LILA
"Your resume looks fine, and your ideas are impressive, but I don't appreciate the fact that you have no previous experience. The deep, gruff voice sliced through the heavy silence of the office, making my spine stiffen as I straightened in my seat.
I knew this was going to be a problem from the instant I walked into this company and heard that most of the staff were called in by recommendation.
James Sinclair, CEO of the Sinclair Group, barely lifted his gaze from the laptop he was tapping away at, fuck that! He didn't even look at my resume for more than a minute.
His tone carried an air of indifference, laced with the kind of arrogance only a man like him could pull off.
I expected it anyways, this was the exact typical character of CEO's, especially men like him.
They almost seemed like narcissists and the fact that we had to work for them to survive was way more annoying in my opinion.
"No, I don't think you quite understand," I began, trying to keep my voice steady as I leaned forward a bit "I do have experience, but most of the companies I've worked with don't wish to disclose their names due to the nature of—" He cleared his throat, abrupting cutting me of with a wave and glared at me for a little while.
My jaw clenched as irritation flared in my chest, but I swallowed it down. This job was too important to let my pride ruin it. He finally looked up, his blue eyes locking onto mine and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
"Are you implying that I'm an idiot?" His voice was deceptively low, but there was an edge to it, like he was daring me to push my luck. I can't even think of pushing my luck, not when I need the job and the money. Technically, I need the money but then I have to do the job first.
"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean for it to come off that way," I apologized immediately, keeping my posture straight even as my palms grew clammy and sweaty. This should be the worst interview I've had in a while and it's not even funny. I think I would have appreciated it more if his PA interviewed me, that one seemed less egocentric.
"Who invited her for this interview? Don't we have other options?" James asked, shifting his gaze toward his personal assistant, who had just entered the room.
A sinking feeling settled in my stomach as the P.A. hurried to his side, whispering something in his ear. James' brows furrowed, and his fingers drummed against the polished wooden desk in slow movements.
I get what's going on, they're trying to bench in. Lord, don't let this happen.
"Let me see the list of candidates," he commanded.
The P.A. nodded quickly, handing him a tablet. He scrolled through it with the kind of leisurely confidence that made my skin prickle.
God, he looked like some untouchable deity seated on his throne, completely unfazed, wielding power over everyone else in the room—including me. He didn't just command the space. He owned it.
And right now, I was at his mercy.
If I didn't get this job, I wouldn't be able to afford my sister's tuition. The odds were stacked against me, and it was clear I wasn't exactly Sinclair's favorite candidate.
"Fuck it," he muttered under his breath, exhaling sharply before tossing the tablet onto the desk.
My stomach twisted into knots as I rubbed my wrist together nervously.
Was I disqualified? If I was, the earlier they let me know that, the better it would be for me to process it.
"Miss Williams, we understand your claim that the people you've worked with prefer anonymity," his P.A. said, his tone more polite but still firm, "but without recommendations, the chances of you getting this job are slim."
I nodded, pressing my lips together.
"I understand."
"Then you'll have to give us something to lay hands on." His P.A reiterated and I nodded my head in understanding when my phone suddenly started buzzing.
"Damn." I cursed, inwardly cussing myself out.
I cursed under my breath, internally screaming at myself as I fumbled to silence it.
"Really?" James' voice was a slow, mocking drawl. "You come to an interview with no recommendations and have the audacity to leave your phone on?" He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple as though my mere presence gave him a headache.
"I apologize," I mumbled, gripping my phone tightly in my lap.
"Apologies don't fix incompetence," he said smoothly, cocking his head slightly. "Tell me, Miss Williams, why should I even consider hiring you when you've given me nothing to work with?"
My mouth went dry. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to meet his gaze.
"Because, Mr. Sinclair, I'm the best at what I do." My voice was firm as I mustered up the confidence to stare in his eyes. "I may not have public recommendations, but the people I've worked with sought me out for a reason. I deliver. Every single time. And if you can't see that, then perhaps you're the one making a mistake."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
His lips twitched slightly, amusement flickering in his gaze. He tapped his fingers against the desk in slow, deliberate movements before shrugging his shoulders.
"Interesting." A smirk ghosted over his lips. "Very interesting."
"Fine,"James Sinclair finally answered resignedly as he leaned back onto his seat.
"You've got one month. If you screw up, you're out."
That smirk of his widened—dark, smug, and dripping with amusement, like he already knew I would fail.
"Let's see if you're as good as you claim to be, Miss Williams."
I inhaled sharply, willing my pulse to slow. Stay cool, Lila.
"Thank you, sir. I promise, I won't let you down." My voice was even, but inside? I was seconds away from a full-blown victory dance. I needed someone to tell it to and I knew exactly who, none other than my sister. Oh and by the way, she's the same person that had been calling me in the middle of an interview that she was very aware of.
She knew I was at an interview and she was calling me, she would get an earful from me after I leave this place.
I got the job. I got the damn job.
I bit my lip to suppress the ridiculous grin tugging at my mouth. But apparently, I wasn't subtle enough.
"You're grinning like an idiot," James remarked without looking up. "You may leave now. Resume tomorrow. And don't be late."
His attention had already shifted as he turned to his P.A. who was leaning in to show him something on the tablet. Whatever it was, it wasn't my concern anymore. I had won.
I turned toward the door, my heart still hammering with relief when I heard his voice call out.
"Miss Williams?"
I froze as the room felt ten degrees colder as I turned back, my throat tightening. Everything I was feeling, the excitement, the thrill, everything vanished. I was even about to call my sister but the world seemed to be at an absolute stand still.
Had he changed his mind? Had the P.A. found someone better? The perfect candidate for the job? I don't want to believe that I had gotten happy over nothing.
"Yes, sir?"
James tilted his head, studying me with the kind of curiosity that made all the hair on my skin stand upright. I know without even staring down at my skin that I'm covered in goosebumps.
Gosh, the silence is even way annoying. He was just studying me, if one could bore holes with their eyes, there would be a lot of drills on me now with the way he's staring at me.Then, casually—too casually—he asked:
"What do you think about getting married?"