Chapter 5

C

Chapter 5

Knowing Julian’s insistence, Valerie reluctantly accepted the card, thinking she’d better stash it away just in case Julian ever found himself in a bind.

Julian, relieved at her acceptance, finally cracked a smile, playfully naffled her hair, and asked, “Valerie, when are you going to bring my brother–in-

law around to meet me?”

“Next time,” Valerie replied quickly, making an excuse. “I just remembered I have something to take care of today” She got up and left in a hurry.

It was nearing 5 pm, and Julian needed to pick up the kid from school while Ashley started dinner, Valerie didn’t want to overstay and make dinner awkward, especially since she and Ashley weren’t exactly close. Still, she hoped for their happiness–a happy home is everything, right?

Riding out of the neighborhood, Valerie decided to stop by the pharmacy

It was her first pregnancy, and with no one to guide her, she relied on the internet for advice about needing folic acid and other vitamins,

At the checkout, the pharmacist smiled warmly at her. “You look wonderful, miss. Your baby is going to be just as beautiful,”

“Thank you.” Valerie said, touched that her first well–wishes came from a stranger.

inside her.

As she left the pharmacy, Valerie’s mood started to lift. She touched her still flat belly in disbelief, marveling at the life growing i

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message from a regular client who wanted to bring a friend to check out some cars at the shop.

[I be there in five] she texted back, speeding off.

Though it was her day off, Valerie was resolved to work as much as needed. After deciding to keep the baby, she knew every penny would count, especially for essentials like baby formula. With renewed purpose, she hopped on her scooter and headed back to the shop

Valerie had studied accounting in college, which had been a lucrative field when she was in high school. By her graduation, however, the market was saturated with accountants. To earn a decent salary required grinding through certifications and accumulating years of experience–more than Valerie could handle with 6,000 dollars in student debt and what she owed Julian.

Learning that sales offered a basic but decent salary plus attractive commissions, Valerie didn’t hesitate to switch tracks. Her carly years hustling in odd jobs had sharpened her people skills, allowing her to excel in sales

Two months ago, her employer, Arcion Cars, was taken over by Noria Group, the top conglomerate in Branson City. The new heir had revolutionized Noria with bold reforms and innovations, catapulting it into national renown Arcton Cars enjoyed a significant uptick in business as

The new department manager from Noria had introduced strict new sales targets and a performance–based pay structure Sales staff needed to move at least ten cars a month to earn their full base salary, with extra bonuses for top sellers.

For Valerie, the potential earnings from base pay, bonuses, and commissions justified cuising back on her days off. After all, every sale now meant more than just profit, it meant securing a future for her child.

Once Valerie arrived at the dealership, she quickly showed a car to a client, took them on a test drive, and wrapped up the deal in under thirty minutes.

As the customers left, Katherine Santos, a newcomer of two months, looked at Valerie with stars in her eyes “Valerie, you closed a deal on a 40- thousand dollar car in no time! Holy shit, Valerie, you’re like a sales goddess!”

Valerie just smiled and offered some advice. “A lot of customers don’t know much about cars, so you really need to know your stuff, Study up on all the car details, chat with the clients, and try to figure out what they need. Like that couple just now–the lady smelled faintly of milk. I figured she’s probably still nursing, which means they need extra space for baby gear. An SUV was obviously the best fit for them.

Katherine nodded vigorously, wishing she could jot down everything Valerie had said,

Suddenly, Isabel Spencer, with her bery red curls and a striking red dress, structed towards them, her hips swaying. She sneered as she looked them over. “Katherine, still hanging on Valerie’s every word? Just a heads up, don’t pick the wrong mentor. Not everyone can just duster their eyelashes

and make sales.”

Her comment stung, insinuating that Valerie relied on her looks to make sales.

Katherine bristled at the remark, but Valerie shrugged it off casually. “I guess I take that as a compliment on my looks, Isabel“: earn a paycheck, after all, and anything else was just noise.

was here to

Tubel, failing to get a rise out of Valerie, scowled and added spitefully, “Oh, and Valerie, I came to tell you that the deal you just closed! Mr. Hart has assigned it to me. Make sure to get all those client details sorted and hand them over.”

Valerie’s demeanor darken

at this news.

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