"Damn it!" I angrily mutter to myself under my breath. A tear leaves my eye as I finish reading the latest rejection letter from a recruiter.
It has been eight months since I last had a steady job, and I am near breaking point. Desperate doesn't even come close to describing my current financial situation. My life savings have been depleted, and I am struggling just to make ends meet. In fact, this rapidly cooling mug of tea in my hands is going to be the only source of warmth I'll be able to afford today. I'm behind on my gas and electricity bills, and it's only a matter of time before they cut me off.
Sitting in the quiet corner of the cafΓ©, I turn my attention back to the local newspaper in front of me. I scour the employment pages in the hope of finding a job that I haven't yet applied for, and been rejected from, but I have no luck.
Fed up with it all, I lift the mug of tea to my lips one last time to finish my drink before heading home, when out of the corner of my eye, I notice it. Hidden away in the bottom right-hand corner of the last page of the newspaper, I spot the tiniest of job ads.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT REQUIRED
CENTRAL LONDON ADDRESS
NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE NEEDED
GOOD SALARY AND EXCELLENT BENEFITS
APPLICANTS MUST SEND CV AND PHOTO
I suddenly perk up, thinking that this could be the perfect job for me. I have always loved helping people, and even put others' needs before my own. Good salary and excellent benefits. No previous experience needed. These all sound perfect.
I rush home and power up the laptop, opening my CV to begin editing it. I then tweak it to make me sound like the perfect PA. I print off a copy, put on some makeup and take a quick, professional-looking selfie, before putting everything carefully into an envelope and posting it off to the address supplied in the ad.
It is now three days later, and I have heard nothing. Not a letter nor a call. Not even an email acknowledgment of receipt of my application.
I am sitting at home on my own, watching boring television reruns, when I hear the doorbell. It's 9pm so I have no idea who it could be at such a late hour. I slowly stand up and peer through my curtains to see who it is standing at my doorstep. I can't see anyone. Maybe it's those annoying neighbour's kids just messing around.
I walk over to the front door and slowly open it, letting the cold winter air chill my face as I look for the person who rang the bell. Nobody there. I look left and right down the street but still not a sign of a single soul. As I move to close the front door, I notice a large dress box on my doorstep, neatly fastened with a bow, and a card slipped underneath the ribbon. I kneel down to inspect it closer. The card has my name, Jenny, on the envelope. I reach out to pick up the box, touching it lightly at first before I am confident enough that it is safe. I then pick it up and take it inside, carrying it to my bedroom before placing it on my bed.
What is this box, and who is it from? So many questions swirling through my head. I reach for the card and remove it from under the ribbon. As I lift the card closer to my face, the aroma of a strong, musky fragrance fills my nose. The person who wrote this card is clearly male, and his scent makes me let out an involuntary sigh as I carefully open the envelope and read the card inside.
YOU HAVE MADE IT TO THE INTERVIEW STAGE.
PLEASE WEAR THE ENCLOSED OUTFIT AND ARRIVE AT 10:00AM TOMORROW AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS.
The card is unsigned but there is a Central London address at the bottom.
HOLY SHIT, WOW! I have an interview! I actually have an interview!
Excitedly, I tear open the box as fast as I can. I can't wait to see the outfit I will be wearing. Will it be some kind of uniform, and if so, what will it look like?
Once opened, I am greeted with what can only be described as beautiful. A pristine, navy blue designer work suit with pencil skirt and matching jacket, and a soft white blouse. I have never worn anything nearly as expensive or exclusive as this. I slowly take the suit out of the box and hang it up to avoid it creasing, admiring it with my mouth open in awe as I do so. I can't wait to wear it tomorrow.
I turn back to the box on the bed to tidy it up, only to find something else in the box. Now, I love shoes, what girl doesn't? But here in the box, sitting on MY bed in MY shitty little house, is a pair of perfect black Christian Louboutin shoes. I can tell straight away that they are Loubs, and I can't stop myself screaming in joy as I lift them out of the box and try them on.
After parading in them a little, I carefully remove them and place them on the floor below the hanging suit. Whether I get the job or not, I am happy knowing that I am going to look amazing, even if it is for just one morning. My mood changes a little when I turn back to the box again. There are more items in the box, and this time, I am not smiling.
I reach into the box and pull out a beautiful set of black panties and bra. There is also a pair of sheer, crotchless, black tights. It all looks beautiful, like the rest of the outfit, but I feel uncomfortable with them being bought for me by a stranger I've never met, who was going to interview me tomorrow, knowing what underwear I was wearing.