Chapter 1--- The interview
1015 Words
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The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, revealing the top floor of Thorne Enterprises—quiet, sleek, and intimidating. Melissa Wayne stepped out, heels tapping against the marble, her steps steady and unhurried. She adjusted the strap of her leather briefcase and scanned the reception area with a lawyer’s eye for detail.
The walls were glass. The floor gleamed. The air carried the faint scent of citrus and control.
It was impressive, in an impersonal, sterile kind of way. The kind of place where silence was more valuable than conversation.
“Miss Wayne?” a voice called gently.
Melissa turned. A young woman, barely in her twenties, stood behind a minimalist reception desk, holding a tablet in one hand and looking both nervous and apologetic.
“Yes?”
“He’s ready for you,” the assistant said. “You can go in.”
Melissa gave a polite nod and made her way to the large double doors at the end of the hall. The assistant pressed a button, and the doors opened with a subtle hiss of air.
And there he was.
Lucas Thorne.
Billionaire. CEO. Tabloid favorite. Known for his ice-cold stare, ruthless decisions, and an endless stream of women on his arm—none of whom stayed longer than a headline.
He was standing behind his desk, tall and broad-shouldered in a dark navy suit that probably cost more than her rent for a year. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes were sharp and unreadable. Gray like a storm, and just as dangerous.
“Miss Wayne,” he said smoothly. “Five minutes early. I like that.”
“I don’t like being late,” Melissa replied, stepping forward with confidence and offering her hand.
His grip was firm—controlled, just like everything about him.
“Have a seat.”
Melissa sat down, crossing one leg over the other, perfectly composed. Lucas remained standing for a moment longer, then settled into the leather chair opposite her.
“I’ve read your résumé,” he began. “Harvard Law. Top ten of your class. Three years at Fendley & Brook before moving to private consultancy. You’ve handled two high-profile corporate cases and won both.”
“I believe in earning results, not applause,” she replied, tone calm and professional.
Lucas’s mouth twitched at the edges. A ghost of a smile.
“I need a legal advisor who understands confidentiality, loyalty, and sharp decision-making. The kind of person who won’t flinch when the stakes are high.” He leaned back, folding his arms. “This position comes with a generous salary, travel perks, and executive-level access. But discretion is non-negotiable.”
Melissa nodded slowly. “Sounds more like a handler than a lawyer.”
“You could say that.”
Her eyes didn’t waver. “How many candidates have you interviewed?”
“None.”
A beat passed.
“I don’t usually do interviews myself,” he added. “But you... interested me.”
There it was. The shift.
Melissa didn’t blink. “My qualifications? Or something else?”
Lucas stood and walked slowly around the desk, coming to lean against it just a few feet from her chair. “Why not both?”
Melissa stood too. “Let me make something clear.”
His brow arched. “Go on.”
“I’m not here to flirt, stroke egos, or become the next headline in your rotation of disposable assistants.”
A flicker of something passed across his face—surprise? Amusement?
“I’m here to work. If that’s not what this meeting is about, then we’re done.”
Lucas straightened, his face unreadable. “You always this direct?”
“Only when I smell bullshit.”
Another silence followed. He studied her for a long moment, as if trying to decide whether to be offended—or impressed.
“You’re not what I expected.”
“I’m not here to meet expectations,” she replied. “I’m here to meet standards.”
Lucas let out a quiet breath. “Interesting.”
He took a step closer. Melissa didn’t move.
“You don’t like me, do you?” he asked, a smirk finally tugging at the edge of his mouth.
Melissa tilted her head slightly. “Let’s just say... you’re not my type, Mr. Thorne.”
With that, she turned and walked to the door.
Lucas didn’t stop her. But something flickered in his eyes as the door clicked shut behind her.
It wasn’t rejection he was used to. And it definitely wasn’t a no he was prepared to accept.
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Outside, Melissa stepped into the waiting elevator and exhaled softly.
The nerve of him. Thinking he could charm her with a smirk and a fat paycheck.
She had dealt with worse than Lucas Thorne. Men with too much money and too little respect. The kind of men who thought boundaries were optional and power gave them a free pass.
But she didn’t bend for anyone. Not anymore.
As the elevator reached the ground floor, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen: Unknown Number.
Curious, she unlocked it.
“Congratulations, Miss Wayne. Welcome to Thorne Enterprises. Your contract will be sent shortly.”
She blinked.
She hadn’t accepted anything.
Another buzz. This time, a text from the assistant she’d met earlier:
“Mr. Thorne insisted. He’s expecting you Monday morning.”
Melissa’s jaw tightened. A surge of disbelief rushed through her.
He what?
She stared at the message for a moment longer, then looked up through the glass entrance of the skyscraper towering behind her.
Lucas Thorne had just declared war.
And he didn’t even ask permission.
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Melissa narrowed her eyes, tapped her phone, and sent a single message back to the assistant:
“Tell Mr. Thorne: I don’t work for men who ignore the word no.”
She tucked her phone into her coat, but her fingers trembled—just slightly.
Because deep down, a part of her knew...
She was going to walk back through those doors.
And this time, it wouldn’t be for the job.
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- Writer
