The headquarters of Chronos International wasn't just a building; it was a titan of glass and steel that seemed to pierce the very fabric of the sky. As Lian stood before the rotating glass doors, she felt like an ant staring up at a mountain. Her cheap, worn-out blazer felt suffocatingly tight.
"If you keep fidgeting like that, you'll look like a thief rather than an applicant. Take a breath, Lian."
Kai's voice sliced through her panic, cold and composed as ever.
"Easy for you to say," Lian hissed under her breath. "You probably own the air in this place."
The lobby was a masterpiece of minimalist luxury. Lian approached the reception desk, a curved slab of black obsidian. "Lian Vance. I'm here for the Personal Assistant interview."
The receptionist looked up, her gaze scanning Lian's scuffed shoes. "Vance? Ah, yes. The CEO's office. Top floor. They're expecting you."
Lian froze. The CEO's office?
"Did you do this, Kai?" Lian thought fiercely as she stepped into the gold-plated elevator.
"I merely provided an opportunity," he replied smoothly. "Whether you can survive the next hour is entirely up to you. Consider this your first trial."
The elevator doors opened to a hallway carpeted in deep crimson. From her seat in the waiting room, Lian could see the boardroom. And at the head of the table sat a man whose back was turned to her, radiating absolute authority.
"Look at the documents on the table in front of me," Kai's voice whispered in her mind.
Suddenly, Lian's vision blurred. She saw, through Kai's eyes, a spreadsheet projected on a wall. She saw numbers and a name: Project Icarus.
"Remember those figures, Lian," Kai commanded. "The man in the blue tie is lying. I need you to confirm the discrepancy when I ask."
"What? I'm just here for an interview!"
"You are my soulmate," Kai's voice was suddenly grave. "In this building, that makes you the only person I can truly trust."
The boardroom door opened. "Bring in the next candidate. Let's see if this one has a spine."
Lian took a step forward, pushed the heavy door open, and for the first time, her eyes met the man behind the voice. Kai turned his chair slowly. He had sharp, aristocratic features and eyes the color of a stormy sea—flecked with that unmistakable violet spark.
"Ms. Vance," Kai said, his voice a low growl. "Tell me... why should I hire someone who looks like they're about to faint?"
Lian felt his amusement. He was mocking her.
"Answer him, Lian," his voice echoed in her mind.
Lian straightened her back. "Because, Mr. CEO," she said, her voice steady, "I'm the only one in this room who knows that the man in the blue tie is lying to you about Project Icarus."
The room went deathly silent. Kai's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, a slow, dangerous smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.