Chapter 9 Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Celine couldn’t stop admiring herself in the mirror. She wore a navy blue maxi skirt and a sky blue shirt tucked neatly in.
Her brown eyes looked brighter than usual, her long lashes brushing lightly whenever she blinked.
Her hair framed her face perfectly, and for the first time in a long while, she felt confident.
She smiled at her reflection, adjusted her shirt again, and grabbed her beautiful tote bag from the bed.
A soft knock came on the door.
“Breakfast is served,” Ariana said gently, her voice fading as she walked back toward the dining room.
Celine took one last look at herself and added a pair of clean white sneakers. “Alright,” she whispered, smiling at her reflection. “I think I look good.”
She walked out to the small dining table where Ariana had already set everything up. Toast, sandwiches, and a mug of hot chocolate.
“Awwww, you look so beautiful,” Ariana said with a warm grin as she sat down.
“Thanks,” Celine said shyly, blushing a little as she settled into her seat.
They ate quietly for a while before Ariana broke the silence. “So, your first day today?”
“Yes,” Celine said, chewing slowly. “I still can’t believe they didn’t ask for any papers. I thought they’d turn me down.”
Ariana nodded. “That’s how life works sometimes. Maybe this is your chance to start over.”
Celine smiled. “Maybe. I just want to do my best. I can’t remember the old me, but maybe this new job will help me figure things out.”
Ariana looked at her thoughtfully. “You will. One day at a time.”
“You’ve been through so much, but you still wake up every morning ready to start again. That’s something.”
Celine smiled quietly. “Maybe. I just hope I don’t mess up today.”
“You won’t. Just be yourself,” Ariana said.
They talked for a while about work, about life, and about how Ariana once spilled coffee on her boss during her first week. They both laughed hard at that.
After breakfast, Ariana picked up her purse. “Come on, let’s go before we’re late.”
Celine grabbed her bag. “I’m ready.”
After breakfast, Ariana grabbed her bag. “Come on, let’s go. I’ll drop you off before heading to my office.”
They got into Ariana’s small silver car. The morning breeze rushed through the slightly opened windows.
“You’ll do well, trust me,” Ariana said as she drove. “Be confident, and just be yourself.”
“I’ll try,” Celine replied, holding her tote bag close.
When they reached Castellan Enterprise, Celine’s heart beat faster. The building stood tall and proud, its glass walls shining under the sun. It looked powerful, like something she’d only seen in dreams.
“Have a nice day at work,” Ariana said, smiling warmly before driving off.
Celine took a deep breath and began walking toward the entrance. As she got closer, a shiny black Lamborghini parked in a special spot caught her eye.
The car looked too expensive, too perfect —the kind of car that screams power and old money.
“Wow,” she whispered under her breath.
“Who even drives that?”
She stared a bit longer before shaking her head and walking in.
Inside, everything looked expensive — gold accents, white floors, soft background music.
The scent of fresh flowers and perfume filled the air. People walked fast, holding files, pressing their phones, greeting each other briefly.
Everyone seemed so well-dressed — men in crisp suits, women in fitted skirts and heels.
People moved fast, typing on phones, holding files, calling out instructions.
The air inside smelled of Cologne and expensive coffee.
Celine tried not to stare too much. She just wanted to blend in.
She went straight to the front desk. “Good morning, ma’am. I’m here again,” she said politely.
The receptionist looked up and smiled. “Oh, it’s you. Welcome back. You can go to that office there — see where the other new interns are standing?”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
Celine followed the direction she was given. There were about seven other new workers.
Everyone there looked confident or at least tried to.
Some were chatting quietly, some scrolling through their phones, and a few looked as nervous as she felt.
A tall woman in glasses came in, holding a clipboard. “Good morning, everyone,” she said in a clear voice.
“I’m Ms. Grace, assistant manager to the HR. I’ll be assigning each of you to your departments.”
She went around, giving everyone a piece of fancy paper.
Celine took hers and looked at it curiously.
Her heart sank a little when she read it.
Position: Filing Clerk
Office Number: 001
“What’s that even about?” she whispered under her breath.
She waited until Ms. Grace finished talking before walking up to her. “Ma’am, please, I just wanted to ask—
“Yes?” Ms. Grace said, adjusting her glasses.
“I was assigned as a filing clerk. What exactly do I do?”
Ms. Grace looked at her carefully. “You’re the one hired on a testing phase, right?”
Celine nodded.
“Good. That means you’ll be working on the executive floor,” she said firmly. “It’s a very demanding section, so you’ll need to stay sharp.
As a filing clerk, you’ll be in charge of organizing physical and digital files, ensuring the executives have everything they need. Castellan Enterprise doesn’t offer jobs to lazy youth — this is a test of your commitment.”
Celine blinked, taken aback but nodded quickly. “Okay, ma’am. I understand.”
“Good,” Ms Grace said, pointing. “Take the elevator to the top floor. You’ll find the office number on your paper.”
Celine nodded and turned away. She could feel eyes on her — maybe curiosity, maybe envy.
The elevator doors opened, and she stepped in. Her heart was racing. She pressed the button for the executive floor.
When it opened, everything looked different — quieter, more expensive, more serious. The walls were cream and glass, and the air smelled faintly of cologne.
There weren’t many people there, just a few staff walking fast, focused on what they were doing.
She walked down the hallway slowly, her shoes making soft sounds on the polished floor.
“Room 001,” she murmured, reading the gold number on each door until she found it — a massive mahogany door at the end of the hallway.
The kind of door that looked like only powerful people used it.
Celine stopped in front of it. Her fingers tightened around the handle of her bag.
She took a deep breath and muttered, “Okay, let’s just do this.”
Her heart beat fast as she raised her hand.
And then she knocked softly.