Chapter 10 The Interview

• (REYA’S POV)
• I was already late as I reached outside the conference room where the interviews were ongoing. It was packed. There were around 8-9 candidates, all women, dressed up and looking drop dead gorgeous. They were all beautiful ladies no doubt, confidence brimming from them but something was odd. ‘Is it an interview or some sort of gathering is happening here? Why is everyone so dressed up?’ I thought.
• In comparison, to be honest, I was looking quite out of place.
• One of them wore a black mini dress with cleavage showing quite intentionally. ‘Wow, is that suppose to be an 'office attire'?’
• She was surrounded by 2-3 other sidekicks of her who were complimenting her or rather flattering her left and right. They were hyping her about her outfit and some other things. From their conversation, what I picked was that she was some kind of a big shot who has an arrangement already. ‘Nepotism’ I shrugged off and murmured.
• The ‘Ms. Mini Black dress’ looked at me and gave me a very disgusted look. Brushing her off, I turned my head towards the conference room. When I ignored her completely, she came and stood in front of me and gave me an icky smirk. Snapping her finger twice in my face, she arrogantly spoke, “Who are you? I have never seen you in our circle? How come such low class people are even allowed to come here for an interview? Did you rent these clothes? What cheap imitation. Get out; this is not the place for you. You can only be on the ground floor at most or better, out of this building.” Few of her other minions started their hysterical laugh like we were shooting some kind of sitcom.
• ‘Do they think that they are in a drama or what? Idiotic lassies, dumbasses, I am not here for this. I have a task in hand. I don’t want to attract any unnecessary attention. So let’s just ignore her, Reya’, mentally, I talked to myself.
• Seeing me all silent and not giving a damn about their ill talk, one of her lackey tried to intimidate me further. “Can’t you hear what Ms. Victor said? Do you want to be further humiliated?” and looking at ‘Ms. Black dress’ said, “Samantha, these kinda people are very shameless, you know. She just wants to climb up the ladder and enter into the high society somehow. Her upbringing must have been faulty. Her parents must have taught her tricks for her to even attend such an interview. How can people like her class even dream of being on such a prestigious post, how brazen of her?”
• I clenched my fist and tried to tolerate her nonsense, my nails were digging in the palms. But when she attempted to pull me up from my collar said, " Hey, you, you knock off. I am talking to you". I snapped her hand away making her stumble on the ground. She was wearing a six inches high heels which resulted in her losing her balance.
• With fury in her eyes, she got up and tried to slap me and cursed, “Who the fucking hell do you think you are? Your parents must have never educated you properly, let me do that for you.”
• I stood up, yanked her away and declared, “Stay away from me, I am warning you for the first and last time. I have not said anything to you that doesn’t mean I cannot fight back. But, good for you that I don’t fight pigs, you know. Spewing nothing but filth from your dirty mouth. Everything you spout sounds like garbage, trashy. By the looks of it, I don’t think you have received any kind of basic etiquette class, such mannerless swine. And don’t you dare say any word against my parents otherwise a red mark of four fingers and a thump plus a palm will be imprinted on your cakey piggy face.”
• My warning must have been understood well as she stepped back, shivering.
• Ms. Mini black dress was about to say something when one of the employee announced, “Ms. Samantha Victor you are up, you are required to go to the conference room.”
• Bumping my shoulder with hers, she pushed me aggressively and walked away to the conference room.
• Her “followers”, all gave me very distasteful looks but didn’t dare to say anything further.
• ‘Cowards’ I called them in a low whisper.
• We all settled down on the chair and waited for our turns. After about 10 minutes or so, a commotion was heard inside the conference room. We all got up from our seats, tried to figure out what was happening. Suddenly, the screaming and shouting increased and few of the security guards ran towards the interview hall hastily.
• They dragged the arrogant black dress girl out, who looked quite unrefined because of her cursing and swearing. ‘Huh, maybe her arrangement didn’t go as planned’ I sneered and smirked.
• Her “supporters” were dumbstruck by the sudden turn of events and ran after her.
• After all the chaos and ruckus, the other candidates were called out. Time passed and soon the girl sitting beside me, the last person to interview and only I were left. She was called inside.
• After a good 15 minutes, the door to the conference room opened and out comes that girl, disappointment quite evident on her face.
• I got up, adjusted my clothes and asked the employee, “Ma’am, Sir Aston called me for an interview, may I go in.”
• Hearing Aston’s name, she readily agreed and asked me to enter the conference room.
• Standing in front of the door, I clenched my fist tightly, trying to soothe my nerves. Did deep breathing exercise for ten seconds, I peeked inside and entered the room.
• I was quite nervous to be very honest. So I looked straight ahead and a smile was fixed on my face, to mask my inner turmoil.
• “Hello, I am here for an interview for the position of CEO’s personal secretary” I announced.
• Everyone present their had a look of confusion on their faces, trying to understand where I came from. I get them why. I am not on the list of the interviewees.
• A lady, with glasses and tucked up in professional suit asked me, “What’s your name?
• I, trying not to falter my smile, replied to her, “I am Reya Arya.”
• In a stern voice she replied back, “Your name is not on the interviewees’ list, Ms. Arya.”
• I panicked a little and looked around in nervousness. To my good fortune, I found Aston amongst the interviewers.as I located him, I pointed towards him and said, “Sir Aston asked me to appear for the interview. You can ask him?”
• ‘Thank god Aston is here.’ I gazed at him with expectant look, almost pleading with my eyes. After trying to remember who I was he said, “You are the girl I met at the hotel yesterday?”
• I, readily nodded, ‘Thank you Shiva, he remembers’. “Yes, you asked me to come for an interview in the morning, remember sir?” I added respectfully, beaming like sunshine.
• In a low whisper, though it was quite audible, he said, “I did say so. But that was because you were pretty insistent.”
• The lady, with the glasses declared, “Sorry, but we cannot interview you without reviewing your resume beforehand. Ms. Arya, you may leave.”
• I tried to protest, when a manly and deep voice announced, in a domineering and commanding tone “Give her a try.”
• I tried to find the source of such familiar and domineering voice but couldn’t locate.
• All the people present in the room had a look of shock on their faces. After a few seconds, the lady composed herself and said, “Ms. Arya, you may take a seat.”
• I placed my resume on the desk in front of the interviewers and noticed a familiar figure sitting with crossed legs and a mask.
• I fight the urge to gasp, in shock as I thought ‘Isn’t he the guy from the elevator, the Masked guy? Is he one of the interviewers? No time for this. I’m in the middle of an interview focus, Reya, smile.’
• Taking a seat, I looked straight, keeping a professional smile, and the interview begin.
• “So Ms. Reya Arya, tell us about yourself” Aston asked.
• “Sure, I’d be glad to.” I answered with an enthusiastic tone. “I am a fashion designer and used to work for ‘ReyMay’ brand. I graduated from University of Fashion, India with top 10 ranking. After that, I worked as an intern for Versace. Within one and half years, I was promoted to the post of Assistant designer. Later on, I joined ‘ReyMay’ as their Chief designer for 3 years. I handled all the major projects there.
• To get a change and to challenge myself, I have applied for the post of CEO’s personal secretary.” I ended with a smile intact on my face.
• “Why only R&R Group? With your qualifications and achievements you could have applied for any company? Why us?” the lady with glasses enquired.
• “When I was little, I visited Kingsterdom and stayed in R&R Kingsterdom. I was mesmerized by the entire ambience and architecture there. When I wanted to switch professions, the first thought that came to my mind was to work for R&R Group. That was when I met Sir Aston.” I chimed.
• With an impressed look in their eyes, they asked me few more questions, which I answered with absolute ease. They looked at each other with satisfaction quite apparent in their eyes.
• “Ms. Arya, congratulations. We are so pleased that you will be joining our company as CEO Rivers' personal secretary. We look forward to working with you” the lady announced.
• ‘Score’
• “Thank you so much ma’am” I replied with a grin.
• “You can call me Jessie, after all we are colleagues now” Jessie said, with a slight smile, rather a relieved one, maybe.
• “You can come to work from tomorrow onwards, 9 am sharp, and report directly to the secretarial department” Aston said.
• “I will surely be on time. Thank you.” I shook hands with all the interviewers and noticed the masked guy was nowhere to be seen. ‘Guess I’ll be working with him.”
• I left the conference room with a spring in my steps. Heading towards the elevator, I saw Mr. Mask man was already standing there.
• I stood beside him waiting for the elevator, said, “Sir, I guess we are colleagues now.”
• He didn’t say anything, just stood there like a statue. “Can you tell me your name now?” I asked out of curiosity. After all, he commanded and they at once gave me the shot at that interview, must be their head.
• “You will know” he said in a throaty voice.
• “At least let me treat you for the help you provided” I suggested. ‘If I want to know more about Ragnar Rivers I have to make allies and he is one of my helpers. I need to get as much information as I can’ I pondered.
• “Tomorrow at 9 pm” saying this, he turned around and walked towards the secretarial department. ‘What a weird guy’ I murmured. Anyways, he did help me, so thanks fella.
• _________________________________________________
• I reached my hotel suite and only then I heaved a sigh of relief. Sitting on the couch, closing my eyes, my mind replayed all that had happened at the R&R headquarters’.
• The first step of the plan to investigate Ragnar Rivers has been accomplished. I need to make sure that my identity is hidden, no matter what. No one should know about my relationship with Emeralds’.
• Furthermore, Jeff is also a problem. His spies are everywhere and I cannot trust him at all. I feel like he is hiding something big. Somehow, I have to keep it concealed from Jeff as well; he must never know about my true motive to join R&R Group. I have to think of a perfect lie to tell him because if he gets suspicious, he will dig for the truth for sure.
• After a long day, fatigue and exhaustion over took me and I slept on the couch.
• To be continued. . . . . .