Maya's face paled as she read the message.
"What is it?" Ava asked, as she sensed the shift in the older woman's expression.
"Ethan Gray wants to do the interview at his penthouse... and he specifically requested for you to come alone." Maya informed her and let out a heavy sigh afterwards.
Ava's lips parted slightly in shock but she managed to compose herself.
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked, dreading the response.
"He has never asked for such arrangements before." Maya responded.
Ava's heart sank. She felt the blood drain from her face.
"I... I need to use the bathroom." She managed to say before rushing off.
Inside, she splashed cold water on her face, trying to steady her nerves.
Then her phone buzzed, making her jump up in fright. She sighed in relief when she saw the caller's ID.
"Hey, what's up?" Her best friend, Olivia's cheerful voice came through.
"Hey..." Ava's voice shook.
"Ava? What is wrong? You sound strange." Olivia observed.
Ava sighed and leaned against the wall.
"I'm in something... It's dangerous and goes against everything I believe in, but... It's the only way to save my Mom's life." She divulged to her friend.
"Wait, what? You're not going to hurt anyone, are you?" Olivia inquired.
"No, no... but I might get hurt if I'm not careful." Ava replied.
There was a pause before Olivia spoke again.
"But you will be okay if you're careful, right?"
"Maybe..." Ava said weakly.
"Then give it a try. If you realize it's too dangerous, you can always back out immediately." Olivia said.
Ava took a deep breath.
"Yeah... you're right. Thanks." She replied.
After ending the call, Ava splashed more water on her face then walked out with newfound determination.
"We need to hurry. You have to do a light makeup and rehearse for the interview." Maya informed her urgently.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ava arrived at the penthouse and marvelled. It was massive.
"Some people truly do swim in money and finally get tired of what to do with it." Ava thought as a guard escorted her from the entrance into a vast living room that made her head spin.
"This way, please. I will show you where to wait for Mr. Gray." A man appeared and said to her.
Ava followed him quietly, taking in the enormous space. Everything was dark, from the walls to the furniture.
"The atmosphere feels heavy, almost suffocating." Ava mumbled to herself as she looked at the dark paintings that lined the hallway.
The man led her to an office. Like everything else, it was simple but screamed luxury.
"Mr. Gray will be with you shortly." The man said, then walked out of the room, closing the door.
"I guess I am really in it now." Ava mumbled and took a seat.
She couldn't stop her mind from racing about what she had gotten herself into.
After a moment, the door opened and
Ava's breath caught in her throat.
"Oh..."
The man who walked in was breathtakingly handsome – tall, sophisticated, with sharp features that looked like they were carved from marble.
'What a shame .... that someone so charming could be so dark inside." Ava thought.
Remembering Maya's warning, she quickly averted her gaze as Ethan Gray took his seat across from her.
"Ms. Collins." He called out, his voice cold. Ava Ava's hands trembled slightly in her lap at the sound.
"Good evening sir." She responded. He didn't respond to that and just dived into business straight.
"Your resume is interesting." He began.
"Thank you, sir." She said.
"Tell me, what would you do if you discovered a colleague was leaking sensitive information to our competitors?" He shot at her not giving her time to settle down for the interview.
However, Thanks to Maya's preparation, Ava knew exactly how to answer.
"I would gather concrete evidence first, then report directly to the appropriate authority within the company's hierarchy, ensuring complete discretion throughout the process." She replied.
Something flashed in Ethan's expression and he leaned forward slightly.
"What if that colleague was your direct superior?" He inquired further.
"I believe position doesn't exempt anyone from corporate responsibility, so the principle remains the same." She replied gently.
Ethan nodded then continued;
"Okay. How would you handle scheduling conflicts between urgent business matters and personal commitments?"
At that, Ava sat straighter.
"Business priorities would always come first. Personal matters can be rescheduled, urgent business opportunities cannot." She maintained firmly.
"Interesting perspective." He studied her for a moment before asking another question.
"What is your discretion regarding private conversations?" He questioned further.
"What happens in your office stays in your office, Mr. Gray. Confidentiality is paramount." She replied.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Talking about that, how far does your loyalty extend, Ms. Collins?" He questioned.
Ava's heart skipped a beat. She could feel the weight behind his question.
"My loyalty to my employer is absolute." She answered, firmly.
"Even if it means doing things that might... conflict with your personal ethics?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I understand that business sometimes requires difficult decisions. I'm prepared for that." She replied.
"What if I asked you to lie for me or do other dirty things?" He asked and Ava's throat went dry, but she maintained her composure.
"He is really what they said..." She thought before replying to him.
"I would do what needs to be done to protect the company's interests." She said gently.
"And what about protecting my interests specifically?" He asked.
Ava's pulse quickened.
"Your interests are the company's interests, Mr. Gray." She managed to remain unshaken.
He studied her for a long moment, with an unreadable expression, before continuing.
"Tell me, Ms. Collins, how do you handle pressure?" He spoke up again.
"I thrive under it, Mr. Gray." She responded, her voice louder than before.
His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile.
"An impressive answer." He commented and before Ava could say anything in response, he spoke up again.
"You are hired and you are to start work right away. Are you available for night duty?" He informed and asked her at the same time.
Ava's head snapped up.
"What?" Then she did what she was asked not to do.
She looked up at his face and into his eyes. And she gasped in shock at what she saw, her lips trembling.
"Oh, no!"