Bound By Fate: Rachel Langston

Chapter 2: The Interview

Rachel stood frozen in the middle of the luxurious office.

Her heart pounded so loudly she was certain the man behind the desk could hear it.

Alexander Williams.

The stranger from the elevator...

...was the billionaire CEO.

Heat rushed to her cheeks as every word she'd spoken replayed in her mind.

"I've heard he's impossible."

"If he's old and grumpy, maybe he'll retire soon."

Rachel wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole.

Alexander watched her quietly, fighting the urge to smile.

"So..." he said, closing the résumé in front of him. "You've finally met the CEO."

Rachel forced herself to breathe.

"I... I'm so sorry, Mr. Williams."

"For what?"

"I didn't know it was you."

Alexander leaned back in his chair.

"If you had known, would you have spoken differently?"

Rachel hesitated.

"...Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're my interviewer."

"And?"

"And because you're my future employer."

Alexander folded his hands on the desk.

"That's exactly why I prefer the conversation we had in the elevator."

Rachel blinked.

"What?"

"It was honest."

His voice remained calm.

"You weren't trying to impress me."

"You simply said what you thought."

Rachel looked down.

"I'm afraid what I thought may have cost me this job."

For a few seconds, silence filled the room.

Then Alexander stood.

He slowly walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

"Do you know how many people have interviewed for this position?"

Rachel shook her head.

"One hundred and thirty-two."

Her eyes widened.

"And every single one told me exactly what they thought I wanted to hear."

He turned to face her.

"You didn't."

Rachel swallowed.

"I was just nervous."

"Nah..."

Alexander shook his head.

"You were yourself."

He returned to his desk and opened her resume once more.

"Rachel Langston."

"Twenty-four years old."

"Graduated at the top of your class in Business Administration."

He looked up.

"Why haven't you found a job?"

Rachel took a deep breath.

"Because every company wants experience."

"And you don't have any."

"No."

"So why should I hire you?"

Rachel straightened her shoulders.

"Because experience can be taught."

Alexander raised an eyebrow.

"And character?"

Rachel answered without hesitation.

"It cannot."

The room fell silent again.

Alexander studied her carefully.

There wasn't a trace of fear in her eyes anymore.

Only determination.

"I noticed something in the elevator," he said.

"You spoke about your family before you spoke about yourself."

Rachel smiled faintly.

"They're the reason I keep going."

"Tell me about them."

She hesitated.

"My father passed away when I was fourteen."

Alexander's expression softened.

"My mother raised my younger sister and me alone."

"She worked every job she could find."

Rachel's voice became quieter.

"She never let us sleep hungry."

"So now..."

She smiled sadly.

"It's my turn to take care of her."

Alexander remained silent.

Those words stayed with him.

For years he had surrounded himself with ambitious people.

People who chased money.

Power.

Success.

Rachel chased something different.

Family.

A knock interrupted the conversation.

Alexander's secretary stepped inside.

"Sir, your board meeting begins in ten minutes."

Without taking his eyes off Rachel, Alexander replied,

"Cancel it."

The secretary froze.

"Sir... the directors are already here."

"I said cancel it."

"...Yes, sir."

She quietly closed the door.

Rachel stared at him in disbelief.

"You canceled your board meeting..."

Alexander shrugged.

"I'll survive."

"But that's an important meeting."

"So is this interview."

Rachel didn't know what to say.

Alexander picked up a pen.

"One last question."

Rachel nodded.

"If I hire you..."

"...what happens?"

She smiled.

"My family gets another chance."

Alexander looked at her for several long seconds.

Then he signed a document.

He slid it across the desk.

Rachel looked down.

Her eyes widened.

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

"I..."

She looked back at him.

"I got the job?"

Alexander nodded.

"You start Monday."

Rachel couldn't believe it.

Tears filled her eyes before she could stop them.

"Thank you."

Alexander smiled—just a little.

"Don't thank me yet."

"I'm not an easy man to work for."

Rachel laughed softly.

"I've survived worse."

Alexander almost laughed too.

Almost.

As Rachel reached for the contract, her phone suddenly rang.

She quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry."

Alexander gestured for her to answer.

The moment she picked up, her smile disappeared.

"What?"

Her face turned pale.

"When?"

She gripped the phone tightly.

"I'll be there."

She ended the call with trembling hands.

Alexander noticed the fear in her eyes.

"What happened?"

Rachel struggled to speak.

"My mother..."

"She collapsed."

Without another word, she rushed toward the door.

Alexander called after her.

"Rachel."

She turned.

"Take the company car."

She shook her head.

"I can't."

"You can."

He tossed his car keys onto the desk.

"My driver will take you."

Rachel stared at him.

"But..."

"Go."

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then Rachel whispered,

"Thank you."

She hurried out of the office.

Alexander watched the door close.

He had hired hundreds of employees.

Yet somehow...

This one already felt different.

Across the hall, hidden behind the corner, a woman wearing dark sunglasses watched everything.

Vanessa Carter.

She had seen Rachel leave Alexander's office with tears in her eyes...

...and Alexander watching her leave.

Vanessa's lips curled into a cold smile.

"So..."

"She's the one who caught your attention."

She slipped her sunglasses back on.

"This is going to be fun."