Chapter 3: The Interview
1421 Words
The next morning, Clara woke up before her alarm.
For a few seconds, she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling above her.
Then she remembered.
The divorce.
The hotel.
The interview.
And Ethan.
Her stomach tightened at the last thought.
Clara reached for her phone on the bedside table.
There were no new messages from Ethan.
She wasn't sure whether that made her relieved or disappointed.
She immediately pushed the thought away.
Why would she care?
She got out of bed and walked toward the small mirror hanging beside the wardrobe.
The woman staring back at her looked tired.
But she also looked different.
Maybe it was because, for the first time in three years, she wasn't dressing for Ethan.
She wasn't wondering whether he would like her clothes.
She wasn't choosing something because his mother might criticize it.
She wasn't trying to look like the perfect wife of Ethan Blackwood.
Today, she was simply Clara Bennett.
She opened her suitcase and pulled out a simple black dress.
Nothing expensive.
Nothing flashy.
Just professional.
After getting dressed, she tied her hair back, put on a little makeup, and looked at herself again.
"You're going to do this," she whispered.
Her phone suddenly rang.
Clara froze when she saw the name on the screen.
Ethan.
She watched it ring.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
She almost answered.
Instead, she turned the phone face down.
The ringing stopped.
A few seconds later, a message appeared.
Ethan: Where are you going?
Clara stared at the message.
She almost laughed.
He already knew.
Westbridge Holdings.
The interview.
And yet he was asking.
She locked her phone and slipped it into her handbag.
"Not your business anymore."
She picked up her bag and left the hotel.
---
Westbridge Holdings occupied one of the most impressive buildings in downtown New York.
Clara had passed the building countless times during her marriage.
She had never imagined she would one day walk through its doors for a job interview.
As she entered the lobby, she immediately noticed how busy it was.
Employees hurried past carrying files and laptops.
The reception area was modern and elegant without being overly extravagant.
Clara approached the front desk.
"Good morning. I'm here for an interview."
The receptionist smiled politely.
"Name?"
"Clara Bennett."
The receptionist typed something into the computer.
Her expression changed slightly.
"You're interviewing for the executive operations coordinator position?"
"Yes."
"Please have a seat. Someone will come for you shortly."
"Thank you."
Clara sat down.
She kept her hands folded on her lap, trying not to let her nerves show.
This was only an interview.
She had worked as a secretary for years.
She knew how to organize schedules, handle confidential documents, communicate with executives, and manage difficult situations.
She wasn't starting from nothing.
She was simply starting again.
After about ten minutes, a woman in a gray suit approached her.
"Ms. Bennett?"
Clara stood.
"Yes."
"I'm Laura Mitchell from Human Resources. Please follow me."
Clara nodded and followed her upstairs.
As they walked through the office, Clara noticed several employees looking in her direction.
At first, she assumed they were simply curious about a new candidate.
Then she heard someone whisper.
"Isn't that Ethan Blackwood's wife?"
Clara's steps slowed.
Laura glanced at her.
"You know him?"
Clara gave a small smile.
"We were married."
Laura's eyebrows rose.
"Oh."
That single word told Clara everything.
Apparently, the divorce hadn't become public yet.
Or perhaps people simply hadn't heard.
Laura quickly changed the subject.
"Your résumé is impressive. You have several years of executive administrative experience."
"Thank you."
"You worked directly with senior management?"
"Yes."
Laura smiled.
"Good. That's exactly what we're looking for."
They entered a conference room.
Another woman and a man were already waiting inside.
"Clara, this is Daniel Reed, our Chief Operating Officer."
Daniel stood and shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too."
Clara sat down.
The interview began.
At first, the questions were simple.
Why did she want the position?
What were her strengths?
How did she handle pressure?
But gradually, the questions became more challenging.
Daniel gave her a hypothetical situation involving two executives, conflicting schedules, an important client, and a last-minute meeting.
Clara listened carefully.
Then she explained exactly how she would handle it.
Daniel nodded.
"You didn't panic."
"I've learned that panicking usually makes the problem worse."
Laura smiled.
"That's a good answer."
Another question followed.
"What would you do if your employer made a decision you strongly disagreed with?"
Clara paused.
Then she answered honestly.
"I would explain my concerns respectfully. But once the final decision was made, I would do my job professionally."
Daniel leaned back.
"Even if you personally disagreed?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because a workplace can't function if everyone treats disagreement like a personal battle."
Daniel exchanged a glance with Laura.
Clara could tell they liked her answer.
For the first time that morning, she relaxed.
Maybe she could actually do this.
Maybe her life wasn't falling apart.
Maybe it was simply changing.
The interview continued for nearly forty minutes.
Finally, Daniel closed the folder in front of him.
"I think that's enough for today."
Clara nodded.
"Thank you for your time."
Laura smiled.
"We'll contact you soon."
Clara stood.
As she reached the door, Daniel spoke again.
"Ms. Bennett."
She turned.
"Yes?"
"You have strong experience. Don't underestimate yourself."
The words caught her off guard.
Clara smiled.
"Thank you."
She walked out feeling lighter than she had when she entered.
---
Across the city, Ethan sat behind his desk.
He had been staring at the same email for nearly five minutes.
He hadn't absorbed a single word.
His assistant, Marcus, stood in front of him.
"She went to the interview."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"I know."
Marcus hesitated.
"Do you want me to find out how it went?"
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
Ethan looked down at his desk.
"Actually..."
He stopped.
Marcus waited.
"Find out."
"Of course."
Marcus turned to leave.
"Ethan?"
Ethan looked up.
"Yes?"
"Can I ask you something?"
Ethan's expression hardened.
"What?"
"Why do you care so much about where she works?"
Silence filled the room.
Ethan didn't answer.
Marcus gave him a knowing look.
"I'm just asking."
"Get back to work."
Marcus smiled slightly.
"Right."
He left.
Ethan leaned back in his chair.
Why did it bother him?
Clara had always worked.
She had handled his schedule, organized meetings, answered calls, and taken care of countless things he never even noticed.
But somehow, the idea of her working for another company bothered him.
Maybe because he knew what happened next.
She would meet new people.
Make new friends.
Build a life.
A life that didn't include him.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Marcus appeared.
Marcus: The interview went well. They seem impressed with her.
Ethan stared at the message.
Something uncomfortable settled in his chest.
He typed a response.
Ethan: Did she accept the position?
He deleted it.
He typed again.
Ethan: When will they make a decision?
He deleted that too.
Finally, he put the phone down.
He shouldn't care.
She was no longer his wife.
That was what he wanted.
Wasn't it?
---
Clara stepped out of the Westbridge building and breathed in the cool afternoon air.
She hadn't gotten the job yet.
But for the first time in months, she felt proud of herself.
Her phone vibrated.
She expected another message from Ethan.
Instead, it was an email.
Clara opened it.
Her eyes widened.
Westbridge Holdings — Interview Follow-Up
She read the message carefully.
They wanted her to return the following day for a second interview.
Clara smiled.
A real smile.
She hadn't smiled like that in a long time.
Then another notification appeared.
This one was from Ethan.
Ethan: We need to talk.
Clara stared at the words.
She could almost hear his voice.
The same calm, commanding voice that had controlled so much of her life.
For three years, she had always answered when Ethan called.
Always stopped what she was doing.
Always made herself available.
But she wasn't that woman anymore.
She locked her phone.
Then she smiled again.
Tomorrow, she had another interview.
And for once, her future wasn't being decided by Ethan Blackwood.
It was hers.
Clara started walking down the street, unaware that Ethan had already made a decision of his own.
He was going to see her.
And this time, she wasn't going to be the one chasing him.
He was going to have to chase her.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD