234's Lifelines

7. Pandora's Box

The journey lasted eight months. Sometimes I traveled alone, sometimes, there were others who took the wheel -- and took my heart. But when the destination was reached, it wasn't me who arrived...it wasn't me at all."Peyton Sawyer One Tree Hill

Song : Reset -Tiger JK ft Jinsil School 2015 ost.
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"I still think you're crazy if you don't accept this..." Jess says.

"Language!"Hera says interrupting her, covering up Shakespeare's ears.

"Auntie JJ, that's no no," Shakespeare says laughing and waving her little index finger in front of her face.

"I didn't curse," Jess says confused.

"You said I was the c word!" Hera says hands still tightly held to Shakespeare's ears.

"Sorry Sweetheart," Jess says to Shakespeare making a cute apologetic face.

Shakespeare laughs and focuses her attention back on the IPad Jess had given her to play games on. It was a week since they'd arrived but through bribes like the IPad, Jess was quickly becoming one of Shakespeare's favorite people.

"Why would I go to the lions den with my own two feet? Last I checked my name's not Daniel," Hera says putting on her seatbelt as they drive off.

"The Blacks moved to England after his death,and have not returned, you won't be bumping into any of them, plus even if they are back which I'm sure they aren't, why would they want to return to the state and country that took his life?...Even if they returned, Mixx will be the last place they'll appear," Jess says for the nth time since Hera had informed her that, during the interview at Mixx she'd found out it was the Blacks project and owned by them.

They were opening what they'd termed the world's largest shopping world, with exclusively made designs by new designers handpicked by the world's best to create designs of clothing, shoes, jewelry and makeup for the Blacks. Mixx was to be a brand of its own.

With the successful completion of the building which in itself was a sight to behold from outside, they'd put out applications for new hires with large hire bonuses. No one had seen the inside as of yet but everyone was dying to see the inside as rumors where afloat of its containing a playground, an amusement park, an Iceland, a sand world, a hospital, a mini Disney land, Harry potter's school of wizardry amongst others, like most rumours Hera too the list of rumored things it was to have with a grain of salt but was refusing to do the same with the news on its being a Black family owned business.

Hera had been one of those who had picked an application  for Mixx unaware of its association with the Blacks imediately applying and gaining a call for an interview. She'd only heard the rumors when she arrived at the interview venue, of its association with Black Corp from other interviewees.

If she hadn't been the next name called she'd have picked her bag up and ran the other way but she couldn't. So she went through with the interview determined to run the other way once she steps out the interview room.

While she was at her interview, Jess and Shakespeare hung out. That was another thing that made her want the job in the first place, Mixx was confirmed to have a daycare service for parents of employees and shoppers who didn't want to drag their children around Mixx with them. For employees, like Hera who were single mum's, it was the perfect solution to worries on who to watch their child and the cost of taking care of their child for hours while they worked.

But now hearing about it being owned by Peter Black, it suddenly didn't seem as beautiful and enticing anymore.

"You're only here for a month anyway," Jess says.