Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Sierra’s POV
“I’m telling you, this is a good idea,” Lena said, waving her phone at me while I sat at the kitchen table eating cereal.
I looked up. “What now?”
“Job vacancy at Hale Enterprises. They’re hiring for a personal assistant position. It's a big company that is willing to pay a big amount and provide what you need.”
I frowned. “Hale Enterprises? Isn’t that the company everyone talks about like it’s some giant monster that runs the city?”
“Yes,” Lena said, rolling her eyes. “And you need a job that actually pays. Unless you want to keep working at the café forever, serving grumpy businessmen and college kids who never tip.”
“Hey, the café isn’t that bad.”
“Please,” she said, dropping the phone in front of me. “You complain about it every night.”
I sighed, looking at the screen. Sure enough, there it was: Executive Assistant to the CEO. Salary was way higher than anything I’d seen before. Requirements: organized, detail-oriented, good under pressure. Honestly, it looked terrifying.
“I’m not qualified,” I muttered.
“You are,” Lena said quickly. “You’ve got office experience. You’re smart and besides, half of these job ads are just wish lists. You can learn the rest.”
“I don’t know…”
“You do know. You’re applying, end of story.” Lena said.
She snatched the phone back, tapping rapidly.
“Wait, what are you doing?” I asked.
“Starting your application,” she said without hesitation. “I’ll fill in your name, number, and email. You can write the rest later.”
“Lena…..”
“No arguing,” she said firmly. “You’ve been drifting for two years. You need something solid. This is it.”
I stared at her. She wasn’t wrong. I’d been bouncing between jobs since the accident, never really settling. Something inside me always felt… unsettled. Like I was waiting for something but didn’t know what.
“Fine,” I said, pushing my cereal away. “But if I embarrass myself in front of their fancy CEO, I’m blaming you.”
“Deal.” She grinned. “Now you need to shop for something professional. No jeans, no sneakers.”
Two days later, I stood in front of the tallest building I’d ever seen. Hale Enterprises towered over the city like it owned the sky. People in suits walked in and out, fast and sharp, like they all had somewhere important to be.
Lena nudged me. She’d come along for moral support. “Well? Impressive, right?”
“It’s intimidating,” I muttered. My palms were sweating.
“You’ll be fine. Just walk in, hand them your résumé, smile, and don’t trip.” Lena said.
“Thanks, that helps a lot,” I replied with a smile.
She laughed. “Go. I’ll wait here. You got this.”
I swallowed hard, straightened my jacket, and walked toward the glass doors.
Inside, the lobby was huge. It had high ceilings, polished floors, and it was the kind of place that screamed money. A long desk stretched across the middle with two receptionists typing.
I forced myself to walk up. “Hi. I’m here to apply for the assistant position?”
One receptionist looked up. She had sharp glasses and a sharper stare. “Name?”
“Sierra Cruz.”
She typed quickly. “You’re here for the walk-in application?”
“Yes,” I replied.
She handed me a clipboard. “Fill this out and take a seat. Someone will call you.”
“Thank you,” I said, taking the clipboard and moving to the seating area.
I sat down, trying not to fidget. People around me looked so put together with their suits, briefcases, and perfect hair. I suddenly felt out of place in my plain blouse and skirt.
I started filling in the form. Name, address, phone number. Easy enough. When it came to “previous employment,” I hesitated. How was I supposed to explain the gaps in my memory?
I chewed the end of the pen. Just write down the café and the office temp jobs. Keep it simple.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” a woman asked me.
I looked up. She was another applicant, smiling politely.
“No, go ahead,” I said, moving my bag.
She sat down. “Are you nervous?”
“Terrified,” I replied.
She laughed. “Me too. But hey, it’s just a job interview, right?”
“Right,” I said, though my stomach disagreed.
We chatted a little while waiting. She seemed nice, but I couldn’t focus. I was finding it hard to breathe.
Within the space of a few seconds, something strange happened. The elevator dinged and the sound made me glance up to see who would come out.
Immediately the elevator doors opened, and I saw a tall man in a dark suit walking out with two others at his side. He moved like he owned the entire building and maybe he did. His presence filled the lobby, making people glance up as he passed. Our eyes met each other and we both froze.
For a second, I forgot how to breathe. His eyes pinned on me like a spotlight, cold and sharp, but something about it sent a shiver through me. My heart kicked hard against my ribs.
The man stopped walking. The two men beside him looked confused, but he didn’t move. His eyes were gray and locked on me.
Why was he staring? Did I have something on my face?
I dropped my eyes quickly and gripped the clipboard tighter. My palms were slick, and suddenly the room felt too warm.
The receptionist cleared her throat softly and said, “Good morning, Mr. Hale.”
“Mr Hale,” I said within me.
So this was the man who owned Hale Enterprises. My new boss if I somehow survive this application.
He didn’t answer the receptionist. He just kept staring.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. The woman next to me leaned closer and whispered, “That’s Adrian Hale. He’s even scarier in person.”
“Tell me about it,” I muttered under my breath.
Finally, he blinked, like he’d snapped out of whatever thought had caught him, and turned away. Without another word, he walked toward the hallway, with his men following close behind. The air seemed to relax when he was gone.
I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
What was that about? Why did he look at me like he knew me?
Before I could puzzle it out, a receptionist called my name. “Sierra Cruz?”
I stood up quickly, holding the clipboard. My legs felt shaky as I walked toward the elevator, the same one he had just stepped out of.
The receptionist handed me a visitor badge. “Take the elevator to the twelfth floor. Someone will meet you there.”
“Okay,” I said, my voice thinner than I wanted it to be.
As I stepped into the elevator, the doors slid shut. I pressed the twelfth floor. The elevator hummed as it rose.
All I could think about was those gray eyes and the way they looked at me.
Who was Adrian Hale and why did it feel like he knew me?
