•°•°•°•°•
After breakfast the next morning, Alora left for her job interview while the housekeeper took care of the kids. She trusted the elderly woman because she had worked for her family since when she was a kid. Her parents had also left the house under her care when they relocated to England.
She finally arrived at her destination, Williams Enterprise, and proceeded toward the building with her CV in hand. Ignoring the nervous wreck in her stomach, she padded inside, silently praying no one recognized her.
As she walked up to the receptionist and tried to introduce herself, everywhere went up in chaos. The employees scurried around, moving files and typing frantically on their keyboards while the others stayed away to avoid the raging beast in the room.
"𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛?" Alora wondered looking around her. The receptionist who was highly composed when she got in was now disoriented. Papers and files scattered across the floor while she hurried to pick them up and arrange them.
"Is everything okay?" She didvrd to ask because of how she was rushing.
"Oh, yes...yes, everything is fine. It's just the usual morning rush!" She forced a smile and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, how may I help you?"
"I'm here for an interview..." Aurora said staring at her.
"Shit, he's here already. Come on, follow me" She guided her to the waiting room and vanished immediately.
Thirty minutes later, a man ushered her in to meet the CEO. As she walked into the room, she tried to let the deep breaths wash away her rising anxiety. 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒, she kept assuring herself as she walked further into the room.
The first thing that caught her attention was the glint of an expensive gold watch on the man's wrist. Thankfully, he was standing in front of the window, taking a call. That gave her time to gather her nerves as she assessed his back profile.
He stood tall and proud, his dark hair slicked back neatly. He wore a black tailored suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and trim waist, giving him an air of authority. His back was straight and strong, his posture impeccable.
"I f*cking lost all the goddamn deals and partnerships overnight! Right now, I am running INSANE!" He paused and raked his hair with his fingers. "Something needs to be done, I cannot lose all over again. You need to help me get them back! I'm confused of what to do"
Alora furrowed her brows but kept listening.
"What is going on in this company?" She thought.
"I know it's that motherf*cker. Yeah, I might've said f*cking hello and it pissed him off... Believe me, it was just hello... No, you have to do something. There's gotta be something, anything, just try to help me ... F*ck!"
Alora flinched at his words and he immediately turned around still holding the phone to his ear. She froze and stared at him with unblinking eyes. Without taking his eyes off her, he spoke a few words and ended the call.
"Who are you? What. The. F*ck. Are you doing in my office?"
"I am Alora..." She flinched backward and gripped her CV tight to her chest when he angrily slammed both hands on the table.
"That doesn't answer my f*cking question!"
Was he truly Justin Williams, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝐸𝑂? Alora wondered as she stared back at him in shock. Seeing how angry he looked, she forced herself to answer the question. She needed the job, she reminded herself as she took a step closer to him.
"I'm here for an interview" Alora said coming closer to him.
Shutting his eyes, he took a deep breath and settled down in his seat. "You can either stand there or sit your a*s down"
Irritation bubbled in her veins but she ignored it. She quietly took her seat and presented her documents as ordered. Her pulse accelerated as he went through the papers as though he was flipping through the pages of a notebook. More than twice, he looked up at her and her heartbeat seized.
His eyes were a piercing blue, set beneath thick, dark brows. His jawline was sharp and defined, outlining his chiseled features. His skin was smooth and tan, and he had a body that was toned and muscular. All in all, he was a sight to behold, and his beauty was undeniable. Not that Alora cared. She knew there was more to him than met the eye.
"You new in town huh?" He suddenly asked after taking his eyes off the documents.
"Yes" She said nervously.
He hummed in response and looked down at her CV one more time. "Where'd you come from?"
"England..." She said hoping he didn't recognize her.
"I swear you look familiar" He cut in and leaned closer, making his muscles shift under the expensive fabric of his suit. His blue eyes were now bright and he wasn't looking as angry as when he turned around and saw her in the room. "Have we met before?"
She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. "I'm afraid not"
She knew a lot of people in the business world because of Dalton but only remembered a few. Justin Williams wasn't one of them and she was sure of it. He wasn't partners with her ex-husband which meant they had never seen each other or crossed paths.
"You may leave" He said.
She grabbed her things and stood up to leave but then, he also stood up and went to stand behind her. "I think we've met before, Miss Alora. I can't just place where."
Alora moved away from him immediately and tried to keep her tone as professional as she could while holding her breath. "I can assure you we haven't met, Mr Williams"
"Maybe at the club, a party, a one-night stand...". He said smirking.
"Pervert" she thought.
"You're mistaken, Mr Williams... We haven't meet before" Alora said.
"I don't make mistakes. And oh, I have a sharp memory especially when it comes to women I've slept with. Women I've f*cked" He said staring at her.
Alora fisted her hands beside her and gritted her teeth. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him but then she remembered the 𝑗𝑜𝑏 and her 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛. The CEO might be an a*shole but that didn't change the fact that she needed the job badly.
"I'm not one of them, Mr Williams" She replied with a smile. "Is there anything else?"
He sized her from head to toe and shook his head. "You may leave" His eyes followed her swaying hips and long legs as she started walking off. "Resume tomorrow by 9 AM. Don't be late!"
As she walked out of the office, she paused and stared back at the door. Did she just get the job?
•°•°•°•
After exiting the company, Alora went around town trying to find a suitable school for the children and one with fewer expenses. She finally found one and decided to go shopping afterward. They were going to celebrate her new job and new home.
When she entered the house, she was met with darkness and silence. 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑑𝑠? She wondered dropping the grocery bags on the ground.
"Mummy's home!" No response. "Is this one of your games? Come on, I've got a surprise for y'all." She called out.
Smiling, she walked over to the corner of the house and switched on the lights.
"Mum is getting scared" she said smiling.
When she turned around, she froze when she saw a familiar figure standing by the window. Her pulse accelerated, her breathing turned shallow, and she began to tremble as her body turned impossibly cold.
𝑁𝑜... It couldn't be! "What is he doing here? She thought.
Sensing her quiet state, he slowly turned around, stealing her breath. "Long time no see, Alora!"
"W...What are you doing in here?" She asked.
"Just came to pay a visit or can't I " He spoke calmly, slowly adjusting his cufflinks.
"Well then, you are not welcome here, Dalton Steel!" She spoke through gritted teeth, hiding her trepidation behind a granite expression.
"But here I am so what will you do about it" He replied lazily and stepped further into the room without taking his eyes off her.