Chapter2

Silvie’s POV

The rumors flying around Frosthelm City about Kyle Blackwell, the CEO of Lunaris Corporations were very… unpleasant.

“He’s a rude, arrogant bastard.”

“I used to work with him and yeah it’s true. He treats people coldly, like trash.”

“What a Grade-A asshole.”

My excitement about the chance to work in such a prestigious company faded with each rumor I read on the internet. They were tearing at him just as viciously in the magazine tabloids as well. But even amidst all the criticisms, there was one thing in common between both—The same people talking shit about Kyle couldn’t seem to stop themselves from praising him for his appearances, spinning articles upon articles about Frosthelm’s youngest yet richest billionaire and most sought after bachelor.

Now, the thing about these rumors was, it wasn’t enough to stop me from applying for the position.

A month ago, it was announced that Kyle Blackwell was searching for a personal assistant. It came as a surprise to everyone and the news spread like wildfire because such a thing was never usually this big of a deal. It certainly wasn’t the first time Lunaris Corp. was hiring, so why was it being heavily publicized all of a sudden?

I recalled my conversation I had with my friend and co-worker in the cafe I worked part-time. April was even the one who let me know about the recent frenzy surrounding Kyle and Lunaris.

“Wait…” She had said, distracting me from my task of wiping the serving counter. “This just reminded me of that rumor Victor was telling me the other day! He heard from someone that Kyle's personal assistants always quit working with him within a month because they were unable to stand his arrogance.”

“It’s true!’ Victor piped up from the kitchen and I rolled my eyes fondly.

“Oh, wow.” I replied dryly but that didn’t stop April.

“Yeah! It makes sense why they’re willing to pay this much for such a meager position. The salary used to be crazy high but what they’re offering now is up to three times that. That’s insane.” Now, I’m not going to lie, my interest perked up at that.

“They’re desperate.” Victor said as he popped out of the kitchen holding a tray of freshly washed glass cups. “They need to find a new hire as soon as possible but Kyle’s reputation is so bad, no one will want to work with him unless they pull something like this. So, Lunaris is simply making sure whoever they hire will stay for the money.”

“You’re right. They’re publicizing it so much, there can’t be any other reason.” April scrolled on her phone some more. “Has he considered, I don’t know, changing his behavior toward people?”

“We don’t know if these rumors are actually true. That’s all they are, April. Rumors.” I interjected.

“Awwwn,” April cooed, setting her phone down where I just freaking wiped and pinched my cheeks. “My baby, Silvie. Always trying to see the good in everyone. Hey, why don’t you try applying?”

I snorted and moved to respond to a new customer. Once they left to wait for their order, I responded to April. “No. Are you kidding? Do you know how many people will be applying as well? Here’s a hint: At least the entire city’s female working class population. I won’t have a chance in hell of getting picked.”

All of this was two weeks ago but after my shift was over, as soon as I got home, I booted up my old room computer, navigated to Lunaris’s website and applied for the job.

I know I said I wasn’t going to and what I told April was true. Too many people would also be applying for me to have any good chance, but I wouldn’t have been able to sleep properly knowing that I let that ridiculously tiny chance of being the one hired amongst thousands go without at least trying.

The salary being offered was so much. If I had that kind of money, God, my life would change so much. I’d be able to afford three square meals a day for myself and my brother and our mom would be home with us instead of spending her days on a hospital bed.

I’ve never been lucky in my life. Yes, I applied for the role, but it was a half-hearted endeavor. I didn’t believe anything would come of it. But it seemed the universe had decided to let up on tormenting me because three days ago, I got an email informing me that I’d been shortlisted for the position and was scheduled to come for an interview today.

As I stood in front of the massive corporate building that was Silvercest Headquarters, head pounding and groggy, I was disappointed in myself for going clubbing with April on the eve of my interview. To be more specific, I was annoyed that I was so easily bribed with the promise of covering all the expenses.

According to her, I’d been looking a lot more dead recently. Although I wouldn’t use those exact words to describe myself, she was right. I’d been getting more and more depressed recently. It was so bad that I could feel myself nearing rock bottom, so as much as I hated to admit it, I needed the outing.

I actually had fun last night. I let loose. Never in my innocent twenty-one years of life had I taken more than a few sips of alcohol but yesterday, I chugged on it. It felt so good, so exhilarating to not have to think of everything wrong in my life, every burden I had to carry.

It felt even better when I found myself in that man’s lap. Tall and ruthless in beauty, he captured and held my attention from the moment I sat down at the bar and ordered my first drink. I felt on top of the world when he called me over to meet him in the private VIP section.

It was… admittedly the best part of last night. Booze got me drunk enough to not think twice about making out with a complete stranger, but that complete stranger had my heart pounding like it wanted to give out, had me releasing sounds that even just thinking about now made my face heat up. It was so perfect. He was perfect.

Unfortunately, like everything life placed in my hands, I ruined it by throwing up all over him because I’d drank too much. The shame I felt yesterday came rushing through me again and I took a deep breath to expel the crippling embarrassment.

My consolation was simple—I was never going to be reminded of the embarrassment because I was never going to see him again. That sort of luck didn’t fall into the hands of people like me twice.

Jolting out of my deep thoughts, I remembered where I was. The walkway, blocking several people from passing easily. Steeling myself, I clutched the styrofoam cup of coffee I bought to ease my hangover tighter and readjusted the tote bag straps on my shoulder. Then I walked into the building.

The interior was expensively and tastefully decorated, but I was too anxious this morning to properly observe everything. I walked up to the front desk.

“Good morning!” I greeted with a kind smile.

The receptionist was an older lady chewing gum with a bored expression on her face. “Mornin’.” She greeted me back.

“I’m here for the job interview. To be specific, for the role of personal assistant to Mr. Kyle Blackwell.”

“You’re late.” The woman remarked and I grimaced. How could I explain that I woke up late due to sleeping late because I went clubbing and while I still managed to arrive in time, the few minutes I had were wasted thinking about my terrible life choices?

No way. That sounded like a shitty excuse.

“Sorry,” I opted for simply apologizing, not really knowing what else to say.

“Interview’s that way. Take the elevator to the fifth floor, there’s a large conference room. It’s very easy to find.”

“Thanks.”

I followed the lady’s direction and found myself facing two elevators. Immediately, I turned around, intending to return to ask which to pick but I didn’t want to waste more time than I already had. And so I picked the elevator that looked fancier. They both probably led to the same floor anyway.

I didn't have to wait long for it to arrive and the inside was empty, so I simply stepped in. As I went up, I took a sip from coffee and ran my fingers through my brown hair in an attempt to calm my nerves. I was only a little late. It was fine, really. What wasn't fine was how my hair was already a damn mess because I couldn't stop fidgeting.

Ding!

The doors slid open and I stepped out into a sparsely decorated corridor. According to the receptionist, the conference room where the interview was being held was easy to find, but I didn’t immediately see any room like that. Looking ahead, I did see a corner so maybe it was on the other side. I walked down the corridor and once I came to the corner, I made a sharp turn but as soon as I did, my entire body slammed clumsily into a hard wall and I gasped.

What the hell? I thought. My cup of coffee didn’t make it. It was compressed, spilling all over my clothes and the clothes of the man in front of me.

Wait. Man???

Holy shit. My jaw dropped as I took in the person I thought was a wall, gaze landing on a pristine gray suit terribly ruined by brown stains. Just behind that suit I caught a glimpse of tight abs hidden behind a clingy white shirt. Glancing lower, matching gray pants were added to my field of view followed by shoes that looked like they could pay my rent.

Only when a deep voice started growling did I realize I’d been staring too long and with a gasp, my eyes snapped up to the person’s face. As soon as I took in who it was, my heart dropped to my stomach.

The CEO.

I had run into and spilled coffee on Kyle fucking Blackwell.

“I- I’m sor—” I started to apologize but he cut me off.

“Are you blind or insane enough to not watch where you’re going?” Kyle snapped and I stumbled backwards.

“I am so, so sorry.” I said, already beginning to tremble and blush in humiliation. As I watched him inspect the wet stains on his suit, I remembered I had a napkin in my tote bag and pulled it out.

“Here, let me…” I said and hurried forward again to help him wipe it. But he stepped back away from my reach, leveling me with a cool look of disgust. Oh, right. He probably didn’t want some random, weird lady touching him. I dropped my hand and felt myself start to shake uncontrollably. I had only just arrived, yet I’d managed to fuck up my chances of getting hired by monumentally pissing off the CEO himself.

In my moment of self-pity, I noticed Kyle had been quiet for too many seconds. I looked up at him and the expression on his face had me pausing in my movement. Kyle was staring at me. His face held shock, like he couldn’t believe who was standing in front of him and I squirmed uncomfortably under his scrutiny. Why was he looking at me like that?

Not daring to say anything, I tried to meet his gaze. Within blue irises swirled so many emotions—surprise, confusion, something else I couldn’t name, soft and strange. It was so weird. But while taking in the sexiest eyes I’d ever had the pleasure of looking at, I felt something shift around in my mind. These eyes were so familiar, like I’d seen them before.

“I’m sorry…” I offered again pitifully. That seemed to jolt Kyle out of his silence and he blinked down at me.

“You.” He said gruffly and I tilted my head in confusion. Me? “Do you know this is a restricted area? No one is allowed in here without official permission.” Kyle’s deep voice was exponentially calmer. Strangely, it no longer held the coldness and anger it was laced with just minutes ago.

“I had no idea, I swear!” I scrambled to explain myself. “I’m only here for the job interview and I wasn’t sure which elevator to pick downstairs so I chose at random.”

“Diana didn’t tell you which to pick?” I assumed who he was referring to was the receptionist. “That woman…” Kyle continued and shook his head.

“Go down again and take the other elevator. Fifth floor, don’t forget.”

I nodded. “I really am sorry.” I murmured again referring to his suit and not waiting for a reply, I turned around and left.

Upon getting back in the elevator, I noticed that there wasn’t even a control panel to input which floor I wanted to get to, meaning this really was a reserved elevator that only led to one floor. If I’d been observant enough the first time I was on it, I would have noticed and saved myself the embarrassment of the last few minutes.

“Ugh,” I groaned in annoyance. If I wasn’t going to be reprimanded for being late before, I definitely was going to be now. But there was no need to worry about that. After what I did to Kyle, I was definitely kissing my chances of working for him goodbye.

Once I reached downstairs again, I took the right elevator this time and found the conference room Diana was referring to. To my utter relief, right outside the room, there was a sitting queue of people waiting. Interview candidates, I discovered upon asking. So, I wasn’t late after all.

Sinking down into the empty chair beside the last person on the queue, I finally had an opportunity to catch my breath. My coffee was mostly gone so I had nothing to manage the lingering hangover I was still experiencing. But that would fade away in time. The real issue was the coffee stains on my clothes. I was going to appear before the hiring manager looking like a mess. Tears nearly sprang to my eyes at the thought.

Pulling out my phone, I quickly texted April.

Me: Hey

April: Hey, babe. What’s up?

She had no idea I ended up applying for the job. Deciding I would tell her about it later, I decided to just complain vaguely.

Me: Shitty morning.

April: Well, yeah you drank so much last night. Have you taken painkillers?

She was assuming it was because of my hangover. I sighed and replied.

Me: Yep

April: Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you and your Mr. Charming yesterday

Me: Who?

I knew who she was talking about but I didn’t want to think about him. blue eyes flashed in my mind, intense and heated. April had no idea the disgusting way our make out ended. I was too embarrassed to tell her when I ran away to meet her and made us leave.

April: Don’t play dumb

April: I’m wiggling my eyebrows rn btw

At this, I laughed. She always knew how to make me laugh when my mood was down, something I was grateful for.

Me: I’ll tell you the details later

Satisfied with this, April let up on her poking and I shut off my phone.

The line had been moving along rather slowly but it was to be expected. After over an hour of waiting, it was finally my turn. My heart beat heavily in my chest. The moment had come. The figures of the proposed salary flashed in my mind and I took a deep breath in and out. Sure, I most definitely wasn’t going to be hired at this point.

All the women I’d seen on the queue looked so good, like tall confident queens. They looked experienced, like people Lunaris would be proud to have as their CEO’s personal assistant. Not someone like me with zero experience, zero confidence, and a coffee stain on my shirt.

But even then, I walked into that conference room with my head held high, ready to give it my best shot.

I pushed open the doors to the conference room and stepped in, immediately hit by a blast of cool air. Once the doors were shut behind me and I faced forward, I was met with the interviewers sitting on one side of a long meeting table and smiling warmly at me. Their calm, positive demeanor did a lot to calm my nerves and I felt myself starting to smile in return.

Except when I shifted my gaze to the head of the table, my body seized first in terror, then shock.

Sitting there, separate from the rest of the interviewers was

Kyle Blackwell, wearing a new, different suit than the one I stained earlier before and staring at me with a distant, closed off look in his eyes.

“Good morning.”