Amaira sat in the sleek, modern waiting area of the tech company, her heart still racing from the interview she had just finished. The room was quiet except for the occasional sound of footsteps echoing in the hallway. She glanced nervously at the clock on the wall—11:45 AM. It had only been a few minutes since the interview ended, but she was already on edge.

The interviewer had been polite, professional, and surprisingly to-the-point. There were no trick questions, no grilling about past failures, just a straightforward conversation about her skills and experience. It had gone better than she expected, but the uncertainty of the result still hung over her like a dark cloud.

To her surprise, as she stood to gather her things, the interviewer had told her to wait in the reception area for just 15 minutes.

Fifteen minutes? Amaira thought, her brows furrowing in confusion. In her experience, most companies took hours—sometimes even a full day or two—to get back to candidates. The speed of this decision-making process was unusual, but maybe this company worked differently. Maybe they didn’t waste time stringing people along.

Could that be a good sign?

She wasn’t sure, but the mere thought of knowing the result so soon filled her with a mix of excitement and anxiety. She tried to calm herself by flipping through her portfolio once more, but the words seemed to blur together as her mind wandered.

Meanwhile, on the 12th floor, inside the corner office of the company’s CEO, things were happening that Amaira could never have anticipated.

The Boss, a man known for his sharp mind and even sharper business acumen, sat at his large oak desk, flipping through the resumes of the candidates who had come in that day. His assistant, Tom, stood by his side, waiting for instructions.

When he came across Amaira’s resume, the Boss paused. A slow grin crept across his face as he scanned the document, his eyes lingering on certain parts. He drummed his fingers on the desk thoughtfully, his grin widening as he read through her qualifications, her past experiences, and—most interestingly—her series of rejections.

Tom, noticing the Boss’s odd reaction, raised an eyebrow. He had seen this look before but couldn’t quite place why it was happening now. 

“Sir?” he ventured cautiously. “Is everything alright?”

The Boss didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, holding Amaira’s resume up as if it were a puzzle he was piecing together in his mind. After a moment, he handed the document over to Tom without breaking his smile.

“I want to conduct the second interview with her,” the Boss said, his voice casual yet firm.

Tom blinked, slightly taken aback. “You want to interview her personally? But we’ve never—”

“Never done that before?” The Boss finished Tom’s sentence for him, still grinning. “I know. But let’s make an exception today.”

Tom hesitated for a brief moment, not sure what had piqued his boss’s interest so suddenly. Amaira’s resume, while impressive, wasn’t particularly out of the ordinary. There had been other candidates with stronger academic backgrounds or more specialized experience. Still, the Boss rarely acted without reason, and if he wanted to take a more hands-on approach, Tom wasn’t going to question it.

He nodded. “I’ll inform the receptionist to call her in for the second interview.”

The Boss smiled again, tapping his fingers against the desk rhythmically. “Good. Let’s see what she’s made of.”

Tom left the office, feeling a mix of curiosity and confusion. He had worked under the Boss long enough to know that something about this candidate had sparked his interest, and it wasn’t the usual cut-and-dry business decision. Tom quickly relayed the instructions to the receptionist, who nodded and made the call.

Downstairs, Amaira was lost in thought when the receptionist’s voice pulled her back to reality.

“Ms. Liu?” the receptionist called softly, her tone almost too pleasant. “Could you come to the desk for a moment?”

Amaira quickly gathered her things and walked over, her heart pounding in her chest. What now? she wondered, her stomach knotting with anticipation. Had they already made a decision? Was this the moment of truth?

“You’re being asked to proceed to a second interview,” the receptionist informed her with a smile. “This time, with our CEO.”

Amaira’s eyes widened. “The CEO?” she repeated in disbelief.

“Yes,” the receptionist confirmed. “He’s requested to meet with you personally.”

Amaira’s mind raced. She hadn’t expected this. In all her previous interviews, she had never made it to the second stage, let alone been called in to meet the CEO directly. This was new territory for her. Her heart was hammering in her chest, but there was also a flicker of excitement.

This is a good sign, right?

She nodded quickly, trying to keep her composure. “Thank you,” she said, feeling a strange surge of determination.

As she made her way back to the elevator, her thoughts spiraled. The CEO wants to meet me? What does that mean? She had failed so many first-round interviews that making it to the second stage felt surreal. And not just a second interview, but one with the Boss himself?

Amaira took a deep breath, standing in front of the elevator doors as they opened. She adjusted her blouse and blazer, steeling herself. She was determined to make this work. By any means necessary, she thought, a renewed sense of grit settling in her gut.

Back upstairs, the Boss was in his office, reviewing some notes when Tom reentered, signaling that everything was arranged. The Boss nodded in approval and straightened his tie. His expression was thoughtful, but there was still a faint hint of that grin from earlier.

He didn’t know why, but he was certain that meeting her face-to-face was the right call.

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding, and Amaira stepped out, her nerves simmering just beneath the surface. She made her way down the hall toward the CEO’s office, repeating the same mantra in her head: You’ve got this. Just be yourself. Stay calm.

When she reached the door, she hesitated for just a moment before knocking lightly. Her pulse quickened when she heard the deep voice from inside say, “Come in.”

She opened the door and stepped inside, meeting the gaze of the man who had requested her presence. The Boss stood by his desk, smiling at her with an easygoing, confident air that both intrigued and unsettled her.

“Amaira Liu,” he said, his voice warm but commanding. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”