Until I fell for you

CHAPTER ONE THE INTERVIEW 💥 Nancy's POV 😻 The bright morning sunlight streamed through the curtains and fell directly onto my face. I groaned and turned away from it, pulling the blanket over my head. But there was no going back to sleep. It was another morning. Another day. And another day of being jobless and hopeless. I let out a tired sigh before finally getting out of bed. My room was small and simple, with only the things I needed. My bed occupied most of the space, while a small wardrobe stood against one wall and my study table was pushed into the corner. I walked over to the table and sat down. There was an open notebook in front of me. I picked up my pen, intending to write something—anything—but my mind was completely blank. I stared at the empty page. Nothing. I couldn't concentrate. My thoughts were all over the place. I've been searching for a job ever since I left the company I used to work for, but nothing seemed to be working out for me. I had submitted applications to different companies. So many, in fact, that I had lost count. But every day, I waited for a phone call or an email that never came. Sometimes, I received rejection emails. Other times, I didn't receive anything at all. It was frustrating. I dropped the pen on the table and leaned back in my chair. I couldn't afford to remain unemployed for much longer. I had a sick grandmother to take care of. I also had a younger brother whose education depended partly on me. There were bills to pay, food to buy, and so many other responsibilities that never seemed to end. I rubbed my forehead tiredly. I just needed one opportunity. One job. That was all I was asking for. Just when I was about to pick up my pen again, my phone suddenly beeped. Beep! I immediately looked at it. An email notification. My heart skipped. I quickly picked up my phone and opened the email. My eyes widened when I saw the name of the sender. HANEUL GROUP. I stared at the screen. Haneul Group was one of the biggest companies in the city. It was a huge corporation with branches in different parts of the country, and getting a job there was considered a big opportunity. I had applied for a position there two weeks ago. Could this be it? With trembling fingers, I opened the email. My eyes quickly scanned the message. «Dear Miss Nancy Sinclair, You are hereby invited to attend an interview at Haneul Group today at 8:00 a.m. We look forward to meeting you.» I froze. I read the email again. Then I checked the time on my phone. 7:12 a.m. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "What?!" I jumped up from my chair. "Today?!" I stared at the email in disbelief. "They're inviting me for an interview today?! And it's already past seven?!" I started pacing around my room. "Why didn't they send this yesterday? Or at least a few days ago?!" I looked at myself. Then at my wardrobe. Then back at myself. "What am I going to wear?!" Panic immediately took over. I rushed to my wardrobe and started searching through my clothes. I didn't have time to think. I grabbed a decent outfit, hurried into the bathroom, washed my hair, took a quick shower, and got dressed. I stood in front of the mirror afterward. I looked at my reflection. My hair was neatly arranged, and my clothes were simple but presentable. I took a deep breath. "I hope I look good enough for an interview." I grabbed my handbag and hurried out of my room. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough money to take a taxi. I was already calculating how I could possibly get to Haneul Group when I saw my neighbor, Mr. Do, getting into his car. "Mr. Do!" He looked in my direction. "Nancy? Where are you rushing to?" "I have an interview at Haneul Group, but I'm already running late." He glanced at his watch. "Get in. I'm heading to work. I can drop you somewhere along the way." My eyes lit up. "Really? Thank you!" I quickly got into his car. It wasn't a direct route to Haneul Group, but at least it would take me closer. After driving for a while, Mr. Do stopped and dropped me off. "Thank you so much for the ride, Mr. Do." "Good luck with your interview." "Thank you!" I waved goodbye and immediately began walking. I checked my wristwatch. 7:48 a.m. My eyes widened. "Oh my God. I'm almost late!" I quickened my pace. I was practically walking as fast as my legs could carry me when suddenly— SPLASH! "What the hell?!" A car had sped past me, splashing dirty water all over my feet and shoes. I froze. I slowly looked down at my messy shoes. My eyes widened in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me!" I turned around angrily. The black luxury car had already driven a short distance away. "Hey!" I was furious. The car suddenly stopped. Then, to my surprise, it slowly reversed. I watched as it came closer. The tinted window slowly rolled down. A man was sitting inside. He was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit. I couldn't see his face properly through the window, but I could tell from his attitude that he was definitely not the type of person who cared about anyone else. This was the i***t who had just splashed dirty water all over me. I marched toward the car. "How dare you drive so carelessly and splash water all over me?! Are you that daft?!" I was so angry that I didn't even think before speaking. The man looked at me coldly. For a moment, he said nothing. Then his eyes briefly moved down to my dirty shoes. "Next time, get the hell out of the roadside if you don't want to get splashed." I stared at him. "What?!" His voice was cold and completely unapologetic. "Don't stand in the way of cars and then blame the driver when you get dirty." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You're the one who was driving recklessly!" He simply looked at me. "I don't have time for this." "Excuse me?!" But before I could say anything else, the window rolled up. The car drove away. I stood there in complete disbelief. "What kind of human being is that?!" I looked down at my shoes again. "No apology. No manners. Nothing!" I shook my head angrily. "Just a complete nuisance in a suit." I looked in the direction the car had disappeared. "Look at his head like that of a truck..." I stopped myself. There was no point wasting more time. Then I remembered. My interview. My eyes widened. "Oh no!" I quickly checked my wristwatch. 7:56 a.m. "I'm going to be late!" I looked around desperately. Luckily, I spotted a convenience store nearby. I hurried inside. A woman was standing behind the counter. "Excuse me," I said breathlessly. "Do you have a restroom?" She pointed toward the back. "Yes. It's over there." "Thank you!" I rushed into the restroom. I did my best to clean the dirt from my shoes and my feet. It wasn't perfect, but at least I looked slightly better than I did a few minutes ago. I checked my phone. 8:03 a.m. My heart sank. "Oh, no." I quickly grabbed my handbag and ran out of the store. I ran as fast as I could. By the time I finally reached Haneul Group, I was completely out of breath. I stood outside the enormous building, trying to catch my breath. The building was breathtaking. Its sleek glass exterior reflected the morning sunlight, while the huge HANEUL GROUP logo stood proudly above the entrance. I swallowed nervously. This was it. My chance. I couldn't mess this up. I quickly straightened my clothes and walked inside. The lobby was even more impressive. The polished marble floors gleamed beneath my feet, and elegant lights hung from the high ceiling. Employees in expensive-looking suits moved around the building with serious expressions, each person seemingly busy with their own responsibilities. I suddenly felt very nervous. I approached the reception desk. The woman sitting behind it looked up. "Can I help you?" "Yes. I'm Nancy Sinclair. I'm here for an interview." She checked her computer. Her eyebrows immediately rose. "Miss Nancy Sinclair?" "Yes." She looked at the time. "It's eight minutes past your scheduled interview." I winced. "I know. I'm really sorry." "The interview was scheduled for eight o'clock." "I know, but something happened on my way here." She looked at me suspiciously. I decided not to explain the whole story. How was I supposed to tell her that some arrogant man had splashed dirty water on me and then insulted me when I confronted him? That would sound ridiculous. "I'm really sorry," I repeated. She sighed. "Well, you're here now." I nodded. "Thank you." She picked up the phone and made a call. After a few seconds, she hung up. "Go to the executive floor. The executive assistant will take you to the CEO's office." My eyes widened. "The CEO's office?" "Yes." "Is the CEO interviewing me personally?" She shrugged. "Apparently." My heart began beating faster. Great. Just great. Not only was I late, but I was about to be interviewed by the CEO himself. I quickly thanked her and headed toward the elevator. A few minutes later, I stepped out onto the executive floor. The atmosphere was completely different from the rest of the building. It was quieter. More serious. The walls were decorated with beautiful modern artwork, and everything looked incredibly expensive and sophisticated. A woman approached me. "Miss Nancy Sinclair?" I nodded. "Yes." "Please follow me." I followed her down a long hallway until we stopped in front of a large office door. My heart began pounding. I took a deep breath. I could do this. I needed this job. The woman knocked. "Come in." She opened the door and I followed her inside. The CEO's office was enormous. Floor-to-ceiling windows covered one side of the room, offering a breathtaking view of the city. The office was decorated in elegant shades of black, gray, and dark brown, giving it a luxurious and professional atmosphere. Everything was perfectly arranged. There was a large bookshelf filled with neatly organized files and books. A comfortable-looking sofa sat in one corner, while a massive desk stood near the windows. And behind that desk sat a man. His head was bent over some documents, his attention completely focused on whatever he was writing. The woman walked closer. "Mr. Kang, Miss Nancy Sinclair is here for her interview." The man didn't raise his head. "You can leave." His voice was deep and cold. The woman immediately nodded. "Yes, sir." She turned around and began walking toward the door. I stood awkwardly in the middle of the huge office. Then— The man slowly raised his head. The moment I saw his face, my entire body froze. My eyes widened. My mouth fell open. No. It couldn't be. I stared at him in disbelief. Those eyes. That cold expression. That arrogant face. Suddenly, everything clicked. This was him. The man from this morning. The i***t who had splashed dirty water all over my shoes. The man who had told me to get the hell out of the roadside. The nuisance in a black suit who had ruined my morning and nearly made me late for my interview. My eyes slowly moved toward the nameplate sitting on the desk. KANG MIN-JAE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER My heart sank. I looked back at him. He was staring at me too. For a few seconds, neither of us said anything. Then his eyes narrowed. Recognition slowly appeared on his face. "You..." My stomach dropped. Oh, no. No. No. No. Of all the people in this city... Of all the companies I could have applied to... It had to be him. I swallowed hard. The CEO of Haneul Group was the same arrogant man who had ruined my shoes this morning. And now I was sitting—or rather, standing—in his office for a job interview. I was doomed. Absolutely doomed. The man leaned back in his chair, his cold eyes fixed on me. Then his lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile. "You're the woman from this morning." My jaw dropped. I pointed at him. "You're the man who splashed dirty water all over me!" The woman who was about to leave suddenly stopped. I froze. Oh. My. God. Did I really just say that to the CEO? The CEO's eyebrow lifted. His gaze slowly moved down to my shoes before returning to my face. "I see you've managed to clean yourself up." I clenched my fists. "Thanks to the convenience store restroom." His lips twitched. "Interesting." I stared at him. "What's interesting?" He picked up my résumé from his desk. "Nancy Sinclair." He glanced at the document. Then his eyes returned to mine. "Let's see if you're as qualified as you are outspoken." I swallowed. I desperately needed this job. So, despite every instinct telling me to walk out of that office, I pulled out the chair in front of his desk and sat down. The CEO stared at me. I stared back. The room suddenly felt unbearably quiet. And that's how my interview began.