Sofia lies sprawled on her bed like a sun-drunk cat, one arm flung dramatically over her eyes, the other furiously scrolling through job postings.
Leila, on the other hand, sits cross-legged at her desk, chewing thoughtfully on the end of a pencil and refreshing the same career portal for the third time.
"I swear," Sofia groans, "they should start paying me for how many job ads I've read today."
Leila chuckles. "You mean for how many you've dramatically rejected?"
Sofia gasps. "Excuse you! I'm looking for quality, not quantity."
Leila shakes her head with a smile and clicks on a new tab — filtering for internships and assistantships in labs, NGOs, even private firms. But something tugs at her, a quiet voice reminding her of the certification she completed just before flying to Italy.
Project Management Essentials – Global Certification.
It seemed random then. A backup. Something to widen her chances.
Now… maybe it's not so random.
"Hey," Sofia calls out suddenly, her voice sharper. "You might want to see this."
Leila walks over.
On Sofia's screen is a sleek, minimalistic job posting from Sinclair Enterprises.
Position: Junior Project Manager – R&D Division (Milan Headquarters)
Requirements: Bachelor's degree in science or business, relevant certification, strong English skills.
Preferred: Multilingual, international background, adaptability, and attention to detail.
Leila blinks. "Is this… real?"
Sofia is already bouncing. "You have to apply. This is your profile, Lala!"
"I don't know… it's a massive company. I'll get buried in a hundred other applications."
"But you've got the cert. And you're in Milan. The universe literally dropped this in our laps."
Leila hesitates. Her fingers hover over the keyboard.
She doesn't know that behind the doors of Sinclair Enterprises, fate is quietly shifting. That an application typed with cautious hope will echo into a future she hasn't dared imagine.
"I'll apply," she says finally, voice steady.
Sofia throws a pillow in the air like a victory flag. "YES!"
The boardroom at Sinclair Enterprises is glass-walled and sun-drenched, perched high above Milan like a watchtower over a kingdom. Elias sits at the head of the obsidian table, flipping through a file with one hand and sipping his espresso with the other — black, no sugar, as always.
Kai enters, holding a tablet.
"HR sent the shortlisted applications for the R&D junior project manager slot," Kai says, sliding the tablet in front of Elias. "I highlighted the top five."
Elias barely glances up. "I thought that was your department."
Kai shrugs. "It is. But this one's interesting."
He taps once. A profile fills the screen:
Name: Leila Zaman
Citizenship: Pakistani
Education: BS in Forensic Science
Certifications: Project Management Essentials – International Accreditation
Languages: English (Fluent), Urdu (Native), Basic Italian
Motivation Statement:
"I may not know the city yet, but I understand structure, responsibility, and silence. I learn fast. I don't seek noise, only clarity."
That line makes Elias pause.
He scrolls slowly. A passport-sized photo — grainy, scanned — shows a woman with solemn eyes and a stillness that feels more like presence than pose.
He knows that face.
Not from any formal encounter.
But from moments stolen in silence — on a plane, in a library, near a castle.
Leila.
Kai eyes him. "Recognize her?"
"No," Elias lies, voice perfectly even. He stares at the screen like it's a mirror he wasn't prepared to face.
"She's qualified. Smart, multilingual. Modest experience, but… something about the way she presents herself. There's restraint, but not fear."
Elias is still reading her motivation letter, the way her words carry gravity without decoration. It's rare, that kind of clarity.
"Schedule the interview," he says quietly.
Kai smirks. "You sure? It'll look suspicious if you do it yourself."
"I won't," Elias replies. "But I want a full background check."
"You vetting a junior applicant now?" Kai lifts a brow, half-joking.
Elias doesn't answer. He's already looking back at her name.
Something has shifted. Again.