The Minister’s Obsession

Chapter 3 — The Interview

She stood across the street for a full minute before going in.

The building stood so tall and elegant, like it had been dropped from another world, made of glass, steel, and silence. Halden Corp. She crossed the street. Each step felt deliberate.

Her reflection in the glass looked like someone else—professional, sharp, composed. But under the blazer and practiced smile was a pounding heart.

That name- Minister- had haunted her for most of her life. When she was old enough, she'd gone searching for anything at all that had that name. It was kind of rare, so it was easy for her to find.

She'd found the most random people on the internet, all of which were eventually crossed out from her list of suspects, but she'd never found an 'Adam Minister'.

There were no records of him, none that she could reach anyway, until the day of the shareholders meeting when the newspaper was printed. It was all the more reason she had to follow this lead.

The moment she stepped through the sliding doors, cold air washed over her, making her feel goosebumps. Marissa tried to calm her nerves by taking steady breaths, but she felt like a stranger walking into the luxurious lobby of the building.

The lobby was all white with sparkling marble floors and glass walls just like the exterior of the building. It was an open space with no clutter or warmth. She felt like she didn’t belong there, like the building could tell she wasn’t just here to apply for a desk job, almost like it knew.

Deep breath. Smile. Don’t look suspicious, even if no one was actually looking at her or paying any attention.

She approached the front desk. "I'm here for a job interview," she said. The lady at the desk replied without looking up, clacking lazily at the keys on her keyboard.

"Name?"

“Marissa Hall,” she said, forcing her voice to be steadier and more confident than she felt.

The receptionist didn’t even glance up. “You’re expected. Elevator B. Top floor. The room is straight ahead.”

Expected?

Okay. Weird, but maybe that’s just corporate efficiency. Not suspicious. Just weirdly competent. After all, she had only been interviewed for smaller roles with smaller companies before. She didn't entirely know what to expect.

If the elevators weren't already labelled, she wouldn't have known which one was which. Everything here was so sleek and sophisticated, Marissa suddenly felt a twinge of uncertainty. If she got the job, she wasn't sure she would be able to fit in amongst the rest.

As the elevator rose, she caught her reflection again in the polished steel. The closer she got to the top, the more the butterflies turned to something heavier. She didn't have time to think because almost immediately the elevator went off.

Ding.

She was on her floor. The highest floor of the building.

The doors opened into silence. There were only a few people on this floor. This could be where the top executives had their offices. She stepped out onto the carpet, met by a tall woman in a matte black suit who looked like she hadn’t blinked since 2009.

“Right this way.” How did she know who I was? And then she noticed something else. There weren't a lot of people there for the interview. She thought it was strange.

No pleasantries. No clipboard. No checking IDs.

The hallway stretched long and narrow. Every step echoed. At the end was a single dark wooden door with black handles. Her interviewer was behind those doors. She felt her palms go sweaty.

The lady opened it without knocking.

Standing perfectly still behind the desk was none other than the man of intrigue himself.

Adam Minister.

Marissa froze. At the same time, her pulse quickened. She hadn't expected to be interviewed by the CEO himself, probably a staff of HR not Adam f*****g Minister! She wasn't prepared for this.

Sharp jawline. Crisp suit. Dark hair combed back like he didn’t know what wind was. Jesus. He is much more attractive in person than in a grainy old photograph from a newspaper. She thought to herself.

He looked… cold. Like a photo of a man instead of the real thing. His face was set in a way that said 'I do not have time for nonsense', expected from a CEO. But Marissa hadn't met any CEOs before now.

Snapping out of her trance, she took several steps into the office.

He didn’t move as she entered. He didn’t even blink. But something flickered in his expression.

“Ms. Hall,” he said finally. His voice was low and smooth. Every sound felt carefully measured. “Thank you for coming.”

Marissa nodded, forcing a polite smile all the while thinking to herself; Why does it feel like he’s watching me from the inside out?

“Thank you for having me.” He gestured for her to sit as he took his seat.

She sat across from him. The chair felt too low, the ceiling too high. The windows were floor-to-ceiling length, but strangely, they were covered by thick blinds that blocked every ray of sunlight from entering.

His desk was spotless and meticulously organized. Not even a pen was out of place. There were no photos of family or anything. No distractions. Marissa had a feeling about that.

What was he hiding?

“I’ve reviewed your application,” he said, fingers steepled. “Your experience is... varied.”

“I’ve worked a lot of jobs,” she said. “Mostly to stay afloat. But I’m hoping to settle into something more permanent.”

“You studied communications?”

“Yes. Graduated three years ago.”

He nodded slowly. “And why are you interested in Halden Corp?” The question hit harder than it should’ve. Because I think you’re not who you say you are. Because I’m here to find out what you’re hiding. Because someone in your building might’ve killed my father.

“I’ve followed the company for years,” she said instead, evenly. “You’ve got a reputation for innovation and discretion. I want to be part of something that matters.”

There was a pause.

His eyes held hers, and something passed between them, something she couldn’t quite name.

“You value discretion,” he said quietly. His voice went lower than she thought it possibly could.

“I do.”

He leaned back slightly. Still no expression. No tells. He could be a mannequin in a $6,000 suit. But she felt the pressure building in the air between them. He was watching her too closely.

Marissa took the opportunity to study him carefully as well. She tried to dredge up the memory from that night, compare the face she was seeing now to the one she saw in her dreams every night after that. But she was at a loss.

She could barely remember what he looked like, except for the unnaturally violet coloured eyes. Adam's was a deep honey brown. And aside from that, his face didn’t give anything away. Except for distance and coldness.

She was ten when it happened. He would’ve been what—mid-twenties back then? Maybe? Older? She couldn't tell how old he was now.

“I think you’ll be a good fit,” he said at last.

Wait—was that it?

She blinked. “You do?”

“I do. We’ll be in touch.” That was her cue to leave. She stood, careful not to stumble.

“Thank you again,” she said. “For the opportunity.”

He nodded once. But he didn’t offer his hand. Just watched her. She saw a little strain in the muscles of his jaw, but maybe it was just in her imagination because she turned quickly, trying not to rush her exit or look too excited.

As the office door clicked softly behind her, she exhaled for the first time in minutes.

Only after the doors closed did Adam move.

He stood by the window, watching the city. Soon enough, the lady he'd just interviewed came into view. She seemed more relaxed and cheerful now that she was out of his office. He felt a dull pang in the pit of his stomach as he savoured her leftover scent that still lingered in the air of his office.

That scent.

That same scent he remembered from thirteen years ago.

He’d nearly lost control again. Just like that night. The memory was old but sharp: the child's wide eyes, the fear in them, the scent of blood and something else—something rare, something undeniable.

He’d left before he could do something he’d regret. But she’d never left him.

And now, here she was. All grown up, beautiful and mature. Standing in his office, looking at him with those same wary eyes.

So many years had passed. He had tried to forget.

It had taken him all of his control to keep his thirst for her at bay. He remembered fleeing quickly from the scene without thinking, before he would find himself doing something that he couldn't undo. He had met many humans in the hundreds of years that he'd lived, but no one like her.

Her blood was the most intoxicating thing that he had ever smelled. He could barely control his urge. Now she was back. What a lovely coincidence.

Adam ran a hand through his hair and turned away from the window, knowing deep down that now she was back, he would either have to satisfy the urge to keep her close or the urge to distance himself from her. But whatever choice he was going to make, it wouldn't be easy.