Elias had spent days preparing for this interview, reviewing the company profile, polishing his resume, and even rehearsing answers to the questions he expected to be asked. He had not come all this way just to be mistaken for someone else's personal muscle.
Yet, as he glanced down at his broad shoulders and thick arms beneath his suit, he could not entirely blame them.
He was a big man. That much was obvious.
Still, he had a degree, relevant experience, and a perfectly respectable brain inside his skull. It was not his fault that people seemed more interested in the size of his shoulders than what he could do with his head.
"Here we are," the receptionist announced.
She stopped in front of a pair of imposing wooden doors. A sleek metal plaque beside them bore the title Chief Executive Officer with a name written above it; Alexandre Marquis.
Elias straightened his tie.
'Hopefully, I've found someone with enough authority to understand there had been a mistake.'
The receptionist knocked twice before opening the door, "Sir, the candidate for the bodyguard position has arrived."
Elias's mouth twitched and before he could correct her mistake, a deep voice answered from within, "Send him in."
The receptionist stepped aside and gestured for Elias to enter. "You may go in, sir. The CEO will see you now."
He stared at her for a moment, hoping she might offer some explanation. When none came, he could only let out a quiet breath and step inside.
The office was spacious, its floor-to-ceiling windows offering a sweeping view of the city below. Near the far end of the room stood a large desk, behind which sat a man in an impeccably tailored dark suit. He appeared to be in his early thirties, with neatly styled yet slightly tousled dark brown hair and a pair of piercing brown eyes that could easily captivate anyone who met his gaze. Beneath his fine clothing, Elias could make out the outline of a lean, athletic build.
The man's expression remained composed, his sharp gaze settling on Elias the moment he stepped inside. He had evidently paused his work, leaving the stack of papers on his desk untouched as his full attention shifted to the newcomer.
The so-called CEO leaned back in his chair, studying Elias with an appraising gaze. Before Elias could even utter a word, the man gave a satisfied nod.
"Good. You look suitable."
"Pardon?" Elias stared at him, momentarily taken aback.
"For the bodyguard position," the CEO clarified, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You're considerably bigger than the last candidate we interviewed."
Elias blinked, unsure whether he was supposed to laugh or take that as a compliment. A strange, throaty cough escaped him as he struggled to think of an appropriate response, hoping to steer the conversation in another direction. Unfortunately, the man beat him to it.
"Apologies. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Alexandre Marquis." He stood up from his seat and extended a hand across the desk.
Elias accepted it, "Elias Bennett."
The moment their hands met, Alexandre's grip closed firmly around his. Elias returned the pressure in equal measure, unwilling to be outdone in what had suddenly become an unexpected test of strength. For a brief moment, neither seemed particularly inclined to yield.
"Good grip," Alexandre remarked, sounding almost impressed.
He released Elias's hand, and Elias took the opportunity to address the misunderstanding before things could become any more peculiar.
"I believe there's been some confusion. I'm here to interview for the management position."
Alexandre arched an eyebrow. "Management?"
"Yes, sir." Elias maintained his composure despite the absurdity of the situation. "That was the position I intended to apply for. Unfortunately, the receptionist mistook me for a bodyguard."
"I see."
For the first time, the CEO's expression shifted ever so slightly. His gaze flickered towards the documents scattered across his desk. He picked up a sheet of paper, scanned it briefly, then set it down again. Whatever conclusions he had drawn, his face revealed remarkably little.
"Elias Bennett," he murmured, reading from the résumé. "Business administration degree. Five years of supervisory experience. Decent academic record."
He tapped the paper once before raising his gaze to meet Elias's striking blue eyes.
"You applied for the management position, not the bodyguard position?" Alexandre asked, seeking confirmation.
"Yes, sir. That's correct," Elias affirmed.
Alexandre hummed thoughtfully, his gaze drifting from the résumé to Elias's broad frame. He studied him for a moment longer than necessary, as though the qualifications listed on the page were far less interesting than the man standing before his desk.
"Interesting."
Elias fought the urge to shrink beneath Alexandre Marquis's unwavering gaze. There was something unnervingly intense about those brown eyes, making him acutely self-conscious and far too aware of himself.
Unfortunately, Alexandre seemed to notice his discomfort. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, revealing a flicker of amusement before he effortlessly schooled his features into practiced indifference, leaving Elias to wonder whether he had imagined it.
"I apologize for the confusion," Alexandre said, though his tone suggested the matter hardly troubled him. He settled back into his chair, leaning comfortably against the backrest as his gaze returned to Elias with renewed interest. "Unfortunately, Mr. Bennett, there are no vacancies in management at the moment."
Elias's shoulders stiffened ever so slightly. He caught his lower lip between his teeth, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Across from him, Alexandre watched these subtle, involuntary reactions in silence, though Elias remained oblivious to his scrutiny.
He had prepared himself for any number of possibilities when he stepped into the building that morning. Rejection had been one of them, certainly, but he had never expected to be turned away before the interview had even properly begun.
Drawing a slow breath, Elias composed himself and gave a small nod. "I see…"
He was about to thank Alexandre for his time and bring the meeting to an abrupt end when the CEO clicked his tongue. He propped himself up professionally as he set the paper aside and folded his hands on the desk. His attention settled on Elias once more, sharp and unwavering, as though he had decided that, despite the lack of an available position, the conversation need not end just yet.
"However, we do have another position available."
Elias looked up, momentarily taken aback. "Sir, with all due respect, I only came here to discuss a management position—"
"Which is currently unavailable," Alexandre interjected smoothly, as though that settled the matter. "Hence, I'm informing you of an alternative."
Elias pressed his lips together, struggling to find a polite response to what felt like an entirely different proposition from the one he had come prepared to discuss. Alexandre, meanwhile, appeared perfectly at ease.
"You're a physically imposing man," Alexandre remarked, his gaze briefly sweeping over Elias's broad shoulders and sturdy frame. "You have the build for the job, and you carry yourself well in a suit."
If looks could kill, Alexandre would have been reduced to a pile of ashes by now. Had the CEO even bothered to read his résumé, or had he simply taken one look at Elias's physique and decided he was better suited to standing guard than sitting behind a desk?
'Calm down. Just calm down.' Elias repeated the words to himself like a mantra, desperately reminding himself that strangling the CEO with his own tie would earn him nothing but a lawsuit and, quite possibly, a prison sentence.
Across from him, Alexandre struggled to suppress a quiet snicker. There was something undeniably entertaining about watching the younger man struggle to maintain his composure, particularly when Elias seemed so determined to keep his irritation in check. The slightest tension in his jaw, the way his fingers curled almost imperceptibly at his sides—every little reaction was a delight to observe.
Of course, Elias was entirely unaware that his barely concealed frustration was providing the CEO with such amusement.
"So, tell me, Elias. Do you have any experience in security?"
"Not professionally, sir."
"Martial arts? Combat training? Military service?"
"No, sir."
Alexandre raised an eyebrow. "Then you have no formal security experience whatsoever?"
"That's correct."
The CEO regarded him for a moment before giving a slow nod, seemingly unbothered by the answer.
"Interesting."
Elias resisted the urge to roll his eyes. 'Interesting?'
That was the second time Alexandre had used the word, and Elias was beginning to wonder what, exactly, the man found so fascinating about his complete lack of qualifications for the position. Still, Elias swallowed his retort and maintained a polite expression, reminding himself that he was here for a job, not to test how quickly he could get himself thrown out of the building.
Alexandre reached for the résumé again, his eyes scanning the page with an unhurried precision. "Tell me something, Mr. Bennett. I noticed that you spent over five years with your previous company."
"Yes, Sir."
"That's a considerable amount of time to commit to a single employer." He lifted his gaze from the paper. "Yet you chose to leave. Why?"
'Well, you see, I was pregnant and gave birth to my son. I was forced to resign after spending over a month confined to a hospital bed because it was my first pregnancy—and, apparently, because I was a man. The company doesn't offer parental leave to pregnant men unless they're married and it's their wives who give birth.'
Elias could hardly believe the absurdity of the answer running through his head. If he told Alexandre the truth, he suspected the CEO would show him the door before he even had the chance to explain himself. Besides, he certainly was not about to divulge such personal details to a man he had known for less than an hour.
"Just remember what I said. Be professional, answer honestly, and whatever you do, don't keep him waiting." The receptionist's voice echoed in the back of his mind, a timely reminder of the advice she had given him earlier.
He had rehearsed this question countless times in preparation for interviews, carefully refining his answer until it sounded as professional and unremarkable as possible. So, rather than reveal the rather complicated circumstances behind his resignation, Elias offered the well-practised response with a composed smile.
"I felt it was time for a change," he replied smoothly. "I'd been with the company for quite some time, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to explore other options, broaden my experience, and take on new challenges."
Before Alexandre could probe any further, a sharp knock sounded against the office door. A moment later, it opened slightly, and a man poked his head inside.
"Sorry to interrupt, Boss. You have a meeting in fifteen minutes."
Alexandre glanced towards the door and raised a hand in acknowledgement, signalling that he had heard.
"Understood. I'll be there shortly."
The man nodded before withdrawing, closing the door behind him.
Once the office had fallen silent again, Alexandre rose from his chair and buttoned his suit jacket. He walked around the desk towards Elias, who instinctively straightened as the CEO approached. Alexandre extended his hand, a faint smile settling on his face.
"I'm afraid we'll have to conclude the interview here for today, Mr. Bennett. Unfortunately, I have another meeting to attend."
Elias nodded, preparing himself to thank the CEO for his time and leave, though the interview had hardly gone as he had hoped.
However, before he could say a word, Alexandre continued.
"That said, I've decided on a position that I believe would be a perfect fit for you. I'll leave the details for you to discover when you arrive next Monday." His smile widened slightly as he gave Elias's hand a firm shake. "Be here by nine in the morning, and we'll take things from there."
Elias stared at him, momentarily unsure whether he had heard correctly.
"Congratulations, Mr. Bennett," Alexandre added, his tone carrying a note of quiet amusement. "You're hired."