The Job offer
460 Words
Zara awoke to the buzz of her dying phone. The screen flickered dimly—just 2% battery—but the unknown number flashing across it made her curious enough to answer.
“Hello?”
“Hi. Is this Zara Winters?” The voice on the other end was brisk and polite. “My name is Melinda from M&O Media. You applied for a freelance copywriter role a few weeks ago?”
Zara blinked. “Yes. I did. I mean—yes, I’m Zara.”
“We'd like you to come in for an in-person meeting this afternoon. Is 2 p.m. convenient?”
Zara sat up, heart thudding. “Yes. Absolutely.”
The call ended with directions to an office in Victoria Island. She stared at the address. M&O Media? That name didn’t ring a bell, but with rent due and her bank account gasping, she couldn’t afford to ask questions.
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By 1:45 p.m., she was sitting in the sleek, glassy lobby of M&O Media, soaked in nervous energy and the faint scent of vanilla hand sanitizer. Everything screamed expensive—marble floors, minimalist art, even the receptionist had perfect eyeliner.
A sharply dressed assistant approached. “Miss Winters? This way, please.”
Zara followed her through frosted glass doors and up a spiral staircase. At the end of a hallway was a mahogany door with gold trim. The assistant knocked once and opened it.
“Mr. Okwudili will see you now.”
Zara’s heart skipped.
She stepped inside, and there he was—Jason.
Standing behind a wide desk, hands in his pockets, suit impeccable, smirk intact.
“You?” she breathed.
He looked amused. “You made it.”
She blinked. “Wait—you’re the CEO?”
“Guilty.”
“You… offered me coffee at 2 a.m. and then ghost-hired me?”
“Would you have shown up if I’d told you who I was?”
Zara crossed her arms. “Probably not.”
Jason walked around the desk and handed her a folder. “We’re launching a lifestyle column. Sharp writing, fresh voice, cultural commentary. You’ve got edge. I like that.”
She opened the folder—contract terms, a three-month trial, weekly article deadlines. Payment was more than she’d earned in months.
“Why me?”
Jason leaned against the desk, gaze steady. “You’re honest. Unfiltered. And smart enough to say no to a billionaire. That’s rare.”
Zara studied him. “This isn’t a pity hire, is it?”
He smiled. “You’re not the type to accept charity.”
She hesitated, then extended her hand. “Okay. I’ll do it. But keep it professional, Mr. CEO.”
His grin widened. “Absolutely, Miss Winters. Wouldn’t dream of crossing a line.”
- Writer
