Chapter 6

Sylvia sat in the reception area, tapping her fingers impatiently against her handbag. Her eyes kept drifting towards the receptionist's desk as she glanced at the wall clock for what felt like the hundredth time.

Twenty minutes.

She had been waiting for twenty whole minutes, and with every passing second, her nervousness grew.

She desperately needed this job. Life hadn't exactly been kind to her lately, and she was beginning to feel as though every door she knocked on was determined to remain closed.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

What if I don't get this job either?

Just then, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Miss Sylvia?"

She immediately looked up.

"Yes?"

"Please come over."

Sylvia stood and approached the reception desk, clutching her handbag a little tighter.

"I have contacted the HR office concerning your application," the receptionist explained politely. "We will send you an email to let you know whether your application has been successful or not. You can also reach out to us personally for an update on your recruitment process."

Sylvia managed a small smile.

"Okay. Thank you for your time."

"You're welcome."

With that, Sylvia turned and walked towards the exit.

She stepped outside the building, letting out a long sigh.

Another waiting game.

She could only hope that this opportunity wouldn't slip through her fingers.

Raymond had just received a call from the receptionist concerning Sylvia's application.

Instead of allowing her file to proceed through the usual hiring process, he instructed that it be sent directly to his office.

He wanted to know more about her.

There was something about that woman he couldn't quite explain.

She was different from the women he had encountered before. There was something peculiar about her personality, something that made her stand out without even trying.

And the most interesting part?

She had dared to question him.

Him.

Raymond Blackwood.

A man whose mere presence was enough to make people reconsider their words before speaking.

Yet this woman had looked him straight in the eyes and challenged him without the slightest hesitation.

He leaned back in his chair, a faint smile threatening to form on his lips.

No one has ever done that to me before.

He couldn't decide whether she was unusually brave or simply unaware of who she was dealing with.

Perhaps both.

His curiosity had gotten the better of him.

He had also instructed David to prepare a detailed file containing information about her background, including who she was and where she came from.

He picked up the document and began flipping through its pages.

Sylvia Bennett.

A young woman from a small town in Pennsylvania.

Nothing particularly extraordinary about her background. No impressive corporate history. No connections to influential families.

Just an ordinary young woman trying to find her place in the world.

Ray studied her photograph for a moment.

"You're just an ordinary girl from a small town in Pennsylvania," he murmured.

He paused, his eyes lingering on the photograph.

"Then why do I feel like there's something different about you?"

He closed the file, pressed the intercom on his desk and instructed his assistant to arrange a meeting with her for the following morning.

He wanted to see her again.

And this time, he intended to find out exactly what made her so interesting.

Sylvia had finally returned home.

She dropped her handbag beside the bed and fell back onto the mattress, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Her mind was occupied with one thing.

The job.

She wondered whether she stood a chance of getting it or whether she had simply wasted another day hoping for something that might never happen.

She reached for her phone and began scrolling absentmindedly.

Suddenly, a notification appeared on her screen.

An email.

From Raymond Empire.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She quickly opened it.

Your CV has been reviewed, and we would like to schedule an interview with you tomorrow.

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Venue: Raymond Empire.

Sylvia sat up immediately, reading the email again to make sure she hadn't misunderstood.

"Wait... what?"

A wide smile spread across her face.

She couldn't believe it.

She hadn't expected a response so quickly, especially after spending the entire day convincing herself that she probably wouldn't hear from them again.

She hugged her phone against her chest, excitement bubbling inside her.

"This could be a very good opportunity for me," she whispered to herself.

"I just have to present myself well, be confident, and hopefully, I'll get the job."

For the first time that day, she felt a little hopeful about the future.

But then, unexpectedly, her thoughts drifted back to the man she had bumped into at the company.

That arrogant, annoyingly handsome man.

Sylvia rolled her eyes.

"What a rude but good-looking man."

She remembered his face, his deep voice, the confidence with which he carried himself and that intimidating aura that seemed to follow him wherever he went.

There was something about him that was difficult to ignore.

She wondered who he was and why he had been so unnecessarily rude to her.

A small smile crept onto her lips as she recalled their brief encounter.

Then she quickly shook her head.

"Whatever. I hope I never have to see that man again."

She placed her phone on the bedside table and returned to thinking about her interview.

Little did she know that fate had already arranged another encounter between them.

And this time, there would be no escaping it.

The following morning...

At exactly 8:30 a.m., Sylvia arrived at Raymond Empire.

She had spent quite some time deciding what to wear, wanting to look presentable without appearing as though she had tried too hard.

After taking a moment to straighten her outfit, she walked confidently towards the reception area.

"Good morning, ma'am," she greeted with a polite smile. "I'm here for an interview. I received an email yesterday asking me to report today."

The receptionist looked up from her computer.

"Good morning, Miss Sylvia. You're welcome."

She checked something on her system before continuing.

"You'll be meeting directly with the CEO, Mr. Raymond Blackwood, for your interview. Please have a seat, and we'll call you when he's ready to see you."

Sylvia froze for a brief moment.

"The CEO?"

"Yes, Miss Sylvia."

"Oh... okay. Thank you."

She walked towards the waiting area, trying to hide her surprise.

Meeting the CEO directly?

That was certainly unexpected.

Nevertheless, she decided to remain positive.

Just be confident, Sylvia. You've got this.

She settled into one of the chairs and began mentally rehearsing possible interview questions.

An hour passed.

Then another moment seemed to stretch endlessly.

Sylvia glanced at her wristwatch.

9:30 a.m.

She frowned slightly.

Why was it taking so long?

She adjusted herself in her seat, beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable.

Her palms were getting sweaty, and her confidence was slowly giving way to nervousness.

Was the interview still happening? Had they forgotten about her?

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Miss Sylvia?"

She looked up.

A woman dressed in a perfectly tailored grey suit stood beside her.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Blackwood will see you now."

Sylvia immediately stood, smoothing the front of her outfit.

"Thank you."

She followed the woman towards the elevator.

As they stepped inside, Sylvia tried to steady her breathing.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a long corridor painted in dark colours. The atmosphere was quiet, almost intimidating.

Expensive paintings decorated the walls, and everything about the place screamed wealth, power and authority.

Sylvia tried not to stare too much.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a large black door.

The woman turned towards her.

"Go ahead."

Sylvia nodded.

She took a deep breath, raised her hand and knocked.

"Come in."

The voice.

She froze.

Her heart seemed to miss a beat.

No.

It couldn't be.

She slowly pushed the door open.

And there he was.

The same man from yesterday.

Sitting comfortably behind an enormous mahogany desk, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, his attention fixed on a file in front of him.

He looked up.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Raymond's expression remained unreadable, but his eyes held a flicker of recognition.

Sylvia, on the other hand, felt her stomach drop.

Absolutely not.

"You?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Ray leaned back in his chair, studying her reaction.

"Me."

She stared at him, still trying to process what was happening.

"You're the CEO?"

"Apparently."

He picked up the folder resting on his desk and glanced at it.

"Sylvia Bennett."

She swallowed.

"That's me."

"Sit."

His voice was calm, firm and authoritative.

Sylvia slowly lowered herself into the chair opposite him.

She watched as he opened her file, pretending to examine its contents as though he hadn't already gone through every detail the previous day.

"You're from a small town."

"Yes."

"No previous corporate experience."

"I have administrative experience."

"Not the same thing."

Sylvia pressed her lips together.

Was this man naturally unpleasant, or did he actually practise being this difficult?

She took a quiet breath.

"I learn quickly," she replied.

Ray raised his eyes from the document.

"Everyone says that."

Sylvia looked directly at him.

"Would you prefer I tell you I learn slowly?"

For the first time, something almost resembling amusement appeared in his eyes.

Almost.

He wasn't used to people responding to him that way.

He closed the folder and rested his hands on the desk.

"Why do you want to work here?"

Sylvia straightened in her chair.

This was the moment she had been preparing for.

"Because I'm looking for an opportunity to build something for myself. I didn't come to this city expecting everything to be handed to me. I understand that I may not have all the experience required, but I'm willing to learn, work hard and prove that I'm capable."

Ray watched her carefully.

There was something unusually sincere about the way she spoke.

She wasn't trying too hard to impress him. She wasn't pretending to be someone she wasn't.

She simply spoke from her heart.

He liked sincerity.

It was rare.

And sometimes, terribly entertaining to destroy.

He leaned back slightly, his gaze still fixed on her.

"You're hired."

Sylvia blinked.

For a moment, she wondered whether she had heard him correctly.

"I'm sorry?"

"You start Monday."

She stared at him in disbelief.

"Just like that?"

One of his eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Would you prefer a written invitation?"

Sylvia quickly got to her feet, trying to contain the excitement threatening to escape her.

"No. Thank you, Mr. Blackwood."

"Ray."

She paused, looking at him with confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"Call me Ray."

Sylvia hesitated.

She wasn't sure why he wanted her to address him by his first name, but she decided not to question it.

"Thank you, Ray."

The corners of his lips almost curved into a smile.

"Close the door on your way out."

Sylvia nodded and turned towards the door.

The moment she stepped outside, she let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding.

She shook her head.

"What an insufferable man."

Yet despite his terrible attitude, she couldn't stop the smile spreading across her face.

She had gotten the job!

The job she had been desperately hoping for.

She walked down the corridor, practically floating with excitement.

She still couldn't believe it.

Meanwhile, Raymond remained seated long after she had left.

His eyes wandered towards the now-empty doorway.

He tapped his fingers lightly against the desk, lost in thought.

There was something about her confidence, her stubbornness and the way she refused to be intimidated by him.

He found it strangely refreshing.

A faint smile finally appeared on his lips.

"Interesting, Sylvia Bennett."

He picked up her file once more and glanced at her photograph.

He had a feeling that hiring her was going to make his otherwise predictable life a little less ordinary.

And perhaps, just perhaps, something interesting was about to begin.

He had no idea just how much this seemingly ordinary woman would turn his world upside down.