Then, a sudden opportunity appeared: auditions for a singing competition were being held in a nearby city.
This was her chance to showcase her talent. The young girl was confident that she would easily pass the preliminary round and make it to the next round with her talent.
Part of her even believed that she might win the competition.
However, she's now faced with a dilemma: she can't figure out how she is going to get there.
She decided to forget about her lousy mother; she would rather work on the streets of Las Vegas and be a hooker than look for someone who wouldn't even spend a second thinking about her.
After contemplating her options, she thought about the possibility of securing a job on the spot to earn some quick cash.
However, she realized that most of the available jobs paid minimum wage, which wouldn't be sufficient for her needs. It was clear that she needed to come up with a solution quickly—a job that would provide her with the means to cover all of her expenses so that she could attend the audition.
"Ha, there's a decent likelihood of coming across a job like that," she mumbled under her breath, then let out a deep and heavy sigh.
Feeling completely stranded and without any other recourse, she had no choice but to contact her closest friend.
She held onto hope that her friend might have a solution to her predicament or, at the very least, be able to offer her some financial assistance, even if it was just enough to cover the bus fare.
She was hesitant to ask for a large sum of money and only requested enough to cover the cost of her travel to California, where the audition was scheduled to take place.
***
The young girl embarked on a journey to visit her closest friend.
She was filled with assurance, knowing that her best friend would generously offer her any financial support she needed, without seeking any explanations.
"It was a brisk, leisurely stroll, and before she knew it, she found herself standing in front of her best friend's welcoming doorstep."
As she entered the room, she was taken aback by the sight of her best friend and her boyfriend locked in a heated argument. She stood silently in the doorway, hesitant to intervene and disrupt the tense atmosphere.
"I'm sorry, but I really don't know anyone who can help you," her best friend said with frustration in her voice, her eyes scanning the room. "Even if your friend's boss offers a large sum of money, I still can't assist you."
"How about you? I know you can speak at least four or five languages!" The boyfriend's accusation cut through the tense air, his voice barely repressing his anger as he confronted his partner.
Leah defiantly responded, "So, what if I can?" Her best friend shot back, "That doesn't mean I'm willing to do it!"
"How about your friend, the one that's always hanging around you? She's always borrowing money; I'm sure she could use some cash right now. Why don't you ask her?" The boyfriend suggested.
"You're unbelievable! She's my friend, not yours. What she owes me is our business and has nothing to do with you. I can't believe you would even mention that!" Her best friend replied, finally breaking out into tears.
"You have no right to bring my private matters with my friend into our discussions." Her expression had then turned stiff. "You know what? I don't even need a shady boyfriend like you. I want to break up. We're done!" She then turned around, ready to leave.
"N-no! Please, don't say that! I didn't mean anything by what I said! I'm in a bind right now; this is an excellent opportunity. It has a big commission, plus a bonus! I really need this right now!"
Cried the boyfriend, his voice trembling with desperation as he pleaded with his eyes, silently conveying the depth of his despair.
***
The young girl heard what her friend's boyfriend had said, and curiosity got the better of her. It was the very opportunity that she was looking for, the reason why she was there in the first place.
As she frantically dashed toward them, barely avoiding a stumble, she eagerly inquired, "How about me? Will I do?"
"What do you mean? What about you?" Her best friend hissed in protest, surprised and irritated with her best friend's sudden arrival. "I'm ready to split up with him to protect you, and now you're asking, 'What about you? Are you going nuts, too, along with this asshole?!"
Ignoring his furious girlfriend, the boyfriend decided to approach the young girl instead of arguing with his girlfriend.
"You came at the right time. I have a job for you! It pays a hefty sum – you interested?" he asked Ann excitedly, knowing she was desperate.
"Yes! I'm interested, but first, I need to know how much this job will pay and what it's about." Just because she was desperate, it didn't mean she would let herself be scammed.
The boyfriend offered the young girl an amount that was enough to cover all the past due bills, with even enough left over for her to go to the singing competition. It was too good to be true. What a blessing!
"Sure, I agree to take on the task, but I'm curious - what's the catch? What specific responsibilities are involved? I hope you're not planning to ask for something extreme like a kidney," the young girl asked with a touch of unease.
The boyfriend laughed out loud. The young girl, with her innocent puppy eyes, looked at him excitedly, waiting for his explanation. "No, I'm not going to ask for your kidney; it's a translation job," he replied kindly.
The boyfriend then explained the requirements for the translation job and how she would receive her pay. If she did a good job, she would receive an additional bonus.
The young girl felt a burning eagerness grow in her chest. They agreed that she would do the job the following day.
The young girl's face lit up with a broad, joyful smile stretching from one ear to the other. She felt an overwhelming sense of disbelief at her incredible stroke of luck. As she contemplated completing her current task, she was filled with the hope that it would solve all of her current problems.
Yet the boyfriend still had more to say.
"Before I forget, I want to remind you that there is a requirement for this position. The client is a bit particular and has specified that they prefer candidates who are over forty years old or married. It seems that the client has some concerns regarding interactions with younger, single women, so they are quite insistent on these specific prerequisites."
Another dilemma immediately confronted her. The young girl couldn't age overnight, and changing her appearance would do no good. There was no way anyone would believe she was over forty.
But there was only one option left: she needed to find and pay someone to become her fake husband, which was easier said than done.
She heard that people, primarily compulsive gamblers, were always looking for easy money in Las Vegas. She thought it should be easy to find a man willing to play along if the price was right. But where would she begin looking for one?
The young girl had begun calculating things out. With the amount of money offered, and after deducting the fee for this asshole… Thank God her best friend was done with him… She'll still have enough money to pay the bills and attend the audition.' She suddenly paused in the midst of her thoughts.
She's trying to figure out where can she find a fake husband. The young girl needs to come up with a plan fast because this opportunity is too good to pass up.
After pondering for a few minutes, she asked with enthusiasm,
"What time do I need to be there?" she asked with a big smile on her face, clearly excited about the upcoming event.