COMEBACK OF THE ALPHA KING

Chapter 6- The Interview

8: 45 am, Hegward building.

King stared out the open window as Nova rolled the car to a halt in front of a mighty complex building.

Numerous glass windows embraced the tall building, showing different office outlets.

The sun's wandering rays cast a blinding light on the building, making the windows dazzle like priceless diamonds.

This caused King to shield his eyes with the back of his palm as he observed the sophisticated building in front of him.

"How many floors are on here?" King mused out loud, impressed by the intricate architectural prowess.

"100 floors, Sir. Onyx's company is on the 18th floor. It's called Nixie's Creatives."

Nova responded, stretching out a file to him. King looked away from the building to cast a quizzical glance at the file.

"It contains your CV, references, identification documents, and a couple of certificates you might need."

Nova clarified when King made no effort to take the file from her hands.

King's eyes went wide when he heard his assistant's explanation.

Nova understood his surprise. She flashed him a smile and then winked.

"They are all fake, Sir. You don't expect me to print out your real info."

She impatiently jiggled the file at him.

King took it, smirking at her. He sometimes forgot how sensible and smart Nova could be.

Without opening the file, he returned his observant gaze to the building again.

King already knew the basic info about Onyx from Nova's reports, but he felt anxious about meeting this woman.

He had seen her picture, but he wondered what her personality was like. Would she be with her kid? His daughter.

Did she lie about not knowing him? What if he walked into her office and she recognized him?

He knew from the building's magnificence that only the wealthy had their businesses here. Was she as snotty and gluttonous as the rest of them?

"What are you doing?" King scowled at Nova as she unclasped her seatbelt to open her door.

"Escorting you, Sir." She raised her eyebrows back at him, stopping her action.

"Nova, you don't have to." King almost groaned at her dedication.

"Think about it. I'm applying for the role of an assistant. What assistant has an assistant?"

He rolled his eyes at her.

Nova nodded at King, getting his point, but still missing it.

"The guards didn't come with us today on your command.

How do I ensure your safety if I don't escort you?" Her turquoise blue eyes glinted with worry.

King was an important figure in the Kingdom. Although he had done a wonderful job in keeping his identity a secret, he still had enemies who recognised him and could be lurking around.

He also had enemies who didn't know who he was but wanted him dead all the same. He needed to be guarded at all costs.

King must have read her mind because his words addressed Nova's burning concern.

"I can fight for myself, Nova. I think you forget what I am capable of."

King darkened gaze reminded Nova of his lethal abilities.

She wordlessly withdrew her hands from the door's handle, accepting partial defeat.

"Fine, but promise me you'd keep your lines active."

She nodded at his wristwatch.

"Beep me the moment something urgent comes up and you need backup."

King smiled, noticing she was no longer being formal with him. Her defensive side had stolen her professional nature.

Instead of calling her attention to that, he nodded at her with another eye roll. "Yes, ma'am I will."

Nova didn't relent. "Keep your phone on record always. Something suspicious might happen that you may want to report."

King fished out his phone, switching on the voice recorder.

"Anything else, ma'am?" He flashed her the screen.

Nova paused, thinking of other precautions to riddle him with.

King waited a minute, then smirked at her when she said nothing.

"I've got everything under control, Nova." He sighed, opening his door and stepping out.

He slammed the door, muffling Nova's response.

"You go first." He told her, angling his head towards the exit.

Nova pressed her lips into a tight line, muttered something inaudible, and then started the ignition.

King didn't go into the building until the car was safely out of sight.

Only then did he look down to study the documents in his hands.

He took deliberate strides toward the building as he cautiously unsealed the file in his hands.

The motion-sensitive entrance door opened the moment he stepped closer, ushering him with an automated welcome.

King didn't look up from the file as he stepped in. He pulled out his forged CV, determined to familiarize himself with the information it contained. He wanted to be prepared for any questions asked.

King had barely taken two steps forward when he clashed with someone.

The file and CV in his hands went flying in the air, accompanied by a female's soft grunt.

The whispered protest held a hint of anger that matched King's frustration with himself.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, bending to pick up the file and document.

Somewhere in the background an elevator tinged closed.

He noticed a small lilac purse and some tiny make-up pieces scattered all over the floor.

Momentarily abandoning his file, he picked those instead.

"Oh, you don't have to, I'm... King?"

King froze, recognizing the voice. It was only then her familiar scent greeted him. Lillian.

He looked up to meet her astonished grey eyes, staring at him in open curiosity.

She looked charming. Dressed in a little white gown and a lilac windbreaker that complimented her purse.

To complete her stylish getup, she donned her feet with a lilac strappy-heel sandal.

"It is you. What are you doing here?" Her question held more suspicion than inquiry.

Recovering from her shock, she flipped back her perfectly straightened hair and smacked her glossy lips together. The lip-smack produced a satisfying indistinct sound.

Lillian didn't smile at him like she normally would. Concentrated contempt creased her face into a deep scowl.

King looked away from her to gather her spilt stuff into her purse. She was the last person he expected to see here.

He'd long discarded his feelings for her, ever since her brutal rejection, but King couldn't deny that she still affected him.

His fingers shook as he replaced each item in its place. He took his time with the hunt, grabbing the opportunity to collect himself.

When his nerves returned to their steady function, he got up to hand over her purse.

"Lillian."

King grimaced when she snatched the purse from him, checking to see if everything made it safe there.

She acted like he would steal something from her. He shook his head bending to pick up his discarded file and document.

When he stood again, he noticed Lillian staring at his CV. King knew what she saw.

Just below the CV was the file whose open mouth exhibited the first few lines of his job application form.

"Application for a personal assistant's position." She read out loud in a voice that was weirdly similar to her aunt's, Karla.

She even got Karla's smirk right.

"You are a pathetic low-life, King. You came here to search for a job in secret?" She scoffed, wearing her purse on her shoulders.

"My husband gave you a saving grace that could have helped your bruised pride, but you decided to be a scum instead, didn't you?"

A thick line dented King's forehead between his eyebrows as he listened to her insolent insinuation.

"You even hired a show to prove a point that isn't there. Tell me, King, who are you trying to impress?"

She folded her arms, sticking out her chin in a manner so condemning King shook his head, again, at her.

"Or did you think we wouldn't unravel your colossal lie? I wonder where you got the money for such an outrageous scam."

King didn't understand half of her words, but he got her transparent insults. Lillian had indeed changed.

He couldn't stop himself from comparing the snobby girl before him to the humble one he once knew.

Lillian used to be a firm believer of if you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all.

She also wouldn't dare look at him the way she was doing now.

Like he was a psychopath that should be locked up and left to rot.

The Lillian he knew would have asked questions. She wouldn't assume and jump to conclusions.

King also observed that her sense of style had changed.

Lillian had always loved fashion, but she was never bold with it like she appeared to be now.

He had missed so many things about her that made him view her in a different light.

The only thing that remained constant with her was her name. Everything else had disappeared with the years.

She tugged at the CV in his hands, trying to pull it out of his tight grasp. Her plum lips curled into a devious smirk.

"Lillian don't," King growled at her, snagging the file away from her reach.

As if burnt by hot coal, she pulled her hands back at his warning. Her eyes flashed with fear, but she covered it up as quickly as it appeared.

"Fine. Soothe yourself." She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"You are not the King I used to know." She lowered at him, unfolding her arms to pull her purse closer.

"I'd go first. I hope I don't see you again." The spite in her tone mirrored her glare.

She gave him a depraving once over, then walked away from him with a condescending click of her teeth.

King spun around to watch her disappear behind the automated glass doors. Her insults hurt more than any betrayal he had received these past days.

He couldn't believe he once looked forward to seeing her.

He closed his eyes as if to shut out her fresh affronts and then reminded himself of the reason he was here today.

Let's focus on that, King. He muttered to himself, opening his eyes and turning around to approach the elevator.

He pressed the correct floor number into the elevator button and then continued to study his CV.

When the doors glided open, he stepped out to find a small and cosy receptionist area embellished with therapeutic neutral colours.

The only indication that he was in the right place was a little wooden board hanging on the wall above the receptionist's desk.

The sign read in neat lettering Nixie's Creatives. It wasn't until now that King thought about what service the company offered.

Before he could take his guesses, a pretty-faced lady called his attention to her. King hadn't noticed her standing behind the desk watching him.

Her sudden appearance spooked him, but he maintained his calm.

"Hello sir, welcome to Nixie's creatives. How can I help you?" She rolled out in one breath.

Despite her flawless toothed smile, her lips didn't move as she spoke, and neither did she blink.

King blinked for her, trying to decipher if she was real or a robot.

"Thank you. I am here for an interview. As an assistant?" King asked, not sure how best to explain his situation.

The receptionist's dark eyes glinted with recognition. "Ah, Mr King Salvator?"

King nodded, smiling at her. "That's me."

Her smile remained intact.

"Please hold on, let me notify the boss of your presence."

"You can have your seat over there while you wait."

She gestured with her hands to a couch nearby.

King wanted to tell her he preferred standing, but she had already rounded the desk, moving with an expert's straddle towards a door next to the elevator.

King saw a tiny sign that read Onyx Perez, chief executive officer, on the door.

He smiled to himself, his heart thumping in anticipation of what lay behind that door.

In a matter of seconds, the lady appeared again, still wearing her animated smile.

"You may go in now. She's expecting you."

King didn't know why, but the invitation sent a heave of anxiety fluttering through him.

He nodded his appreciation at the gracious lady and proceeded into the office.

Onyx was nothing like King expected. This woman before him was enrapturing.

She rose to her feet to acknowledge him, and King found himself taking in everything that she was.

Her light blue professional suit was a fitting contrast for her flawless milky skin.

If she had on make-up, it was subtle because everything about her looked natural.

Her hair, a curly dark mass, fell down the sides of her face in a glorious wave.

King released a sharp breath as he locked eyes with her. Her dark gaze was more mysterious than the unknown depths of the sea.

They could drown anyone who gazed at her, subjecting them to a life of boundless captivity.

Snatching his gaze from her eyes, King let himself admire her slender curves. She was smaller than he imagined.

She looked so tender, so adorable, like someone who deserved nothing but pure love.

The picture of her Nova presented did no justice to her stunning beauty and King found himself reorienting her ethereal features with his senses.

"King Salvator?" Her enchanting voice cascaded through his veins, playing a tune only his heart understood.

"Yes, ma'am." He cleared his throat trying to catch his breath, but failing.

His emotions went spiralling in an uncontrollable torrent.

This time it wasn't because of her outstanding beauty, it was because he remembered.

The memory of that day suddenly washed over him as though it was waiting for this moment to visit him.

He remembered his brutal treatment of her when all she did was try to nurse him.

Remorse, anguish, fear, and a sense of protection enveloped him, causing his body to jerk in brief spasms.

Onyx didn't notice King's struggles. Her assessing gaze looked for signs of a soldier in this striking man.

She expected to see someone rough looking and intimidating, not a shockingly dashing tall man.

He had the muscles and the aura of a soldier, but he looked more like a magazine model than the heroic figure she wanted.

His sight caused a baffling heat to rise from her core spreading to every nerve in her body.

From the way her cheeks burned up, she was sure they had coloured up to a bright red. She hoped not.

Something about him seemed familiar, but she couldn't place her finger on it.

Waving it off, she frowned at him, trying to mask how much he affected her.

"Were you a soldier?" Onyx forced her gaze to remain on his face instead of wandering over his rocky-looking body.

He was dressed in casual clothes, but his well-defined abs pronounced themselves through his loose shirt.

"That's right, I served for five years." King cleared his throat again, pulling his gaze away from her to direct it to his file.

"Please sit," Onyx breathed out, gesturing with her hands to the empty seat in front of her.

King walked towards it, taking the seat while still searching through the file for the picture he once spotted.

A recent picture of him in military wear, which Nova had the good sense to print out.

He found the picture, pulled it out, and offered it to her.

She took it with the most fragile fingers King had ever seen. He kept staring at them as she studied the picture in her hands.

"ID?" she stretched out one hand for the document, not taking her gaze away from the picture.

"Yes, I have that." King scanned through the file again for the required ID.

He placed it on her palm and she curled those distracting fingers around it, bringing the document to her observation.

Onyx's brow furrowed in concentration as she studied the information in front of her. His picture convinced her he was a soldier.

His ID seemed detailed enough too and contained all the criteria she was looking for.

She had specifically listed service in the army as an important criterion because of her daughter.

When her little Paris was growing up, Onyx always lied to her that her father's work was special and he was too busy to come home.

Paris had asked if her dad was a soldier, and having no other choice, Onyx agreed to that.

The pride on her daughter's face as she boasted about this to her friends was a burden Onyx couldn't forgive herself for.

She felt guilty for lying, especially since her dad was more of a criminal she never wanted the girl to meet.

This lie worked for a while, but as her little girl began kindergarten, she started comparing herself with other kids whose dads dropped them off at school.

On some days, she'd shrug it off, but on other unfortunate days, she'd have a massive emotional breakdown demanding her dad.

Those days were heartrending for Onyx. Not only would she get embarrassed by her daughter's meltdown, but she'd also get frustrated about not being able to provide for her needs.

Onyx was tired of these unreserved daunting. She knew it wasn't her daughter's fault. The little girl was also in pain. A pain Onyx couldn't relate to because she also had her distress.

To serve them both, she decided to put up this ad. A fake father figure was another lie, but it was a lie that wouldn't hurt anyone.

"This is impeccable." Onyx nodded her approval at the documents in front of her.

She lifted her face to meet King's attentive eyes.

"I see you've been a soldier for more than 3 years.

Your traits are also admirable. I believe I'd have no issues working with you."

She gave a smile that had King holding his breath.

"Do you know the formalities that come with this job?"

"Yes, ma'am." King nodded.

That was a lie. He didn't know anything about this job besides what Nova had told him. He would ask her later.

Onyx bent behind her desk, opening a drawer to her left. She appeared again, holding out a printed document to King.

"Here's the contract detailing all that you need to know.

You can read through the rules again just to make remind yourself.

If you are content with all that is there, then sign here."

She pointed to a space for signature. King nodded again, picking up the contract to scheme through its details.

As he scanned through, Onyx continued to speak.

"You only need to work during the weekends. The pay is 500 dollars a month.

If I am satisfied with your work ethic, I can increase your salary in the future. Does that sound good?"

"No problem." King looked up from the contract, a boggling question sitting at the forefront of his thoughts.

A frown etched his face as he prepared to ask the question.

"May I ask about the child's father?"

Onyx's smile hardened. Her nose flared up and her lips protruded into an angry pout.

"No, you may not ask." The iciness in her tone also laced her eyes.

"There is one more thing I forgot to mention. Do not ask personal questions while we work together.

Focus on your duty and I'd do mine. Let's not cross each other's boundaries."

Onyx was unaware that her malice for that man exposed itself in her words.

King saw this and a wave of regret washed over him. This woman loathed him.

She didn't know his identity yet, but with what he was seeing when she found out about him, it'd break her.

What was he getting himself into by pretending to be someone else?

Before King could answer this disconcerting question, a loud commotion outside the door arrested both of their attention.

King could hear the receptionist struggling with someone who sounded too angry to be consoled.

In a second's tick, the door flung open with a clamouring sound that had Onyx jumping to her feet.

A furious man stormed into the room, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Onyx! How dare you find another man behind my back?"