CHAPTER 2 — THE INTERVIEW SHE NEVER ASKED FOR
Ariel woke up the next morning feeling like she'd dreamed the entire encounter— the blinding headlights, the SUV skidding toward her, the stranger pulling her into safety with a strength that didn't match his calm voice.
Except it wasn't a dream.
Her bruised arm and the business card on her nightstand said otherwise.
KADE BLACKWOOD
Chief Executive Officer – Blackwood Industries
She stared at the name for a long moment.
It felt unreal. Why would a billionaire CEO bother with her? Why ask her to call him?
He didn't seem like a flirt.
He seemed… calculating. Observant.
Dangerously composed.
Ariel pushed the thought aside. She had bigger problems—rent, bills, and her pathetic excuse for a job at the café that barely paid for groceries.
So when her phone rang that afternoon, she wasn't expecting his voice.
"Miss Ariel?" His tone was clipped, expensive—like every word cost money.
She swallowed. "Yes?"
"This is Kade Blackwood . I'd like you to come in tomorrow morning. My office. Nine sharp."
Her heart skipped. "Your office? Why?"
"You need a job," he said simply. "And I need someone I can trust."
"I… I didn't apply for anything."
"You don't have to. I'll explain tomorrow."
And just like that, he hung up.
Ariel sat there frozen.
Trust?
He didn't even know her.
Why would a powerful man like him need her of all people?
The next morning, she stood before Blackwood Industries—a skyscraper so tall the glass shimmered like water. People in suits rushed through the revolving doors, walking like their time mattered more than air.
Ariel tugged the strap of her cheap bag and took a breath.
"I can do this," she whispered.
Inside, the lobby was marble, cold and quiet despite the crowd. A massive screen displayed the company's global projects—tech development, security systems, private contracts with governments. Heavy stuff. Stuff way above her world.
The receptionist, a polished woman with perfect eyeliner, spotted Ariel hovering.
"Miss Ariel?"
Ariel blinked. "Um… yes?"
"You're expected." She pressed a button. "Mr. Blackwood's assistant will escort you."
Expected?
For someone who hadn't even applied?
Moments later, a tall woman in a fitted blazer approached. "I'm Morgan. Mr. Blackwood will see you."
Morgan walked fast. Ariel almost had to jog to keep up until they reached the penthouse floor—the executive wing. Everything there smelled of money and silence.
Morgan opened the door.
"Please. Inside."
Kade stood by the window, hands in pockets, suit tailored like it belonged on a magazine cover. Daylight fell across his face—sharp jawline, unreadable eyes, and that same unshakeable presence.
He didn't smile.
He didn't need to.
"Ariel," he acknowledged.
"Mr. Blackwood…" she managed, stepping inside.
"You came."
"You told me to."
He almost smirked. "Most people would've said no."
"Well, most people don't get nearly flattened by an SUV the night before."
Something flickered in his eyes—interest? Amusement?
He gestured to the chair.
"Sit."
Ariel sat, twisting her fingers under the table.
Kade's gaze was steady. Too steady. "I looked into you."
Her blood ran cold. "You… what?"
"You need work. You're behind on rent. You've taken care of yourself since you were seventeen. You're responsible, observant, and resourceful. I could use someone like that."
Ariel felt exposed—like someone had ripped open her life without asking.
"You investigated me," she whispered.
"I investigate everyone," he replied calmly. "Especially people I intend to hire."
"But… Why me?"
Kade moved closer, leaning against his desk. "Last night could've gone very differently. You could've run. Instead you froze—not out of fear, but instinct. You were calculating your surroundings, weren't you?"
She hesitated.
"Yes," she admitted. "I was trying to figure out if I could dodge the car or if someone else was behind me."
His eyes sharpened.
"Most people panic. You assessed."
"So you want to hire me as a—what? Engineer? Tech developer? Bodyguard?" She laughed nervously. "I can't do any of that."
"No." Kade shook his head. "I want you as my administrative assistant."
Her mouth dropped open.
"That sounds… extremely above my level."
"You'll learn," he said simply. "All you need to do is listen, observe, and stay two steps ahead of everyone else."
He paused.
"And trust me."
Ariel felt a chill.
Not because he seemed dangerous—
But because something about the way he said trust me suggested he didn't trust many people at all.
"Why do you need someone you can trust?" she asked before thinking.
He didn't answer.
His jaw tightened, ever so slightly.
"You'll start tomorrow," he said instead. "Morgan will handle your paperwork. Dress professionally. The job pays well. Very well."
Ariel stood, still stunned.
This made no sense.
People didn't simply get hired by billionaires out of nowhere.
"Mr. Blackwood," she said softly, "why do I feel like there's something you're not telling me?"
For a moment, Kade's eyes held hers—dark, unreadable, intense enough to make her breath falter.
"There are things happening around me," he said quietly. "Things I intend to solve. And I don't believe last night was an accident."
Ariel's heart stuttered.
"What do you mean… not an accident?"
He looked away.
"
It means," he said, voice low, "you stepped into something without realizing it. And now, whether you like it or not… you're already involved."