Chapter Two — The Interview
2035 Words
At exactly ten o’clock, Elena Vale stepped through the glass doors of Blackwood International.
The building was everything she expected from Adrian Blackwood—large, polished, and carefully controlled.
At the reception desk, she gave her name.
“I’m Elena Vale. I have an appointment with Adrian Blackwood.”
The receptionist checked her computer.
“Yes, Ms. Vale. Mr. Blackwood is expecting you.”
“Thank you.”
Moments later, a member of Adrian’s staff approached.
“Ms. Vale?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Blackwood is ready for you.”
Elena followed him to the elevators.
As they climbed, she reminded herself why she was there.
She wasn’t there to be impressed.
She wasn’t there to argue.
She wasn’t there to prove Adrian Blackwood guilty.
She was there to ask questions.
The elevator stopped.
The staff member led her to a large office and opened the door.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
Elena entered.
Adrian Blackwood stood near the windows, his back turned toward her. For a moment, she saw only his reflection in the glass.
Then he turned.
Elena stopped.
The photograph hadn’t prepared her for him.
He was taller than she expected, with neatly styled dark hair and a calm expression that immediately irritated her.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
“Ms. Vale.”
His voice was deeper than she expected.
She sat opposite his desk.
“Thank you for agreeing to the interview.”
Adrian remained standing.
“Did I agree to an interview?”
“You invited me here.”
“I invited you to ask your questions.”
“That sounds like an interview.”
His mouth moved slightly.
“Perhaps.”
He sat.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Elena opened her notebook.
“You’ve already written about me.”
“I’ve written about Blackwood International.”
“You’ve written about me.”
“Your name is attached to the company.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“What answer would you like?”
Adrian leaned back.
“You came here believing I’m guilty.”
“I haven’t said that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“The allegations deserve to be investigated.”
“You’ve spent years investigating powerful men.”
“Yes.”
“And somehow every investigation ends with the powerful man looking guilty.”
“Maybe because some of them were guilty.”
“Or maybe because you wanted them to be.”
“That is an accusation.”
“So is yours.”
Elena placed her pen down.
“I haven’t accused you of anything.”
“You’re investigating allegations of corruption against my company.”
“Yes. I believe there is something worth investigating.”
Adrian studied her.
“You’re very careful with your words.”
“So are you.”
For the first time, he looked almost amused.
It disappeared quickly.
“Ask your questions.”
Elena picked up her pen.
“Blackwood International has been accused of using political connections to secure government contracts.”
“I know.”
“Do you deny it?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever used your personal relationships with government officials to influence a contract?”
“No.”
“Have you ever instructed an employee to do so?”
“No.”
“Has anyone within Blackwood International ever done so without your knowledge?”
Adrian looked at her.
“That is a different question.”
“It’s an important one.”
“Yes.”
“So?”
“You’re asking whether someone could have acted dishonestly without my knowledge.”
“Yes.”
“Then the answer is that I don’t know.”
Elena wrote something down.
Adrian watched her pen.
“You see?”
“See what?”
“You already have your answer.”
“I have an answer.”
“No. You have a conclusion.”
Elena closed her notebook.
“You invited me here.”
“I did.”
“Then let me ask my questions.”
“Ask them.”
“Why have you made it so difficult for journalists to access information about Blackwood International?”
“Difficult?”
“Yes.”
“Or controlled?”
“What’s the difference?”
“Control means protecting my company.”
“From journalists?”
“From people who don’t care whether their accusations are true.”
“I care.”
Adrian looked directly into her eyes.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you come here already expecting something from me?”
“Because there have been years of allegations.”
“Allegations aren’t facts.”
“I agree.”
“Then why are you treating them like facts?”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Elena took a breath.
“Mr. Blackwood—”
“Adrian.”
She stopped.
“If we’re going to spend an hour accusing each other, you can at least call me Adrian.”
She held his gaze.
“Fine.”
“Good.”
She picked up her pen.
“Adrian.”
Something about saying his name felt unexpectedly personal.
Elena ignored the feeling.
“Why do you think so many people distrust Blackwood International?”
“Because people distrust success.”
“That’s your explanation?”
“It’s one of them.”
“That’s convenient.”
“It’s also true.”
“You don’t think you’ve given people a reason to question you?”
“No.”
“Not even with your acquisitions?”
“No. I’ve built a stronger company.”
“People call it ruthless.”
“People call everything ruthless when they don’t understand it.”
Elena studied him.
“You always answer questions with questions?”
“Only when the question deserves one.”
For a moment, Elena forgot to write.
Adrian noticed.
She looked down.
“Let’s continue.”
“Please.”
“You dislike journalists.”
“I dislike what some journalists do.”
“What’s the difference?”
“Journalism should be about finding the truth.”
Elena waited.
“And?”
“Too many journalists don’t want the truth.”
“What do they want?”
Adrian looked directly at her.
“Victims.”
The word stayed between them.
Elena slowly lowered her pen.
For one brief second, the word touched something buried inside her—a memory she refused to examine in this room, at this moment. It disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
She straightened.
“You think that’s what I want?”
“I think you came here looking for one.”
“And if I don’t find one?”
“Then I suppose you’ll have a problem.”
“What problem?”
“You won’t have a story.”
Elena smiled faintly.
“Maybe I don’t need you to give me one.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
For the first time, she saw something beneath his calm expression.
Irritation.
She felt strangely pleased.
Then she realized she was smiling and stopped.
Adrian noticed.
Neither said anything.
Elena closed her notebook.
“I think we’ve established that you don’t trust journalists.”
Adrian leaned back.
“I think we’ve established that you don’t trust billionaires.”
“Did I say that?”
“You didn’t have to.”
Elena smiled despite herself.
“Maybe you’re learning.”
“Maybe I’m paying attention.”
Their eyes met.
The silence felt different now.
Not entirely hostile.
Elena looked away first.
She hated that she had noticed him.
She hated even more that she had noticed herself noticing him.
Adrian cleared his throat.
“You have another question?”
“Yes.”
She looked back at him.
“Do you believe your position gives you power over people?”
“No.”
“You’re a billionaire.”
“I know.”
“You own one of the largest companies in the city.”
“Yes.”
“People answer to you.”
“Employees answer to their responsibilities.”
“So what do you think power is?”
Adrian was quiet.
Then he said, “Responsibility.”
Elena hadn’t expected that answer.
“You actually believe that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because if you’re responsible for other people’s livelihoods, you don’t get to treat power like a game.”
Something in Elena’s expression softened before she caught herself.
“You sound different from what people say about you.”
“People say a lot.”
“Do you care?”
“I care about the people who know me.”
Elena looked at him.
“And if they don’t?”
“Then I don’t need them to.”
There was something about his certainty that caught her attention.
She had expected arrogance.
Instead, she found something harder to understand.
Adrian didn’t seem interested in convincing her.
That bothered her.
It also fascinated her.
Elena stood.
“I think that’s enough.”
Adrian glanced at the clock.
“We still have time.”
“I have enough.”
“Enough for what?”
“To continue investigating.”
“So you’re not satisfied.”
“No.”
“I was expecting answers.”
“You got them.”
“I got your answers.”
“What’s the difference?”
“I’ll decide.”
Adrian stood.
For the first time, they were at the same height.
Neither moved.
The attraction Elena had refused to acknowledge became impossible to ignore.
It was there.
Quiet.
Unwelcome.
But real.
She stepped back first.
“Thank you for your time.”
“Of course.”
As she reached the door, Adrian spoke.
“Ms. Vale.”
She turned.
“You’re going to keep investigating me.”
“Yes.”
“Even if you find nothing?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s my job.”
He watched her.
“You’re very persistent.”
“So I’ve been told.”
She opened the door, then glanced back.
“And you’re very difficult.”
A faint smile appeared on Adrian’s face.
“I get that a lot.”
Elena left.
The door closed behind her.
The elevator doors closed around her moments later.
She stared at her reflection as she descended.
One answer kept returning.
Responsibility.
She reached for her notebook out of habit.
Her fingers touched the cover.
Then stopped.
She didn’t know why that answer still bothered her.
She didn’t know what to write about it.
She didn’t even know what to call the feeling it had left behind.
The elevator reached the lobby.
Elena stepped out.
She walked through the glass doors and into the daylight.
Her phone buzzed.
Elena stopped.
She looked down.
The screen displayed an unknown number.
The same number.
She opened the message.
You asked Adrian about the government contracts. Ask him about Meridian Holdings.
Elena read it once.
Then read it again.
Her eyes moved to the next line.
The board meeting was held on March 14 at 11:30 p.m. in Suite 1804 of the Blackwood Tower. The acquisition was approved before the company was ever put up for sale.
Elena did not move.
The information sat on her screen.
Specific.
Precise.
Impossible to dismiss as a random accusation.
She remained completely still on the pavement outside Blackwood International.
Adrian remained standing where she had left him.
He looked toward the door.
He should have been relieved.
The interview was over.
She was gone.
Yet something about the silence in the office suddenly felt wrong.
Adrian walked back toward his desk and stopped.
He looked at the chair where Elena had been sitting.
Her presence seemed to remain there.
Her direct questions.
Her stubborn expression.
The way she had refused to lower her eyes when he challenged her.
He exhaled slowly.
He had met journalists before.
Most wanted something from him.
A quote.
A headline.
A reaction.
Elena Vale wanted answers.
And somehow, that irritated him more than anything else.
Adrian looked toward the door again.
He was annoyed.
Not because she had challenged him.
Not because she was investigating his company.
But because, despite everything he had told himself during the interview, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
And that was the one thing Adrian Blackwood had not expected.
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