Chapter 2 2

CHAPTER 2

The alarm sounded very sharply, dragging Isla from a sleep that had been too short .

She groaned, reaching out blindly for her phone and silencing it.

Another day,another interview and another chance to move her way closer to something she had always dreamed of, though she didn't fully know what that was yet.

She swung her legs off the bed, the hardwood cold against her feet, and rubbed at her eyes. "Okay, Isla, focus," she muttered to herself. "You have got this."

Coffee became her ritual, a small piece of normalcy she could control.

Her apartment smelled of the dark roast she favored, a little bitter, a little comforting. She sipped slowly, letting the warmth spread through her hands and chest. Outside, the city moved indifferent as ever, and she felt herself bracing against it like she always did ,small but steady.

Her best friend, Maya, had called the night before, and the conversation replayed in her mind.

"Are you ready for this?" Maya had asked.

"I'll be fine," Isla replied, though her voice had a small shiver she didn't notice.

"Fine? Isla, this is SL Enterprises. People eat each other alive there. Don't screw it up."

"I won't," she said firmly. "I'm not afraid of them."

The truth was, Isla wasn't sure if she was afraid or just tired of being overlooked.

She had always been careful, always measured, always aware of every detail around her. It had kept her alive, kept her moving, but it had also left a hollow where a sense of belonging should have been.

By the time she called a cab, the cold air clinged to her cheeks. She pulled her coat tighter, trying to ignore the nerves forming in her stomach.

Every intersection, every flicker of light, every wet reflection on the sidewalk seemed sharper today, as though the city itself was watching her.

When she arrived at SL Enterprises, the building towered over her, all glass and steel, impossibly sleek.

Her stomach turned, and she pressed her back against the cold metal doors for a moment, taking a deep breath.

"This was it".She said to herself.

She had to make it count.

The receptionist greeted her with a polite smile. "Good morning, Ms. Hart, Mr Blackwell is ready for you."

Isla nodded, smoothing her coat and holding her bag strap. "Thank you."

The elevator ride felt longer than it should. She looked at her reflection in the steel doors, trying to project confidence even though her heart raced." You've got this", she told herself again. "Just focus".

The doors opened, and she stepped into the office.

Adrian Blackwell was there, sitting behind a sleek, small desk. He was tall, broad shouldered, and very composed. Isla felt a flicker of something inside her,a strange tug, a pull she couldn't explain. As if she knew him from somewhere.

"Ms. Hart," he said, his voice smooth and measured. "Thank you for coming."

"Good morning, Mr. Blackwell. I appreciate your time," she said, keeping her tone calm.

He gestured to a chair across from him. "Please, have a seat."

As she settled into the chair, she noticed the subtle movements around the office.

The precise placement of objects, the gleam of the polished surfaces, the quiet efficiency of the few people moving behind glass walls. The place radiated control,Power and Danger.

Adrian leaned back, studying her. Isla caught a flicker in his eyes,something that was part curiosity, part assessment ,she didn't know what.

There was tension there, unspoken, and she felt it pressing at the edges of her composure.

"I have reviewed your resume," he said.

"Impressive. But I want to know more than what is on paper. Tell me about a time you faced a challenge and didn't know if you could handle it."

Isla's lips curved into a small, confident smile. "A lot of my challenges haven't been the kind you put on paper. I have learned to navigate situations where I had no control, where the rules weren't clear and I had to rely on my instincts. And I have always come out the other side not totally safe but stronger."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest in his expression. "Instincts can be dangerous," he said. "Sometimes people rely too much on them and fail."

"Or sometimes instincts are the only thing keeping you alive," she replied evenly, meeting his gaze.

He moved forward slightly, eyes narrowing. "I like that answer."

Before the conversation could continue, a woman's voice interrupted from across the room. "Excuse me, Mr. Blackwell, but there's a matter you might want to see."

Victoria Grant.

Isla recognized her instantly,slick hair, designer coat, sharp eyes that seemed to miss nothing.

Victoria smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I didn't realize we were entertaining new hires today," she said lightly. "I hope it's not a distraction."

Isla's pulse moved up, just slightly. She didn't like the tone. It was more like a challenge. She straightened in her chair, refusing to let it show. "No distraction," she said politely, her voice calm. "I just hope I can contribute if I'm given the chance."

Victoria's smile didn't soften. "We will see." And with that, she turned and left, her heels moving sharply against the floor.

Adrian watched the exchange, and Isla noticed the slight tightness in his jaw.

He said nothing but returned his attention to her, his gaze intense. "You handled that well," he said quietly.

"Thank you," she murmured. "It's necessary sometimes."

The rest of the interview passed in a blur,questions, answers, discussions of strategy, her ambitions, her approach to challenges.

Isla spoke with confidence, letting her intelligence and instincts show. And though she tried to focus on the conversation, she couldn't ignore the subtle feeling of being watched, of being measured not just for the job, but for something more.

When it was over, Adrian stood, signaling the end. "We will be in touch," he said,formally controlled. But Isla could see the tension stay, the curiosity in his eyes.

She nodded and rose, giving him a polite smile. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Blackwell."

As she walked out, rain had started again, light this time, tapping against the walls.

She pulled her coat tighter and let her mind wander, thinking of the strange pull she had felt in his presence.

Something about him felt familiar, though she had never met him.

Across the city, Adrian sat back in his chair, staring at the empty space where she had been. Her voice, her posture, the spark in her eyes,it all stayed. He didn't know why, but he felt he had seen her before .

And somewhere in the quiet corners of the building, Charles Whitman observed everything with a careful, calculating gaze.

He recognized more than anyone, more than he should. But he said nothing,for now.

Outside, Isla walked into the light rain, the city lights blurring around her.

She touched her neck and found that the necklace she always wore wasn't there again. She was shocked and began searching in her bag .

After hours of searching, she couldn't find it so she just gave up saying to herself,"Probably I left it at home", although she felt she couldn't have forgotten it .

She is unaware of the secrets it carried, unaware of how closely her life was about to collide with Adrian Blackwell's.

And none of them knew that this was only the beginning.