The day of the interview arrived, and Olivia who was feeling overly confident began to feel overwhelmed. Kenzie on the other hand felt enthusiastic, she felt confident and was sure she would get the job.
Olivia was a graduate with distinction, while Kenzie was a first class honors graduate. They were both intelligent and smart. They had met in the university and noticed they had a lot in common, and this strengthened their bond even more.
Their interview was scheduled for 10:00 am on the dot and anyone who wasn't present by then wouldn't have a shot.
By 9:10 am they got to the park and boarded a taxi, as the bus would delay them even more.
On arrival the alighted the taxi and payed the driver off. That was when they caught a full view of the building. It was more magnificent than what was seen on the media. The entire enterprise could pass as an estate.
Olivia and Kenzie marvelled at the beauty before them and felt a little intimidated. They knew the competition would be much given that people who had graduated from other prestigious colleges would be present. They knew they had to bring their A-game.
They both entered the building and headed to the third floor as directed by receptionist. By the time they got there, it was already 9:50 am, they wrote their names and waited to be called upon by the HR team.
After the interview, Kenzie and Olivia could be seen waiting for the final interview. They weren't informed of this earlier but they guessed it was a means to eliminate more people at the end.
They found out that the interview was to be conducted by "Mr Playboy" himself and Lucas. Participants who were already eager to meet him began to adjust their clothes in order to draw his attention to them.
"What is wrong with people honestly?" Olivia asked.
" They obviously want to seduce Mr playboy yunno?" Kenzie replied with a sigh. "Well he is giving me that job whether he likes it or not, unless he wants to see the crazy side of me." Kenzie stated with confidence.
"I'll be back Olive, I want to make use of the restroom." Kenzie said before excusing herself.
On her way to the female restroom she could hear moans coming within the restroom.
"What is wrong with everyone here?" She thought. " They couldn't wait to get home or at least get a hotel." She said as she rolled her eyes.
The moans kept getting louder as she got closer to the female restroom but this wasn't going to stop her from entering, since the culprits had no shame.
She barged into the restroom and saw a man banging a lady from behind. She recognized the lady to be one of the interviewees she had met.
She scoffed loudly drawing their attention, immediately, they noticed someone was in there and turned to see who was interrupting.
To her surprise, the man was no other than Lucas, the "assistant man whore" of Ryan.
She looked at him a little taken aback, their eyes met in an instant and he smirked at her. She immediately ran to one of the restrooms, did her business and ran out panting.
When she got back, Olivia noticed something was wrong.
"Are you alright Zie?" Olivia asked.
"I'm fine, Kenzie replied recounting what she had seen. "Something happened in there, and I just saw… him"
Olivia was equally taken aback by this, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She hoped she wouldn't encounter such when she gets to Ryan's office.
Her thought was interrupted by a voice which came through the speaker.
"Olivia Bennett, you are up."
She braced herself and went into the office.
After his usual lunch with his friends, Ryan retreated to his office, dismissing his assistants with a wave. He needed time to think, to strategize. He stood at the window, watching the city below.
His phone buzzed. This time, it was an invitation to a charity gala next week. He accepted without hesitation. These events were part of the game-networking, appearances, maintaining the image of the perfect billionaire.
He turned back to his desk, sorting through the day's correspondence. There were emails from investors, requests for interviews and as always, a stack of messages from women hoping to catch his attention. He skimmed them, barely registering the names or faces. They were all the same, beautiful, ambitious, eager to share his world.
He set them aside, uninterested. He would indulge when it suited him, but for now, his mind was elsewhere.
As the afternoon wore on, Ryan found himself staring at a framed photograph on his desk. It was a photo of his mother, elegant and poised, her smile tinged with sadness. She had died when he was in college, leaving behind a void he would never fill. His father had never forgiven her for her weaknesses, nor him for inheriting them.
He traced the edge of the frame, a rare moment of vulnerability. He missed her. Her kindness, her warmth, the way she had made him feel seen. But he had learned long ago that emotions were a liability, that love was a risk he couldn't afford.
A knock at the door broke his reverie. Ms. Thompson stood in the doorway. "Mr. Morgan, your nine o'clock is here."
Ryan straightened, slipping the mask back into place. "Send them in."
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of meetings, negotiations, and decisions. Ryan was in control, as always-charming, decisive, untouchable.
But as the day drew to a close, Ms. Thompson appeared again. "Sir, there's one more thing. HR has scheduled interviews for the new executive assistant positions. They are running late, but they would like your input on the final candidates."
Ryan sighed. "Fine. Send them up."
He wasn't expecting anything different. He had seen dozens of candidates over the years-all polished, all eager, all hoping to catch his eye. He had indulged a few, dismissed most. It was just another part of the routine.
But as he waited, a strange anticipation stirred in his chest. He couldn't explain it, couldn't name it. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was something else.
The door opened, and HR ushered in the first candidate. Ryan barely glanced up, already dismissing her in his mind.
But then the second candidate entered, a woman with a quiet confidence, her eyes sharp, her posture unyielding. She wore a simple navy dress, her dark hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. There was no flashy jewelry, no overt attempt to impress. Just a quiet determination that set her apart.
She met his gaze without flinching, and for the first time in years, Ryan felt something shift inside him.
He sat up, intrigued. "Tell me about yourself," he said, his voice low, commanding.
She smiled, unafraid. "My name is Olivia Bennett. And I'm here for the job.
Ryan leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Why Morgan Enterprises?"
Olivia's gaze never wavered. "Because I'm good at what I do. And I want to work for the best."
Ryan smirked. "Confident. I like that."
She shrugged. "I have nothing to hide, Mr. Morgan. And nothing to prove."
He studied her for a long moment, sensing a challenge beneath her calm exterior. "What makes you think you can handle this job?"
She met his gaze evenly. "Because I've handled worse. And I never back down from a challenge."
Ryan felt a spark of something he hadn't felt in years-curiosity, respect, and something deeper, something he couldn't quite name.
For the first time in a long time, Ryan felt a spark of interest, not just in her beauty, but in her presence, her strength. He leaned forward, intent, already calculating his next move.
But beneath the surface, something else stirred, a curiosity, a challenge, a hint of something he had long denied.
The game had changed. And for the first time, Ryan wasn't sure he held all the cards.
"I like your confidence miss Bennett, the HR will get back to you in due time. Thank you for your time." Ryan said, as Olivia was ushered out of the office, hoping deeply to be called on.