FINDING A JOB

Aurelia's POV

After about two weeks of searching for a decent white-collar job and failing, I started regretting my decision to leave Elan. Elan hadn’t texted me, but it was crystal clear he was stalking my social media pages. Thanks to a stalking detection app on my phone, I could see he was among the first five people to view any of my posts, even though he never left a like or comment.

But going back to Elan wasn’t an option for me. I needed to prove something to myself—and to him.

For the past two weeks since our breakup, I had been submitting my applications to different companies, only to be met with the same response: We’ll get back to you. I knew how this worked—no one was going to give me a job if I wasn’t in a certain age group, and worse still, I lacked the required experience. It was all so frustrating.

I was barely scraping by on the little savings I’d managed to hide away while I was with Elan. Thankfully, he didn’t know about it. But with no stable income, I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up on the streets.

My life had taken such a downward spiral in the past few weeks. I’d lost my virginity to an unknown man, been betrayed and humiliated by someone I loved, and now my dreams were shattering while I edged closer to bankruptcy

Noah's POV

The moment I stepped into my office, my eyes landed on the massive pile of files stacked on my desk. The workload had been pressing in too much lately, and it was beginning to take its toll.

I glanced over at the adjacent office, separated by a glass barrier, to check on my assistant, but the desk was empty.

Before I could wonder too much, my secretary walked in to inform me that my office assistant had called in, claiming she wouldn’t be in today due to health issues.

That excuse again.

I’d heard that cooked-up story far too many times. Whenever I requested a doctor’s report, it was always another excuse, another story. The last straw had been seeing her at a private club recently. This was after she’d taken time off under the pretense of visiting her sick grandfather in Florida. Turns out she wasn’t visiting anyone—she was hooking up with older men.

I’d had enough.

I immediately contacted the Human Resources department, instructing them to terminate her contract and hire a new office assistant—immediately.

I told them to employ the last person who submitted their CV, as long as they had good qualifications for the job. There was no time for a mass interview; I needed someone who could start tomorrow.

Let her have all the time she needs with her doctor once she sees the termination email.

Aurelia's POV

"My eyes were red and swollen. Yes, I was crying. Crying and praying at the same time. Why did you leave me, Mom and Dad? Why aren’t you here? Do you see everything I’m going through? Can you even hear me? I felt like I was talking to the walls, but I couldn’t stop.

Just then, a chime from my phone startled me. The notification brought me back to reality for a moment. I was sure I’d been falling into the dark pit of depression, sinking further with every passing hour.

But when I opened my inbox and saw the sender of the email, my heart skipped a beat. My eyes widened as I read the subject line and then the body of the message.

I had just—flipping—landed the position of an office assistant at Lumina International, one of the most prestigious companies in the country! And they wanted me to resume tomorrow.

The shock, the joy, the sheer disbelief—it was overwhelming.

I couldn’t believe it. I had zero hope when I sent in my CV. This was Lumina, the company that prided itself on hiring workers with at least three years of experience in a particular field. I didn’t even meet their base requirement. Not to mention, their interview process was notorious for being rigorous and conducted by none other than the CEO—a stunningly beautiful yet intimidating personality by all accounts.

As I tried to wrap my head around the miracle that had just happened, my phone beeped again. This time, it was a call.

The screen lit up with the words Customer Service Line - Lumina Industries.

I quickly answered, trying to sound as calm and professional as possible. "Hello, good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Miss Aurelia. This is George from Lumina Industries," came the voice on the other end, polite and composed.

I greeted him back, and for the next five minutes, he walked me through some important details. He told me when to resume to ensure I made a good impression on my first day, shared tips about the company's preferred dress code, and even reminded me that I’d been selected from over a thousand applicants. I could hear the pride in his voice, and it made my chest swell with gratitude.

When the call ended, I was flushed all over with excitement. I’d been so downcast just moments ago, but now it felt like my life had taken a sudden, incredible turn.

A chime brought my attention back to my phone. Another email. This time, it was a document from Lumina Industries outlining my job description and—oh my God—my salary. It was more than decent; it was life-changing.

I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror and I was scared shit by me .My face was pale, with dark circles under my eyes , horrible eye bags and tear-streaked cheeks. I'm never resuming in my new work place looking like this.. But then I noticed the faint blush creeping across my face, brought on by the sheer excitement of the call.

"Well," I muttered to myself, managing a small smile for the first time in days, "there’s nothing a little ice can’t fix."