Beneath His Glass Tower

Chapter 3: The Interview That Changed Everything

Leoni Grant's office wasn’t really an office. It was more like a display case made of glass – a weird mix of feeling exposed and trapped at the same time. The clear walls showed off a spotless space where everything was on display. The morning sun glared in, and there weren't any blinds to soften it. No dark corners to collect herself, no place to hide any doubt. It was built to show who was in charge. The thirty-seventh floor of Everhart Tower wasn’t made for comfort; it was meant to be a test.

Zara Cole sat carefully on the edge of a fancy Italian leather chair. It looked more like something you’d see in a museum than actually sit on. She kept her back straight, shoulders relaxed, and ankles crossed. She looked perfect. From the way her blouse was tucked into her skirt to the confident look in her eyes, everything was planned. But inside, she was desperately hoping her lie wouldn’t be exposed: She never got that MBA from Columbia, and she was hoping Leoni Grant wouldn't notice.

Leoni was sitting across the desk from her. Her desk was just a shiny piece of black glass. Leoni was quietly looking through Zara’s resume. Each page she turned sounded really loud in the quiet room. Her bare, neatly filed nails tapped on the paper every so often. Leoni seemed like the kind of person who planned everything carefully.

Leoni finally looked up, her eyes sharp and hard to read.

“You worked with Julian Marks?” It sounded like she was cutting through Zara’s act.

Zara took a breath, kept her voice steady. “Yes. I gave him strategy updates twice a week. He was in charge of developing my portfolio when we started moving into markets in Southeast Asia.”

That was sort of true. Zara did a lot of research on Julian Marks' strategies and copied his methods. She’d never worked with him, never even met him. But she made the lie believable enough that it would hold up. Julian was hard to get a hold of. The kind of person whose name added prestige, but you didn’t have to worry about anyone checking with him.

Leoni made a noise. Was she agreeing, or did she not believe Zara? It was hard to tell. She tapped her pen next to Julian's name, then looked back at Zara with cold eyes.

“Why did you leave your last job?” she asked, not even blinking.

Zara acted calm and professional, but she was already thinking ahead. “They wanted me to focus on operations. I’ve always liked working on strategy—predicting, expanding, deciding on risks. I felt like I couldn’t move up any further.”

She had practiced that line. It was supposed to impress people, but not sound like she had rehearsed it. The real reason she left—if Leoni knew—was that someone had started asking questions she couldn’t answer.

Leoni didn’t say anything right away. Instead, she looked at Zara as if she were trying to figure out her next move in a chess game. “You’re smart, Ms. Cole,” she said, her voice not trying to flatter Zara. “And you don’t get nervous easily. Roman will be…intrigued by that.”

There it was. Roman name. His name carried a lot of weight, and the way she said it suggested there was more to it—difficult, risky, and Zara had no control.

Zara smiled slightly. “Should I be concerned?”

Leoni’s face didn’t change, but she looked slightly amused. “You should always be concerned, she said. It’s the only way to survive.”

Before Zara could answer, someone knocked on the glass door. It was a loud, clear knock. The sound made Zara jump. The door slid open, and there he was.

Roman Everhart.

As soon as he walked in, the atmosphere changed. The air felt different, tense. He was tall and thin, dressed in a dark gray suit that looked expensive but not showy. His suit was cut sharply. Just like everything else.

Zara stood up, her heart pounding. Roman didn’t shake her hand or even say hello. He looked at her long enough to evaluate her.

“Ms. Cole,” he said. It wasn’t a question. Not a greeting. An order.

He turned and walked out.

Zara followed him, her heels quiet on the polished stone floor. They walked down a hallway with glass walls on both sides. The New York City skyline shone in the morning sun—big, complicated, and tough. It was a city built on wanting to succeed, and Roman Everhart was like its leader.

As they walked past people’s desks, everyone stopped talking. People turned to look. Employees straightened up. Roman presence changed the mood around him.

“You came recommended,” he said, not looking at her. His voice was soft and without emotion, as if he didn’t care if the recommendation was true.

“I’ve worked hard to be recognized,” Zara replied, carefully choosing her words. “This industry doesn’t give many second chances.”

She could feel him paying attention, even though he didn’t turn to face her. “You’re young. And untested. Why Everhart?”

Zara was nervous. She had been afraid of this moment. She wanted to tell him the truth.

Because you ruined my father.

Because you left him with nothing.

Because I watched my family fall apart while you did well.

But she couldn’t tell him that.

Instead, she said something to get his attention. “Because I know how to build lasting legacies, she said softly. And I want to learn from the one that’s managed to stand up to everything.”

He stopped walking.

He didn’t stop suddenly. Just enough to let her know she had said something that surprised him.

When he turned to face her, it felt like standing at the edge of a cliff. He looked at her for the first time—really looked at her—and Zara felt exposed. She knew he wasn’t looking at who she said she was, but what she was hiding.

“Lasting success is not real, Ms. Cole,” he said, his voice soft, almost personal. “You’ll learn that here. Eventually.”

He turned and left her.

Zara stood there. The voices around her started up again, and Everhart Tower went back to its normal sounds. But Zara didn’t feel normal.

Her heart was pounding.

She had planned this for years. And after just one meeting, she wasn’t sure:

Was she still hunting him?

Or had she walked into a trap?