Cruel Attraction

Chapter Two: Will she stand a chance?

A little rage had built up within her, a rage that was playing with her emotions because when she couldn't unleash her anger she often resorts to tears. She managed to fight the urge off because her anger won't help in this situation.

Even if Mr. Devil walked up to her face, patted her head, and called her a little girl, she would just smile and respond with 'thank you sir' because she needed the job.

She guessed he had already recognized her and concluded on making this a misery for her.

"Buckle up next time little one," he added with a little smile that seemed like he was mocking her."

Sofia still managed to maintain her cool even after that last remark. she looked down at his shirt, noticing how he left half of his shirt buttons open.

"Okay, but for now, why don't you button up?" She muttered under her breath, making sure to not say it out loud.

"Did you say something?" He sat up, his gaze a little stern and on her as he looked like he was trying to decipher something.

"No, no, not at all, Mr. Wayne." She responded with a softer tone and a faint smile.

She saw a little confusion and curiosity masked on his face but she wasn't sure why.

"Do I know you?" Mr. Wayne’s husk voice asked.

It now dawned on her, he didn't even recognize her. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, but at least, if she got rejected, she would go back to her old job as if this never happened. But she couldn't deny how she felt bad that her boss of three years had never actually taken note of her for the three years she had been there. She served him food occasionally when the servers were not disposed but he had never looked at her?

She swallowed to that thought, she wasn't only a poor person, she was invisible too.

She has to get this job! This has to work today! She can't go back to being a nobody. This has to work out.

"I asked, doo... I know you?" She slightly flinched at the tone of his voice, she had almost forgotten he asked her a question.

A question she wasn't sure how or what to answer.

She didn't want him sentimental about this, she didn't want him to look at her background and judge her with it, so for now, she would deny knowing him.

" No...

No sir." She responded.

The nice lady had whispered something to Mr. Wayne which made him adjust a little while his gaze was still on her. And she won't even deny it, there was something unsettling about his gaze.

They were in a conference hall, which had a conference table that had about six chairs around it, with six people also sitting around it. She was standing closer to the entrance, with a white board just by the wall behind her. She faced these people with Mr. Wayne seating at the peak of the long table.

"You have got five minutes," the lady said before reaching some papers before her.

She was relieved to hear that, but her anxiety also went up after a brief second of relief. She was expected to show and defend her works. Were her designs going to be good enough for her audience? They must have seen a torn of work from a very much experienced candidates, but she hoped that her original and carefully created designs would be good enough for them.

"What is your name?" One of the men sitting at the table asked.

"Sofia...

Sofia Suarez" she responded.

She wondered why, but Mr. Wayne's taunting gaze has been fixed on her the whole time.

"Your works will come up at the board behind you, in a little while," the man said. She figured they were bringing up her work from the documents she had earlier submitted on the provided link on the article.

"Are you ready?" The man asked before the slide she had created and submitted was now put on display.

She swallowed before wiping her sweaty hands on her gown and then proceeding to speak.

"Mmm, your designs are quite impressive," the nice lady said after her presentation.

"But it also seemed you need a little experience." She added.

"Which college did you graduate from?" Mr. Wayne asked.

She didn't think one of the criterias for this job was a college degree because she obviously didn't attend any. She swallowed again as she tried find words to say.

"No College, I presume" Mr. Wayne had seen her reaction and figured she was taking time to respond because she didn't attend any.

"Have you worked as a car, machine designer, or any kind of package designer?" He asked as the whole place went quiet again waiting for her response.

"No, still, I presume." He answered again and this time she was losing hope about this. What was she thinking? Regular companies always gave jobs to experienced candidates only, and not to talk of a world class company like Venus.

We are done here, you are not what we are looking for." He said before proceeding to stand, then reaching to fetch his items on the table.

"How do I become experienced when you and the likes of you are not willing to give me an opportunity?" Sofia asked with confidence she didn't know she had. She noticed the room pause and so did Mr. Devil.

Dennis was simply too exhausted to pay this little late comer any attention. Her designs weren't bad, but not up to what they were looking for. She exuded boldness and even spoke back to him, too bad she won't get to find out that she couldn't just speak to him anyhow. she had no future in Venus, well as for right now, and even if she did her little mouth might rip her that opportunity.

"What's your name again, young Ms?" He asked.

"Sofia." He heard her say.

"Ms. Sofia, this is not a company that recruits little children and gives them experience.

For that, you can try toy car companies"

"At Venus, we only go for the highest in creativity and experience. And based on this, you do not fit into our criteria."

"I'm twenty three, I'm not a little child." She said in an argumentative tone. He noticed the room whisper things to themselves following her remark.

Exactly what a little Child would say, leave the topic of discussion and argue about their age. He thought.

"You know what, I know what we can do with you." Wayne heard his mum say and he hoped it wasn't what he was thinking.

"I love your design, you have got potential, I see them."

"We are having a special three months touch up training for our qualified candidate." She added and Wayne paused, taking his gaze to his mum who didn't pay him any attention.

"They are trained by the world's best and once a week supervised by Mr. Wayne the CEO himself," Wayne sighed to hearing his mom say that, he didn't want to object to his mum publicly, but he would make sure to stop this from happening.

"What do you think about joining them?"

"I will be delighted, thank you so much" he heard the young lady sing out in excitement and almost jumped like a rabbit that got offered some peanut.

"Wayne was sure his mum saw through his frustration and made sure to not give it any attention.

"Mum?" He called out in a questioning tone.

"Hey, I think the table also agrees that her designs are worth giving an opportunity." She said as he moved his gaze through the table, realizing they gave an approving expression.

Of course, they would approve anything from Carolyn Wayne, his mum. His mum was adored by everyone and most people knew that the only way to get to him was through her, so they tried to play 'pick me' with her.

Wayne exhaled due to frustration.

"She will be your responsibility, not Venus or mine," he said before picking his stuff up and moving towards the exit. He paused before her, something about her. He was sure he had seen her somewhere but wasn't quite sure where.

"Have we met before?" He enquired again.