Chapter 1

Laura took a deep breath and then pushed the door in front of her open to start her first day of work at her new job. The heels of her shoes clacked against the hard tile of the floor as she psyched herself up so that she would make a good impression. She was 15 minutes early, which would hopefully help with that impression. Her previous job had been her first since graduating from college, and the constant deadlines, unpaid extra hours, and uncaring management had made the past two years very stressful. As a result, Laura gained about 20 pounds working there. Her former co-workers made sure to always have a catty remark whenever they saw her, commenting on her figure. With some hard work and dedication, she managed to sweat the extra pounds off at the gym, but the environment was just downright toxic. When Laura's best friend from college called with a job opportunity, after an initial hesitation, she didn't even have to think twice.

Laura was a 27-year-old woman with blonde hair that hung down just past her shoulders and who could best be described as having that girl next door look. She had a natural, warm smile and a glowing, friendly aura when she wasn't stressed. A carnival worker would be dead on if they guessed her weight at 121 pounds. She sported a slight hourglass figure with just the right amount of hips, butt, and thighs to perfectly fill the skirt she wore. Her stomach was flat but was soft enough that she jokingly referred to it as her flab. Her bust was a modest but respectable B cup. She wore light makeup to accentuate her features and had deep blue eyes. Today, she wore a smart grey skirt, jacket, white blouse, and black heels. She had majored in project management in college, not so much out of passion but practicality and wanting a steady income. One of Laura's favorite hobbies was making pottery; the idea of taking clay and using it to make any shape you could think of was relaxing and gave her a sense of empowerment.

She had found out about the job from her friend Alexa, Lexi for short. They had met in college doing a group project during their freshman year and had been best friends ever since. Lexi was a redhead with emerald eyes and a slim, pear-shaped body. Lexi had always been the more adventurous of the two of them, often forcing Laura to come out to parties, try new drinks, or watch strange movies and shows. Lexi had been a marketing major and used her knowledge of the psyche to get her own way often, coupled with her natural intuition. They would always be seen together on campus and were a fearsome team on the volleyball court. Lexi had also been the one always reaching for a bottle of wine or a pastry, and Laura now blamed both of those habits on her. Upon graduation, Lexi took a job out of state, and while they had kept up with each other for about a year, gradually, the distance and difference in time zone led to less and less frequent communication. Laura had not heard from Lexi in nearly two years when she received a phone call one evening after an incredibly challenging day at work from Lexi, asking if she was interested in a position opening up at Lexi's employer.

The other key person in Laura's life was her boyfriend, Blake. He was the more laid-back and relaxed of the two of them. They had met one day at an art studio where Laura was working on making a new vase, and he was there to photograph some of the studio's works. Blake was a self-taught photographer and ran his own business doing it. He had a carefree confidence and mischievous sense of fun that Laura found irresistible. It didn't hurt that he could have been on the other side of the camera as a model, either. But perhaps most importantly of all, it was his attention in the bedroom to her, him picking up on every little detail and being in tune with what she desired that made him a keeper. After several months of passionate date nights ending up at either of their apartments, they decided to move in together. They had been very happy together, but Blake watched as Laura's first job slowly grated on her and wore her down slowly week after week.

Lexi's call had been about a need for a new product manager at her company. Lexi worked for Claire's Essence, a plus-sized fashion company specializing in making everything from jeans and t-shirts to lingerie for plus-sized women. They were introducing several new product lines and sub-brands to target Gen-Z consumers and needed to bring more people on board.

"Laura, this would be sooo perfect for you. I know you are just brilliant at making sure things run smooth; you should put in for the job."

"Lexi, San Antonio is almost 2000 miles from me here in Connecticut. That's a huge move."

"Girl, as someone who does the marketing, this company is going nowhere but up; it's a huge opportunity to get in now and work your way up! Heh… people aren't getting any thinner these days, I would know…"

A few days later, Laura put in an application and, within a week, had a Zoom interview where she was hired immediately. The company had agreed to move her out, and all expenses were paid. Blake could not join her for another six months due to having to wrap up several commitments with his business, but he was excited for her and didn't want to see her worn down anymore from her job. After a few weeks of preparations and a sorrowful goodbye, Laura made the drive by herself to San Antonio. The movers had already unloaded all of the boxes into her new downtown apartment. All she had left was to prepare for her first day of work tomorrow.

Laura walked up to the desk in the reception and announced herself to the receptionist.

"Hello, my Name's Laura Veilwood; I'm here for my first day of work."

The receptionist looked up from her monitor. Laura hadn't noticed at first because the receptionist's desk had hidden her from view, but the woman was massive. The receptionist had to be over 500 pounds, but to Laura's surprise, she was well put together, with her attire not ill-fitting in the slightest.

"Ah yes, there's a note from Sofia here!"

The woman handed over a visitor's badge with plump digits.

"Swipe this badge inside the elevator and select the 30th floor. When you get out, take a left and go all the way to the end; there will be a conference room. Just grab a seat and enjoy a donut or two, and Sofia will be with you shortly. Welcome to Claire's Essence. I'm sure we'll be friends in no time!

"Thanks…" Laura paused to look for a nameplate or nametag.

"Amber." The woman smiled

"Thanks, Amber." Laura smiled back before turning to walk to the elevator.
Laura got into the elevator and selected the 30th floor. She had yet to learn much about the company from the interview, just what she already knew. They had come onto the scene strong about 4 years ago, using Instagram body positivity influencers and plus-sized models. Then, they built a solid online business selling clothing, with a few stores in larger cities that showcased their higher-end items. They seemed to have a lot of funding behind them, and the company was named after some famous chef or something. As the floors ticked away, Laura couldn't help but think that the receptionist was probably well-dressed because of the company's products. It was unusual for decent business wear to be made in those sizes.

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened, presenting a semi-open office. There was a central open workspace with tables, spots to plug in laptops and iPads, a few oversized couches, and what appeared to be buffet-type areas with various treats and drinks. Around it was a line of cubicles that circled it, each being surprisingly large for a standard cubicle. Two women were getting coffee in the shared workspace, and both had to be near or over 300 pounds. As Laura stepped off the elevator, she saw them take notice of her and appear to whisper to one another before smiling and waving at her. She smiled back and gave a wave in return, then turned left and began to walk in that direction. As Laura passed the cubicles, she began to notice more and more that the women working in them were all, at the very least, overweight. Some were just beyond thick, but others were even larger than the receptionist Amber, whom she had met in the lobby!