Hired

DRIX ᯓᡣ𐭩

7:30am.

California, USA.

I SAT up with a gasp, my eyelids fluttering open as my heart raced and I struggled to catch my breath. This wasn't new to me - this recurring dream or nightmare that I couldn't shake off.

Reliving that fatal accident over and over again was a harrowing experience, and I detested it. I'd often wondered if it was a glimpse into my future, a possible premonition of my own demise in a car crash. My mom dismissed it as mere hallucination, a result of watching too many movies, but it's been a year now, and I still had no explanation. I had slowly started developing a phobia for trucks, like I was trying to avoid that incident.

"Breakfast is ready, Drix," my mom called from the kitchen, snapping me out of my reverie. I groggily got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. After quickly finishing up, I joined my mom at the table, where she sat sipping green tea and watching TV.

"Good morning," I greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, love," she replied, smiling back.

As I began eating my breakfast, my mind raced with thoughts. I had been in an accident, a motorcycle accident that left me with a brain injury, as my mom had explained. I remembered my name, but nothing from my past.

My mom encouraged me to create new memories, insisting that the past was irrelevant, but it was hard to let go. At twenty-five, I still lived with my mom, and while some might see it as cowardly, I was waiting until I was ready to start working again. I'd even tried some online jobs, so I wasn't entirely idle.

"You don't look so good, are you okay?" Mom asked, concern etched on her face. "I'm fine, just anxious," I replied, shrugging and taking a bite of toast. "Is it about the interview?" she asked.

"Maybe. What's Ms. Dunwoody like?" I inquired, referring to my mom's boss, who would likely become my boss if I aced the interview today.

"Well, she—"

"Developing news out of Great Britain, where the global robotics powerhouse, Frostics, has suffered another decline in worldwide sales rankings, ceding the top spot to rival Alpha Tech. This latest setback comes on the heels of a tumultuous leadership transition, following the passing of CEO Hendrix Frost and the ascension of his brother, Tobias Lexington. Under Tobias' helm, Frostics has implemented steep price hikes, alienating several key investors and customers. In an exclusive interview with EDC News, Tobias Lexington defended the controversial move, characterising the exodus of investors as a necessary purging of 'old skin' to make wayi for new growth. The question on everyone's mind now is, can Frostics recover from this downward spiral, or did Killian Frost's legacy fall into the wrong hands?"

We both tore our gazes from the television and return to breakfast.

"Poor guy, he probably thought he left his company in good hands, " I say.

"It's so sad to pass at such an early age… Now, about Ms. Dunwoody,"

"Yes,about her? "

"I haven't really had close contact with her but here's what I can tell you, she's a new entrepreneur, built her company after breaking out from her family's group. Of course, it's still growing and still in early stages she's doing remarkably well .Rumours had it that she was a product of her father's affair and was lucky to win the heart of her grandfather, she has four step siblings and —"

"Interesting, but I meant her personality,"

Mom pauses as she heads to the kitchen to drop her tea cup into the sink, pretending like she didn't hear what I said.

"Mom?" I press.

"She's delightful, dear. It's eight o'clock. Get ready quickly, we need to get there early," she says with a smile, clapping her hands as she hurries into her bedroom.

I finish my breakfast and retreat to my room, where I gaze at the suit on my study desk. I had it dry-cleaned yesterday, and it still looks great. After a refreshing shower, I'm fully suited up, complete with a generous dose of hair spray and perfume.

Before long, we're both settled into the backseat of a taxi, headed to my mom's workplace. I hope Mrs. Dunwoody is as charming as my mom made her out to be. I'm counting on this job to invest in something small, maybe stocks or a side business, to at least secure a decent apartment for us. I don't even recall, but mom mentioned we couldn't afford my college tuition, so I stayed back and took on a delivery job. My ultimate goal is to use my earnings to fund quality education and land a proper job, but for now, I'm taking it one step at a time.

The vehicle pulled in front of a luxurious villa and I found myself staring in utter admiration as I paid the driver for his services. It's actually better than I expected.

"Good morning, Maggie," a security guard greets my mom and she smiles back, "Good morning, Lucas, "

He simultaneously lets us into the building. As we enter the building, I take in the beautifully manicured hedge and shrub sculptures at the entrance, maintained by skilled gardeners. The spacious interior suggests a large family, and I assume Ms. Dunwoody must have children or a husband. The simple yet classy aesthetic, with neutral colors, creates a serene atmosphere, like stepping into a heavenly oasis.

"You should wait in the living room, Ms. Dunwoody will speak to you shortly, good luck," my mom says, briefly squeezing my hands before disappearing into another part of the house to start her work. I wait for thirty minutes, growing increasingly bored and wondering if the interview has been forgotten. Deciding to take a breath of fresh air, I step outside, feeling odd being the only one in the living room.

Wandering around the premises, I search for someone to speak to, hoping to confirm the interview and clarify if the email I received was valid.

A female voice teases, "Eso es todo lo que puedes hacer, Stefan?"(Is that all you can do, Stephan?) from a nearby courtyard, where I find two individuals in fencing uniforms.

"Good morning,I—" I greet and the woman turns towards me, momentarily distracted, allowing her opponent to score a point.

The man removes his mask, laughing, "I win, you're going to hire him!" The woman approaches me, visibly upset, her fists clenched.

I don't know if I should be intimidated or not but I just needed to get directions.

"You did this!" she accuses.

Me? I didn't do anything," I speak in my defence.

Enranged, she takes off her mask and shoots it at me, her throw was quite strong but my reflexes were fast enough to catch it.

"Nice job," her companion compliments in a deep Italian accent.

"Get out, Stephan and don't you dare say another thing," she orders and the man smirks before retreating through a door at the back.

I don't know who she is but she wields a strong sense of authority if you ask me, is she Ms. Dunwoody's child?

She is quite beautiful, removing 'quite' I think she is actually attractive, the ponytail she packed her dark hair into was already messed up and a few strands were stuck on her sweaty face. Admirable.

"Are you even listening?" I hear her say and I snap off from my reverie, I can't believe she's been talking all this time.

"Pardon, I —"

"Save it, do you understand how much that game meant to me? You just ruined it," she hissed.

"Well, excuse you. I did nothing, I only greeted you were the one who lost focus—"

"Oh really, huh? A fun way of admitting that you're a deadbeat straight up jerk,"

This doesn't seem to be going well, "Alright fine, I'm sorry,"

For a moment she stops talking as she opens her mouth but closes it afterwards and then repeats the gesture again before folding her hands on her chest, "Well, sorry doesn't change anything,"

"At least you're less angry," I shrug.

"But I don't feel any better,who are you and what you doing here?"

"Well, I'm here for an interview and I have waited miserably for an hour to see Ms. Dunwoody. I wish to find her to at least know why she unprofessionally stood me up,"

The woman backs down for a while, glancing at me with her pupils going in an upward and downward motion.

"Why are you checking me out?" I ask.

"Me? Checking you out? No, no please," she dismisses it with a laugh and a wave of her hand.

"You just did that thing you did with your eyes?"

"What thing?" she asks, taking a step forward and closing the space between us and she interlocked her gaze with me. Weakening my resolve that instant.

"I don't know," I answer.

Her eyeballs go upward and downward again.

"You just did it again," I whisper.

"Very unprofessional, huh?" She laughs, slowly retreating.

"Huh?"

"You were looking for Ms. Dunwoody, you've found her,"