Chapter 1

Chapter- 1

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Ashley gripped her pen to write the feedback form. She still has not come out of the tension she had in the interview room minutes before, and she badly wants to go out of here as soon as possible.

After writing a few compliments about their human resource team, she handed out the paper and walked out of the tall building she was in for the past three hours. The third job interview she is attending this month.

Feeling nervous before attending an interview is what everyone does but Ashley felt nervous after coming out of the building because today she got rejected from one of the previous companies, and her possibility is cut down to two. Rejection is the only thing she has been getting for all this time, and she badly wanted a change. She wants a proper job that pays her well. She wants to live without having fear for tomorrow and to better her life.

Heaving a sigh, she solemnly walked to the bus stop to catch the bus on time to reach her apartment before night. Though she is confident that she will get any one of these jobs for sure, she has to or else her apartment owner will kick her ass out and she would be on the streets then. She doesn’t know anyone or anywhere to go and she’s trying her best level to not end up in the streets.

Ashley Parks, twenty-two years old, broke, single, a college graduate who’s searching for jobs for the past three months. Being graduated from a community college doesn’t open a lot of opportunities to compete with people who are having better degrees from reputed universities.

She doesn’t have friends and always a loner for all her life. Her father, who was involved in gangs and the mafia died young before he could even know her existence. Then her mother who was once a hooker raised her with no love and care. She died two years back due to leukemia and Ashley was left to take care of herself. Perhaps this made her strong to face this cruel world and independent; Independent in the way that she has never depended on anyone and she has never asked any big favor from anyone.

For some years, she lived under foster care who helped her to finish her high school and after she becomes eighteen she starts to live on her own. Ashley was a smart student but she couldn’t afford to get into a good university. She didn’t care much about the things which aren’t meant for her so she performed well in her health care major in the small community college and got the highest grades but she still couldn’t find a proper job ever since she graduated.  

After three and a half hours of boring travel, she reached her town. She’s too hungry and tired, but she doesn’t want to stop anywhere in the middle.

When she reached her apartment, it is not an apartment more like a rat hole a very small, dark yet this is the place she can afford using her money from the part-time job. The first thing she’s going to do after getting a job was finding a new place. But will that happen? Only almighty knows Ashley thought heaving a sigh.

She fell on her small bed and curled up her body to rest for some time.

Ashley then remembered about the interview on Rex enterprise.

“Ms. Ashley we are conducting this interview for a person who can work day and night without showing their sluggishness and if you get the job you have to sign a three years contract with us; you can’t leave this job and have to accept our terms and conditions which we will discuss later,” A man in his fifties said that to her after asking a few questions from her major.

Without thinking anything she instantly said okay for the conditions because compared to other interviews which she has attended this one’s salary is high and away from this boring town. The interviewer just smiled and written something. 

Who won’t desire to work in Rex enterprise, which is one of the largest multinational company and there’s a known fact that they provide a good salary for every worker along with medical insurances? She doesn’t know whether she will get this job or not. But if she does then her life will change in a good way.

Rubbing her eyes gently, Ashley saw the room. She has never got anything she ever wished for, whenever she hits the rock bottom, she asks why she even got this life? Why she never got to feel real happiness? Why no one is there to love her? But she never got answers to that.

Maybe once she got a proper job, her lifestyle will change, she might get friends, a boyfriend, and so on. She had that pathetic hope and got down from her bed. Changing into her pajamas she went out to get something to eat.

While locking her apartment. Mrs. Janet came across her.

“Ashley, how was your interview?”

“It went good,”

Janet was a forty-year-old single mother living opposite her apartment. She is a nice person, the one thing that Ashley admires about her is how much she takes care of her children. She works hard to support them, and that’s something huge for Ashley as her mother never cared about her.

“You will get the job, dear. Enjoy your day,” she said.

“Thanks,” Ashley smiled and walked out of that old, grey building.

The time is about 8.30 pm, the crescent moon is glowing for the day with its brightest shine. Ashley took a day off from her job at the convenience store to prepare for this interview. It’s not a bad job but she wanted to work in an office putting that Id card. It’s always a dream for her to live in the way how normal people are living.

She took her mobile out and checked whether there are any messages, but there is none. She is anxiously waiting for the second interview result and tomorrow the Rex company result will be out too. She doesn’t know how she’s going to sleep tonight.

She searched for Rex enterprises where she went for the interview today. It is one of the popular multinational companies across the world which is owned by Hector Black. He’s a billionaire by birth, inheriting all his father’s wealth. Ashely wondered how some people get everything they wanted. She looked at the handsome young boy who owns the company, there are no current pictures of him online and she thought he must be shy or something. Then she read the reviews for the company. Mostly positive reviews lined up in the comment section and also some former employees commented that there is a lot of work pressure and very strict conditions are followed inside the office. The more she read, the more she wanted to work in that company.  

Heaving a sigh, she continued to walk in that empty street, looking at the phone. While crossing that small pub on her way to the burger shop, a man suddenly dashed out and collided with her, hard. Ashley lost her balance and stumbled on the side pavement. Before she could get an apology from that freak, he ran away as fast as he could. 

Ashley was confused wondering why he’s running like someone is going to take his life then her doubt becomes true when a bunch of men came out of the pub running after him and Ashley’s eyes widened in shock when she saw a gun in one of the man’s hand. 

How can they carry a gun in the street without having a fear? She thought while she was looking at them running like crazy lunatics. It’s evident that they are all thugs and this area is away from the busy city and a lot of illegal things have been going around here. This isn’t the safest place so that’s one of the reasons Ashley wants to move out.

“Catch him!” A raspy voice jerked her. She turned to see a well-built man, an intimidating yet the handsome face that she ever came across in her life, and a dragon tattoo covered his left hand, she could see those from his folded sleeves and she thought there will be more under his shirt. She couldn’t get another look at the man as he faced the other side. Her heart just stopped to beat, when he tugged his gun on his pants. He had that most furious aura around him. Before she could get another one look at him, he walked to the jaguar waiting for him.

Two men are already sitting inside the car and waiting to hear his command.

“Finish him without any traces and don’t make me come for this sort of business,” he frowned at his men. Ashley felt nothing but dread, those men were going to kill that man, and how easy that sounds for them. After they drove off and now only that unknown man and Ashley were standing at the place. She wanted to run away from there badly but still, she has to confirm whether she has already met that man.

That man gazed at the surroundings, then his eyes landed on Ashley because there is no one walking in that street other than her. If it is a guy he asks his men to hold him at gunpoint and threatened him to forget everything he saw or even kill him. However, this girl, he can’t do anything. He never thought he will get caught by a girl? He made sure that no one is going to be here before coming down here and this is a terrible mistake.

She saw my face, did she? He questioned before taking a step towards her.

Ashley’s fear overtook her curiosity when the man turned to her side. Ashley immediately turned gazed at the ground and slowly moved like a snail without taking a proper look at him. This was the most frightening situation she ever been in.

He stared at her long and fixed and that’s it Ashley started to walk as fast she could until she reached the burger shop then she breathed heavily.

Is he going to follow me?

Should I have to report this to the police?

She thought but she doesn’t want to get involved in any stupid thing that will ruin her life and career.

After munching a hamburger Ashley again walked in the same street but this time a few people were walking along with her.

Getting inside her apartment, Ashley stumble on the floor. She never felt afraid for anything this much but today looking at the man gave shivers, his cold expression just did something. What if he aimed the gun at me and pulled the trigger? 

Oh my God! Ashely gulped and thought about the same thing again and again for the rest of the night.

The next day when she opened her eyes, Ashley took her phone to check the message inbox.

When she found there are two new messages, her heart started to race. Since they will inform the results only through the messages. She opened the inbox and stared at the screen in astonishment. Her face became sad. The text informs her that she doesn't get selected for the Rex enterprise.

Ashley dropped her phone and again laid on her bed. She felt like crying since this failure seemed more; she planned several things for this job but now it is all came to an end. Nothing going to happen as expected. And she hasn’t heard from the second interview. Probably they don’t want me either, she guessed. 

With a rejection plastered face, Ashley started to prepare herself to go for a part-time job.

When she was walking down the street, she felt something odd, the fear and failures slowed down her steps. She stood before the cash counter after getting into the convenience store where she is working full time now, and Ashley thought she’s going to be stuck in this place forever.

It seemed endless, she doesn’t know why she is even living like a stupid who can’t even get through this simple job interview. The thought that she’s nothing made her eyes well with tears. All she wanted to do was hug her knees and cry hard for the rest of the day.

When she was in her thoughts, a message popped on her phone, she took it and saw that great news. She got selected in that small health and insurance company as an intern. Finally, a smile plastered across her face, and happy tears surged in her eyes.

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