Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

It wasn't exactly a tough gig, just a trip up to the mountains for some shooting and an interview. But given the long haul and a week's stay in pretty rough living conditions, nobody was jumping at the chance, even with a nice bonus. Selena wasn't one to fuss. She took the job right away, knowing it would help her hit her financial target for the month.

She packed her bags in record time, sent Joy a quick message to let her know, and then grabbed a cab to the airport.

Just her luck. As soon as she walked in, she spotted Margot surrounded by a swarm of fans. Cameras were flashing like crazy as Margot, clearly in a great mood, struck pose after pose, catching the attention of everyone around.

Rylan, the photographer tagging along with Selena, had arrived too and was naturally drawn to the spectacle. He couldn't help but admire out loud, "She really is the 'Piano Goddess.' Those hands of hers are so slender and elegant. But, you know..."

He leaned closer to Selena, lowering his voice. "Honestly, a guy like me finds her legs even more eye-catching. So smooth, and toned, not an ounce of extra fat. Absolutely flawless."

Selena hadn't been interested in Margot at first, but hearing this, she glanced over. Her eyes, however, settled not on Margot's legs but on the high heels she was wearing. Pointed and with stiletto heels, at least four inches high.

Baffled, Selena thought, 'Isn't Margot pregnant? She had been so careful last time and even dodged coffee. Why would she risk wearing high heels now?'

Just then, Rylan, having checked in their bags, said, "Let's get through security."

Selena pushed her thoughts aside, nodded and followed him toward the security checkpoint.

The mountains were desolate, but the locals were down-to-earth and welcoming, making the shoot and interview pretty smooth. The only hitch was the lousy signal, leaving them mostly out of touch.

***

Five days later, Selena finally got a call from her uncle, Brook. He sounded worried and spoke urgently, "Selena, where have you been? Why haven't you been picking up?"

"I'm up in the mountains. What's up?"

"Your cousin's had an accident. He's in the hospital now. You need to get back here right away!"

Her cousin Ricky, her uncle's son, was like a brother to her, having grown up together. The news hit her like a ton of bricks. "What happened to Ricky?"

But then the signal went bad again, and she barely caught her uncle's words before the call dropped.

A wave of dread washed over her like the day she heard about her parents' accident. She needed to get back immediately.

She rushed to find Rylan and

explained the situation.

Understanding her plight, he told her

to go ahead, assuring her he could

handle the rest of the work on his

own.

"Thanks. I'll treat you to a meal when I'm back."

In a mad dash to the airport, she was crushed to find out the last flight was already fully booked.

There's only a small airport in town and no trains, she'd have to wait until the next day to head back.

She tried calling her uncle again, but there was no answer. Her aunt wasn't picking up either, making her even more anxious.

Seeing her distress, a kind staff

member suggested, "Miss, the gentleman over there just bought

the last ticket. If you're really inet

hurry, maybe you could ask him if

he'd be willing to give it up for you."

BUMS

Her eyes brightened, and she immediately looked over to where the staff member pointed.

There, a tall man finished his coffee and tossed the cup into a trash can before striding toward the security checkpoint.