The Interview

Insight Daily Media newsroom. Journalists hustle around, phones ring, and the hum of conversations fills the air.

Claire sat at her desk, eyes fixed on her screen as she edited an article about industry disruptors. Her fingers tapped swiftly on the keyboard, her concentration sharp and unyielding. The sound of the newsroom buzzed in the background — telephones ringing, colleagues debating headlines, and the distant hum of printers churning out fresh copies of stories.

Her phone buzzed twice beside her. She ignored it at first, too engrossed in her work. But when the buzz came again, she glanced over.

The message on the screen made her eyes widen.

"Message from Titan Edge Global: Mr. Nathan Chase has agreed to an exclusive interview. Oliver Greene will meet you at 11 a.m. today."

Her heart skipped. Nathan Chase? The man who never gave interviews? She stared at the message, reading it over and over as if her brain couldn't process it. He finally agreed. Months of emails, calls, and follow-ups had finally paid off.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she re-read it for the fourth time. 11 a.m. today? Her gaze flicked to the wall clock. It was 9:20 a.m. That gave her less than two hours to prepare.

She quickly grabbed her notepad and flipped to a fresh page, jotting down potential questions. "His journey, his vision, future projects, new launches..." she muttered, her pen moving furiously.

Her colleague, Liam Porter, a senior journalist known for his sharp wit, strolled over, holding a coffee cup. He raised an eyebrow at her frantic scribbling.

"Looks like someone's on edge," Liam said, sipping his coffee.

Claire didn't even glance up. "Nathan Chase just agreed to an interview."

Liam choked on his coffee. "You're joking."

"Nope."

His eyes widened, and he leaned closer like she'd just revealed a state secret. "The Nathan Chase? CEO of Titan Edge Global? The man who dodges the press like it's a plague?"

"That's the one," Claire replied, her eyes still glued to her notepad. "I have two hours to prepare."

Liam let out a low whistle. "You'd better bring your A-game, Bennett. They say he's a nightmare to interview."

"Not for me," she muttered, flipping to a fresh page. "I've waited too long for this."

---

By 10:50 a.m., Claire was waiting in the reception area, dressed in a sleek blouse and fitted trousers, her notepad clutched tightly in one hand and a recording device in the other. She glanced at the large clock hanging on the wall. Ten minutes left. Her heart beat faster, but she focused on breathing slowly, steadying herself.

At exactly 11:00 a.m., a sleek black SUV pulled up in front of the building. Claire watched from the large glass window as a tall man stepped out. He wore a sharp, navy-blue suit, his walk purposeful and confident.

Oliver Greene.

She knew him from the research she'd done on Nathan Chase's team. As his executive assistant, Oliver was known to be as meticulous and sharp as his boss. His reputation for precision preceded him.

Oliver entered the building and scanned the room like a soldier assessing a battlefield. His gaze landed on Claire. He approached with an air of quiet authority, his steps firm but unhurried.

"Claire Bennett?" he asked, his tone crisp but polite.

"Yes," she replied, stepping forward.

"I'm Oliver Greene," he said, offering his hand. "I'm here to escort you to Titan Edge Global for your interview with Mr. Chase."

Claire shook his hand firmly, holding her gaze steady with his. "Thank you. I'm ready."

He gave a small nod, his eyes scanning her quickly, perhaps assessing her confidence. "Good. We value punctuality and preparedness at Titan Edge."

Without another word, he turned toward the door. Claire followed, her nerves slowly morphing into determination.

The ride to Titan Edge Global was quiet. Oliver sat opposite her in the spacious back seat of the SUV, his attention on his phone, his fingers moving swiftly as he sent messages. Claire's gaze flicked toward him every now and then. She wondered what it was like to work so closely with Nathan Chase.

Her curiosity got the better of her.

"What's it like working with Nathan Chase?" she asked.

Oliver didn't look up from his phone. "Challenging."

Her eyebrows lifted. "Care to elaborate?"

He glanced up briefly, his face unreadable. "No."

Claire huffed a soft laugh. Tight-lipped, just like his boss.

---

The sleek, minimalist office features glass walls, marble floors, and a panoramic view of the city skyline.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing the top floor of Titan Edge Global. Claire stepped out, and her breath hitched. The space was breathtaking — a world of glass, steel, and marble. The view of the city skyline stretched endlessly beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

But none of it held as much weight as the man standing by the window.

Nathan Chase.

He stood with his back to her, hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His tailored charcoal-gray suit framed his broad shoulders perfectly. His presence filled the room like gravity itself had shifted toward him.

Oliver stepped forward and spoke with crisp formality. "Ms. Bennett is here, sir."

There was a pause before Nathan responded. "I see."

He turned slowly, his sharp gray eyes locking onto Claire. His face was a study in precision — clean-shaven, angular features, eyes as piercing as steel. No smile, no warmth. Just raw, calculated focus.

"You've been persistent, Ms. Bennett," Nathan said, his voice deep and deliberate.

"Persistence is the only way to get through locked doors, Mr. Chase," Claire replied, matching his intensity.

His lips tugged into a faint smirk. "Locked doors exist for a reason."

"And sometimes, those who knock hard enough get them opened," she shot back, lifting her chin slightly.

Nathan raised an eyebrow, his gaze flickering with mild amusement.

"Sit," he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

Claire sat, placing her notepad and recording device on the table. She hit "record" and leaned forward.

"For the record, this is Claire Bennett with Insight Daily Media, speaking with Nathan Chase, CEO of Titan Edge Global," she began. "Thank you for granting this interview, Mr. Chase."

"Don't thank me yet," he said, leaning back in his chair, fingers steepled. "Shall we begin?"

"Absolutely," she said. "Let's start with your origin story. Most tech giants have one — a spark that ignites their journey. What was yours?"

His gaze sharpened. "It started with a breach. I noticed a flaw in my university's network. Hackers were exploiting it to steal assignments and delete files. So, I built a program to detect threats before they happened. That program became the foundation of Titan Edge."

"Was it your goal to create a tech empire?"

"No," he said flatly. "My goal was to win. Everything else followed."

Claire's pen scratched against her notepad.

"And now?" she asked, leaning forward. "What's your goal today?"

Nathan leaned forward, his eyes locked on hers. "To stay ahead. Always ahead."

His intensity made the air feel heavier, but Claire didn't back down.

"Your company's privacy policies are legendary, but some critics say Titan Edge is too secretive. How do you respond?"

His lips curled into a small smile. "Trust is a liability, Ms. Bennett. I don't sell trust. I sell certainty."

Her pen froze. That's a headline quote.

Her next question was sharp. "Rumors say you have a major product launch on the way. Can you confirm or deny?"

His gaze shifted slightly. "Be patient, Ms. Bennett," he said, his tone like steel wrapped in silk. "It'll be worth the wait."