The CEO'S RULEBOOK

The Offer

Mila’s POV

Months had passed, and still, no word from the job profile Maya had set up for me. The hope I’d held onto for something better than the soul-sucking coffee shop job I was stuck in had slowly begun to fade.

Every day felt like an endless loop of serving people who barely noticed I existed, their mundane orders the only reminders of my place in the world. But I showed up. I always showed up.

“Good afternoon, Maya,” I greeted, walking through the door of the coffee shop, my eyes fixed on the counter, already bracing myself for the familiar routine.

“Mila! Darling, how are you today?” Maya’s voice was too chipper, her bright smile masking something I couldn’t quite place.

“I’m fine,” I muttered, not bothering to match her energy. Something was off. Maya wasn’t usually this bubbly, not unless there was something she was hiding.

I narrowed my eyes, sensing the shift in her demeanor. “Maya... what’s going on?”

Her fingers froze over the espresso machine, a nervous twitch in her smile. “Nothing, Mila. I’m just happy today, that’s all.” She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, but I noticed the tremor in her hands.

I studied her, not buying it. Maya had always been the easygoing, carefree type. This wasn’t her. But I let it slide, deciding to focus on my work. But even as I moved through the motions, her strange behavior lingered in the back of my mind.

A few minutes passed, and then, I heard it. Maya sighed deeply, almost inaudibly. Her shoulders sagged for a moment before she straightened up, trying too hard to appear fine.

I couldn’t let it go.

“Maya…” I called out again, my voice softer now. Her back stiffened, and I could see the conflict in the way her jaw tightened. She knew I wasn’t buying her act.

“What’s going on with you?” I asked, my arms crossing over my chest, worry tightening my chest.

She paused, the sound of the spoon clinking against the counter the only noise in the room. For a second, it felt like time had slowed. Finally, she exhaled sharply, turning to face me with a resigned look in her eyes.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” she began, her voice quiet. “A friend of mine reached out today. There’s an opening at Harris Construction Company. They’re hiring, and I managed to get you an interview.”

My breath caught in my throat. “What? Harris Construction?” I stammered, the words too big for my brain to process. “No... Maya, you’ve got to be kidding.”

“Mila, listen to me,” Maya cut me off, her tone firm. “I know this isn’t what you expected, but this is your shot. You need to take it.”

I shook my head, still stunned. “But they’re huge, Maya. I, who am I to even think they’d want me?”

Her eyes hardened. “You’re someone who’s been stuck in this coffee shop for far too long. You won’t know unless you try. Trust me, you need this.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but the words stuck in my throat. She was right. If I didn’t go, I’d never know. But self-doubt clouded my thoughts.

Maya’s eyes softened, but there was no room for argument. “Mila, you’re going, and that’s final. You don’t even know what I had to do to get you that interview. Don’t waste it.”

She turned away, resuming her work, leaving me to digest her words. Her voice echoed in my mind: You don’t even know what I had to do. That thought hung heavy in the air, but I couldn’t let it stop me.

(A Few Days Later...)

Thursday arrived faster than I could prepare for it. The night before, I barely slept, my mind spiraling with fear and self-doubt. An interview at Harris Construction? The idea felt too big, too unreal. Yet, here I was, about to take the first step into something that could change my life.

My mom practically vibrated with excitement, bursting into my room with her usual enthusiasm. Maya had even sent a message wishing me good luck and offering to cover my shift at the coffee shop.

I tried to calm myself, standing in front of the mirror, telling myself, “I can do this. I deserve this.” But the nerves made it hard to believe.

I rushed through breakfast, barely tasting the food, my thoughts racing. Half an hour later, I was standing in front of Harris Construction’s towering glass doors, feeling small and out of place.

With every step I took toward the receptionist, my heart hammered in my chest.

“Hello, my name is Mila Brown. I’m here for the interview,” I said, my words shaky but determined.

The receptionist smiled politely and directed me down the hall to the interview room. I tried to steady my breath, my legs like jelly as I walked. Every step felt like a betrayal of my nerves.

When I entered the interview room, the woman behind the desk barely looked up from her computer. The room was pristine, almost sterile in its formality. I felt even smaller.

I took a seat, trying to steady myself. She asked the usual questions about my experience, my skills, my goals. Every answer I gave felt insufficient, but I forced myself to speak, hoping it didn’t sound as uncertain as I felt.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, she looked up, her expression unreadable.

“That would be all for now, Miss Brown,” she said flatly. “We’ll be in touch.”

I left the room, my head spinning. Did she mean I was being considered, or was that just polite dismissal? I didn’t know. I walked out of the building, my heart heavy with the weight of uncertainty.

Back at the Coffee Shop…

Maya was waiting for me, her eyes full of hope. “So… how did it go?”

“They said they’ll be in touch,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her face fell, just slightly, but she masked it with a forced smile. “We wait then,” she said, but I could hear the tremor in her voice. She wanted to believe.

A Week Later...

The days passed slowly, each one heavier than the last. Every time my phone buzzed, my heart would leap into my throat, hoping it was them. But it never was.

I kept pushing myself at the coffee shop, trying to keep the doubt at bay. Maya kept encouraging me, but each passing day made it harder to believe that things would change.

Then, one afternoon, while we were talking about her latest conquest, my phone buzzed. My heart stopped.

I hesitated, a lump forming in my throat. Could it be them? Or was it another reminder that I was still stuck?

I answered, my voice barely audible. “Mila Brown speaking.”

“Hello, Miss Brown?” a voice on the other end said.

“This is she,” I replied, barely able to breathe.

“Mila, this is Harris Construction. We’d like to offer you the position. Congratulations.”

I froze, unable to process the words. I had to be hearing things.

“Thank you… Thank you so much!” I squealed, my voice trembling.

I hung up and turned to Maya, who was staring at me, waiting for the verdict.

“Maya… I got it!” I shouted, my voice breaking as I leapt into her arms.

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. “I knew you could do it, Mila! I knew it!”

For the first time in months, everything felt right. I wasn’t just the girl stuck in a coffee shop. I was moving forward, and this was just the beginning.