Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

Amy flopped onto the couch, her mind spinning as she tried to make sense of Fiona's mysterious words. Frustrated, she grabbed her phone and dialed a number, her voice firm and urgent. "I need everything on Fiona, and I need it now, whatever it takes!"

There was a long pause on the other end, and Amy's chest heaved with barely contained anger. "Answer me!"

"Amy, your time with the organization is almost up. Watch your tone."

Amy let out a derisive snort, her voice cold as ice. "And? You picked me for this job. I can walk anytime. As long as I'm here, you follow my lead."

"Fiona's information is locked down tight. I'll let the organization know what you said. Good luck."

The call ended, and in a fit of rage, Amy hurled her coffee cup to the floor and stormed out. As she opened the door, she bumped into her advisor, who was tending to a bandaged hand. Their eyes met, and the advisor quickly took in the mess, her anger flaring, though worry for Amy was plain on her face.

"This is all Fiona's doing, isn't it?" the advisor grumbled, wishing she could give Fiona a piece of her mind. She gently took Amy's hand, asking, "Are you hurt? Fiona's a loose cannon. You should steer clear of her."

Amy nodded, agreeing softly.

"But what about the mess in the office? I was just coming to clean it up," Amy said with a smile, though she had no intention of actually helping.

"No, no, you go on," the advisor replied, waving Amy off before starting to tidy up the room herself, muttering under her breath.

Back in the classroom, Amy announced that no one had to finish the ten- thousand-word assignment, thanks to her convincing talk with the advisor. However, she still had to complete it herself.

This caused quite a buzz, especially among the group that had been

venting at Fiona earlier. They gathered outside the advisor's office, eavesdropping on the argument between Fiona and the advisor, their dislike for Fiona growing.

"Some people have the nerve to hang around, stirring up trouble and leaving others to clean up. And to think she's supposed to be a high-society heiress! It's a joke."

"You didn't know? She's not even from around here."

They muttered among themselves, shooting dirty looks at Fiona and her friends who, ignoring the drama, started playing cards right there in the classroom, driving their

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classmates up the wall.

Meanwhile, over at the Woods family estate, Jackson was fuming. He flung anoveldrama

contract across his desk at the man standing before him.

"Seven days, and this is the garbage proposal you bring me?"

Jackson's anger was palpable, his voice booming through the open office door for everyone outside to hear.

The man on the receiving end of Jackson's Qutburst was the one who had signed the contract with Fiona at Golden Times the day before, His eyes narrowed, and though he was seething inside, he had to putup with it, all because of Fiona.