Chapter 6

Elarie froze at her post as she tried to process what she had just heard. 

Did Mr. Scott really say she got the job? 

Her heart pounded in her chest when everything settled on her. She couldn't move. She just stared at the wooden door of the conference room with her eyes wide in disbelief.

Danreb noticed the lady still hadn’t left the room, making him raise an eyebrow. "Is there something else, Ms. Newton?"

Elarie blinked, snapping back to reality. "I—no, sir," she stammered as she tried to regain her composure.

"Then why are you still standing there?" Danreb asked indifferently. "You can leave now. Wait for the HR department to contact you with the official result of the interview."

But Elarie just stood there. She felt like she had been caught in a strange dream. After a while, as if on autopilot, she nodded and turned. Her legs carried her toward the door. She reached for the handle and exited the room. Her body moved before her mind could fully process what had just happened.

In the hallway, Mrs. Wyatt, the HR assistant, was already speaking to the other applicants. Elarie heard her say, "The interviews are finished. Someone has already been selected for the position." The murmur of disappointment rippled through the room, but Elarie barely registered it as she continued walking, dazed and absentminded.

It wasn’t until she reached the lobby that reality hit her.

She stopped dead in her tracks. She gasped. 

She got the job. 

She got the job!

Before she knew it, a scream of joy escaped her lips. 

"I GOT THE JOB!" she exclaimed, unable to contain herself. Her voice echoed through the lobby. The people around her turned to stare in shock.

Realizing what she had just done, Elarie immediately felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Her hands flew to her face, trying to hide the red creeping across her skin. Without another word, she hurried outside, ignoring the curious looks from the other employees.

Once she reached outside, Elarie could no longer hold back her excitement. She jumped up and down, barely able to control her glee. “I didn’t hear that wrong, did I? I actually got the job!” she muttered to herself as she bounced on the pavement. 

In her excitement, she quickly hailed a cab to go pick up Daniel. She could barely sit still in the back seat. She was tapping her fingers on her knees as she imagined telling him the news. This was everything she had hoped for. It was the breakthrough they both needed. She could already picture Daniel’s bright smile when she shared the good news.

As soon as she reached Daniel’s school, she ran toward the gate. When he spotted her, Daniel came rushing out. His little face immediately lit up. “Mommy!” he called, running into her arms.

Elarie scooped him up then twirled him around. “Guess what, Daniel?” she said, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. “Mommy got the job!”

Daniel gasped. His eyes widened with joy. “Really, Mommy?”

“Uh-huh!” Elarie confirmed, hugging him tightly. “We did it, baby. I’m going to start working at the big company, just like we talked about!”

That night, after dinner and some extra bedtime stories for Daniel, Elarie was sitting on the couch when her phone buzzed in her hand. She had been waiting for the confirmation call all evening. Finally, Mrs. Wyatt’s voice came through the line.

“Ms. Newton, I’m calling to officially congratulate you. You got the job. And we would like you to start immediately tomorrow morning.”

Elarie’s heart skipped a beat, despite already expecting the call. “Thank you so much,” she responded. She couldn’t contain the smile on her lips. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”

Mrs. Wyatt continued, explaining the details. “You’ll need to arrive thirty minutes before 8 a.m. so I’ll have time to brief you about your job. Make sure you’re ready to work with efficiency.”

When the call ended, all that Elarie could feel was pure excitement. But then reality hit—she didn’t have another formal outfit. She glanced at her closet, which held nothing but casual clothes and the single formal outfit she’d worn today. 

She rushed to the bathroom, quickly washing her clothes in the sink and hoping they would dry by morning. Tomorrow would be her first day, and she had to make a good impression.

The next morning, as luck would have it, her outfit had dried just in time. Elarie ironed it carefully, then got ready. Her hands shook slightly as she pulled on the same blouse and slacks she had worn for the interview. She didn’t have a choice. And she could only hope no one would notice. 

When she arrived at the towering building of Scott Corporation, she felt her insides churn again. As she approached the front desk, the receptionist barely gave her a glance. Her eyes flicked up and down in silent judgment before handing her a visitor’s pass. Elarie could feel how she looked, but she kept her head high.

Mrs. Wyatt met her at the entrance to the HR office. “Good morning, Ms. Newton. Ready to start?”

“Yes,” Elarie replied, doing her best to sound confident.

Mrs. Wyatt led her through the office, pointing out where her cubicle was located. “You’ll be working alongside Therese, your senior secretary. She’s been with the company for three years, and you’ll assist her in managing Mr. Scott’s schedule and office.”

Elarie nodded, taking in the sleek design of the workspace. When they reached her cubicle, she saw a tall, impeccably dressed woman seated at the desk next to hers. Therese barely acknowledged her as she entered the space, offering only a brief glance before returning to her computer screen. 

"That's Therese," Mrs. Wyatt said in a low voice. "She'll show you the ropes."

Therese finally looked up. Her gaze at her was sharp as if scrutinizing every bit of her. “You’re the new one, right?”

Elarie nodded, offering a small smile. “Yes, I’m Elarie. Nice to meet you.”

Therese’s eyes scanned her outfit. A faint smirk formed on her lips. “Mm-hmm,” she murmured, turning back to her work without another word.

Elarie felt the sting of the dismissive look but chose to ignore it. She had a job to do. And nothing—not Therese, not her nerves—was going to distract her from that.

After being briefed on her tasks, Elarie busied herself with organizing Danreb’s office and preparing everything for his arrival. But as the minutes ticked by, her nervousness only grew.

When Danreb finally walked through the office doors, the energy in the room shifted. He strode through the hallways with such authority. Elarie and Therese stood up to greet him.

“Good morning, Mr. Scott,” they greeted in unison.

Danreb barely acknowledged them, walking directly toward his office. “Coffee,” he muttered, not even glancing in their direction.

Elarie quickly followed, picking up the cup she had prepared like Mrs. Wyatt instructed and headed toward his office. But as she approached his desk, Danreb stopped mid-step and turned toward her. His eyes narrowed as he looked her up and down.

His gaze lingered at her before he spoke. “What are you wearing?”