LIES BEHIND THE VALE EMPIRE

LIES BEHIND THE VALE EMPIRE By Adama Sam Chapter 1: The Interview The first thing Nia noticed about Vale International was the silence. Not the peaceful kind of silence, but the expensive kind—the sort that came from polished marble floors, glass walls, and employees who seemed afraid to speak above a whisper. She stood inside the magnificent lobby, clutching a black folder against her chest. Above her, the company logo gleamed in gold. VALE INTERNATIONAL. She had seen the name countless times online. Hotels, luxury apartments, private resorts, commercial properties—the Vale empire seemed to own a piece of everything. And today, she was hoping to become part of it. Nia glanced at her reflection in the glass wall. Her dark hair was neatly arranged, her black skirt was modest, and her white blouse had been ironed carefully that morning. She had spent nearly an hour making sure she looked professional. She couldn't afford to waste this opportunity. Her mother's tired face flashed through her mind. One step at a time, Nia. Those had been Mara's words that morning, spoken with a reassuring smile that didn't quite hide her worry. Nia took a deep breath and approached the reception desk. “Good morning. I'm here for the executive assistant interview.” The receptionist looked up from her computer. “Your name?” “Nia.” The woman waited. “Nia what?” Nia gave her full name. Something flickered across the receptionist's face. It was brief—so brief that Nia almost missed it. “Please wait here.” The receptionist picked up the telephone and spoke quietly. Nia couldn't hear the words, but she noticed the way the woman's posture stiffened. When the call ended, the receptionist looked at her again. “Mr. Vale will see you now.” Nia blinked. “The CEO himself?” “Yes. Twenty-seventh floor.” That was unexpected. She had prepared to meet a human resources manager, perhaps a department head. She had not prepared to meet the billionaire himself. Still, she straightened her shoulders and walked toward the elevators. She wasn't going to let a wealthy man's reputation frighten her. The elevator doors opened onto a quiet corridor lined with dark wood and glass. At the far end stood a pair of imposing black doors. A woman behind a desk looked up. “Miss Nia?” “Yes.” “Mr. Vale is waiting.” Nia knocked once and entered. The office was enormous, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. A dark desk stood near the windows, almost completely clear except for a laptop, a few documents, and a silver pen. The man behind it didn't look up immediately. He was reading a file. “Sit down,” he said. Nia sat. Several seconds passed before he closed the folder. Kade Vale lifted his gaze. He was younger than she had expected, but there was nothing youthful about the coldness in his expression. His dark suit fitted perfectly, his watch probably cost more than everything Nia owned, and his eyes studied her as if she were a problem he had already decided how to solve. “Miss Nia,” he said. “Good morning, Mr. Vale.” “Do you know why you're here?” “For the executive assistant position.” “That's the official reason.” Nia frowned slightly. “I'm sorry?” He slid a sheet of paper across the desk. “Your employment history contains gaps. Some of your records are incomplete. Yet your application found its way to the top of my desk.” “Perhaps because I meet the qualifications.” “Confidence is useful. Arrogance is not.” Nia stared at him. She had been in his office for less than two minutes, and already she disliked him. “With respect, Mr. Vale, you asked me to attend an interview. I came prepared to discuss my qualifications, not to defend myself against accusations.” One of his eyebrows lifted. “Accusations?” “You seem to have made up your mind about me before asking a single question about my ability to do the job.” For the first time, he looked genuinely interested. Then he opened another folder. Inside was a copy of her application and a printed record bearing a name connected to an old Vale family investigation. His jaw tightened. “Where did you get this name?” Nia leaned forward to see the page. “My name is on that application. I don't understand what you're asking.” “Don't play games with me.” “I am not playing games.” Kade rose from his chair and walked toward the window. Years ago, someone had betrayed his family. Confidential records had vanished, accusations had destroyed relationships, and his grandfather's inheritance had become the centre of a bitter dispute. The person responsible had never been properly exposed. Now, a woman with unexplained gaps in her records was sitting in his office. He turned back toward her. “Did you apply to this company because of my family?” “No.” “Have you ever worked for anyone connected to the Vale family?” “Not that I know of.” “Convenient.” Nia's fingers tightened around her folder. “I don't know what happened to you, Mr. Vale, but I will not sit here and be treated like a criminal because you have unanswered questions.” His expression hardened. “Be careful, Miss Nia.” “I'm trying to be patient.” “Then let me make something clear. I don't tolerate dishonesty in my company.” “And I don't tolerate disrespect from someone who hasn't bothered to know me.” Silence filled the office. For a moment, neither spoke. Kade was accustomed to people agreeing with him, apologising to him, or carefully choosing every word in his presence. Nia did none of those things. She was nervous. He could see that. But she wasn't afraid enough to surrender her dignity. That irritated him more than it should have. He returned to his desk and closed the file. “You can start on Monday.” Nia stared at him. “Excuse me?” “You heard me. Six-thirty in the morning. My office. Don't be late.” She hadn't expected to get the job—not after the way the interview had gone. “Why are you hiring me if you clearly don't trust me?” “Because I want to see whether you're as capable as you claim.” “And if I am?” “Then you'll have earned your salary.” Nia stood, gathering her folder. “Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Vale. I intend to do my job well.” “See that you do.” She reached the door before his voice stopped her. “One more thing.” She turned. “If I discover that you have lied to me, you will regret ever walking into this building.” Nia held his gaze. “If you discover that I haven't, I expect an apology.” She left before he could respond. The door closed quietly behind her. Kade stood motionless for several seconds, staring at the empty doorway. Then he picked up his phone. “Get me everything you can find on Nia,” he ordered the head of security. “Every address, every employment record, every connection.” He paused, looking down at the document on his desk. “And find out why her name appears in a file that should have been sealed years ago.” Across the city, Nia stepped out of the elevator with a job she desperately needed and a growing dislike for the man who had given it to her. She didn't know why Kade Vale had looked at her as if she represented a threat. She didn't know why the sight of her name had changed his expression. And she certainly didn't know that her mother had once begged someone to make sure the Vale family never found her daughter. That evening, when Nia returned home, she found Mara standing beside the kitchen table with an old envelope in her hands. Her mother looked up. For one terrible second, all the colour drained from her face. “Nia,” she whispered. “Tell me you didn't go there.” Nia stopped in the doorway. “Go where?” Mara's fingers trembled around the envelope. “Vale International.” Nia's stomach tightened. “How do you know where I went?” Her mother looked down at the envelope. Then she said something Nia had never heard her say before. “Because, darling, there are some families you must never let into your life.” And on the front of the old envelope, written in faded ink, were two words: VALE FAMILY.