Death Do Us Part

A Curious Affair

The first thing that struck Rhea on her arrival to the venue was how redundant the arrangements were compared to the number of people that showed up for the interviews. The venue itself spread across two hundred thousand square feet with a giant IT center in the middle. At her arrival, she was taken to the online exam unit where she had to complete the general knowledge and typing test. The hall consisted of what seemed like at least a thousand computer units. The scene appeared particularly funny to her considering only six people appeared for the interview who were seated far from each other for avoiding “any conversation”.

Calmly she finished those tests only to be taken to another room where written tests were being conducted. After writing an essay, finishing numerical and logical aptitude tests and solving a puzzle she was taken to the gym at the center of which stood a makeshift hurdle course. What exactly are they recruiting for? Spies! She chuckled inwardly at her own thoughts and prayed that her old formal clothes could bear with her movements long enough for her to finish the tests without embarrassing herself. After reaching the end line somehow with her clothes still intact, she was told that the interviews would be conducted once everyone is done with all the tests and that until then she was free to help herself with the food from the canteen or use the game room, gym or the library to her liking.

She decided first to use the washroom to make herself presentable again. Standing in front of the huge mirror above the wash basin she looked at herself and realized that for the first time in a long while she had actually liked the look of the person reflected on the mirror. She was anxious, a little fatigued and hungry like hell after the tasking exercise, her clothes were wrinkled that she desperately tried to straighten to make herself a little more presentable before the interview yet she looked beautiful, happy, even excited! Excited cause this anxiety, the fatigue were her drug. This restlessness for answers was so familiar to her that the absence of it, in the past few months, had made her feel empty.

Even the failed attempt, to make her clothes look better, could not down her spirits. After another failed effort on her shirt, she put on the jacket that she had removed during the hurdle test; sprayed a little bit of perfume on her wrists, rubbed them against her neck and stepped out of the washroom with a smile.

The smell of freshly cooked lasagna filled her nostrils the moment she stepped into the cafeteria and instantly her stomach growled, urging her to make haste and get some of that delicious looking pasta. She made no delay and got herself a generous portion before grabbing a chair and digging in. The whole cafeteria was empty except for just another man at his late 50s, who was treating his plate of food with equal enthusiasm. Must be one of the candidates she though, most of the candidates were older than her, which makes sense given the huge range of essential and desired qualifications listed on the advertisement.

As the man got up to dispose of his plate their eyes met and Rhea’s mouth was full so she smiled and nodded at him before getting back to her food. This probably encouraged the man to sit on her table on his return to the dining area. He started making conversation as Rhea ate, making her stop occasionally to answer his questions. He inquired about her education, her interests, discussed the economy and eventually came to the tests.

“It seems that the puzzle was quite a hard one!” although the statement seemed more like an expression than a question Rhea felt obligated to answer. She said “Yeah” then took another bite. “Which option did you pick?” he asked to which Rhea replied “option C”. Noticing that the man did not respond Rhea assumed that he probably disagrees so she pushed her plate aside. Picked a napkin from the stack, borrowed his pen, started drawing the diagram, and then laid the rest of the details of the problem on it. Once she was done with the problem, she explained, “See f, y and k are the variables that we need to focus on cause the rest fall on the same patterns as these three. The n, p, j3 and l1 fall on the same pattern as f; o9, r, j2 and y7 are the same as y and…” she marked each categories with different signs the last one being with an epsilon. She continued explaining, “t11, m, q and l5 follow the path of k.” Then she turn the napkin towards the man and pointed on the marked sections and said “here” then continued, “the rest are redundant and there simply put to distract…Now if you follow the journeys of these three and assume their restrictions and predilections as absolute then the only option that tick marks all the criteria is C. Here!”

The man studied the paper for a little while in silence. Rhea studied his face to see if he agreed with her. Once she was sure that he has accepted it, she requested the paper back then turned it over, drew the entire diagram again on the clean surface, and added the basic details of the question without the signs and markings. Then she asked him with twinkling eyes “Do you see the path here?” The man narrowed his eyes slightly to study the paper then replies “Yeah!” then after a pause added, “You see, now that I have seen it, I cannot un-see it.” The excitement was obvious in his tone. She smiled generously, amused by the childlike enthusiasm of the man, then got back to her plate of food.

They continued with the conversation until one of the staff members appeared at the door of the cafeteria, approached the man, sitting with her. With quite a reverence the staff said, “We are ready for the interview, Mr. Korlin” then left as Mr. Korlin assured him that he would be there shortly. 

*** 

Her heart immediately dropped, suddenly feeling extremely nervous. She tried to replay the entire conversation, with this obviously important man, in her mind, trying to find if she had said anything that she shouldn’t have, or if she had done anything that might cost her the chance to be selected. She was measuring her chances when the man turned to her, extended his hand towards her and introduced himself as Rory Korlin. Rhea took his hand and shook it firmly, hiding her nervousness.

With a brilliant smile, Rory acknowledged, “Well the cover is blown; you must have already guessed which company you are applying for.” Rhea with a sheepish smile confirmed his guess but humbly skipped the part where she guessed it from the advertisement that they have put up on the newspaper.

Shortly after Rory left, she was called to the interview, which actually was more of a meeting to discuss the employment contract. She was already selected when she entered the room only the news was yet to be broken to her. After a minute of questions and answers, she was offered the job finally. It turns out she was applying and was selected for the position of personal assistant of Aron Korlin. She was not to be an employee of any particular company under the Korlin Group but of Korlin Group itself, a privilege shared by only a hand full of people including the CEO, Aron Korlin.

Once her responsibilities and compensation were discussed, she was handed the employment contract. What was noteworthy was that the non-disclosure agreement entailed the main employment contract was longer than the contract itself. What was even more interesting was that there was an entire section dedicated to explaining how the employees cannot discuss the organization, its operations and its people, including matters that are of common public knowledge even after the termination of their employment contract. She went through the employment contract quickly and found six loopholes at the very first read that could let her get away with breaching this clause.

She was thinking about whether to point it out when Rory Korlin interrupted her chain of thoughts stating that no one in the industry offers such extravagant compensations and additional facilities as the Korlin Group. Also, as the company invests so much on the employee, therefore, the employee that signs the contract needs to serve a minimum period of six months otherwise they’d have to pay a huge sum of compensation. The amount was downright offensive, but Rhea saw no impending danger, as she had already made up her mind about staying in the company for at least 6 months. The first month’s salary by itself would solve all her problems. Even after paying for the pending EMI, the amount she’d be left with is more than her half a year’s earning from her previous job. Right now, she needed the money. However, she needed to discuss another matter first, before she signed the contract. She needed to ask for an advance to pay for her EMI.

She mentioned the advance that she needed without walking in circles around it and as Rory Korlin was already positively disposed towards her, her request was accepted quite quickly. By the time she finished signing the contract and was ready to leave, she received a cheque of her half a month’s salary. After a staff handed her the cheque Rory approached her to walk her to the door. She expressed her gratitude towards him. In her heart, she had already thanked him a million times but still, she felt that it wasn’t enough.

On Rory Korlin’s part, there was a hidden reason for such generosity. First, she had already impressed him with her performance in the tests and her conversation with him during the cafeteria. Also, he had an inkling that he once had given orders for the murder of someone with her name. After leaving her at the cafeteria, he verified this from his assistant, Victor, which made him feel uneasy. He wasn't sorry, but he felt an obligation towards her. Although his orders regarding her were cancelled he could not shake off the thought that the death of this girl could have been on him so he tried to make amends. Secondly, the fact that she wasn’t intimidated by him made him hopeful that she might be the right person to handle the affairs of his nephew, Aron. As he walked, her to the door he stopped a few steps before the door, facing Rhea, he said “Little one, working with Aron initially might seem a little tasking, but don’t give up. Once you get past who he is, he is quite easy to handle. Just remember to take the wheel on cue.”

Rhea heard every word carefully. She smiled generously at him and took his leave shortly after that. On her way home when she thought about what Rory said, she concluded that they were meant to brace her for the hard work that comes with being the personal assistant of one of the biggest businessmen of the country. After all, one does not become the CEO of a multinational conglomerate by doing usual everyday work.