Aria POV
Hanna am going to be late for my interview I said to Hanna my sister,as I ran around looking for my shoes
I finally found them
Go and show them what you are made of,I believe in you, Hanna said as she focused on her phone Typical. Focused on whatever drama she was scrolling through. Thanks for the moral support, sis, I muttered under my breath.
Finally, my fingers closed around my missing black flats. Victory! I slipped them on and grabbed my bag, checking my reflection quickly in the mirror. My hair was decent. My shirt was ironed. My backpack—worn and scuffed but functional—was slung over my shoulder.
Okay, deep breaths. You've got this.
I ran down the stairs of our small apartment building, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest. The bus stop was a few blocks away, but my legs felt like lead. I practically threw myself onto the bus just as it screeched to a stop.
The ride was a blur of honking horns, yelling street vendors, and the faint smell of exhaust. I kept reviewing my plan in my head. Smile. Be confident. Don't mess up. Don't… trip. Please don't trip.
When I finally arrived at Kane Corporation, I froze for a second, staring up at the massive glass building. Sunlight bounced off the reflective panels, blinding me for a moment. The lobby was enormous. Polished floors, people walking past me like I was invisible, and that quiet, tense energy that made my stomach twist.
I checked my watch. I still have five minutes. Breathe.
The receptionist barely glanced up at me when I told her my name. "Take a seat. Someone will call you shortly."
I sank into the leather chair and tried to look calm. My hands were sweaty, so I clutched my notebook like it was a shield. I tried to go over everything I had prepared: answers, questions, a confident introduction. But my mind was blank. Totally blank.
Then he walked in.
Alexander Kane.
I don't even know why I remember it so clearly—tall, broad-shouldered, and just… commanding. The moment his gaze fell on me, it felt like he was looking straight through me.
Oh no. Oh no. Don't look like an idiot. Don't look like an idiot.
"You're late," he said, calm, sharp, and terrifying all at once. His voice didn't rise, didn't shout, but it hit me like a punch to the stomach. "Do you even know what you applied for?"
"I—I'm sorry, sir," I stammered. My voice sounded tiny in the enormous lobby.
He handed me a folder without another word. "Start tomorrow. Don't waste my time."
My legs nearly gave out as I left the building. My heart was pounding so hard I thought maybe he could still feel it, somehow. I tried to tell myself it was fine, it was just the first impression. But the truth? I had never felt so small in my life.
The streets seemed louder on the way home, and every time I passed a reflection in a shop window, I half-expected to see him standing behind me. Of course, no one was there. My imagination was running wild.
By the time I finally trudged into our apartment, I collapsed onto the bed. Hanna was still on her phone, oblivious. I stared at the ceiling and let out a long breath.
Tomorrow is the real test, I thought. If I can survive the first day, maybe… maybe I'll survive the job. I have to.
Even though I told myself that, a small, nagging thought lingered in the back of my mind:
Something about him… something is off.
I closed my eyes, trying to push the thought away. I didn't know it yet, but stepping into Kane Corporation wasn't just a job—it was stepping into a world that would change everything. And Alexander Kane… he was going to make sure I felt every second of it.