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FINDING ROSE
img img FINDING ROSE img Chapter 7 Retail therapy
7 Chapters
Chapter 10 Task img
Chapter 11 Rant img
Chapter 12 I'm sorry img
Chapter 13 Do better img
Chapter 14 Call img
Chapter 15 Late nights img
Chapter 16 I'll drop you off img
Chapter 17 Coffee run img
Chapter 18 Next time be faster img
Chapter 19 Mocking img
Chapter 20 Cleo img
Chapter 21 Guest img
Chapter 22 Cleo winters img
Chapter 23 Discomfort img
Chapter 24 Watching her img
Chapter 25 Elsie img
Chapter 26 Rose img
Chapter 27 Take care of him img
Chapter 28 Under the rain img
Chapter 29 Storm img
Chapter 30 Rose img
Chapter 31 I'm not most people img
Chapter 32 Aunty Jane img
Chapter 33 Faint img
Chapter 34 Fever img
Chapter 35 Worry less about me img
Chapter 36 Anthonio img
Chapter 37 I got myself a boyfriend img
Chapter 38 Café img
Chapter 39 Mr sterling img
Chapter 40 Emotions img
Chapter 41 Drinking to humor img
Chapter 42 Relax img
Chapter 43 Adrian img
Chapter 44 His messages img
Chapter 45 Change of plans img
Chapter 46 Lunch with img
Chapter 47 Adrain has good taste img
Chapter 48 Stay close img
Chapter 49 Who is she img
Chapter 50 Rose img
Chapter 51 My things img
Chapter 52 Adrain's mouth on mine img
Chapter 53 Rose img
Chapter 54 To see you img
Chapter 55 Whimper img
Chapter 56 I don't hide img
Chapter 57 Too certain img
Chapter 58 There is no us img
Chapter 59 Sit img
Chapter 60 Perfect img
Chapter 61 Gasped against his mouth img
Chapter 62 Father img
Chapter 63 Suitable img
Chapter 64 Sundress img
Chapter 65 Game room img
Chapter 66 Dinner img
Chapter 67 Mine img
Chapter 68 One more img
Chapter 69 Elsie img
Chapter 70 Is there a man img
Chapter 71 Enjoy the now img
Chapter 72 His fingers img
Chapter 73 Distracted img
Chapter 74 You make it hard to focus img
Chapter 75 So rose img
Chapter 76 I drove to her img
Chapter 77 I don't want to let you go img
Chapter 78 Drive me insane img
Chapter 79 Liar img
Chapter 80 Storm img
Chapter 81 Fun img
Chapter 82 Office img
Chapter 83 Anthonio img
Chapter 84 Anger img
Chapter 85 Bar img
Chapter 86 Distracted img
Chapter 87 Date img
Chapter 88 Graduation img
Chapter 89 His lips img
Chapter 90 Engagement img
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Chapter 7 Retail therapy

ROSE

Saturdays were supposed to be for breathing, no rushing to class, no professors lurking with assignments but today my chest still felt tight. Elsie had dragged me out for brunch, insisting we celebrate her internship news, and I couldn't exactly say no.

When I got to the café, she was already there, waving like she owned the place.

"Finally!" she grinned as I slid into the seat across from her. "If you had been any later, I would have ordered for you and pretended to eat both."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Please, like you need an excuse to eat two plates."

Her mock gasp earned a chuckle from the waiter who came over to take our order. Elsie, true to herself, asked for waffles and a side of fries, while I stuck with pancakes and iced tea.

As soon as the waiter left, she leaned forward, her eyes dancing with excitement. "So... guess who got accepted into B&S Law Firm for her internship?"

I blinked. "Wait.....you?!"

"Me!" she squealed, covering her mouth as a few people glanced over at us. "Can you believe it? They actually want me. This is like... top tier."

A genuine smile spread across my face. "Elsie, that's amazing. Congratulations."

"Thank you," she said, practically glowing. "But what about you? tell me how prepared you are for sterling & Co."

My fork paused halfway to my mouth. The knot in my stomach twisted tighter. I forced a small smile, trying not to sound as nervous as I felt. "Yeah... Sterling & Co."

Her jaw dropped as she studied me. "Wait. Why don't you look excited? This is every business student's dream. You should be screaming, not... frowning into your food."

I tried to laugh it off. "Maybe I'm just overwhelmed."

The truth was, I wanted to dig a hole under the café table and hide. All I could see was Adrian Sterling's piercing eyes, the way he'd looked at me like he already knew I'd slashed his tires. And now... now I was going to be working under him.

"Overwhelmed?" Elsie scoffed, snapping me out of my spiral. "Girl, if I were you, I'd frame that acceptance letter. I mean. Sterling & Co.?" She leaned back with a dreamy sigh. "This is history."

I smiled weakly and sipped my iced tea, praying she wouldn't notice how shaky my hands were.

History, yes. Just not the kind Elsie was imagining.

I laughed weakly, but the knot in my stomach only grew tighter.

"Alright spill the tea, what's going on" she said suddenly, her grin fading.

I hesitated. She was my best friend, and it was hard hiding everything from her. But how could I admit that I'd vandalized the CEO's car just days ago?

"I just..." I toyed with my straw. "I met someone from Sterling before. It... wasn't a pleasant encounter.Now I'm scared they'll remember me and hold it against me."

Elsie blinked, then waved it off with her usual boldness. "Rose, come on. Big executives meet hundreds of people. Why would they remember one random student?"

"Yeah," I murmured, trying to smile, though my chest felt heavy.

Elsie reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "Listen. You deserve this. So don't psych yourself out before you even start, okay?"

I nodded, grateful but still unsettled.

History, Elsie had called it. And she was right. I just didn't know if mine was about to be written in gold or in fire.

When we were done eating, Elsie leaned back in her chair, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips.

"Let's go shopping," she announced suddenly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I blinked. "Shopping?"

"Yes, shopping. You're about to start at Sterling & Co., and I'm about to start at B&S. We need clothes that scream future power women. Plus..." she added with a dramatic flip of her curls, "retail therapy is good for the soul."

I laughed, shaking my head, but deep down I couldn't help admiring her.

Elsie always carried this lightness with her, like the world couldn't weigh her down. She had a way of walking into a room and filling it with energy. Her big brown eyes seemed to sparkle with mischief, framed by a cascade of curls that bounced with every movement.

She wasn't just "pretty." Elsie had this quiet kind of allure, cute and sweet, yes, but there was something undeniably captivating about her, almost seductive without even trying. She could be silly one moment and enchanting the next, and she never even noticed the effect she had on people.

"Come on, Rose," she tugged at my wrist as we left the café. "We're buying at least one outfit each. No excuses."

And even though my mind was still tangled with nerves, I found myself smiling.

Because with Elsie, it was impossible not to.

The city center was alive with weekend chatter, couples holding hands, families strolling, friends weaving in and out of boutiques. Elsie practically dragged me from one shop to the next, her curls bouncing as she yapped about fabrics and colors like she owned the place.

"Try this on!" she squealed, shoving a cream blazer into my arms.

I groaned. "Elsie, I'm not even sure I can afford all this."

"Rose." She gave me the most serious look she could muster, which only lasted three seconds before her lips curled into a grin and pulled up a card that was clearly her dads. "This isn't spending, it's investing. Big difference."

I laughed, rolling my eyes, but still slipped into the fitting room. The blazer hugged me perfectly, giving me a sharpness I didn't feel on most days. When I stepped out, Elsie gasped dramatically and clutched her chest.

"My friend, the future executive," she said, bowing like she was at a royal court.

"Stop," I said, fighting a smile.

She twirled in her own choice a fiery red dress that hugged her curves and made heads turn, even from strangers passing the shop window. Elsie didn't even notice the stares. She was too busy striking silly poses in the mirror, puckering her lips like a model.

That was Elsie completely at home in her own skin. Her beauty wasn't just in the way her curls framed her face or how her brown eyes seemed to light up every space. It was in how effortlessly she carried herself. She was cute, enchanting, playful, and magnetic all at once. People wanted to be near her, to bask in her glow. And here I was, quietly tagging along, wondering if I'd ever learn to be that free.

By the time we staggered out of the fifth shop, both of us carrying more bags than we'd planned, Elsie looped her arm through mine.

"See?" she chirped. "Successful women need their armor. And clothes are armor."

I smiled softly. "You really think so?"

"I know so." She tapped my shopping bag. "Besides, you're going to need every bit of confidence when you step into Sterling & Co."

Her words made my stomach clench, but I forced a nod. "Yeah... I guess you're right."

We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling, sipping bubble tea, and laughing over silly things. For a while, I almost forgot about Adrian Sterling, about the tires, about the way his eyes had felt like they could strip away my excuses.

But when I finally got home that evening, laying my new clothes across my tiny bed, the weight returned.

Tomorrow was one day closer to Monday. And Sterling & Co. suddenly felt like both a dream and a trap.

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