Chapter 4. Second encounter

Ethan Hall kept thinking about Stacy's sad face and his anger rose. 

"Okay brother, I get it. I won't ride in a taxi when picking you up. You don't have to look like you're about to murder me." Eric Hall told his brother.

Ethan was the CEO of Hall Coorp, a multinational organization. He had been heir to his grandfather who taught him everything he knew. His parents were abroad enjoying life. His father preferred spending time with his wife than managing the company so the responsibility was passed down to him. He had recently been the most talked about businessman and voted national husband three times in a row. He had no scandals and if there were any, no reporter was brave enough to publish it because of the strength of the lawyers of Hall Corp. Recently, his brother had just bought over a taxi company and made it a subsidiary of the Hall Corp hence the recent obsession with taxis.

"So Ethan, is that her?" Eric asked wiggling his eyebrows while looking at Ethan in the rearview mirror.

"Who?" Ethan asked back.

"Well, the girl you have been looking for since you came back." Eric said expectantly looking back at Ethan.

"None of your business and eyes on the road" Ethan said impatiently hoping to throw him off.

"I will find out. I have my ways. So do you want to do it the easy or the hard way?" Eric said.

"It seems you have too much free time nowadays. Should I assign you some more work? Maybe a business trip to country R." Ethan asked giving Eric an indifferent glance.

"Okay, I won't ask anymore. Jeez you don't have to be so mean." Eric said raising his hands in surrender.

"Hands on the wheels. Why ain't we there yet?" Ethan asked as he looked at his watch.

"Oh, I was driving around in circles so that we can continue our conversation." Eric said innocently while Ethan glared at him. 

Meanwhile at the hospital, the doctors explained to Stacy that her grandma had a blood clot in the brain and needed an emergency operation. 

"Miss Dale, your grandma needs surgery as soon as possible. Though the risks of the surgery are high due to her age but we want to invite the famous neurosurgeon to perform the surgery. We believe with him, it will have an 85% chance of successful." Dr. Ryan, Grandma Dale's attending doctor explained.

"So doctor, how much are we talking about. I will go look for the money now." Stacy asked anxiously.

"The surgery will cost 10 million and the cost of bringing the surgeon will be 5 million so you will need to pay 15 million for the surgery and this doesn't include the amount for post surgery treatment." Dr. Ryan explained.

Stacy felt her legs go weak as tears ran down her face. 

'Where am I going to get all that money from?' She wondered.

"Doctor, can you please not tell my grandma for now. She may worry too much and refuse the surgery."Stacy asked.

"Ok miss Dale, but please arrange the money soon, your grandma may look ok buther condition is really not good." Doctor Ryan said.

Minutes later after calming down and assuring the doctors that she would bring the money, she went to see Grandma Dale.

"Grandma, am here to see you? Did you miss me?" She asked forcing a smile onto her face so as not to worry her grandma.

"Brat, you still remember that you have a grandma. I almost thought you had abandoned me in this hospital to die." Grandma Dale said feigning annoyance at her beloved granddaughter. She could see that she had been crying but she didn't ask since she didn't seem like she wanted to tell her why.

"By the way, I also haven't seen Kevin for long. Is he busy with work? " Grandma Dale said trying to make Stacy feel better.

"Grandma I am sorry but Kevin and I broke up." Stacy said tears flowing from her eyes. As she finally got a chance to let it all out.

"Its ok dear, its his loss. I didn't mean to make you cry. When I see him next, I will be sure to give him a piece of my mind." Grandma Dale comforted thinking thats the reason Stacy had puffy eyes earlier.

Stacy cut some fruit for her grandma and accompanied her till she fell asleep. Then she went back to her place.

She looked at her bank balance and she had only thirty thousand left. So she decided to call Kevin to ask for help but he didnt pick up. She then called Ginna. 

"Hello, Stacy. How are you? Am really sorry. You must have heard that me and Kevin are together now thats why you called right? I also didn't want it to be like this but you know how things are. I also have always liked him but he chose you. When he said he wanted to be with me and that you guys broke up, I couldn't say no to him." Ginna explained in her sweet voice sounding so innocent.

"Ginna, I didn't call you to talk about that. I really need your help. Can you help me ask Kevin to lend me 15 million I will return the money." Stacy asked desperately.

"Well, Stacy, you're putting me in a difficult place here. You know me and Kevin have just gotten together. I cant go asking him for money. What will he think of me?" Ginna told Stacy. But she had other thoughts.

'You want to borrow money from him so that you can keep meeting him under the pretext of paying back. Dream on. Kevin is mine now and I won't let you get near him' she sneered.

"Ok am sorry, I will look for another option." Stacy said. But she had gotten all the answers she needed from Ginna. She hadn't even asked what the money was for or even offered to try and help. 

'What a good friend I had!' She thought.

Stacy decided to look for a job and as she was going through the list, she saw a job application for special assistant, CEO Hall Corp. The salary was around 50 thousand. She decided to apply. So she sent the application and documents to the company email and went to sleep.

In the morning, Stacy was woken up by her ringing phone. 

"Hello....." She answered without checking the caller id.

"Am I speaking to Miss Stacy Dale?" A woman's voice asked.

"Yes, who is this?" Stacy asked still sleepy.

"This is Clare, HR at Hall Corp, am calling to invite you for the interview today at 11am. You sent your resume yesterday." The woman explained.

"Ok madam I understand, I will be there." Stacy said, all the sleep having disappeared that second.

Stacy got out of bed and started preparing what she had to wear. It was already 9am and she had to hurry to give a good first impression.

An hour and a half later, Stacy entered Hall Corp dressed quite professionally. She went to the reception to ask for details and she was sent to the conference hall. When she entered the elevator, she saw a familiar face inside.

"It's you. Are you also here for the interview?" she said surprised.

But he didn't reply and only raised an eyebrow. So Stacy ignored him. She pressed a elevator button and when it opened she walked out. She didnt notice that the indifferent person had been watching her all along with a doting gaze.

She thought the handsome stranger will follow her but he stayed in the elevator and it closed.

'So he wasn't here for the interview, then does he work here?' She thought.

"Hello, I am Stacy Dale, I have come for the interview." Stacy introduced herself to the assistant who had been receiving the interviewees.

"Ok, Miss Stacy, you can join the queue as you wait for your name to be read." The assistant said.

Stacy stood at in the queue and waited for her turn.

The elevator door opened on the first floor and Ethan got out.

"Good morning CEO Hall" his secretaries greeted. 

He just nodded and passed by.

"Why is he always so cool and handsome? I feel like he gets better looking everyday." One of the secretaries fawned as soon as Ethan entered his office.

"Come to my office." Ethan's voice sounded on the intercom.

The secretary who had just spoken, Miss Fabiola Riaz felt her legs go weak.

'Did he hear me? Is he going to fire me? Oh my God, me and my big mouth.' She thought as she meekly made her way to the office.

"CEO, you called for me?" She said as she decided to play ignorant.

"Yeah, I heard there was an interview. Do you know for which job it is?" Ethan asked seriously not letting Fabiola catch a glimpse of his anxiety for an answer.

'Oh, so that's why he called me here. Thank God I didn't blurt out everything myself.' Fabiola thought as she sighed in relief.

"Don't you know? I thought you knew everything that goes around in this company." Ethan said impatiently exposing Fab's love for gossip.

"Its an interview for your special assistant sir." Fabiola said.

"Oh ok I see. You can go" Ethan said trying so hard to hide his surprise and excitement.

Ten minutes later, he got out of his office.

"Inform the HR that I will be joining the interview after all its for my special assistant." Ethan said as he walked to the elevator.

The secretaries suddenly pitied the interviewees because they knew how tough the CEO could be.

"We have just been informed that the CEO will join the interview. Everyone, no need to panic. Just be yourself." The HR, Mr. Harry Hart said.

Just then the elevator doors opened and Kevin walked in with Ginna. They walked directly to Mr. Hart.

"Mr. Hart, long time no see. I came with my friend here. She also wants to be part of the interview. I hope you can take care of her on my behalf." Kevin said smiling arrogantly.

"Yes, Mr. Hart, please take care of me." Ginna added.

"GM Keal, its been long. I will surely take care of your friend here." Harry said fawning while sizing up Ginna.

"Oh my God, Stacy, I didn't see you there. Are you also here for the interview. That's so great. Too bad only one person can get the job otherwise it would really be great to work together again. You know I left that company also after they fired you for that scandal." Ginna said smiling while holding Stacy's arm affectionately.

"Oops, am sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned that. You won't blame me, right." She added innocent her eyes glistening with tears as if she was the victim.

"Why are you here? Haven't you caused enough trouble? Did you think that you could get close to me by working in the same place? You should leave, stop embarrassing yourself." Kevin said pulling Ginna to his side.

Stacy was infuriated by this couple.

"Why should I leave? I also came for the interview?" Stacy said.

"Miss, you should go, I don't think you are suitable for this position." Harry said deciding to curry favor with Kevin.

"But Kevin, Stacy needs money, I can't bear to see her like this." Ginna said pleasing for Stacy.

"Yeah, she only knows money. Don't be deceived by her. She is not the Stacy we used to know." Kevin explained to Ginna hugging her and failed to see the victorious smirk on her face but Stacy saw it all.

"I am not leaving, I came for the interview and am not leaving without being given a chance." Stacy said.

"How can she be so shameless? If it was me, I would wish for the ground to open up and swallow me." one interviewee said.

"I know right. She should just leave and stop wasting our time." Another said.

Stacy noticed all the stares and glares and heard all the insults and sneers but she stood her ground.

"So this is how my HR deals with these situations." Ethan's voice sounded interrupting the commotion.

"CEO Hall, I am sorry, I didn't notice you had arrived. This way please." Mr. Hart said to Ethan.

"Bring a cup of coffee for CEO Hall." Mr. Hart told his assistant. 

"Miss Dale, am sorry about the situation. Its my HR's fault. You will definitely take part in the interview." Ethan told Stacy in a gentle voice.

Stacy stared at Ethan awestruck. 

'So he was the CEO all along. And to think I asked him if he was here for the interview. No wonder he is always in formal wear when I meet him.' Stacy thought.

"Thank you CEO Hall" Stacy said as Ethan passed by her to go to the conference hall.

Ginna stamped her foot knowing her plan had failed while Kevin did not dare approach Ethan for fear of being blamed for causing trouble.

The commotion died down and the interviews started.