The interview
1297 Words
ARTHUR
Arthur walked slowly to his office, stealing glances while Zina walked beside him, tablet tucked under her arm.
“How many do we have today?” he asked, loosening his cufflinks as they approached his office.
“Six,” she replied promptly “Two men, four women. All scheduled to arrive by nine.”
“Good.”
He removed his jacket and draped it over the chair as soon as they stepped in,he loosened his tie and handed it to Zina without thinking,an old habit formed from long days and late nights.She took it.
That was when he noticed.Zina looked… different today. The light from the windows caught the side of her face, and for a brief moment, Arthur felt something stir,
“You should be careful with what you wear to work,” he said, his tone sharper than intended.
Zina blinked, clearly startled. “Sir?”
“We have male staff,” he continued, forcing his gaze back to her eyes. “Professional boundaries matter.”
The silence that followed was thick.
“I didn’t mean to..” she started.
Arthur raised a hand. “That’s all. You may go.”
She nodded quickly, embarrassment coloring her expression, and turned toward the door.
Relief washed through him.
Then……
“Zina.”
The word slipped out before he could stop it.she turned back, confusion flickering across her face.Arthur took a deep breath, grounding himself. “This doesn’t happen again. We keep things professional.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. “Of course, sir.”
She left.Arthur remained standing long after the door closed.A soft notification sound pulled his attention back to the desk.New interviewee Check-In
STELLA
The door closed softly behind me as I stepped into the interviewees’ waiting room.
“Thank you,” I said quietly to the lady who had directed me there.She smiled politely and left.The room already had five people seated inside.
My eyes moved over them slowly. Everyone looked… put together. Crisp suits,confident posture,the kind of people who looked like they belonged in glass buildings and boardrooms. The kind of people who didn’t grow up surrounded by monsters and magic.I swallowed and chose the only empty seat.The woman beside me glanced my way almost immediately. Her eyes swept over my outfit,from my blouse to my skirt to my shoes then lingered just a second too long before she scoffed and looked away.
I folded my hands neatly on my lap, pretending not to notice her occasional side-eye. My heart was already beating faster than I wanted it to. I hated waiting rooms. They gave you too much time to think about how badly you needed the job and how easily things could go wrong.
A man across from me adjusted his tie for the third time. Another tapped his pen against his folder like he was counting down to something.
“Mr. Daniels?”
The man nearest the door stood up immediately, smoothing his jacket as he followed the assistant out.
The door shut again.Five became four.
I exhaled slowly, rubbing my palms together beneath the table. They were damp,great,just great.Calm down, Stella, I told myself. You’ve survived worse than an interview.Haven’t you?
My mind betrayed me, drifting,not to my resume, not to my qualifications,but to home.Savire tried to tell me something earlier but my stepmom came interrupting us.It kept replaying in my head “you deserve to know…” I sighed.Minutes passed,another name was called,then another.
Each time the door opened, my heart jumped, only to sink again when it wasn’t me.
The woman beside me crossed her legs sharply and sighed, clearly irritated. I caught her looking at me again, her lips tightening like I had personally offended her by existing.My chest tightened.
“It’s time,” I muttered to myself, rubbing my palms together nervously.I lifted my gaze to the door just as it opened once more.
“Miss Owen?”
I stood up, smoothing my skirt with hands that were no longer shaking,at least not visibly. As I walked toward the door, a strange feeling settled in my stomach.
The door opened quietly.My heels sounded louder than they should have as I followed the assistant down the hallway. Each step felt deliberate,she stopped in front of a glass door and gestured for me to go in.I inhaled once, then stepped inside.
The office was spacious, neat to the point of perfection. Nothing out of place. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, reflecting off a polished desk that sat between me and the man standing beside it,the man on magazines ….. Arthur Salvatore.He was reading something,my résumé, probably,his posture relaxed but alert, like someone who never truly switched off. Clean black hair,sharp jaw,calm energy,dangerously composed.
He finally looked at me.His eyes lingered this time.
“You,” he said, more a statement than a question.
My throat went dry. “Y..yes. I mean…yes, sir.”
One brow lifted.
Sir?
Great. I sounded like I was about to faint.
“You were… at Jojo House of Fashion,” he said coolly.
“Yes.” I nodded quickly. “I mean…no, I mean…yes, I was there. I didn’t know you were…” I stopped myself, heat rushing to my face. “I didn’t know who you were.”
“I figured,” he replied.Silence stretched.
He picked up my CV again, scanning it.
“You’re qualified,” he said after a moment. “Impressive, actually.”
My chest loosened slightly.
“But,” he continued, eyes lifting to mine, “you seem… distracted.”
I swallowed. “I’m just nervous.”
“Why?”
“I really want this job,” I said
Tell me about yourself,” he said.
I’d practiced this. I rehearsed it a hundred times in my head but suddenly, the words felt stuck somewhere between my chest and my throat.
“I’m Stella Owen,” I began, forcing steadiness into my voice. “I recently returned from abroad after completing my degree in business administration. I’ve worked in administrative roles before, and I…..”
Then he leaned back slightly, fingers steepled. “Do you always stutter when you want something?”
I flinched.
“I..no. I don’t…usually,” I said, hating how weak that sounded.A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
Gone as fast as it appeared.He closed the file.
“You can go.”
Just like that.
My heart dropped. “I…go?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” I stood and turned toward the door, avoiding his gaze.
“Miss Owen.”
I stopped.He stood up this time, walking around the desk. The room felt smaller with him closer.
“You should leave early today,” he said quietly. “Before your… unleashed dog comes harassing me again.”
My breath caught,my face burned. “I’m sorry about that. He..”
“That’s not an apology I need,” Arthur cut in, his voice calm but edged. “This is a workplace. I don’t tolerate interference.”
I nodded. “It won’t happen again.”
He looked at me for a long second.
“Good,” he said finally
I turned to leave again,
“oh and why this company?” he asked.
“Because,” I said carefully, “it values structure and growth,and I need a place where effort actually means something.”
“You don’t sound like someone who’s afraid of hard work.”
“I’m not,” I replied before thinking.
“Thank you, Miss Owen.”
I walked so fast towards the door before he would say anything else.I slowed down when I got to the hallway, could this be….
“Hi,I'm Zina”
“Hi,I thought as much,you look so pretty by the way”
“Thanks, my fiance tells me all the time…Arthur “
My brow raised
- Writer
