The HR manager of the LY Corp was younger than Lara expected. And he was way more good-looking than the average manager.

He talked with a secretary for a few minutes before approaching Lara.

«Hello, miss. You’re here for the job interview, right?»

Lara nodded, even though her instinct told her to run away. That man had a dangerous aura. As if he could crack her neck with a single hand.

Judging by his broad shoulders and muscled arms, it might have been the case.

Still, she wasn’t as intimidated as to stop talking. She tried a timid smile and followed him to the elevator.

«My office is on another floor. I hope you don’t mind. There’s a meeting in the conference room here, so we should move there. Do you have any previous experience?»

As Lara started telling her previous job experiences, the manager nodded, following attentively. He seemed very interested. As much as Lara believed there was hope to get a job.

She didn’t even care if the pay was low: it was a morning job. She would spend the rest of the day with her cubs. And she didn’t need to take a leave to spend the night of the full moon with them. It was too perfect to be true.

«Why did you abandon college?» the manager asked once in the elevator. He pressed a button and waited for the reply with patience.

He didn’t seem to know that his question could have been sensitive.

Lara lowered her eyes, wondering if a small lie about a previous marriage would have been discovered. Did such a big company have access to data about their employee’s family status?

«I didn’t have money for two other years,» she breathed. «I left and looked for a job.»

«You sure did a lot of odd jobs, miss. Is there a reason for not searching for something more stable before today?»

She nodded, even though her fingers stopped trembling. She needed to pass that interview. She needed it for her children. And for herself, as well.

«I thought there was no hope for someone without a college degree. But I am capable, manager. I have worked in a company already, and I am very fast to learn. At twenty-five, I realised that I shouldn’t waste time anymore.»

«Will you enrol in college again if you get a job? It’s a pity to leave it unfinished, isn’t it?»

«I don’t know,» she sighed. «I don’t feel like I need a degree as much. I know there’s a limit to what I can do without one, but I’m too old to dream of greatness.»

«One is never too old, miss… What was your name, again?»

«Lara Clayton.»

«Clayton… Clayton…» the manager repeated, but he couldn’t remember anything useful.

Lara blinked a couple of times, confused. Even if he did know someone with that surname, it wouldn’t for sure be a relative of hers. The world was crowded with Clayton folks, wasn’t it?

«Are you from Norwich?»

«No, I am not. I used to live in Sheton.»

«There aren’t any there, hmm… How long ago?»

«I left six years ago. Then, I wandered for a while. I would spend a few months in different places, so I saw the world. But now, I’m looking for a place where I can live longer. Let’s say, a few decades.»

«Your sense of adventure is admirable, Miss Clayton. Not everyone dares to leave a stable life like you.»

«It was not totally a choice, manager.»

She smiled. Just when the door of the elevator opened and they stepped out, she noticed a scene she wasn’t expecting.

For nothing in the world, she could have foreseen her daughter growling at a stranger. What was Scarlet doing there? Where was Jaden?

How did they get in?

She sighed, taking a fraction of a second to say goodbye to her job prospectives. Then, she did what she was the most proficient at.

She took a few steps and stood in front of her daughter. She took her in her arms and turned back, reaching the elevator.

Jaden appeared just in time, so she grabbed him and pushed inside. She pressed the button for the ground floor and turned to eye the people in the hallway.

The stranger Scarlet was growling at was still there, looking at her. His blonde hair tickled her memory, but she didn’t have time to see more because the elevator door closed.

While the lift moved downwards, she realised the situation. Her instinct helped her get out of the hallway, but she still had to walk out without attracting attention.

«You two will hear me when we get home,» she murmured. Scarlet was still in her arms, clinging on her neck for dear life.

Lara took Jaden’s hand and walked out. Fortunately, no one stopped them. They left as nothing happened, and she sighed in relief.

With some luck, no one noticed anything amiss with Scarlet.

Since they let them go, she was positive she would never hear from LY Corp again.

Her children were safe, so she could relax. A lost job opportunity wasn’t that much of a problem. She would have found another one soon. It wasn’t the first time she was jobless, after all.

«Let’s go shopping,» she exclaimed, letting Scarlet walk on her own feet. «No growling in the market!»

«Yes, mommy,» she mumbled. «Scarlet will be good.»

She raised her arm, and Lara held her hand as well.

All three together, they walked to a cheap shop nearby.

«What do you think about chicken?» she inquired.

«We love chicken,» Jaden replied. Scarlet nodded to confirm her brother’s words.

Lara knew it wasn’t true. They preferred beef. Yet, they would love to share their chicken with her, so they never complained when she cooked it.

«We’ll spend the rest of the day together,» she continued. «But you will be scolded if something like this happens ever again. Wasn’t I clear about not leaving home?»

She felt so guilty for leaving them alone, each and every time. They were too little to take care of themselves. Yet, she didn’t see any alternative.

Until their third year, she would pay a babysitter. But after they started biting, she couldn’t take the risk. And she couldn’t afford it anymore.

«Outside is dangerous for little cubs,» she continued. «No more leaving home alone, all right?»