Meeting The CEO

Her heart pounded as she reached the huge doors. Gabriella paused, drew a breath, then squared her shoulders before opening the door and stepping inside the office.

The CEO’s office was sleek and modern with grey walls and floor-to-ceiling windows. To the left was a private elevator, and Gabriella recalled the one she had seen earlier in the foyer, hidden off to a corner. Right in front of the windows was a massive desk that exuded authority and power, and seated behind it was the CEO himself, Alexander Kingston.

Gabriella approached the desk with a confident stride, her steps quick and purposeful. She made sure to keep her chin up, and then she let her smile creep subtly onto her face just like she had practiced. 

“Good day sir, I’m Gabriella Whyte.” Her voice came out firm and sure.

He didn't look up.

“Sit.” His voice was cold. 

He had his head bowed as he continued flipping through files, occasionally twirling his black fountain pen between his fingers.

Gabriella took the seat across from him and clenched her fists as she let them rest on her thighs. A few minutes went by, and the deafening silence in the room dragged on, making the atmosphere grow thick with tension as she tried to stop herself from shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

Her eyes settled on his face as she tried to read him while he expertly flipped through the pages on his desk. He had a sharp jawline that could probably cut through the tension in the room, and his forehead was etched with fine lines that grew deeper when he furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. His thick lashes batted gently now and then as he seemed to be contemplating before flipping to the next page. Finally, his hazel brown eyes looked up to meet hers.

“Foster Care?” His deep, commanding voice pierced through the silence.

“Yes, sir.” She responded, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

“I see.”

Alexander lowered his head again, but his eyes seemed to hover on her a little before continuing to examine her files.

Gabriella felt like a specimen under a microscope. The tense atmosphere was starting to make her feel awkward, and she was getting antsy as she started to feel the overwhelming urge to sneeze. She tried to hold it in, but it only made it worse, so she hurriedly pulled her handkerchief from her purse and sneezed into it.

Stuffing the handkerchief quickly back into her purse, she looked up to find Alexander staring at her. The file he was reading was now closed, and he had his fingers interlaced on the desk in front of him as he watched her.

“Excuse me.” She said politely

“Are you done?” His authoritative voice sounded cold, sending a shiver down her spine.

“The answer is no. You can leave now.”

His tone was sharp. Like he had already made his decision long ago.

“I beg your pardon.” She thought she had heard wrong. 

“You heard me the first time, didn’t you?”

He proceeded to open the laptop on his desk and ignored her presence.

Gabriella couldn’t believe it. This had to be a joke. There was no way he was actually sending her away over a sneeze. Her eyes began to sting, and a lump formed in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

“But why?” She managed to ask.

Alexander paid her no mind as he continued to type away on his laptop. The stoic expression on his face not breaking even once.

“Because I sneezed? If that’s the reason, I sincerely apologize. I promise it will never happen again, but you can’t just reject me without giving me a reason.” 

Her vision was starting to blur, but she did her best to hold back the tears. She couldn’t let herself cry at a job interview. 

“It’s not because you sneezed.” He finally said, closing his laptop and facing her.

“Then why?” She puffed out her chest as she asked him, determined to get an answer. If she was going to lose this job, she was not leaving without knowing why.

Alexander laid back in his chair as it reclined, letting him relax. He looked a little more carefree in this position. He ran a hand through his dark hair, making it look a bit disheveled, but somehow it still complemented his handsome face with a boyish charm.

“Because I don’t think you belong here.”

His gaze dropped briefly to her shirt, unimpressed.

“I don’t like your shirt.”

Gabriella stared blankly back at him. Her eyes blinked rapidly, and she wondered if somehow, this was some sort of prank and her real interview would begin shortly.

“What?” She really couldn’t believe what she heard.

“Do you always ask questions that have already been answered, or are you just deaf?” Looking her up and down, an irritated expression appeared on Alexander’s face.

Gabriella was utterly dumbfounded. She had been to a lot of interviews, but never in her life had she felt so insulted and defeated at the same time. She thought about everything she did to make sure it all worked out today. The hours spent practicing her answers to every possible question she could be asked, and now it was all going down the drain because of her choice of clothing.

She felt a rush of anger and boldness take over her as she recalled the pile of mail sitting on her kitchen counter, all filled with letters reminding her of unpaid bills. She thought of her broken dishwasher, the eviction notice, the loans she had taken for school, and even the fifty dollars she borrowed from Khloe last week and promised to pay back. Everything crashed down on her at once, and with a resolve not to back down, she got up from her seat, placed her palms flat on the desk, and recited courageously.

“I graduated top of my class from the University of Arkansas with honors, I was elected captain of the school’s AI security club four years in a row, and won first place in the state’s Hackathon challenge. I’m quick on my feet, and I can work under pressure.”

She recited her mantra without stopping to breathe. Alexander stared back at her, and a subtle smirk slowly crept onto his face, making him appear mischievous.

“I will do whatever it takes, and I can promise you will never see me in this shirt again. I’m Gabriella Whyte, and I’m the perfect fit for this position.” 

Gabriella concluded her mini speech. Her heart raced, which made her chest rise and fall in anticipation.

Alexander let out a playful chuckle as he stood up from his chair and went around the desk, walking towards her.

“Whatever it takes?” He asked when he reached her, lowering his head a little to meet her eye level. She could feel his minty breath fan her face slightly due to the close proximity between them. His piercing gaze searched her eyes thoroughly, and her throat tightened, making it difficult to speak.

“Yes sir,” she finally responded, nodding her head fervently.

Backing away from her, Alexander returned to his seat, placing his feet on the desk and crossing them over each other. He twirled his pen between his fingers again and studied her for a moment.

Then, he smiled.

“You’re hired.”

Gabriella gasped.

“Really?”

Something about the way he said it made her hesitate for a second. 

“You can start tomorrow. See the lady outside for all the details.”

That was too sudden, but she honestly couldn’t complain.

A huge smile spread across her face, and her eyes shone with excitement. Her once aching heart now felt like it would burst from joy.

“Thank you so much, sir. I promise you won’t regret it.” Gabriella squealed as she turned around to leave, a new skip in her step.

“Oh, and Gabriella?” The way he said her name with a low husky voice made her feel a little shy as she turned to look back at him.

“Keep wearing the shirt.”

His gaze lingered.

“I like how it looks on you.”

“Oh. Thank you, Sir.” She hurried out of the office before he could notice the blush rising to her cheeks.