Chapter 7 — First Test
1339 Words
The silence inside the conference room stretched for several seconds after Damien Blackwood announced his decision.
Aria remained standing beside the long glass table, still gripping the black employment contract in her hands as she tried to process what had just happened.
Against the direct objection of senior executives, against Victoria Sinclair’s open disapproval, Damien had chosen her.
Not only did he choose her.
He had offered her a position working directly under him.
None of it felt normal.
Across the room, Victoria Sinclair had not moved.
Her expression had darkened considerably, and although she had been maintaining perfect corporate composure until now, Aria could see the irritation building behind her polished smile.
“This is a mistake.”
Victoria’s voice sliced cleanly through the silence.
Damien stood near the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, one hand resting inside the pocket of his tailored charcoal suit.
He did not bother turning around.
Victoria took a slow step forward, crossing her arms over the emerald blazer hugging her frame.
“She has no elite training background. No experience working with high-value clientele. No corporate fashion exposure.”
Her eyes drifted toward Aria dismissively.
“You’re making an impulsive decision.”
Damien finally spoke, though his voice remained completely calm.
“I’ve already made my decision.”
That answer clearly irritated Victoria further.
Before she could argue again, the conference room doors suddenly opened.
A woman stepped inside with a presence so commanding that even the atmosphere itself seemed to shift around her.
She looked to be in her late fifties, but age had done nothing to diminish the elegance radiating from every detail of her appearance.
Her silver-black hair had been styled flawlessly into a low twist.
A long cream designer coat rested neatly over her shoulders.
Every piece of jewelry she wore was understated but obviously expensive enough to make ordinary people uncomfortable standing too close.
Behind her walked two assistants carrying luxury shopping bags.
The moment Mark Vance saw her, he straightened immediately.
“Mrs. Blackwood.”
Aria instinctively looked toward Damien.
His expression changed almost imperceptibly.
The cold amusement vanished.
His posture stiffened slightly.
“Mother.”
So this was Evelyn Blackwood.
Damien’s mother.
Evelyn’s eyes settled first on her son.
Unlike normal family interactions, there was no warmth between them.
No affection.
No smile.
Their relationship felt strangely formal.
Almost strategic.
Then her sharp gaze moved slowly across the room.
And landed on Aria.
The intensity behind that stare was immediate.
It felt less like being looked at and more like being examined.
Judged.
Measured.
Evelyn tilted her head slightly.
“This is the candidate?”
Before Damien could answer, Victoria stepped forward smoothly.
“Yes, Aunt Evelyn.”
Aria noticed the word immediately.
So Victoria was not just a senior executive.
She had personal ties to Damien’s family.
That explained a lot.
Victoria smiled faintly.
“We were just discussing Damien’s… unusual hiring decision.”
Evelyn’s eyes remained fixed on Aria.
She said nothing.
That somehow felt worse.
Victoria continued.
“Mr. Blackwood seems convinced talent alone is enough qualification these days.”
She turned toward Aria now, her smile elegant but sharp enough to wound.
“Although I personally find that philosophy optimistic.”
Aria said nothing.
Victoria slowly circled the table, every movement polished and deliberate.
“You understand, Miss Bennett…”
She paused briefly.
“Blackwood Atelier is not a standard design company.”
Her eyes moved over Aria’s modest interview outfit.
“We cater to royal families, billionaires, celebrities, and global investors.”
Another pause followed.
Her voice softened slightly.
That somehow made the insult harsher.
“Most of our designers come from very distinguished institutions.”
Aria understood exactly where this conversation was going.
Victoria continued.
“Paris.”
A small smile.
“Milan.”
Another glance at Aria.
“London private academies.”
She folded her arms.
“Not… public universities with scholarship programs.”
The insult landed exactly the way Victoria intended.
Mark Vance quietly looked away.
Even the assistants behind Evelyn remained perfectly still.
Nobody intervened.
Nobody defended her.
Aria slowly tightened her grip around the contract.
Her chest felt hot with anger, but years of hardship had taught her something valuable.
Pride was most dangerous when used quietly.
She lifted her eyes calmly.
“With respect, Miss Sinclair…”
Victoria raised one eyebrow.
Aria continued.
“I was under the impression this company hired designers.”
Her voice remained perfectly controlled.
“Not family bloodlines.”
Victoria’s smile disappeared immediately.
Aria kept going.
“I understand I did not study in Paris.”
She shifted her attention briefly toward Evelyn.
“Or come from old money.”
Then back toward Victoria.
“But fabric does not care where the hands touching it come from.”
The silence that followed stretched heavily.
Aria’s heart pounded hard against her ribs, but outwardly she refused to show weakness.
Victoria stared at her.
Her expression had hardened completely now.
“You speak boldly for someone who has not even been accepted yet.”
Aria inhaled slowly.
Then answered.
“No.”
She met Victoria’s stare directly.
“I speak confidently because I know what I can do.”
That was the moment something shifted.
Near the windows, Damien had remained silent the entire time.
Watching.
Observing every reaction.
Studying every word.
He had expected discomfort.
Perhaps even fear.
Instead, Aria had been cornered by two women powerful enough to destroy careers with a single phone call—
And she had refused to lower her head.
For the first time that morning, genuine interest flickered behind Damien’s dark eyes.
Evelyn Blackwood noticed it immediately.
She finally stepped forward herself.
Her expensive heels barely made a sound against the polished marble floor.
She stopped directly in front of Aria.
Close enough now that Aria could see the quiet intelligence hidden behind her sharp features.
Evelyn studied her for several long seconds.
Then spoke.
“You remind me of someone.”
Aria frowned slightly.
Evelyn allowed the silence to linger before continuing.
“Women who have nothing usually learn how to survive pressure better than women who have everything handed to them.”
Victoria stiffened immediately.
“Aunt Evelyn—”
Evelyn raised one hand.
The single gesture silenced her instantly.
She turned toward Damien.
“You made your decision?”
Damien nodded once.
“Yes.”
Evelyn looked back toward Aria.
Then surprisingly—
A faint approving smile touched her lips.
“Good.”
Victoria looked genuinely shocked now.
Evelyn adjusted the designer handbag resting on her arm.
As she turned toward the door, she stopped briefly.
Without looking back, she spoke calmly.
“Talent matters more than status.”
A pause.
Then—
“Do not disappoint my son.”
And with that, she walked out.
The assistants followed immediately behind her.
Victoria remained frozen near the door.
The humiliation burning visibly across her face made it obvious this was not over.
Before leaving, she turned sharply toward Aria.
The hatred in her eyes had become unmistakable.
This had stopped being professional competition.
Now—
It was personal.
The doors shut behind her.
The room became quiet again.
Aria slowly exhaled.
Then turned toward Damien.
He was already watching her.
That same unreadable expression sitting perfectly on his face.
For several seconds neither of them spoke.
Finally—
Damien adjusted the sleeve of his expensive suit and said quietly,
“You handled that better than most executives in this building.”
Aria stared at him.
Her jaw tightened.
“I don’t need your approval, Mr. Blackwood.”
For the smallest fraction of a second—
Damien smiled.
Not warmly.
Not kindly.
It looked almost dangerous.
Then he spoke.
“Interesting.”
His eyes darkened slightly.
“I’m beginning to think hiring you may be more entertaining than I expected.”
Aria immediately disliked the sound of that.
And somewhere deep inside—
She had the uncomfortable feeling that stepping into Blackwood Atelier had just become the biggest mistake of her life.
- Writer
