glass and steel headquarters of Green's Corporation. Aria's eyes open wide as they pulled up to the spectacular entrance.

The man swung her door open, and Aria stepped out, gazing up at the elevated building. She was fascinated.

"This way please, Miss" the man said, directing her through the rotating doors.

Inside, the foyer filled with suits and business gurus, rushing to their next appointment. Aria followed the man through the multitude, passing security checks and arriving at a exclusive elevator.

He scanned a card, and the doors opened.

"Mr. Green's office" he announced.