Sarah located the venue where Mrs. Mara had asked to meet. The Kale&Quinoa Vegan Café, nestled between towering oak trees, exuded a warm charm that made her feel slightly at ease, even though her heart raced with uncertainty.
She arrived a bit early, her eagerness to secure the job overshadowing the nagging feeling that something about the arrangement didn't sit right with her.
As she waited, she fidgeted with her phone, scrolling through messages that felt increasingly irrelevant. Thirty minutes passed, and just as she began to doubt her decision, she spotted Mrs. Mara stepping out of her sleek black SUV jeep. Sarah hurriedly stood up, smoothing her skirt and taking a deep breath to compose herself.
"Good day, Madam!" she greeted, forcing a grin that felt a bit too wide, her nerves bubbling beneath the surface.
"Good day, Sarah. By the way, you can call me Mrs. Mara," she replied, her voice smooth and confident. "You can sit, Sarah."
"Thank you, Mrs. Mara," Sarah said, immediately sinking into the plush chair across from her.
Mrs. Mara studied her for a moment, her piercing gaze making Sarah feel exposed.
"Do you know what your job is?" she asked, her tone casual yet commanding.
"I don't quite get what you said yesterday….on the phone," Sarah replied, her voice stammering slightly as she felt the weight of the moment.
"You don't get what? That you will have to win over my stepson's heart and earn his trust? Come on, it's not that hard," Mrs. Mara replied, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes.
Sarah's heart sank. "What if I don't want to do it?" she asked, her voice barely over a whisper.
"And why don't you want to do it? Have you forgotten you have mounting medical bills to sort?" Mrs. Mara shot back, her tone sharp as she sensed Sarah's hesitation.
The mention of her bills sent a shiver down Sarah's spine. She had been struggling to keep her head above water, and the thought of turning down a job opportunity felt reckless.
"His name is Victor," Mrs. Mara continued, her voice softening. "He is facing a tough period in his life. He lost his mother at a very young age, and more recently, his father passed away. Since then, he's been struggling to adjust to all the changes around him."
Sarah felt a pang of sympathy.
"And with your optimistic and cheerful nature, I believe you can bring some light into my stepson's life," Mrs. Mara added, her eyes glimmering with hope.
"You seem to know me so well, Mrs. Mara," Sarah replied, her brows furrowing in confusion.
"I've done my research, dear. You have a way of brightening up a room, and I need someone like you to help Victor heal."
As Sarah listened, she felt a strange pull towards the idea of helping Victor. The though of being a beacon of hope in someone's life ignited a flicker of excitement within her.
"I'll do it," she said, her voice steady now, a newfound determination coursing through her veins.
Mrs. Mara smiled, a satisfied glint in her eyes. "I knew you would. Welcome aboard, Sarah. Let's bring some light into Victor's life together."
"How do you propose to meet my stepson?" she added, her voice smooth, yet there was an edge of expectation in her tone.
"Oh, I—I--- don't know," Sarah stammered, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her blouse.
Mrs. Mara leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Exactly, you have to figure that out on your own."
The thought sent a wave of panic through Sarah. She had no idea where to start. Just as she was about to voice her concerns, a light bulb flickered in her mind. "Oh! As a maid!" she blurted out, her eyes wide with sudden inspiration.
"No, no, I want your meeting with Victor be neutral. You need to cross paths with him on your own, not through me introducing him to you," Mrs. Mara explained, her tone firm yet, encouraging.
Sarah felt a mix of frustration and determination. "But I don't even know how to do that!" she exclaimed, her voice rising slightly.
Mrs. Mara sat quietly, eyes fixed on her, briefly wondering if Sarah was truly capable of getting her what she wanted.
"By the way, you need to get new clothes, and that hairstyle of yours needs to be changed," Mrs. Mara added, her gaze sweeping over Sarah's casual attire.
Sarah threw her a glare, placing her left hand on her hair. She personally didn't think anything was wrong with her hairstyle. But Mrs. Mara was right about one thing, if she was going to make an impression, she needed to look the part.
Executing the first plan to cross paths with victor proved to be more challenging than Sarah anticipated. Mrs. Mara had orchestrated a trip to the mall, where she planned to send Victor, hoping that Sarah would intentionally bump into him.
"I want your meeting to be natural. I don't want a situation where he thinks I'm arranging girls for him, again," remembering what Mrs. Mara had said earlier, Sarah muttered underneath her breath feeling the weight of the task ahead.
Sarah had started to rehearse her speech, her heart racing with each word she practiced. She needed to be fluent in whatever she says to Victor. The thought of looking foolish made her stomach churn, especially after Mrs. Mara had warned her Victor's sensitivity and unkindness. Yet, Mrs. Mara had also mentioned that he wasn't always unkind, but Sarah feared encountering that side of him.
Just as she was about to lose herself in her thoughts, her phone rang. It was Mrs. Mara.
"Good day, Mrs. Mara," Sarah answered, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Good day, Sarah. Victor will be heading to the mall in fifteen minutes. This is your chance to meet him. Do not lose this opportunity," she stated firmly.
"Okay, Mrs. Mara," Sarah replied, her heart pounding.
"The chauffer is outside; don't keep him waiting for too long," she added before ending the call.
Sarah peeped through the window, her breath hitching as she spotted a sleek black Mercedez-Benz parked outside. A short man in a black suit leaned against the car, his presence commanding yet assuming.