Celine groaned as sunlight slipped through the thin curtains, brushing her face gently. Her fingers twitched, and with a sluggish motion, she reached for her alarm clock. The moment her eyes focused on the time — 8:09 AM, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Her eyes widened dramatically.
"AaaAaahh!!"
The shrill scream echoed throughout the entire house, causing the birds on the window sill to scatter. Celine threw her blanket aside and bolted out of bed like a lightning bolt. Her hair was an absolute mess, her pink pyjamas crumpled, and her heartbeat louder than the sound of her feet stomping on the wooden floor.
"Mamaaa!!" she cried as she dashed to the kitchen. "Why didn't you wake me up?! I have an interview at 8:30!! I'm late! I'm super late!!" Her voice cracked with panic, her eyes glassy with frustration and tears threatening to spill.
Her mother, calmly flipping a pancake at the stove, glanced over her shoulder with an unimpressed look. "I did wake you up. Twice. You rolled over and muttered something about five more minutes."
Celine's shoulders slumped, torn between crying and slapping herself.
"I told you to sleep early last night," her mother added as she plated the last pancake.
"I was preparing for this interview! I didn't even notice the time!" she cried.
"Now go wash your face before you talk yourself into a breakdown," her mother instructed with a wave of her spatula. "There's still some time."
Celine groaned again, this time softer, like a puppy scolded for chewing on shoes. She sprinted back to her room, washed up quickly, threw on a neat blouse and blazer, stuffed her resume into a folder, and ran back to the kitchen.
She snatched a cup of coffee and a piece of toast.
"That's all you're eating?" her father asked, peeking over his newspaper.
"She's in a rush," her mother replied, sighing as she shook her head. "Our daughter is a tornado this morning."
"I'll eat after the interview!" Celine shouted on her way out.
Her father chuckled. "Let her go. She's not a little girl anymore."
---
The tires of her small sedan screeched slightly as she arrived at the tall glass building downtown. With adrenaline surging, she parked quickly, grabbed her handbag, and ran to the elevator inside the building.
Just as she was about to reach it, the elevator doors started closing.
"Wait!!" she shouted, dashing forward.
A hand from inside the elevator pressed the door open button. Celine slipped in, breathless.
"Thank you so much," she panted.
The man inside nodded without a word, looking at her with a raised eyebrow before returning his gaze to his phone. She caught her breath, adjusted her clothes, and tried to compose herself. She hated feeling flustered, especially in front of strangers.
Ding.
The elevator stopped at the seventh floor.
As she stepped out, she was met with a waiting area filled with other candidates, all looking so calm and well-prepared. Some were reviewing their resumes, others sitting silently with perfect posture.
Celine, you've got this, she told herself. You didn't go through all those sleepless nights for nothing.
She took a deep breath and sat at the only empty chair at the back. Minutes passed like hours. Then suddenly—
"Liu Celine."
She jumped slightly at the sound of her name. Adjusting her blazer nervously, she walked into the interview room.
Behind a long desk sat a stern-looking man in his mid-40s, with sharp glasses and emotionless eyes. He looked at her for a brief second, then flipped through her resume.
"Ehem," he cleared his throat.
She waited.
"Liu Celine, 27 years old, degree in Management Technology, and two years of experience as an office manager," he read aloud.
Celine gave a polite smile. "Yes, sir. That's correct."
"Can you introduce yourself briefly?" he asked, looking at her now with mild interest.
She nodded confidently. "Good morning. My name is Liu Celine. I graduated from—"
"Are you the daughter of the principal of Lamburgh Secondary School?" he interrupted abruptly.
Celine froze.
The question was completely out of context.
"Y-Yes," she replied hesitantly, unsure if that was a good thing.
The man nodded, closed her file and said coldly, "That will be all. We'll contact you if you're shortlisted."
Her heart dropped.
"Th-that's it?" she asked softly, but he had already looked away.
Feeling dejected and confused, Celine walked out of the room with her head spinning. What did her father have to do with anything?
Did something happen? Was he involved in something? Or… is there a personal grudge?
She exhaled deeply and tried not to cry. Her heels clicked slowly as she returned to the parking lot. Once inside her car, she sat in silence for a few moments before turning on the ignition.
As she reversed and tried to turn left, she was too distracted to notice another car pulling in. Before she could step on the brakes—
CRASH.
A sharp thud echoed as her car nudged the luxury vehicle in front.
Her eyes widened in horror.
"Oh no. Oh my God," she whispered.
Without thinking, she jumped out of her car, stumbling toward the black car she just hit.
"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to— I wasn't looking! I'll pay for the damages, I swear!" she stammered, hands shaking.
A man with glasses stepped out from the driver's side. He looked livid.
"Are you blind?! Are you stupid?! Look at the damage you've caused!" he barked.
"I-I'm really sorry," Celine muttered, bowing repeatedly, completely humiliated.
Suddenly, a calm voice spoke from the back seat of the car.
"Ian… Let it go. We're wasting time."
Celine raised her head slightly. The window was half-down, revealing a man in a perfectly tailored suit. His features were sharp, his hair slicked back, and his expression unreadable.
He was… breathtakingly handsome.
Ian, the driver, clenched his jaw. "But—"
"Let it go," the man repeated with more authority.
"Yes, Mr. Kevin," Ian replied, retreating without another word.
The backseat window rolled up again, and the car drove off smoothly, leaving Celine in a daze.
"…Mr. Kevin?" she whispered.
Her heart was racing for a different reason now.
---
She finally got home, still trembling from the events of the day. Her mother greeted her at the door.
"How was the interview?"
Celine took off her shoes and muttered, "Weird. I think the manager had something against Dad."
"And why do you look like you saw a ghost?" her mother asked.
Celine sat at the dining table, burying her face in her arms.
"I hit someone's car."
"What?!"
"But it's okay! The guy let me go. Well… his boss told him to."
"Boss?" her father joined in now.
"Yeah. He looked super rich. Expensive suit, black car, fancy vibe. Oh! And his name was… Kevin. Kevin Louise, I think."
Both her parents went silent.
Celine blinked.
"…Do you guys know him?"
Her father folded his arms and exchanged glances with her mother.
"That's probably Kevin Louise," he said at last.
"Kevin Louise?" Celine repeated.
"He owns Louise Corporation. Billionaire CEO. Cold as ice and just as dangerous."
Celine's heart skipped a beat.
The man she hit was… Mr. CEO?
Oh no.
Celine entered her room with a heavy heart, her mind filled with mixed emotions. She let out a soft sigh as she closed the door behind her and leaned against it. The events of the day had drained her — the awkward interview, the strange question about her father, and the embarrassing accident with the CEO's car. She collapsed onto her bed and buried her face into the pillow, trying to shut it all out.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Celine's mother walked over to the sofa where her husband was seated, reading the morning newspaper.
"Darling," she said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Did you see our daughter? She looked troubled… maybe still shaken from the interview result."
Her husband looked up briefly, then nodded, a thoughtful expression forming on his face.
"Hmm… Celine is a grown woman now," he said with a sigh. "And we're not getting any younger either."
He paused for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Then, with a small chuckle, he leaned closer and whispered into his wife's ear.
"What if we arrange her marriage… with the son of my old friend?"
His wife blinked in surprise. "Who?" she asked curiously.
He smiled slyly. "Coincidentally, that CEO… Kevin Louise, is the son of Chairman Louise — the man who owns the biggest diamond company in the city."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious? That's… that's a brilliant idea!"
He nodded, amused by her reaction.
"And," she added quickly, "I just so happened to overhear a little gossip from his wife at the spa the other day. She mentioned they've been searching for a suitable match for their son."
She gasped excitedly, placing a hand over her mouth. "What if we meet them in the next few days? Maybe… the day after tomorrow?"
"Sounds like a plan," her husband agreed with a knowing smile.
The couple continued their little matchmaking discussion with lighthearted enthusiasm, fully unaware that Celine, just a few meters away behind her bedroom door, was already fast asleep — completely oblivious to the plan being made for her future.