Chapter 4 The interview

As the taxi pulled up in front of the company, Isla gazed nervously at the towering building through the window, her mouth agape in awe of its sheer size.

"Thank you," she said, handing the driver a few Euro bills before stepping out. Standing on the sidewalk, she tilted her head back, trying to catch a glimpse of the building's summit, but it stretched far beyond her view.

At the entrance, a steady flow of people dressed in sharp corporate attire moved in and out of the revolving door. Isla stood there for a moment, imagining the new life she might step into if she secured the job-a life of serenity and fulfillment, worlds away from her time at Mr. Saxson's estate company.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Isla stepped into the building, the click of her kitten heels echoing softly against the tiled floor. The spacious lobby was bright and modern, and behind the desk sat a receptionist-a young woman with a welcoming smile.

Isla approached her, matching her smile. "Good morning. I'm here for the interview..."

"Welcome, ma'am," the receptionist replied warmly. "Please take the elevator to the 27th floor."

"Thank you," Isla said, her spirits lifting. The receptionist's cheerful demeanor, though likely just part of her job, made Isla feel more confident.

As she walked toward the elevators, she glanced at her vintage wristwatch. Less than two minutes left-she'd have to hurry.

When she reached the elevators, two were already in motion, leaving her with one that was about to close.

Panicking, Isla dashed forward, waving frantically at the passengers inside. "Please wait!" she called, her voice filled with urgency. But no one moved to stop the doors.

Just in time, she thrust her hand through the narrowing gap, triggering the safety mechanism. The doors bounced back open, and Isla stepped inside, her heart pounding but relieved.

"You can't be in here right now," one of the men said firmly. Isla raised her head, startled by the interruption.

"What?" she asked, turning to face the man who had spoken. Her gaze swept over him. He was dressed in a black shirt and black pants, immaculately tailored-just like the other men in the elevator. Except for one. The man in the middle stood out. Alex. He wore a neatly ironed blue shirt tucked into grey pants and dark sunglasses that obscured his eyes. Unlike the others, he seemed utterly indifferent to the situation.

"I'm sorry," Isla began, still catching her breath from the run, "but I need to be on the 27th floor. I have less than a minute to get there."

"You can't ride with us. You'll need to wait for the elevator to return," another man in black said sternly.

Isla's eyes narrowed, her initial apology evaporating. "I'm sorry, but I won't leave. I'm already late. If I step out, we'll all just waste more time arguing. Do what you need to do, but I'm not moving." With defiant determination, she jabbed the button for the 27th floor.

One of the men stepped forward, but Alex silently raised his hand to stop him. The elevator began to move, and Isla exhaled in relief.

"Thank you," she said, glancing at Alex. He didn't respond, his head held high as if she wasn't there. Shrugging slightly, Isla looked away, focusing instead on the prospect of getting to her interview on time.

When the elevator reached the 27th floor, Isla darted out, heading straight for the nearest desk. "Excuse me," she said quickly, "I'm here for the interview. Where should I go?"

The man behind the desk pointed toward a large waiting room, where several people were already seated. Isla hurried in and took the last available seat in the row.

As she settled in, her eyes caught movement near the door. Alex entered the waiting room.

Her heart skipped a beat. 'He's coming here too?' she thought, watching him in confusion. But instead of joining the candidates, he turned toward another door that led to an office. The men in black took up positions nearby, standing like sentinels.

Isla's stomach twisted. 'What if he's the interviewer?' The thought sent a wave of panic through her. 'What if he thinks I'm rude and disqualifies me because of it?' She began to pray silently, willing herself to stay calm.

Minutes ticked by, and the first candidate was called in. Isla's heart pounded in her chest as she realized her suspicion was correct.

'It's happening,' she thought, dread and anticipation swirling inside her as she braced for her turn.

"Isla Bennett!"

The sound of her name startled her, and her eyes widened in surprise as she sprang to her feet. She quickly scanned the room. Several candidates who had arrived before her were still seated, waiting their turn, making the sudden call feel unexpected and puzzling.

With her heart pounding, she smoothed her skirt nervously and made her way toward the door. Her mind raced with questions. 'Why me? Why now?' She tried to shake off the unease, telling herself to focus on the opportunity ahead.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the office, ready to face whatever awaited her.

The room was far more spacious than the waiting area, dominated by a long, polished table surrounded by sleek chairs. At the far end of the table sat Alex, his expression unreadable as always. Beside him, Isla's gaze caught sight of someone even more intimidating-Jaxon Waverly. The CEO himself.

A tobacco rested in the corner of his mouth, unlit, but his presence filled the room with a quiet authority. Isla's eyes met his briefly before she quickly looked away, her heart racing. Meeting Jaxon in person was thrilling, but she didn't dare hold his gaze. The weight of his stare made her chest tighten.

Standing behind Alex and Jaxon were two guards, dressed identically to the ones outside the door. Their presence added an intimidating air to the already tense room.

"Sit," Alex commanded calmly but firmly.

Isla obeyed immediately, settling into one of the chairs. Her heart thudded as she glanced up, only to find Jaxon's piercing gaze still fixed on her. His expression remained unreadable, but the intensity of his scrutiny made her feel as though every nerve in her body was exposed.

Alex flipped through a stack of papers on the table before speaking, his voice cutting through the silence. "I believe you know why you're here," he said, his tone edged with authority.

"Yes, sir," Isla replied with a small, nervous smile, keeping her gaze on Alex.

"I don't think so." He tapped the papers in front of him. "Your CV states you studied English Language and have over five years of experience at an estate company."

"Y-yes, sir," Isla stammered, the confidence she had mustered beginning to waver. She could feel the weight of his words and suspected this was about the elevator incident.

Alex leaned forward slightly. "Why do you think you belong here? This is a private security company. Are you suggesting we hire someone with absolutely no knowledge of our industry?"

Isla opened her mouth to respond but found herself frozen, her thoughts scattering. She glanced at Jaxon, silently pleading for him to intervene, but he remained passive, calmly watching her.

"If you can't answer the question, then I'll ask you to leave," Alex said sharply, closing the file with a decisive snap.

The sound of a lighter flicking broke the silence as Jaxon lit his tobacco. The sharp scent filled the room as he shut the lighter with a metallic click.

"No!" Isla finally burst out, her voice trembling but determined. "I can answer your questions."

Alex raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"I know my CV doesn't show it, but I promise you, I can excel in any role in your company. I'm smart, brave, a quick learner, and incredibly diligent. If you give me this chance, I won't let you down, no matter what the job entails."

Alex's expression remained unmoved. "Those are just words," he said flatly. "What makes you different from the more experienced candidates waiting outside? Let me ask you this-can you take a bullet for someone you don't know?"

Isla's eyes widened at the unexpected question. "No... no," she stammered, her voice faltering.

Alex nodded, sliding her file aside dismissively. "Thank you for coming. Have a nice day."

The disappointment hit her like a wave. Isla stood, swallowing the lump in her throat, and gave a slight bow before leaving the room. She could already taste the bitterness of failure.

After the door closed behind her, Alex leaned back in his chair and turned to Jaxon. "What do you think? She's a lost cause. I knew it the moment I saw her in the elevator."

Jaxon took a long drag from his tobacco, exhaling slowly as he raised his head. "She challenged you, didn't she?"

Alex frowned slightly but nodded.

Jaxon smirked faintly. "No one's ever done that before, have they?" He paused, taking another puff. "Maybe that's what you should look out for."

Isla hurried out of the waiting room, avoiding the curious gazes of the other candidates as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She clutched her bag tightly, willing herself not to break down in front of anyone. When she reached the elevator, she stepped in just as it opened, relieved to find she was the only one heading to the first floor.

As the elevator descended, the dam broke, and soft sobs escaped her lips. She dug into her bag, pulling out her phone with shaky hands, and quickly dialed Sophie's number. Holding it to her ear, she muttered under her breath, "Pick up, pick up." Her head tipped backward as she fought back fresh tears threatening to spill.

"Hey, babes! How did it go?" Sophie's cheerful voice came through the line, full of hope.

"I... I don't think I got it, Sophie," Isla murmured, her voice trembling as she covered her mouth to stifle a sob.

"Oh my God, are you crying? What the hell happened?" Sophie's tone instantly shifted to concern.

"There was this man... it felt like he was attacking me with his questions. I was so nervous. I'm pretty sure I said and did all the wrong things," Isla admitted, tears streaming down her cheeks as the elevator doors opened. She stepped out and headed straight for the exit, her steps quick and shaky.

"Oh, screw them! They don't know what they're missing. You'll get a better job. I promise!" Sophie reassured her.

"Yeah," Isla sniffed, standing by the roadside as she waved down a taxi.

"Where are you now? Do you want me to leave work and come to you?"

"No, no, you don't have to. I'm fine, just a little disappointed." Isla paused, attempting to muster some humor. "At least I got to see Jaxon Waverly in person."

"What?! Girl, you're a star! Tell me, does he look as hot as he does in the pictures?" Sophie gasped, her enthusiasm momentarily distracting Isla.

"Even better," Isla replied, managing a small smile despite herself.

"Oh, to be his woman," Sophie teased before another sound came through her line. "Argh, I've got another call. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah, see you later."

"And don't you dare go having another wet dream about Mr. Stranger!" Sophie added cheekily before hanging up.

"Shut up!" Isla chuckled softly, shaking her head as she flagged down a taxi.

"Loneline Estate," she told the driver before settling back into the seat. She pulled out her phone again, her thumb hovering over the email notification for the interview. She stared at it in dismay, debating whether to delete it and move on.

Just as her finger moved to swipe, a new email popped up on her screen.

"Congratulations! You have been hired as the Secretary to the CEO at Waverly Private Security Company."

Her jaw dropped as her eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at the screen, frozen, as if she'd just seen a ghost.

"What the fuck?!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing in the small cab.