Ava's POV
I sighed heavily as I walked down the street towards the final company on my list of job opportunities. I had been to eight companies today with no luck and I was getting really tired and frustrated. I had no idea what I was going to do if I didn't get a job soon. I tucked the paper into my handbag and quickened my pace, looking around at the tall buildings for any sign of the company.
I came to a stop at a magnificent skyscraper and craned my neck in order to read the words etched boldly on the building. Stonewell Enterprises. The headquarters of Stonewell Enterprises looked like it had been plucked out of some kind of movie —sleek, cold, and merciless. The kind of place where people in thousand-dollar suits stride past with purpose, their phones glued to their ears, with their lives perfectly in order.
And then there was me. An ordinary woman. In my ordinary clothes. With a resume folded and unfolded so many times the paper had grown soft at the edges.
I tugged at my blouse, praying it passed for professional, and sucked in a shaky breath. If this didn't work out, I wasn't sure what would. My rent was almost due. My fridge would be empty in a few days. My brother also had needs which had to be attended to. I had three rejection emails sitting in my inbox this morning and I -
"Move it, sweetheart."
A man in a black suit brushed past me roughly, nearly knocking my handbag from my arm. He didn't even glance back as he disappeared through the revolving glass doors.
Heat rushed to my face, but I clamped my jaw shut and pushed forward. No use starting a fight with people who looked like they spent more on coffee than I had in my bank account.
The lobby swallowed me whole.
If the outside was intimidating, the inside was worse. Everything gleamed—marble floors polished to a mirror shine, chandeliers that glittered like stars, reception desks made of brushed metal. The air smelled faintly of money and power, with a hint of expensive cologne left behind by the people breezing past.
I swallowed. " Stonewell Enterprises, here I come"
I pulled myself together and walked nervously towards the reception.
The receptionist didn't look up when I approached.
Her nails clicked against her keyboard in a rhythm so sharp it made me wince. Her lipstick was a perfect shade of, red and her hair was pulled into a sleek bun. I stood there, clutching my purse, throat dry, waiting for her to notice me.
Finally, with the kind of sigh that suggested I had already ruined her day, she lifted her gaze. One eyebrow arched.
"Yes?"
I cleared my throat. "Uh, I—I have an interview? For… any open position."
Her lips twitched, not quite a smile. More like amusement at my expense. "Name?"
I gave it. She typed with exaggerated slowness, like she was doing me a favor. The seconds stretched on until she finally said, "Human Resources, third floor. Take the elevators on your left."
Her eyes flicked over me once more—my simple clothes, my out of date handbag, my nervous fingers fidgeting with the strap—and then dismissed me as though I had ceased to exist.
I murmured a "Thank you" that went unanswered, then turned toward the gleaming elevators.
The ride up felt like an eternity. A man beside me adjusted his silk tie in the mirrored walls, glancing at his reflection with smug satisfaction. My reflection, on the other hand, looked like someone who had wandered in by mistake.
When the doors opened on the third floor, my heart hammered against my ribs so loudly I was sure everyone could hear it.
The Human Resources department was a little different from the atmosphere downstairs. Still sleek, still modern, but stripped of all warmth. Rows of cubicles, a waiting area with stiff leather chairs, walls lined with framed photographs of the CEO shaking hands with important people.
Stonewell Enterprises: Building the Future. The tagline gleamed in silver lettering above the receptionist desk.
I lowered myself into one of the chairs, my resume clutched so tightly in my hands it threatened to tear. A man in a pinstripe suit gave me a once-over and smirked. A woman beside him whispered something to her friend, and both giggled.
I forced my gaze to the floor, cheeks burning.
This was already a mistake.
HR Entrance
"Miss Carter?"
My head snapped up. A woman stood in the doorway to the back offices. She was middle-aged, dressed in a neat gray suit, glasses perched low on her nose. Her name tag read Hailey Barnes. Her expression was neutral and unreadable.
"That's me," I croaked, jumping to my feet so quickly I nearly tripped over my own bag.
She gave me a long, assessing look before turning. "Follow me."
Her heels clicked against the polished floors as I hurried behind her. She led me into a small office with glass walls overlooking the floor of cubicles. Inside was a single desk, stacks of folders, and a computer humming faintly.
She gestured to a chair. "Sit."
I sat. My palms were damp.
She glanced at my resume but didn't bother picking it up. Instead, she folded her hands on the desk.
"So. You're applying for… 'any position available'?"
I nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am. Anything. I just—I really need work."
Her brows drew together slightly, like she'd heard those words a hundred times. "You understand we are a very reputable company. Most of our positions require highly specialized skills."
"I'm a fast learner," I blurted. My voice sounded too loud in the glass office. "And I'm hardworking. I'll prove myself, I promise."
She gave me a tired look "Well. As it happens, there is exactly one vacancy."
My heart leapt. "I'll take it."
"You haven't heard what it is yet."
"I don't care," I said quickly. "I'll take it."
She leaned back, steepling her fingers. "The opening is for executive secretary to the CEO.
To be continued...