2 Liz Redmaine

When she saw the e-mail that she was being called in for an interview to be the personal assistant of the CEO of the top tech company in the world, Liz stood up suddenly and jumped in the air.

Oblivious to the fact that the chair which she had knocked back by doing so had almost fallen on the little boy who had been walking behind her, she immediately turned around and ran to him before scooping him up in her arms and hugging him tight.

"SIS! I …grr….told you already! No hugs till you make it up to me!"

Trying to fight his way out of her hands, the kid squeezed out these words.

Hearing him, Liz only chuckled and ruffled his hair before placing a wet kiss on his cheek.

"Yuck! Come on!"

Seeing that he was starting to actually get grumpy, Liz finally set down her half-brother.

With dimpled cheeks, glossy black hair and a cute nose that she loved to pinch, Derek was the most adorable 7-year old that she had ever seen.

And how much ever he asked, she would always deny that she was only saying that because she was his sister.

Bending her 5 foot 8 inches figure and looking into his brown eyes, she said, "Don't you worry, your sister is going to crack the job interview and become THE highest paid assistant in the city! After that, I'll take you everywhere you want!"

As he heard the emphasis on the 'THE', the little kid raised his eye brows as if he knew how much the other assistants got paid.

This only made Liz want to hug him again, but she was stopped by a crashing sound that she heard in the kitchen.

After looking into each other's eyes for a moment, the two of them ran to the kitchen to see a middle-aged woman covered in flour.

The box that had just fallen down was still rolling on the floor while the woman looked into their eyes, frozen, as if she was balancing the pile of flour on her head.

After a few seconds of silence, she hastily looked around the room and pointed at a cat outside on the window sill.

"Meow!"

As all three of them turned their eyes towards the hapless cat, it let out a sound as if it were angered at the false accusation.

Unable to take it anymore, both Derek and Liz burst out laughing while their mother started to dust herself off.

Usually, in such a situation, Liz would already have started to tell off Mary for creating such a mess.

Yet, with the knowledge that their family's condition would soon change for the better, she only helped Mary clean up while smiling to herself.

With even Derek joining in to help, the small family made quick work of the kitchen, soon leaving it spick and span.

"Mum, I got called for that interview I told you about. If I get the job, we can definitely move out of this neighbourhood into a much better one."

Mary, who hadn't said a word so far because of being guilty for causing so much trouble just to reach a biscuit on the high rack, finally spoke.

"Liz, I've heard bad things about that man. Marge says he treats people as objects!"

"What does it matter, Mum? I work, get paid, and get home. How bad could it be? Besides, don't trust that Marge. She loves making stories up! Remember when she spread the rumour about me bringing home a boy from the office? It.was.the.damn.mailman!"

"But this is diff-"

Raising her hand to indicate a stop to the conversation, Liz said with a determined expression, "I've decided, mom. Derek needs to go to a better school; I don't want to see him bullied anymore. You aren't going to do anything to change that anyway, so at least let me."

Walking off with a slightly morose expression, Liz didn't see the emotions of sadness and regret that passed in her mother's eyes due to the truth that Liz had been the one to always give up everything for the family.

After getting to her computer in the small 2-bedroom apartment, Liz immediately sent the mail confirming the time quoted for the interview.

Tomorrow, at 8 am, she would be attending the most important meeting in her life yet.

Little did she know that it was also one that would set her on a track that she could never have imagined that her life would take.

.....

With her long brown hair wrapped into a neat bun, Liz reached the humongous transparent front doors of the building labeled by the name "Happle Inc.".

Pushing open the doorhandles which were shaped like the logo of the company which was a fruit that had been bitten, Liz took deep breaths while making her way over to the reception.

Arranging her knee-length black pencil skirt and the white blouse which was the best one she had, Liz checked her appearance one last time in the mirror.

Fair, oval face, plump cheeks which turned into fluffy balls when she smiled, straight nose, luscious lips and eyes which were so brown that they almost looked black.

"Liz Redmaine, hear to meet-"

"Mr. William! You are right on time. Please follow me."