1 Prologue

As you sit in the lobby, waiting, you're made very aware of the predicament you find yourself in by the lack of life in the room. Despite there being a receptionist, you still feel as though you are the only breathing being in the room. You glance at the receptionist again and can't determine whether this is the same woman that you spoke to just minutes earlier or a mannequin. You look back at the magazine the receptionist gave you to help pass the time. There she is. The crown jewel of the business world. Arguably the most beautiful woman in the entire industry. The same woman you're about to try and impress. You're about to enter the most important interview of your entire life and, strangely enough, you feel confident. You know you shouldn't jinx it but, after all your preparations, you feel ready for anything.

After a few more minutes, the receptionist seemingly returns to life as she gestures for you to follow her. She leads you to a pair of black glass doors, knocks twice, then gestures for you to enter. You hesitate for a brief moment as you steel yourself for anything before pushing the doors and entering.

Your breath catches as you lay eyes upon one of the most luxurious offices. You scan every surface, every detail until your eyes lock with hers. Her eyes seemingly bore right into your soul, searching for every detail about you. You feel naked. You want to hide. It's as if you're a deer that has wandered into the lion's den. The sound of the doors closing behind you jolt you back to reality and you summon all your willpower to force your feet to move. She nods towards one of the seats in front of her desk as she takes a seat and before you know it, you're standing in front of her desk.

"Ms Duncan."

Your heart skips a beat at the sound of your name.

"Please, have a seat."

You take a seat. This is a nice chair. No really. The feeling of the chair against your skin, even despite the layers of clothing in between is second to none. You completely forget about the interview as your eyes freely roam the room. You settle back in blissful harmony with your surroundings until you become aware of two white objects with seemingly black dots in their centre staring at you as if you are its next meal. Those are eyes. Shit.

You snap back to reality, nearly jumping out of your skin in the process.

"I'm happy you like the chair."

You feel blood rush to your cheeks as you lower your head, slightly embarrassed. All preparation in the world could not have prepared you for this. Here you are, in a room, alone, with the most beautiful woman in the world who just so happens to be the richest and most powerful person as well. Not to mention the person your heart seemingly aches for. So, instead of following your plans, you decide to go with instinct. Starting with admitting your wrongs, kind of.

"Sorry, I was just extremely nervous."

"You don't have to be," she replies.

Are you nervous? Probably not but this is the best excuse for your current predicament. She reviews your file and asks some questions. As expected, you answer in as honestly as possible. Things are going smoothly. She's asking you questions you have prepared for, until,

"So why do you, personally, want to work with me in particular?"

The question catches you off guard and at first, you can't respond. She notices and continues,

"In the sense that, with this resume, you could have applied to any other job in the company and most likely be a top contender, yet you went for this one in particular."

Oops. Caught red-handed. Might as well just tell the truth. At the very least, it'll establish trust between us if you are open and honest. Besides, she probably already figured it out by now. After all, you have never been great at hiding your feelings.

"In all honesty, I just wanted to work with you."

Looking up from her computer, she smiles. You expect her to get upset or to say something heartbreaking but she simply smiles. After a while, you realize just what you've said and your cheeks flush red. Why did you do that? Ugh. You're disgusted with yourself but also relieved that she didn't immediately toss you out her office. Instead, she asks you to expound on why you want to work with her. Having prepared for a similar question, you launch into a montage about all the great things she has done and how you wish to assist her in doing them, all the while hinting subtly at your other reason for wanting to work with her through your tone.

The minute you finish your speech she stands and applauds. After noticing your shocked expression she bursts into laughter and explains that your speech is unparalleled.

"Are you sure you don't wish to be a politician Ms Duncan?" she teases, "You'd win the presidential race with speeches like that!"

Before you can stop yourself you roll your eyes. As she continues to laugh you find yourself smiling. You have never seen her smile or laugh so genuinely in front of a camera before. It's a lovely sight. You find yourself caught up in the sight until she clears her throat, indicating a return to business. You're a lot calmer than you were at the start of the meeting, however, and the rest of the interview goes smoothly.

"Thank you once more for having me Ms Lorei."

"The pleasure was all mine and please, call me Katherine," she replies smiling, only pausing to look into your eyes before continuing, "I should expect to see you in tomorrow, right?"

It takes a while for you to register exactly what she is saying. She leans back on the front of her desk, waiting patiently for it to set in.

"Does that mean I have the job?" you ask, still not believing what you have just heard.

Smiling, she stands up straight and replies with a simple nod of the head. You rush forward and scoop her up in a massive hug briefly forgetting yourself and catching her completely by surprise. It doesn't take long for you to realize your mistake though and you sheepishly disentangle yourself from her arms.

"Thank you so much."

Before she can respond, however, the secretary comes in and announces that her next appointment is here. You both say your goodbyes and you head out on a high, still not believing that that just happened.