HIRED AS HIS ASSISTANT

CHLOE'S POV

I stand in front of the tall building, staring at it in awe. It looks so beautiful and clean-I can almost smell how fresh it is from outside. A cleaner walks out to tidy the front, and I wave at her. She smiles and waves back, which makes me smile too.

I look up at the words on the building: CLARKE CORPORATION.

I still can't believe I was called here. Of course, my school results are amazing. No one would want to reject someone like me.

I take a deep breath, gather my confidence, and walk inside. The place is so busy. Everything looks fancy-glass walls, expensive floors, and many elevators moving up and down. I try to hide how excited I am.

I mean, this is Mr. Clarke's company! He's kind, handsome, rich, and famous. He even loves kids and helps orphans through his charity work. He's every woman's dream.

I keep walking until I see a long line. My heart drops a little. I'm wearing black stiletto heels, and my feet already hurt. My black long-sleeve shirt isn't helping with the heat either. Even the air conditioner doesn't feel cold enough.

This is my first job interview-actually, my first job application ever. I always planned my life: study hard, get good grades, and succeed. My A-levels? Five A's. That's not something you see every day. I believe they want smart people. Well, here I am.

"Chloe Jones," someone calls from the other end of the line.

That must be me. I step out of line confidently. Some people look at me, and I even hear someone compliment my perfume-thanks, L'Oréal Paris.

As I walk toward the interview room, I pause, close my eyes, and take a deep breath.

"You've got this, Chloe," I whisper, then smile and enter.

"Good afternoon, Miss..." The man glances at my file. "...Chloe Jones." He smiles. "I'm Mr. Philip," he says, offering a handshake.

He looks like he is in his fifties. He still has all of his hair especially the front, a little bit gray. If his belly didn't shoot out, I am sure I would have mistaken him to be a thirty year old man .

"Thank you for calling me in," I say, trying to stay calm not showing how excited I am.

"Your file is really impressive, Miss Jones," he says with a grin. "Five straight A's in your A-levels-that's amazing."

"I know," I say proudly.

He keeps reading. "A Master's in Computer Science from MIT. Very impressive."

"Thank you, sir." I blush.

"So, how old are you?" he asks, curiosity full in his voice.

"I'm 28," I answer, placing my hand on my chest.

"Nice. And what do your parents do?"

"My mom owns a restaurant, and my dad is a banker."

His eyes light up. "Your mom wouldn't happen to own 'Eat With Mrs. Jones,' would she?"

"Yes!" I say excitedly. It feels so good to hear someone knows my mom's restaurant. She worked really hard for it. I am so proud of her.

"I love her food," he says with a big smile.

"Thank you," I reply with pride.

He looks at my file again, this time with a confused expression. I start to feel nervous.

"Is something wrong, sir?" I ask.

"Miss Jones..." he says, nervously with a small sigh. "There's no mention of any social activities here."

Oh no. Social activities? My mom warned me about this social activities stuff. I never joined clubs, sports, or school trips-I was too focused on my studies. I really hoped that won't be a problem in the future.

And I am in that future now.

"I'm sorry, Miss Jones, but we'll have to turn you down," he says kindly with a reassuring smile. "Your qualifications are great. I'm sure another company will hire you."

No. I can't be rejected. Not like this.

"But... can't you give me another chance? Maybe-"

Suddenly, a loud alarm goes off. It's so loud, it almost hurts my ears.

"No... no, no, no..." Mr. Philip says and rushes out of the room.

I follow him. I can't leave without getting this job. I spot him running into a big hall, and I take off my heels then follow him quietly. The door is slightly open, and I peek inside.

Mr. Clarke is there!

He doesn't look happy at all. People are shouting, panicking. They're all asking him what to do, but he just sits there, quiet and tense.

"If we don't fix this now, all the data will be exposed!" one man yells.

A data leak. A serious one. This could ruin the company. Luckily, I studied computer science. Maybe I can help.

This might be my chance.

I breathe deeply and push the door open. Everyone turns to stare at me like I'm an alien. Well, no one knows me here so maybe I am an alien.

"What is she doing here?" someone yells. "Get her out!"

Security comes toward me, but I shout, "Wait! I can help!"

They stop.

"You're facing a major data leak. Let me take a look," I say. "Please."

Mr. Clarke looks at me for a moment. "Let her," he says quietly.

The guards step aside.

I rush to a computer. I scan the system and spot the problem right away-it's a malware attack. Probably someone planted it on purpose like in most films I used to watch, it's always those closer to the billionaire like their ex,... I start typing quickly. After a few minutes, the screen turns from red to green.

Everyone cheers behind me. They're relieved.

I smile to myself. I did it.

Then I realize-it's quiet again. They're all looking at me. Even he is.

Mr. Clarke steps forward, staring at me.

"Who are you?" he asks.

"I came for an interview," I say and give him a sad smile. "But I got rejected."

"For what role?"

"Your assistant," I reply with a nervous smile.

He tilts his head. "What's your name?"

I glance at everyone watching. Even Mr. Philip is giving me a proud look and a thumb up.

I stand tall.

"I'm Chloe," I say. "Chloe Jones."

Mr. Clarke smiles.

"You're hired."