BENEATH HIS GREY EYES

Chapter Three: Last Resume

Davina didn't look back.

She tightened her grip on the folder pressed against her chest and walked as fast as her trembling legs would allow. The voices of the curious onlookers gradually faded behind her, swallowed by the constant buzz of the busy streets of Ralivay.

Only when she turned into a quieter road did she finally stop.

She let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

"What a horrible day..."

Her eyes drifted to the folder in her hands.

With trembling fingers, she opened it.

The sight almost made her cry.

Several résumés were stained with muddy water, while others were badly creased from being stepped on during the commotion. The neatly printed pages she had spent hours preparing the previous night now looked almost useless.

She swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

"I can't cry," she whispered to herself.

"If I cry now, Mum will know something happened."

She closed the folder and forced herself to stand straight.

"No."

"I'm not giving up."

She remembered the encouraging smile on Reyna's face that morning.

"You'll find a job."

Her mother's words echoed in her mind.

Davina smiled despite the disappointment weighing heavily on her heart.

"I promised you I'd keep trying."

She checked the folder once again.

Only one résumé remained untouched.

Her last one.

"My final chance."

For the next hour, Davina wandered through Ralivay's bustling business district.

She stopped at several office buildings, but each receptionist gave her the same disappointing response.

"We're not hiring."

"Applications closed last week."

"You can apply online."

Every rejection chipped away at the confidence she had woken up with that morning.

By late afternoon, her feet hurt, her stomach growled from skipping lunch, and exhaustion settled over her like a heavy blanket.

She sat briefly on a bench outside a small café.

People walked past carrying shopping bags, laughing with friends, or rushing to meetings.

Everyone seemed to know exactly where they belonged.

Everyone except her.

She lowered her head.

"What if no one ever hires me?"

The thought frightened her.

If she couldn't find a job soon, her mother would continue working herself to exhaustion.

Davina couldn't let that happen.

She slowly stood again.

"One last try."

As she rounded the next corner, something caught her attention.

A towering skyscraper stretched high into the sky, dwarfing every building around it.

Its glass exterior sparkled beneath the afternoon sun like a polished diamond.

Davina instinctively stopped walking.

"...Wow."

She tilted her head back.

The building seemed to disappear into the clouds.

"This has to be the tallest building in the entire city."

People in expensive suits entered and exited through elegant revolving doors while luxury vehicles lined the entrance.

Everything about the place screamed wealth and success.

Her eyes slowly travelled upward until they landed on the silver letters displayed proudly across the front of the building.

KINGSLEY GROUP.

The name sounded familiar.

Then it clicked.

"The arrogant man..."

Her eyes widened.

"This is his company."

She stared at the entrance for a long moment.

Her excitement disappeared.

"They'd never hire someone like me."

She looked down at her clothes.

The once neatly ironed dress was now decorated with dried mud stains from the accident.

Her shoes had lost their shine.

A strand of hair escaped from her ponytail, making her look even more untidy.

She sighed.

"There are probably hundreds of graduates applying here."

"My résumé wouldn't even make it past the receptionist."

She turned to leave.

After only a few steps...

She stopped.

Her fingers tightened around the folder.

"No."

"If I walk away now..."

"I'll regret it."

She closed her eyes briefly before taking a deep breath.

"Courage, Davina."

"You've already survived today."

"What's one more rejection?"

A determined smile spread across her face.

She turned around and confidently walked toward the entrance.

The lobby stole her breath away.

The polished marble floors gleamed beneath enormous crystal chandeliers.

Fresh flowers decorated every corner.

Employees dressed in elegant business attire moved efficiently through the spacious reception area.

Everything looked spotless.

Professional.

Perfect.

Davina suddenly became painfully aware of how ordinary she looked.

A few employees glanced briefly at the mud stains on her dress before politely looking away.

Her confidence faltered.

"Maybe this really isn't the place for me."

Before she could lose her nerve, she approached the reception desk.

A young woman wearing a navy-blue suit greeted her warmly.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Welcome to Kingsley Group."

Davina returned the smile.

"Good afternoon."

"I... I'd like to submit my résumé."

The receptionist accepted the document.

"Certainly."

She quickly scanned through the first page before typing something into her computer.

After a few seconds, she looked back up.

"There is currently one available position."

Davina's eyes brightened.

"There is?"

"Yes."

"What position?"

"The personal secretary to our CEO."

Davina blinked several times.

"The... CEO's secretary?"

The receptionist nodded.

"I'm afraid it's one of the most competitive positions in the company."

Davina gave a small laugh.

"I guessed as much."

"We've received applications from experienced professionals, some with years of corporate experience."

Davina looked down at her hands.

"I only graduated recently."

The receptionist offered an apologetic smile.

"I don't want to discourage you."

"But I'd rather be honest."

Davina appreciated her kindness.

"Thank you."

"I understand."

She carefully placed her final résumé on the counter.

"This is my last copy."

The receptionist noticed the muddy edges.

"It looks like it's had quite a day."

Davina laughed awkwardly.

"You have no idea."

The receptionist smiled.

"I'll make sure Human Resources receives it."

"Thank you."

Davina bowed her head slightly before turning toward the exit.

She had no expectations.

All she wanted was the comfort of knowing she had tried.

She never noticed the pair of sharp grey eyes watching her every movement from the floor-to-ceiling windows of the executive office three floors above.

The moment Davina disappeared through the revolving doors, the lobby returned to its usual rhythm.

Employees resumed their conversations.

Clients continued walking in and out.

To everyone else, she had been just another job applicant.

But not to Reese Kingsley.

Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows of his executive office on the third floor, Reese watched until Davina's figure vanished into the sea of people outside.

His expression remained unreadable.

Yet his mind refused to move on.

For years, his life had followed the same routine—board meetings, business deals, acquisitions, contracts, investors. Every day was carefully planned, every decision calculated. Nothing surprised him anymore.

Nothing...

Until this morning.

The memory replayed itself without permission.

The loud crack of her palm against his cheek.

The fearless fire in her hazel eyes.

The way she had shoved his money back into his chest as though it meant absolutely nothing.

Most people wanted something from him.

Money.

Power.

Influence.

His approval.

Davina Brooks had wanted none of them.

She had looked him straight in the eye and insulted him in front of an entire crowd.

A faint crease appeared between his brows.

"Who exactly are you?"

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

The office door opened, and Erin stepped inside.

"You called for me, sir?"

Reese didn't turn around.

"The woman."

Erin blinked.

"...Miss Brooks?"

"So you remember her."

Erin almost smiled.

It would be difficult to forget the first woman bold enough to slap my boss.

"Yes, sir."

"I want to know why she came here."

Erin nodded.

"Right away."

Without another question, he left the office.

Ten minutes later, Erin returned carrying a single résumé.

It wasn't pristine like the others Human Resources received every day.

The edges were slightly wrinkled.

Tiny stains of dried mud marked one corner.

Even so, it had been carefully protected inside a clear plastic folder.

Erin placed it gently on Reese's desk.

"This is hers."

Reese walked over slowly.

His eyes settled on the document.

DAVINA BROOKS

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.

Recent graduate.

No professional experience.

Several academic achievements.

Volunteer work.

Excellent communication skills.

He read every line in complete silence.

There was nothing extraordinary about her qualifications.

In fact, compared to the hundreds of applications Kingsley Group received each month...

She was ordinary.

Very ordinary.

Erin waited patiently.

He expected Reese to finish reading before casually tossing the résumé aside.

Instead...

Reese kept reading.

Even the smallest details.

He noticed the neat handwriting where she had signed her name.

The careful formatting.

The fact that there wasn't a single spelling error.

Someone had taken time preparing this.

Finally, Reese spoke.

"What did the receptionist say?"

Erin glanced at the notes in his hand.

"Miss Brooks arrived shortly after four o'clock."

"She asked if there were any vacancies."

"The receptionist informed her that only the CEO's personal secretary position remained open."

Reese listened quietly.

"She also explained that hundreds of experienced applicants had already applied."

"And?"

"Miss Brooks thanked her..."

Erin paused.

"...submitted her last résumé..."

"...and left."

Reese looked up.

"Her last résumé?"

"Yes, sir."

"The receptionist mentioned that it was the only copy she had left."

Silence filled the office once again.

Reese lowered his eyes to the document.

So...

She hadn't come to Kingsley Group because she knew he worked there.

She hadn't come seeking revenge.

Nor had she been trying to get close to him.

She had simply been searching for a job.

The realization irritated him for reasons he couldn't explain.

He leaned back in his chair.

His fingers tapped lightly against the desk.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then he remembered something.

Her words.

"Keep your money."

"I need respect."

No one had ever rejected his money before.

No one.

He had built an empire where wealth solved almost every problem placed before him.

Yet that young woman...

She had looked at his money as though it were worthless.

A small, almost invisible smile tugged at the corner of Reese's lips before disappearing just as quickly.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Erin noticed the brief expression and nearly questioned whether he had imagined it.

"Sir?"

Reese picked up the résumé once more.

His sharp grey eyes rested on Davina's name.

"For twenty-nine years..."

he said quietly,

"...people have respected my authority."

He paused.

"Some because they admired me."

"Others because they feared me."

He placed the résumé neatly on his desk.

"But today..."

"The first person who challenged me wasn't a rival CEO."

"It wasn't a politician."

"It wasn't an investor."

"It was a young graduate carrying a folder full of résumés."

Erin remained silent.

He knew Reese wasn't expecting an answer.

Reese stood and walked back to the window overlooking the city.

The streets below were crowded.

Somewhere among those thousands of people...

Davina Brooks was probably still searching for hope.

Without turning around, he spoke.

"Erin."

"Yes, sir."

"I want to know who Miss Davina Brooks really is."

Erin frowned slightly.

"Sir?"

Reese folded his hands behind his back.

"A woman who isn't afraid of me..."

"...is either incredibly foolish..."

"...or incredibly brave."

He turned to face Erin.

"I'm going to find out which one."

Erin waited.

Reese's next words caught him completely off guard.

"Tell Human Resources to remove her résumé from the general applicants."

Erin's eyes widened.

"...Sir?"

"Schedule her for an interview."

For the first time in years, Erin was too stunned to respond.

"Sir... are you certain?"

Reese's expression returned to its usual cold calm.

"I don't repeat myself."

"Yes, Mr. Kingsley."

Erin quickly picked up the résumé.

As he reached the door, Reese spoke again.

"And Erin."

He stopped.

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't make this obvious."

"I don't want anyone thinking she's receiving special treatment."

"Understood, sir."

Erin left the office, still trying to make sense of what had just happened.

As the door clicked shut, Reese looked out over the City of Ralivay once more.

His cheek no longer stung.

But his pride still did.

For the first time in his life...

Someone had walked away from Reese Kingsley without fear.

Without greed.

Without regret.

And somehow...

He couldn't stop thinking about her.