Chapter Four-The Wrong Impression
1215 Words
Alexander Knight stood motionless in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, overlooking the city that had made him one of the most powerful businessmen in the country. From the fiftieth floor, everything below looked small. Cars crawled through the streets like tiny toys, and people hurried along the pavements without realising they were being watched from above. It was a view he had admired for years, yet this morning he barely noticed it.
His thoughts kept drifting back to the young woman from the lobby.
Daisy Harper.
She had looked completely out of place inside Knight Enterprises, yet somehow she had been the only person who hadn’t seemed intimidated by him. Everyone else lowered their voices whenever he walked past. Board members carefully chose their words around him. Employees avoided making eye contact. But Daisy had apologised once, refused to apologise again, and stood her ground without trembling.
His assistant, Ethan Brooks, entered the office carrying a tablet.
“The board members are waiting in the conference room.”
Alexander didn’t move.
“Ethan.”
“Yes, sir?”
“The girl from the lobby.”
Ethan looked surprised.
“The interview candidate?”
“What do you know about her?”
“Not much. Human Resources handled the interviews.”
Alexander turned away from the window.
“Find out.”
Ethan blinked.
“Sir?”
“You heard me.”
Without another word, Alexander walked out of the office toward the boardroom, leaving Ethan completely confused. In the five years he had worked for Alexander Knight, he had never seen his boss show the slightest interest in an applicant.
Meanwhile, Daisy sat on the bus heading back to her hometown. She rested her head against the window, watching the towering buildings slowly disappear behind her. The excitement she had felt that morning had completely vanished.
She replayed the encounter with Alexander over and over.
She should have stayed quiet.
She should have apologised again.
She should never have argued with the billionaire CEO in front of half his employees.
“Brilliant, Daisy,” she muttered to herself. “You travelled all this way just to lose the job before they even made a decision.”
The elderly woman sitting beside her smiled kindly.
“Talking to yourself usually means you’re thinking too much.”
Daisy laughed awkwardly.
“Is it that obvious?”
“A little.”
“I think I ruined something important today.”
The woman patted her hand gently.
“If something is meant for you, one mistake won’t take it away.”
Daisy wished she believed that.
Back at Harper Farm, Jake was repairing one of the fences when he spotted the bus stopping near the entrance to their property.
“Daisy’s home!”
He hurried over just as she climbed down with her small handbag.
“So?” he asked eagerly. “How did it go?”
She sighed.
“The interview was fine.”
“And?”
“I accidentally spilled coffee on the CEO.”
Jake stared at her.
“You what?”
“It wasn’t exactly my fault.”
“You spilled coffee… on the billionaire?”
“There were papers everywhere.”
Jake burst into laughter so hard he had to hold onto the fence to steady himself.
“This isn’t funny.”
“It really is.”
“I think I argued with him too.”
Jake laughed even harder.
“Oh, Daisy…”
She couldn’t help laughing as well.
When the laughter faded, reality settled between them once again.
“What if they don’t hire me?”
Jake’s smile disappeared.
“You did your best.”
“I needed more than my best.”
“You don’t know the outcome yet.”
She nodded, though doubt still lingered in her heart.
The next morning at Knight Enterprises, Emily from Human Resources entered the executive floor carrying a folder of interview evaluations.
She stopped outside Alexander’s office after receiving an unexpected message asking her to report directly to him.
She knocked lightly.
“Come in.”
Alexander remained seated behind his enormous desk, reviewing financial reports.
“You wanted to see me, sir?”
“The temporary assistant interviews.”
Emily handed him the folder.
“The hiring committee has almost reached a decision.”
Alexander flipped through the pages until he reached Daisy Harper’s application.
He paused.
“No office experience.”
Emily nodded.
“No, sir.”
“Limited computer skills.”
“Yes.”
He continued reading.
“Excellent references.”
“Her previous employers described her as hardworking, dependable and quick to learn.”
Alexander closed the folder.
“What did you think of her?”
Emily hesitated.
“Honestly?”
“I asked for your opinion.”
“I think she’s genuine.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Genuine?”
“She didn’t pretend to know things she didn’t. She answered every question honestly.”
Alexander leaned back slightly.
“And the incident in the lobby?”
Emily smiled nervously.
“I don’t think she was trying to be disrespectful.”
“No?”
“I think she simply believes people should admit when they’re wrong.”
Alexander remained silent.
For some reason, that answer amused him.
After Emily left, he looked once more at Daisy’s application before pressing the intercom.
“Ethan.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Offer Miss Harper the position.”
There was a brief silence.
“The temporary assistant role?”
“Yes.”
“Immediately?”
Alexander looked out across the city again.
“Immediately.”
That afternoon, Daisy was helping her mother gather fresh vegetables when her phone began to ring.
She almost ignored it, assuming it was another unknown number trying to sell something.
Instead, she answered.
“Hello?”
“Good afternoon, Miss Harper. This is Emily from Knight Enterprises.”
Daisy’s grip tightened around the phone.
“Yes?”
“I’m pleased to inform you that you’ve been selected for the temporary assistant position.”
For several seconds, Daisy couldn’t speak.
“…I got the job?”
“You did.”
“When do I start?”
“Monday morning.”
She covered her mouth with her free hand, tears instantly filling her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“We look forward to working with you.”
The call ended.
“Daisy?” Martha asked.
She lowered the phone slowly.
“I got it.”
“You got the job?”
She nodded.
Martha wrapped her daughter in a tight embrace while Jake rushed over from the barn after hearing the excited voices.
“What happened?”
“She got the job!” Martha cried.
Jake lifted Daisy off the ground in celebration.
“I knew they would hire you!”
“I thought you said I scared the CEO.”
“You probably did.”
They all laughed together, their joy echoing across the farm.
For the first time in months, hope didn’t feel impossible.
Daisy looked across the fields her father had loved so dearly.
“I’m going to save this farm,” she whispered to herself.
She had no idea that the billionaire she believed she had offended was the very reason she had been given the opportunity in the first place.
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