C1 THEIR FIRST MEET

As the morning sun began to rise, Charlotte’s alarm buzzed loudly at 6:30 AM.

Living in a modest one-room apartment, she and her two younger sisters shared a single bed. Charlotte didn't mind the tight space at all—in fact, she cherished these quiet morning moments when she could cuddle with them before the chaotic day began.

“Wake up, my sunshines!” Charlotte sang softly, wiggling her two sisters, who were still fast asleep under the sheets.

Neither girl bothered opening her eyes. Instead, they pulled the heavy blanket straight over their heads.

“I’m not awake yet!” Lisa groaned, burying her face into the pillow to fall back asleep.

Charlotte’s heart softened. She knew how tough today was for them—it was their first day of school, and everything felt different now without their parents around to guide them. Leaning down, Charlotte pressed warm kisses onto Lisa’s forehead to coax her awake, but before she could finish, a small pair of arms wrapped tightly around Charlotte’s waist from behind.

“I want kisses too!” Mia exclaimed softly.

Charlotte chuckled, turning around to gather both girls in her arms before tickling them mercilessly.

“Okay, okay, I’m awake!” Lisa squealed through giggles, sitting up grumpily and shuffling straight toward the bathroom, with Mia scrambling right behind her.

As her sisters got ready, Charlotte wasted no time preparing for her own day.

It had been six agonizing months since she had graduated from college. She had applied to dozens of companies, but none were willing to hire her—except for a local shoe manufacturing plant on the outskirts of their town. The pay was barely above minimum wage, but it kept a roof over their heads and food on the table for the past half-year.

A year ago, a devastating car accident had claimed both of their parents' lives. Overnight, Charlotte had no choice but to step up and become a parent to her younger sisters. She used every bit of her remaining savings to finish her tuition, determined to earn her degree. She didn't regret a single sacrifice. All she wanted was to work hard and build a decent, stable life for her sisters.

Today, however, Charlotte felt a surge of genuine hope. It was officially her regularization day—the day she was promised a raise and full employee benefits. To celebrate, she promised Lisa and Mia that she would treat them to a nice dinner after work and school. The two girls had hugged her excitedly before running off to catch their school bus.

Arriving at the plant, Charlotte was greeted by the familiar smell of rubber, leather dust, and machine oil. She headed straight to her station, taking her place on the assembly line as a shoemaker. She worked tirelessly all morning, her fingers moving in a practiced rhythm until she finally hit her daily production quota.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Charlotte stood up and walked toward her manager’s office, her heart beating with quiet anticipation.

“Excuse me, sir,” Charlotte said politely, knocking on the open door. “I wanted to ask about my regularization. It’s been six months today.”

The manager looked up from his desk, squinting at her as if trying to recall who she was. After a moment, he opened a metal filing cabinet, flipped through a stack of folders, and pulled out a single sheet of paper.

He slid it across the desk toward her. “Ah, yes. Your six-month term is up today. As stated in your contract, your contract ends after six months. You're being released, not regularized.”

Charlotte froze, the air leaving her lungs all at once. She stared at the paper in absolute disbelief.

“W-What?” Charlotte stammered, her voice shaking as panic surged through her chest. “No, that’s impossible! Sir, that isn't the contract I signed! You promised me regularization!”

The manager merely pointed a cold finger at the bottom of the paper, showing Charlotte her own signature inked cleanly on the line.

Charlotte opened her mouth to protest, her chest tight with rising panic, when the office door clicked open. A tall, striking woman with commanding posture stepped into the room. Dressed in a tailored dark suit with her hair pulled back into an elegant clip, her sharp presence instantly drew all the air out of the room.

“What is going on here?” the woman asked, her voice low, smooth, and laced with quiet authority as her dark eyes shifted between the manager and Charlotte.

The manager immediately straightened his back, putting on a defensive smile. “Ah, Ms. Vance. This employee is causing a scene, claiming we forged the contract she signed.”

He handed the sheet of paper over to Victoria Vance, who took it and examined the document with a cool, calculated expression. After a brief pause, her sharp gaze drifted up to Charlotte's pale, trembling face.

“The document is legitimate,” Victoria stated calmly, her voice devoid of emotion. “Today is your last day at the factory. You may gather your belongings and leave.”

A tear slipped down Charlotte’s cheek. “No, please! That’s not the contract I signed!” she pleaded, her voice cracking with desperation. “I have two little sisters counting on me! I can’t lose this job!”

Victoria raised an eyebrow. Something in Charlotte’s raw desperation seemed to catch her attention. She looked down at the contract once more, her eyes narrowing as she noticed a subtle discrepancy in the page alignment.

Turning to her assistant standing just outside the door, Victoria instructed, “Pull her original hiring file from the main database and review it.”

Hearing this, the manager’s face paled. He quickly interjected, stepping between Victoria and the door. “Ms. Vance, there’s really no need to waste your time! As you can see, the paper has her signature. It’s completely official—”

Charlotte couldn't hold back her outrage any longer. Six months of backbreaking labor, blistered hands, and empty promises boiled over inside her.

“I haven’t even received the bonuses or incentives I worked overtime for!” Charlotte shouted, stepping forward and confronting both of them. “I’ve been an excellent worker for this company, and I don’t deserve to be cheated like this!”

Outside the glass windows of the manager’s office, workers on the assembly line were starting to stop their machines, turning their heads toward the commotion.

Victoria glanced at the gathering crowd of onlookers, then turned back to Charlotte. Her dark eyes held an unreadable intensity, assessing the fiery, tear-streaked girl standing before her.

“Follow me to my office,” Victoria commanded quietly, her tone leaving no room for argument. “We will handle this privately.”

Charlotte wiped the tears from her cheeks, swallowed her fear, and nodded. “Okay.”