NovelBook“When you go to more upscale events with your boss in the future, are you going to get so nervous that you ask
him to cancel and drive you hagain?”
Alessia glanced over at Joyce, her eyes steady and calm, not a trace of mockery or disdain-just a quiet, genuine
curiosity.
“That's not the same...” Joyce muttered defensively.
“How is it not the same?” Alessia pressed gently.
“These people-they’'re all trust fund babies, heirs and heiresses.” Joyce's voice was barely above a whisper.
“But Joyce, have you ever thought about the fact that you're going to meet more and more people like them? In
this city, if there’s one thing we're not short on, it’s wealthy people. You're at a top university, and you landed an
internship at Quantum Flux as a freshman on your own merit. All of these signs show that you're already starting
to move in these
circles.”
There was something reassuring in Alessia’s tone. The words seemed to settle the air inside the car, so even
Joyce found herself following along.
“You always tell yourself you don’t belong, that you're from a different world than these people. But then why did
you work so hard to leave your small town, to get into university, to join clubs and compete in contests? Was it
just so you could go back and be invisible, or settle for a nine-to-five job that barely pays the bills?”
Joyce opened her mouth, but no words cout.
“You didn’t get a head start, but you get to choose where you finish.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
“I...” Joyce's eyes trembled, and she twisted her fingers together in her lap.
“When you took a little longer ordering at the restaurant, the waitress rolled her eyes at you. You thought it was
your fault-you even tried to
09:08
Chapter 430
make excuses for her. But she’s the one who should've been professional. Her job is to help you decide, maybe
even walk you through. the options, not make you feel small with an eye roll.”
“Joyce, you can’t keep tearing yourself down. If you don’t respect yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?”
Alessia’s gaze locked with hers. Joyce wanted to look away, but it was as if she was caught, unable to escape.
“You've made it this far on your own. You've met so many different people-every single one of them could be a
part of your network. I'm part of that too! If you want to climb higher, these connections are your rungs on the
ladder.”
Joyce swallowed hard. Under Alessia’s unwavering eyes, she found herself nodding.
She hadn’t expected Alessia to be so blunt, but somewhere deep inside, she felt a flicker of happiness.
There was something joyful, almost heady, about being seen and believed in. Without realizing it, she lifted her
chin a little.
Not even Joyce noticed that, in her eyes, there was now a glimmer of hope-a vision of a future where she'd
finally made it.
“Thank you, Lessie.”
No sooner had the words left her lips
than the car pulled to a gentle stop in
front of a hotel so|[34sRit fodked like
SERGE of a different life. The
driver opened the door for them, and
they stepped out one after another.
“Stand up straight, okay?” Alessia gave Joyce's shoulder an encouraging squeeze.
“Okay.” Joyce took a deep breath, straightened her back, and this time, kept her head held high.
Yes, she thought. After tonight, she'd
still be Joyce, but FF gyereragain
"ihe tic) sefe-Y ubting girl she
used to be. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
2/3
09.09
Chapter 430
She wiped her sweaty palm against
her dress, and, followin Alessia)
lead, sds contiy ovard the
ehirbhce—the very place she'd once
believed she'd never belong. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
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