Chapter 2

Cling!

A notification pinged as Lisa Hathaway sat cross-legged on her small apartment bed, scrolling through endless job listings.

She glanced at her phone, a new email.

'"Schmidt’s Family International Company"?

Her breath caught. The German company she’d personally applied to just last Monday.

“What....?!” she gasped, sitting upright. “I can’t believe this. Schmidt? They actually accepted my application?”

Lisa jumped off the bed so fast that her oversized polo slipped off one shoulder, barely covering her thighs. She didn’t care. She grabbed her phone and dialed immediately.

“Tesa! Tesa, pick up!”

After a few rings, a groggy voice answered. “Lisa? It’s seven in the morning…”

“Tesa, listen! I got it! I’ve been selected for an interview at Schmidt!” Lisa’s voice cracked with joy.

There was a pause....then Tesa’s voice, suddenly wary. “Wait… did you say Schmidt’s Family?”

Lisa frowned, her excitement faltering a little. “Yeah. Why? You sound weird.”

“Lisa,” Tesa said slowly, “I’ve heard things about that company....."

Lisa frowned, her excitement waning. “What do you mean, Tesa? What did you hear about them?”

“I heard they don’t usually hire outsiders,” Tesa replied cautiously. “I’m surprised you even applied and more surprised they called you for an interview. The Schmidts once went to court over it, you know? People accused them of being biased because they only hired family.”

Lisa blinked. “They went to court?”

“Yeah,” Tesa sighed. “But they won the case. Said it wasn’t discrimination, that the company structure depends on keeping things within the family.”

Lisa rolled her eyes, brushing off her friend’s concern. “Well, does that matter? It’s just an interview. I’ll hear what they have to say.”

Tesa chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “Fine, miss ‘I’ll-hear-what-they-have-to-say.’ But if you actually land a job there, that’s hot cake, bestie.”

Lisa laughed softly. “You’ll be the first to know.”

Later that morning, she found herself standing in front of the 1,700-storey building of the Schmidt Family.

The company dominated Seattle’s skyline. Its traditional Gothic architecture merged seamlessly with modern skyscraper design. It was a wonder to behold.

As Lisa stepped into the grand lobby, one thought kept resounding in her mind:

Everyone here is a Schmidt?

What unsettled her even more was how out of place she felt. The women around her wore immaculate suits that looked freshly tailored that morning, while she managed a mismatched shade of gray that barely looked professional.

“Hello, ma’am. Please, I have an appointment with Mr. Reinhardt Schmidt,” she said politely to the lady at the front desk though she hesitated to even call her a receptionist; the woman looked far too elegant for that title.

“Mr. Reinhardt?” The woman’s brows lifted slightly. “Are you sure? Mr. Reinhardt rarely gives appointments… except to the Schmidts, anyway.”

Lisa quickly brought out her printed invitation. Tesa had already warned her she’d need it.

“Alright, ma’am,” the receptionist said after a glance. “I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll phone Mr. Reinhardt’s office right away. Please, have a seat across the bar over there.”

Lisa nodded and walked awkwardly toward the area she pointed at. She couldn’t help but wonder why there was even a bar inside a corporate lobby. People walked in, ordered a drink like it was nothing, and left as if they owned the place.

She remembered what Tesa had told her that some people once pretended to have appointments just to sneak in for free drinks. Ever since then, the company has made printed invitations mandatory.

Not that the Schmidts couldn’t afford the loss, she thought wryly. They’re billionaires and half of them are tied to politics anyway.

A few minutes later, two women of similar build approached Lisa where she was sitting.

“Are you Miss Lisa Hathaway?” A voice as calm as water broke through Lisa’s thoughts.

“Yes…” Lisa replied, a little startled.

“I’m Brunhilde,” the lady said with a warm smile, extending her hand.

Lisa shook it quickly, still trying to gather herself.

“This is Ursula....my cousin. I’m Reinhardt’s sister. He asked me to bring you to him. It seems you’re special,” Brunhilde added, laughing lightly. “Reinhardt never sees people himself. He always delegates that task to Ursula.”

“You’re calling me a workaholic,” Ursula muttered, breaking the brief silence.

Brunhilde appeared carefree, graceful in her demeanour. Her green gown grasped her attention, one sleeve missing by design, revealing her graceful arm. She was tall, her face smooth was as silk and her iris,shades of blue.

Ursula, on the other hand, was all restraint. Her hair was neatly pinned, her outfit was precise, her composure quite cold. She is a bit shorter than Brunhilde, but still taller than Lisa.

“Ursula, there’s a visitor....let’s not do cat and dog now,” Brunhilde teased, laughter lacing her tone. “Miss Lisa, please follow me.”

Lisa rose quickly to her feet and followed them. As they walked through the marble hallway, she couldn’t help but notice Ursula’s nose flaring again and again as if she were trying to block a smell.

Lisa frowned, glancing down at herself. Am I… smelling?

But Ursula kept exchanging glances with Brunhilde, her eyes silently urging her cousin to notice too.

Who is this Miss Lisa? Ursula thought, unease tightening her chest. This scent,it’s like a Luna’s… but she looks completely ordinary.