Chapter 3 Not As Bad As I Imagined

• Kiera felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins the moment she stepped out of the office. “ I've had enough of that arrogant condescending boss”. she muttered, her voice barely audible but full of venom.
• “What a self-aggrandizing, egotistical, and arrogant slur. He thinks of himself as God's gift to humanity. In reality, he is just a pitiful, insecure little man who is constantly trying to prove himself.”
• Kiera shook her head, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she walked towards the exit. She pushed open the door and stepped into the sunlight, a sense of liberation washing over her. She took a deep breath, allowing the fresh air to fill her lungs while smiling to herself.
• "I may not have gotten the job, but I have my dignity, and that is more valuable than any paycheck."
• But truth be told , she knew she desperately wanted the job,she was short on cash and also needed to get out of the house every day to alleviate her depression. But she was not about to sit back and watch him or anyone match over her.
• Not any longer, she has always had to put up with the bullshit of others all her life, but that was back when she was Lana starkwood.
• She started hailing for a cab to get home, it had been a long day and all she wanted to do was lay in bed.
• “Hey, Kiera! How did things go?” The lady from the interview earlier, Josephine, hurried over to her, curiosity shining in her eyes.
• With a small smile, Kiera turned around.
• "Unfortunately, not very good. They said they’ll let me know, but you know how that usually goes.” she had no intention of telling her what had transpired back there.
• "I understand, I am sorry to hear that," Josephine nodded sympathetically. “My interview wasn't exactly a slam dunk either. But, hey, it’s not all bad news. They offered me a different position instead. It is not quite what I was looking for, but it is something."
• "That's great! Congratulations,"Kiera said sincerely, though a hint of pain lingered in her tone.
• Josephine cast a glance at the cab, which was waiting beside kiera. "Listen, since neither of us is in a celebratory mood, how about we grab a drink somewhere? I know a bar, it's just a few blocks away. We can talk more and hopefully cheer each other up."
• After pausing momentarily, Kiera nodded, "Yes, of course. A drink sounds perfect right now." She then waved off the taxi, and they started walking side by side toward the bar.
• Within twenty minutes of arriving at the bar, they have already consumed three rounds of cocktail glasses. Kiera finds Josephine hilarious and has a great sense of humor. She has not stopped laughing since they arrived, which makes her genuinely happy—at least she has not forgotten how to laugh without having to force it.
• Her average height, slim build, and short brunette hair all contributed to her attractive appearance.
• It has been fun all around, but exhaustion finally took over keira. She bid goodbye to Josephine and congratulated her once more as they exchanged goodbye kisses before finally heading home.
• As soon as she got home, she jumped into the shower and let the water run over her head. After soaking in the running water until she was satisfied, she changed into some comfortable clothes, grabbed some popcorn and a drink from the fridge, and lay down on her bed.
• She was munching on her popcorn and scrolling through TikTok when her phone started to ring. Although she was unsure of the owner's phone number, she had to retrieve it because it could have come from other applications she had submitted.
• “Hello?” A male voice on the other side of the phone spoke.
• “Hello” she responded.
• “Is this Miss Keira?”
• “Okay, so he knew who I was, so it must have been from the other websites," she concluded.
• "Yes, Kiera speaking."
• “Miss Kiera, I am Ethan Stone from Titan Tech Company. This is to inform you that you have been selected for the position. I will most likely need to give you some brief training, so please report to the office by 7:00 a.m sharp.”
• He hung up before Keira had a chance to say anything. Her heart skipped a beat as she processed the information.
• "Did I really get the job?" she wondered, as excitement and disbelief washed over her.
• "Maybe Mr Cruz was not as bad as I judged," she reasoned as she quickly got out of bed and prepared an outfit and other necessities for the following day. After several minutes of putting everything together, she collapsed on the bed, exhausted and hopeful.
• ****************
• 6:17 a.m
• About 6:15 a.m. The next morning, Kiera was already dressed in her fitted pink blazer and black trousers, with her black wig and minimal makeup. She inhaled deeply and made her way to the kitchen, where she had some cereal and milk before leaving her flat.
• A quick cab ride later, she arrived at the gleaming building.
• "Wow, can I actually do this? I mean, my heart is racing at 200 mph right now. Kiera, do not screw this up; you got this. This is an opportunity for redemption.” She encouraged herself and entered the building, taking a final deep breath.
• She looks around, taking in the breathtaking interior. The white walls, sleek sofas with table on the side, and massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling created a breathtaking sight.
• Although she had been here the day before, she hadn't had the chance to fully appreciate its beauty. As she stood there, taking it all in, she heard her name being called out.
• "Ms.Keira!" the voice said, breaking the spell.
• She turned to face the receptionist, her heart beating slightly faster. "Yes?" she replied, her voice steady.
• The receptionist smiled and gestured to someone behind Keira. "Mr. Stone is ready to see you now."
• Keira turned to face the direction indicated, her eyes locking onto a tall, imposing figure standing by the elevator. Ethan Stone smiled and beckoned her over. With a deep breath, she made her way towards him.
• "Good morning Mr. Ethan", she greeted him, her voice steady.
• "Good morning Ms. Kiera, you have no idea how glad I am that I could convince Mr. Cruz to hire you rather than those wannabes". He said as he grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
• "Well, thank you so much for your assistance, and I sincerely apologize for yesterday. Being my first job, I truly wanted to start here, which is why I applied for the position." She said with a huge smile on her face, her eyes shining with gratitude.
• "Well, Ms. Kiera, you got it there, and please feel free to call me Ethan," he said, smiling back. "Mr. Ethan makes me feel older than I actually am”.
• "Okay, as long as you also call me Kiera." She replied, her smile still intact.
• "It is done. Alright! Kiera, let’s get to work. Firstly, we must prepare the meeting room as Mr. Alexandro has a scheduled meeting in approximately thirty minutes. So please make fifteen copies of this packet." He said this while handing her the packet.
• "And if you proceed to that room” Gesturing down the corridor. “There is a small pantry here, so take fifteen of everything off the shelves and arrange them in the conference room on this floor, which is also down the hallway. And that should only take ten to twenty minutes, so tell me when you are done, and I will make sure everything is correct."
• "Okay," was all she could say after all his explanations before she began to get things done.
• She quickly got to work and did exactly as Ethan instructed. After she was done, she told Ethan and he came over to inspect what she had done.
• “Good job Kiera, you followed the instructions exactly.”
• “Thank you, Ethan,” she replied smiling. She may have been expelled from school and denied graduation due to a malpractice accusation, but she was confident in her abilities.