Hart Corporation

Chapter 4: Hart Corporation 

UNKNOWN NUMBER: "We have completed the review of your resume and eagerly anticipate the opportunity to work with you.

Resume by 8 AM on Wednesday.

Welcome to Hart Corporation! 

A little bit of doubtfulness, calmness, and something she couldn't quite place. Was this real? After all these years?

Ivy stared at the message, almost hoping that if she blinked hard enough, it would just go away. She kept reading it repeatedly to confirm it wasn’t all in her head. She attempted to calm the shaking that ran through her.

She released a shaky breath as she put her phone on the couch. Her phone let out a second buzz. An email this time, with her name boldly written at the top. 

It consisted of some instructions, formal confirmation, company letterhead, and a contract attachment. 

“I'm not imagining things, oh my world! It's real!”

Ivy jumped and let out a loud laugh that vibrated off the whole living room.

Her eyes glistened with water, but she brushed them away.

“I need to share this with Charlotte,” Ivy said as she put Char’s number on dial.

Charlotte picked up on the third ring. “What's up, Ivy? Missing me already? She asked teasingly.

“I’m been hired,” Ivy squealed, Unable to retain the excitement in her voice. 

A moment of quiet, then “OH MY GOSH!”

Charlotte shrieked, making Ivy wince, but she was smiling so hard and filled with too much excitement to care or complain.

“Ivy! Honey! This is big news! And big news like this calls for a celebration. I'm bringing wine. No, cake. Or ice cream, we are gonna need ice cream…you know what, I'm grabbing anything sweet and coming over.”

Ivy chuckled. “Char, that won't be —”

“Don't you even dare to tell me otherwise, you deserve some sugar celebration. I’ll see you in twenty.”

Ivy ended the call and gazed at the phone in her hand like it was a holy thing.

For a second, she allowed herself to be absorbed in this newfound hope. Not the shatterable type, not the one that ends with disappointment when unraveled. This one was smooth and true and felt so warm in her chest.

Ivy grabbed her laptop from the work table that sat in the corner of her small room

Her hands loomed over the keyboard of the laptop as she argued with herself mentally. “Should I just sign the contract now or give it a bit of time so they don't think I'm desperate? But I am desperate! But they don't know that. What if they decide to change their mind because I'm taking too long to respond and give the job offer to someone else? Arrrg! This is so hard.”

Deciding to hold off signing the contract until Charlotte arrived, she closed the laptop and lay down on the bed.

The thought of laughter and conversation filled the air around her, promising a saving from the brewing tension. As she settled into her space, the world outside faded away, leaving just her and the hopeful spark of what was to come.

10 minutes later, Charlotte arrived with her hands filled with lots of bags that were filled with snacks and wine. Ivy's nerves had resolved into a shaky happiness. 

They shared a squishing hug and fell onto the bed together.

Charlotte passed her a short bottle and popped her own open. “Here's to Ivy Smith, my soon-to-be employed best friend.”

Ivy laughed as they clinked bottles. “Let's hope I make it through the first day.”

Charlotte’s smile changed, and turning serious. “I know you’ll do a lot better than pulling through. You'll Grow. You’re meant for better, Ivy. You always were.”

Ivy blinked away the tears that were almost pooling in her eyes. Charlotte always did have her way with words.

“So, have you signed the contract?” Charlotte asked.

“No, I was waiting to sign it when you came. I’ve gone through it, though.” Ivy replied as she reopened her laptop.

They both reviewed the contract one more time before Ivy clicked the sign button.

“That's it, girl, you are officially employed! I'm a proud mother.” Charlotte shrieked with a grin on her face.

Ivy shook her head, smiling at her remark. 

They spent the next few hours talking, gisting, and arguing about how Ivy would dress on her first day of work. Charlotte finally decided to go home, promising to take her out to the movies by the end of the week.

Finally, it was Wednesday. Ivy woke up to horrid noise blasting out of her alarm clock. It was 6 AM.

She stood up groggily and proceeded to prepare for the day. Mentally and physically.

She hurriedly got dressed in the outfit Charlotte insisted she wear, which was a navy, pencil-shaped skirt that rested right above her knees and a white floral blouse. 

Ivy smiled as she remembered Charlotte's words when she gave her the clothes, “It's your first day at work. Girl, you’ve got to wear something that screams, Ivy is in the building, watch out bitches”

 She brushed her hair, put on some lip gloss, and headed to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee.

Evelyn was seated elegantly on the couch with her legs crossed, reading a magazine like someone posing for a commercial.

“Another interview? What number is this one? Like the 50th out of 100 you have on your to-do list? Don't you think it's time you woke up from your fantasy world and stopped hoping to work in a big corporation and focus on your freelancing or whatever it is you've been doing for the past 4 years? Evelyn asked as she looked up from the magazine she was reading, eyeing Ivy condescendingly. 

“Since when do you care about what I do with my life? Last time I checked, it is my life and my choices. Stop butting in my affairs and mind your business.” Ivy retorted. Having lost interest in the coffee she was making, she grabbed her bag and proceeded to leave the house. 

“Oh, since you seemed to have developed a newfound interest in my affairs, I think you should know that this is not another interview. I got a job, and it's a very big company.” Ivy added, after which she slammed the door behind her. Not giving her stepmom a chance to respond.

She inhaled a deep breath of the morning air, trying to calm her nerves. She wasn't going to let Evelyn ruin her first day of work. She headed to the bus station to wait for the bus.

After 20 minutes of waiting, the next bus arrived.

Ivy let her mind wander a little as she watched her neighborhood disappear from her sight as the bus moved, and was introduced to the tall buildings of the city.

“Who would have thought I would be dressed like this, not to attend another interview but as an official employee of a big company like Hartwell’s after four years of countless disappointments?” 

She was broken from her reverie when the bus announcement blasted from the speaker for all passengers to alight.

Ivy's heartbeat increased as the company’s building came into view. It was 7:45 AM.

She walked into the building and approached the receptionist, who was a different person. Not the one she met here on the day of her interview. “Hello, good morning,” she greeted 

The receptionist beamed at her. “Good morning, how can I be of assistance to you?” she answered.

“My name is Ivy Smith. I was here for an interview on Monday, and I received an email asking me to resume today.”  

“Oh, okay. Give me a moment.”

Ivy nodded and watched her make a quick call.

“Top floor, first hallway on your right. Welcome to Hartwell Corporation, Miss Smith.” The receptionist said, smiling.

Ivy thanked her and headed to the elevator.

The receptionist stared at Ivy as she left, wondering who she was and how she was able to get a job on the top floor. The top floor was not easily accessible as it was the floor where the main office of the company's cold and ruthless ceo was situated.

Ivy felt her stomach churn with anxiety as she arrived on the top floor. It felt like she was in a different building entirely. She gaped at the design of the place with her mouth open. It was so beautiful with walls so white and shiny you could almost see your reflection, and a polished and clean floor.

She was so busy admiring the view that she didn't notice the presence of the person behind her. Not until the person cleared his throat.

She jerked and turned to see a handsome young man, probably in his late 20s. He was taller than average, with a warm brown skin tone and expressive dark eyes. He had a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

Ivy didn't realize she had been checking him out until he said cockily. “You like what you see?”

Ivy snapped out of it and apologized immediately. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean—”

“It's fine, I was just joking. My name is Alexander, Alex for short. You must be Ivy.” He said with his hands stretched out.

Ivy shook hands with him. “Yes, Ivy Smith,” she answered.

“I can see why he wanted you here, you're such a beauty,” Alex said, still holding onto her hands

With confusion obvious in her face, “I don't —” Ivy started to say, but was interrupted by a loud voice.

“Alex, what do you think you're doing?!!”