Chapter 3

For one week, I have been curled up in my house since my breakup with Luke, and I thought by now that I would be over my heartbreak a little bit, but unfortunately, I still felt horrible inside. 

My family was worried about me, and Liam had visited me countless times last week, but I refused to see him because I looked terrible, with puffy eyelids, red eyes, and tear-stained cheeks, and I knew that my brother would get mad and want to hurt Luke, and I didn't want him to do anything stupid.

My ringtone suddenly started blaring through the room, making me jolt awake from where I lay in bed.

Groaning out my annoyance, I picked up my phone, squinting at the bright screen, as it showed Liam named as the caller ID, and I  answered the call, holding the phone to my ear, "Hey, Liam..."

"Day eight of checking to see if you are okay... How's my big sister doing?" Liam's soft voice asked me from the other end of the phone, sounding slightly worried.

Honestly, I still felt like crap, but I couldn't tell my brother that, so I forced myself to sound a bit alive, ignoring the numbness I felt, and said, "Better than yesterday."

"Haha, Progress! I love that!" Liam said cheerfully, and I couldn't help but laugh lightly along with him.

"Ask her, if she wants me to bring her some hot soup with her favorite chicken noodle?" My mother's voice interrupted from the background.

Feeling a sense of sadness overwhelming me, I  glanced into the corner of my eyes, finding myself staring at them blankly in my mirror, staring at the dirty tissues scattered on the dresser surface and the mess I haven't been cleaning ever since the day of the breakup.

"Can I get a little bit of alone time for a few more  days, please?" I muttered, my voice cracking as I spoke.

"Melania," Liam's concerned voice echoed in my ears. "How long have you been hiding in your room? You can't live your life-"

"Please. I promise to face this, face the world again, and come to you guys when I am ready. Please just give me this time alone, please, Liam," 

"Okay... I understand."

Hearing him sigh heavily from the other end of the line, I choked on my sobbing and forced myself not to cry even more.

"Just know that we are here for you and will always be here for you, okay? Take care of yourself, Mel," Liam told me.

"Okay... bye." I  managed to say before hanging up the call.

Laying my phone onto my bedside table, I wiped my eyes dry, drying away my stray tears before I laid back down in my bed. 

But my ringtone suddenly began blasting through the room, causing me to jump a little, and I reached for my phone to see an unknown number,  pressing the answer button, I pressed the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked in a low tone, clearing my throat.

"Is this Melania Bishop?" A man's voice that I didn't recognize said from the other side, and it took me aback a little.

"Yeah... who is this?" 

"My name is David, and I'm calling regarding your interview with New world Inc."

The moment I heard that company name, I sat up, and despite the dull pain in my heart a sense of joy slowly spread throughout my body.

"Yes?" I responded eagerly, sitting upright.

"Can you come to the company today for your interview?" David questioned me.

"Yes, I can."

"Great, great! then see you by ten." 

When he dropped the call, I sat in silence for almost a minute, smiling widely. My entire being was trembling, and excitement flooded through me as the adrenaline rush surged through my veins, my smile wide.

After weeks had passed when I sent my application in, I was finally getting a response from the company of my dream. 

New World incorporation is one of the leading companies in Greenville, and it has also built one hell of a reputation among other companies in the country, mainly because of its success. 

Now, thinking about just how influential this company is, I started to feel a sense of awe and fear fill me. But then my gaze rested on the clock, and I noticed it was already eight o'clock.

Immediately, I jumped off my bed and rushed for the bathroom, forgetting my emotions and feelings as I rushed to take a shower.

At nine fifty, I was at the front desk, in the lobby of New World Incorporation, and my heart started to beat frantically inside my chest, as nervousness took over.

"Good morning, Miss," I said to the elegantly dressed young woman standing behind the reception counter.

Raising her gaze, she smiled politely at me and asked,  "How may I  help you?"

"Hi, I'm here to attend my interview," I told her, fiddling with the hem of my skirt, trying to calm myself. "Melania-"

"Bishop! Right... Please come this way and follow me. The CEO has been expecting you."

"Umm, okay,"

A sense of confusion washed over me as I followed her across the marble floors and down hallways until she stopped in front of the elevator.

"Umm, is the CEO the one doing the interview?" I  asked her nervously, rubbing my sweaty palms together while waiting for an answer.

But I got none until the elevator doors opened, and we stepped onto it before its doors closed.

"Yes. You were requested by the CEO himself." The young lady replied after pressing the button for the thirty-third floor.

Swallowing, I  cleared my throat and said, "Um, can I ask you why?"

A shaky smile, which I could barely notice through my slight discomfort, appeared on the girl's face as she answered, "Honestly, I don't know. But consider yourself one of the luckiest."

After those words, I felt even more confused, but then the lift doors opened once again, a moment later, and the lady escorted me out of the elevator, and down the hall until we arrived at a large office suite.

Softly, she knocked on the doorframe, and said, "Sir, Melania Bishop is  here for the interview."

"Let her in," I heard a deep, alluring voice say, and I gulped in anticipation, feeling nervousness rising within me.

When the doors of the office finally opened, I walked inside, not knowing what to expect, and they closed, I immediately looked back, worried and nervous.

"Melania Bishop, Good morning. I am Levi Austin," The voice said, and I instantly looked ahead, at the huge office desk and the man sitting there. He was tall, probably around 6'4", his black hair slicked neatly back, and his gray eyes were luring as I stared right at him.

Even though I didn't want to think about it, my intrusive thoughts wouldn't let my mind rest on how handsome he was and my gaze lingered on Levi's sharp jawline and his straight nose.

"Take a seat," Levi ordered kindly and gestured towards a chair placed opposite the large desk, and I brushed my palm against my skirt anxiously before walking over to the chair, which was made from dark blue leather.

Once I sat down, I tried not to meet his intimidating eyes and stared at the desk, watching him flip open a folder.

"Melania Bishop. Age: Twenty-two. You recently graduated from Bristol University, majoring in Business Administration, and you want a job here, as an intern, right?" Levi read off the form, glancing up to look at me, and I nodded silently, not trusting my voice, scared out of my wits that the man would hear my heartbeat.

His aura was intimidating enough, but his piercing gray eyes made me feel extremely uneasy, and I lowered my head and finally whispered, "Yes, Mr. Austin."

The room fell silent at my words and the next seconds felt like hours to me as I looked up cautiously to see the expression on Levi's face. 

He wasn't angry... or anything, but the way he was looking at me was making me feel like I was going to get reprimanded, and I shifted slightly in my seat, uncomfortable with his stare.

"What are your plans after that... after securing an internship at my company?" Levi asked, looking straight into my eyes, and he seemed to be waiting for my reply.

"Umm..." I mumbled, searching my drained-down brain for an answer that could satisfy him and keep me from losing this huge opportunity.

In between crying over my breakup with Luke and getting frustrated that he has not called me once after he left my house that night, ghosting me entirely, I didn't have the time to think properly, and now, I feel so stupid for having wasted too much of my precious time crying over him.

"Mr. Austin, honestly, I am not sure, but I hope that in five years I would have given my best to this company and be worthy of a position higher than an intern base on my performance and effort," I answered truthfully, staring directly into his intense gray orbs, wanting to see if he would believe my sincerity.

It only took a few seconds before Levi spoke again, his voice firm as he stated, "I see..."

This was it, the moment I got another heartbreaking rejection. And this time I didn't think I would be able to take it, and I could feel tears settling in my eyes, but I held myself together not wanting to lose grip of my emotions as I waited for Levi to continue.