Chapter 3: The Interview

(Kendall's POV)

Without turning my head to look at the news being reported behind me, I made the payment with an overwhelmed uneasiness.

I was afraid the owner was famous and I might be caught on my way home since the hospital was a stone's throw from the whorehouse. Distraught, I prayed I hadn't gotten myself into trouble.

Laura was discharged, and we journeyed home after I checked up on Flora and Claura.

"Good afternoon, Mama," Laura greeted Gabriella as soon as we stepped inside the small wooden house, surrounded by bamboo trees, and I laid her on the tattered sofa.

"How's your body, daughter?"

Lines of happiness plastered all over Gab's wrinkled face. It showed she was ecstatic to see my daughter hale and hearty again after she witnessed her collapse the previous night.

I had just returned from a tech company where I submitted an application letter when Laura crumbled to the ground. The doctor said she was malnourished.

"Mama, I'm fine."

"Let me get you something to drink," Gab offered and she left.

I was tucking Laura into a faded sheet when she grabbed my hand and I crouched beside her.

"Mummy, will death take my siblings?"

What?! Fear gripped my soul and I wondered where she learned the word "death" from because I never taught them what it was. I homeschooled them

Pecking her forehead, I caressed the line of her dark wavy hair to her cheekbones. Finally, I mustered the courage to speak.

"Baby, it's not good to talk about death. It's scary and it only takes bad people."

"Does that make Dad a bad person?" she asked, her innocent lilac eyeballs requesting an answer, and I flinched sideward, vacillating what to say.

"Y-Yes baby, he was a bad person, and death does not like it when you talk about someone he has already taken. He gets angry," I deadpanned.

"Okay, mummy. I won't talk about it again. I'll tell my siblings too."

I huffed as my eyes met with Gab who was standing on the sofa with a cup of water. Concerns and worries are etched on her face and each wrinkle of hers outlined disapproval.

I collected the cup from her and helped Laura up to take a gulp. "I'm full, mummy."

"Take a nap, sweetheart. You've to rest," I urged, placing the empty call on the floor, and pecked her again. She smiled, and hurriedly shut her eyes, pretending to be snoring.

I stood and walked to meet Gab who was heading to the backyard. "Why don't you tell them the truth about their father?"

I heaved a sigh as I responded convincingly. "It's safer to make them believe Frederick is dead. You know my triplets, they'll keep requesting to see him if I tell them the truth."

"Ken, we can't hide the truth forever. Sooner or later–"

She was interrupted by the ringing tone of my phone.

"A minute, please," I demanded and she nodded.

"Good morning, am I onto Kendall Hart?" A female voice came on, happiness evident in her tone.

"Yes, I am. How can I help you, please?"

"This is Camila from the DeLaCruz Group of Companies. Our officials received your application this morning, and I am pleased to inform you that you've passed the first review for the post of the Assistant English Marketer you applied for."

OMG! Sense of enthusiasm enveloped me as I couldn't believe that I would get feedback from this particular company I applied to yesterday. All thanks to Gabriella who urged me to try my luck.

"I wasn't expecting this. I'm so happy!!"

"Congratulations ma'am. You have also been chosen to come for an interview tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, ma'am!"

"You're welcome. You have to be here on or before 8:30. If you have any questions, kindly send a text to this number. Bye for now."

"See you tomorrow too!" I replied and she hung up.

"Mama!!" I shrieked, clutching her hands.

"What's going on?"

"I have been invited for an interview tomorrow."

"Congratulations my daughter!" she yelled in surprise as she patted me on my shoulder.

That was her way of always saying 'Weldone'.

"Thank you for believing in me right from the onset," I said and pulled her into a warm embrace.

****

It was 7. a.m.

I stood in front of the cracked mirror, combing my honey-colored wavy hair as my baby watched me.

"Where are you going mummy? Are you going to see Flora and Claura?" she asked.

I drifted my gaze from the mirror to my baby sitting on the floor like a hungry cat.

"No baby, mommy is going to get a job. I will visit your sisters when I'm done. Do you want to send them a message?"

Laura stood up, extending the white hair band which she removed from her head to me, and gave me a sad face. I knew she wanted to follow me but she wasn't meant to be there.

"Pack your hair, mommy. You will look beautiful like us if you wear it."

"Aww! Thank you, sweetheart," I moaned.

I crouched, pecked her cheeks, and assured her. "Mommy will make you proud, okay?"

Packing my hair into a decent ponytail, I adjusted the buttons on the faded sleeveless white gown I cladded. Part of it was still sparkling and manageable.

Gabriella had only worn the gown once, which was when she was in her twenties and she gifted it to me two years ago. I hadn't worn it anywhere because it looked too expensive for me.

"You look beautiful, daughter," Gab commented.

"Thank you, mama!"

Darting my eyes on the wristwatch, I slipped into my flat shoe and dashed outside.

*****************************************************

"It's quite unfortunate you have no qualifications to show that you did study marketing but truly, your performance is one of the best we have seen so far.

"Shortly, we will let you know if you have passed this stage and can proceed to the next one. But For now, you can go back to the lobby and stay with the other applicants. Thank you, Kendall Hart," said the red-haired woman, sitting in between the other four panels.

Confidently, I placed the mic on its stand and bobbed my head under the dim light. "Thank you

I exited the studio room and the automated voice that had reverberated throughout the lobby to call me in called the name of the last applicant.

"And the last person for today is Mr. Antonio Romero!"

As I got to the lobby, I felt the scorns the rest of the twelfth applicants bore on their faces.

Every one of them wore killer dresses and the three men who were present weren't exempted. Most of them came in their sleek cars and I couldn't help but imagine if I'd get the job, competing with these people.

"She has a natural beauty but I can not employ someone who looks this wretched and unkempt if I had my own company," a robust lady smirked at me while others burst into laughter.

"It's ridiculous how someone in the 21st century will wear the clothes produced in the forties. Even my grandmother will refuse to wear this to the next street," another person teased and thunderous cackles followed.

My heart sank and I lowered my eyelids, taking sorrowful steps to my seat.

When all of them arrived this morning, I prayed not to be the center of attraction because my kind was not supposed to be sitting beside these people who smelt pure wealth.

But my legs, which had slipped when I was coming back from the restroom before I was called to the studio, betrayed me.

It was then that they started hurling derogatory remarks at me and the person who even added more fuel to the insults was Mr. Antonio who happened to be the last participant.

After a while, Antonio entered the lobby, and the five panels fell in behind him. He went back to his seat and the red-haired woman inched forward to address us as the rest of us clapped.

"Good morning everyone. We appreciate you all for the patience you exuded so far and we commend you for the brilliant performances you all did today."

"In addition, the panels have carefully selected three of you who would be proceeding to the next stage which is the ultimate interview with the son of the late founder and the CEO of the DeLaCruz Group of Companies."

Three?! Like just three participants?

Different thoughts began to race through my mind. Will I be chosen? Did I do well? Even if I did, who would truly choose me when there are other good-looking competent applicants here?

"Now, I will be handing over to our CEO's Personal assistant to buttress my point and call out the chosen ones. Thank you," she added as she retreated her steps to her previous stance.

I was expecting one of the panels to step forward not until my eyes widened and my jaws went slack. Shocks were outlined on others' faces too. "What was going on?!" Everyone gasped.

The impact of the shock jarred me when the man who had spat hateful words at me stood up from his seat and began to address us.

So, Antonio Romero was the CEO's personal assistant and he pretended to be a spy? This wasn't as ridiculous as it probably sounded.

'There was no way this job would be mine,' I thought as I let go of every iota of hope I was trying to build.

"Well done to you all, I went in there to check your performance, and just like Camila said, they are very impressive and outstanding...

"All of you, if employed, will surely make the company move forward, But…!" The middle-aged man whose gray low cut complemented his gray suit and inner white shirt, declared in a voice and his face morphed into all seriousness.

"We do not employ slanders and snobbish beings in our companies. We want people who, even after being insulted, do not retaliate or cause any scene, and solely after studying you all, I have carefully selected three of you and I hope one of you will do well at the end of the day."

Remorse replaced the shocks on others' faces as they fixed their apologetic gazes at me. I couldn't make out what was going to happen next as Antonio collected a piece of paper from Camila and announced:

"Mrs. Kendall Hart, Mr. Juan Hernandez, and Mr. Carlos Miguel, congratulations to you three as you proceed for the interview!"

My head sprang with delight as I jolted on my toes when I heard my name. Colorful butterflies flew and raced inside my stomach as joyful tears crept down my cheeks. Other applicants save for the three of us couldn't say anything as they exited the building.

Camila and her colleagues congratulated us as they also left while Mr. Antonio led us three to another building I never thought would exist in a company. Honestly, I hadn't seen such a beautiful structure in the last four years.

Everywhere was made of transparent glass and the workers were busy with their designated work. The owner of this place must be extremely wealthy and I wondered how the owner achieved all of this.

"After the CEO is done with Mrs. Hart, Mr. Miguel would go next. But for now, you two should have your seat," Antonio ordered when we reached the CEO's block.

"Okay," they chorused as they rushed to the chairs which were three steps ahead.

I fell in behind Antonio as we continued our journey to the CEO's office. Timidly, I ducked my head to avoid the gazes of the employees who walked past us because it was suffocating to see them run their eyeballs at me.

"I adore your personality, Mrs. Hart. It takes the bravest woman to stay mute and not retaliate when she is being insulted. We need more people like you in our company, and I hope you will be able to make it through this final stage," said Antonio out of the blue, patting my shoulder as I was about to open the door.

"Thank you, sir," I muttered softly and he turned away from me and left.

As I entered the CEO's office, my breath quickened and fear began to set into me. The office exuded a cold aura, and the daggers glared at me from the visible deep-blue eyeballs almost made me shudder.0

I summoned a mountain of courage to take a step forward, and the more I did, the more his heart-shaped face appeared somewhat familiar. I thought I had seen his face somewhere but I couldn't recollect.

Shrugging off the thought as I finally got closer to his table, I observed he reeked of pure anger and alcohol. His aura was that of someone who wanted to kill, his pointed nostrils flared outward.

His rounded eyebrows which accentuated his dark curly hair flashed with rage and they ignited multiple tensions in me. I was getting nervous and the silence was asphyxiating.

I felt like sprinting out of here but that would be the most foolish thing to do. Maybe this was all a test. To check our ability to withhold pressure level.

Moreover, I needed to get this job for my kids and Gab, and if I could scale through people's taunting remarks, then I should be able to overcome this.

I was expecting him to say something and he didn't. I had no idea what was going on in the atmosphere till my eyes ran over his table and I was met with the greatest shock of my life today.

As Mr. CEO twirled his ergonomic chair with his back facing me, I stood transfixed with terror as I read the bold letters on his nameplate.

C.E.O S.T.E.P.H.E.N E.S.T.E.B.A.N D.E.L.A.C.R.U.Z.

"Stephen DeLaCruz?!" I mumbled in awe as I fidgeted with guilt diffusing from my body into the atmosphere.

How could I get this job when I had committed a great crime?

When he twirled back his chair as he faced me, he fired on top of his voice and I collapsed to my knee within a twinkle of an eye, pleading. Hot tears cascaded from the corners of my eyes.

"So you were not just a whore?! You were the thief sent to steal my wallet!"

"I–I"

I couldn't utter any word as he clutched his telecom and dialed a strange number. "Come into my office with the police, right now!"

"Never question me! I have caught the thief!"