Chapter 01
Lena:
The sound of the door closed shut follows me once again. This is the third time this day that I’ve been rejected at a company. I need a job desperately and no one wants to hire me as soon as they learn my name and who my stupid father is.
Ever since the scandal of his company blew up three months ago my whole life crumbled into a million fragments. Nothing is like it used to be. I went from living in a hugely spectacular mansion with endless luxury to stay enclosed in a tiny two-room apartment sharing a bed with my sick mother. The bills and debts are piling up and I need a job urgently or we will get kicked out of that asphyxiating place.
I hate this. I hate my life right now. And there’s only one company left on my list: BlakeHill Corp. According to my research, they are looking for someone who’ll take care of the Human Resources department. I know I’m way overqualified for this position thanks to my Masters in Economics and my Business Degree from Parsons, but I’m dreading the moment they’ll find out about me and my horrible baggage. Let’s just pray that they’ll find out after my debts are paid so I get to stay a little longer in the matchbox sized apartment. But mostly, to downsize the huge hospital bill for my mom. That’s the main reason I’m humiliating myself in front of all those hiring committees.
After catching a cab that was way over my spending limit, otherwise I was going to be really late to my only shot left at keeping us from being evicted, I arrive to the building where my fate is going to be decided. As soon as I walk inside, a blond girl sitting at the reception desk looks me up and down with disdain. I know, I’m fully aware that my outfit isn’t fashion’s latest trends since I had to sell most of my clothes so I could pay last month's. I’m still mourning the loss of my limited edition Louboutins.
“Lena Marzoli?” The blonde asks me and I nod, surprised that she knows my name. Which means they already know about my past. This is going to be a waste of time, but even if I have to drop to my knees and beg until I can no longer stand, I’m willing to do it if it means I get this job. “Please, take a seat. Our CEO will meet with you shortly.”
Wait.
Hang on a minute.
The BlakeHill company’s CEO himself? In person?
I have no idea of what is happening, but I choose to follow her directions and sit in one of the leather-bound seats of the reception. Several minutes later, another woman who is heavily pregnant greets me and asks me to follow her. As I walk behind her, I’m observing my surroundings and it's evident that this is a very modern place, it has white and gray shades, polarized glass doors, tables and cubicles. We enter a golden paneled elevator and the girl takes a key with the top shaped with the letters BH in a clear reference to the company’s name. She enters the key in a keyhole at the top pf the elevator panel, dials a six digit code and soon enough we start ascending through the floors.
After a while, the doors open to an empty reception and at the end of a short hallway there's a set of blackwood doors with silver handles. The girl points to one of the seats and with a smile she softly explains that the CEO will call me shortly and to take a seat in the meantime, which I do as she sits behind a big desk, so I’m assuming she’s his personal secretary.
Almost an hour later I’m losing my hope when the inter-phone in the big desk rings and after a minute, the girl says I can finally go inside. I take a moment to order my nerves to stop eating me alive and I open the doors.
Walking inside, the first thing my eyes see is a bright clarity, I can barely distinguish the office, let alone the person sitting behind the desk with his back turned to the wall-to-floor length of the windows from where the light is coming. I blink several times trying to get used to the lighting and slowly the room becomes visible, just like the man who’s staring directly at me.
A chill runs through my whole body as soon as I see his face. I know him from somewhere, I’m sure of it. I try to mask my hesitation walking with my eyes drilling the blackwood floorboards until I take a seat. That’s when I force myself to look up and his green eyes are dissecting my entire face. The coldness of his dilated pupils expands to the rest of his handsome face. Actually, handsome is too generic to describe this man. Impressive, shockingly astounding, perfect. Those are still far away from how captivating this man’s face is. His hard features are exotic and his whole demeanor screams he’s the most powerful man you’ll ever meet in your godforsaken existence.
“Miss Marzoli,” The thickness of his grave voice fascinates me, “I’m sorry for making you come all the way over here, but the position you came for has already been assigned to someone else.”
My soul drops to my feet as I assimilate his words. My brain is struggling to process the fact that my last chance just evaporated right in front of me. With waves of desperation coursing through my veins, I take courage and dispose myself to beg.
“Sir, I apologize for my insolence, but I need a job desperately. I’ll do whatever you ask me to but, please, just hire me. If I don’t know how to do it, I’ll learn and I don’t mind working extra hours. I have over five years of experience working with successful companies and I know I can be of use to you if you just let me prove it.”
His eyes scan me, first my body and then slide to my face. I’m almost certain that I saw one of the corners of his mouth lift a little, but it was so sudden I’m not sure if I’m imagining things.
“Whatever I ask?” His voice sounds deeper and velvety, almost like a caress and I’m not sure if I like it. “Very well. As you could see before you walked in here, my secretary is about to give birth and her maternity leave starts on Monday. You can work in her place until she returns four months from now. We’ll discuss the terms of your contract on Monday and that same day you’ll start working for me. However, I will take everything you said seriously, Miss Marzoli, every single word.”
The smile decorating his face gives me shivers. I have no idea what I got myself into, but there’s something that’s still bothering me and, before I leave the office, I can’t help to turn around and ask him.
“Sir, have we met before?”
“Yes. Goodbye, Miss Marzoli.”
He ends the conversation, leaving me with so many questions I can’t find the answer to.
Where have we met?
If he knows who I am, why did he hire me?
And last, but most importantly, what is his name?