Chapter 3: Interview

Amy stared at the rejection email on her laptop and laughed bitterly.

“Unfortunately, we’ve decided to move forward with another candidate.”

Again.

She slammed the laptop shut and dropped back onto her couch with frustration.

The apartment around her was small compared to the Armstrong mansion, but for the first time in her life, something belonged entirely to her.

No servants.

No security guards.

No expectations hanging from the walls.

Just silence.

Amy rubbed her temples tiredly before glancing at the growing pile of applications scattered across her coffee table.

Three business degrees.

Internship experience.

Leadership certifications.

And still…

Nothing.

Or maybe the problem wasn’t her qualifications.

Maybe people saw the name Armstrong and assumed she didn’t need a job.

Or worse…

That she couldn’t survive without her family’s money.

Her phone buzzed suddenly.

Victoria Armstrong.

Amy groaned softly before answering.

“Yes, Mother.”

“You missed dinner again.”

“I’m busy.”

“With what exactly?” Victoria asked sharply. “Pretending to struggle?”

Amy closed her eyes slowly.

Here we go.

“I’m looking for a job.”

“Amy—”

“A real one.”

“You already have a place at Diamond Groups.”

“I want something I earn myself.”

Victoria sighed on the other end.

“You’re behaving emotionally again.”

“And you’re behaving like you’ve never struggled before.”

Silence.

Dangerous silence.

Amy immediately regretted saying it.

But not enough to apologize.

“You’re an Armstrong,” Victoria finally said coldly. “Start acting like one.”

The call ended.

Amy stared at her phone for several seconds before tossing it aside.

Sometimes talking to her mother felt like going to war unarmed.

With a frustrated sigh, she reopened her laptop.

Another list of companies filled the screen.

Her eyes moved lazily until one name made her pause.

ZION GROUPS.

Amy sat upright immediately.

Everyone knew Zion Groups.

Diamond Groups’ biggest rival.

Aggressive.

Innovative.

Dangerously ambitious.

And led by the youngest CEO in the industry.

Zion Petrakis.

Even his name carried arrogance.

Amy clicked the opening.

Executive Assistant to the CEO.

Her brows lifted.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

A slow smile spread across her lips.

“Oh, this would absolutely give my parents a heart attack.”

For the first time in weeks, excitement sparked inside her.

Without wasting another second, Amy updated her résumé and began typing her application.

If she wanted independence…

Why not take it from the one company her family hated most?

“If they won’t see me through my family’s name… then I’ll make them see me without it.”

Her fingers hovered over the trackpad.

She had been avoiding one application all morning.

ZION GROUPS.

Her family’s biggest rival.

Her father would lose his mind if he found out.

Her mother would call it disgraceful.

That alone made her pause.

Then she clicked.

---

Three days later, Amy stood outside the Zion Groups headquarters.

The building didn’t try to look beautiful.

It looked powerful.

Cold glass.

Black steel.

No softness.

No invitation.

Just authority.

Amy adjusted her blazer and stepped inside.

The lobby was fast-paced, almost aggressive.

People moved like time was against them.

No one wasted a second.

“Miss Armstrong?”

She turned.

A receptionist stood behind a sleek counter.

“Mr. Petrakis will see you now.”

Her heartbeat tightened slightly.

So he didn’t delegate the interview.

Interesting.

She followed the assistant toward the private elevator.

The ride was silent.

Too silent.

Amy stared at her reflection in the metal doors.

Calm.

Controlled.

But inside?

Something unsettled her.

The doors opened directly into the executive floor.

No waiting room.

No buffer.

Just power.

A pair of black doors stood at the end of the hall.

“This is it,” the assistant said.

Amy inhaled once and stepped forward.

The doors opened.

---

The office was enormous.

Floor-to-ceiling windows flooded the room with light.

Dark furniture.

Minimal design.

Nothing unnecessary.

And at the center of it all stood a man facing the city.

Zion Petrakis.

He didn’t turn immediately.

“I don’t like people who are late,” he said calmly.

Amy frowned. “I’m not late.”

That made him pause.

Then he turned.

And looked at her.

Not quickly.

Not casually.

Slowly.

Like he was measuring something he couldn’t see.

Amy held his gaze.

She refused to look away first.

“Zion Petrakis,” he said finally.

“I know who you are.”

A faint smirk appeared on his lips.

That was the first crack in his control.

“Good,” he replied. “Then we can skip introductions.”

He walked toward his desk, never breaking eye contact.

“So tell me, Amy Armstrong… why are you here?”

Amy straightened her posture.

“Because I want a position based on my ability, not my last name.”

“Or because you’re running from it.”

Her fingers tightened slightly.

“I’m not running.”

Zion tilted his head slightly.

“That sounded emotional.”

“I sounded honest.”

That earned her a quiet pause.

He studied her again.

Longer this time.

Like he was peeling layers she didn’t know she had.

The interview began.

Questions came sharper than expected.

Her qualifications.

Her motivations.

Her family.

Her patience was tested.

So was her confidence.

But Amy didn’t break.

Even when she wanted to.

Even when his questions became personal enough to sting.

She answered anyway.

Controlled.

Precise.

Refusing to give him weakness.

And strangely…

Zion didn’t look bored.

He looked entertained.

By the end of the interview, Amy stood up slowly.

“Is that all?” she asked.

Zion leaned back in his chair.

For a moment, he didn’t answer.

Then—

“You’re either very brave,” he said quietly, “or very reckless.”

Amy met his gaze.

“Maybe both.”

A faint smile crossed his face.

That was the first time she felt it.

Not intimidation.

Interest.

Real interest.

And it unsettled her more than his cold questions ever did.

She left the office without another word.

But she felt his eyes on her long after the door closed.