Rabbit Hole (Romantic-Suspense)

Chapter 9: Name

Chapter 9: Name

"Uh-well? Don't tell me you'll be the one interviewing me?" I asked about the most seemingly obvious situation while cracking a nervous smile. If so, then you have been screening me since the beginning? Without my prior knowledge?! I didn't do anything stupid, didn't I?

I thought remembering everything since we met—but none of those encounters screams a good impression—

"Yes." He calmly said, smiling, crouching forward.

Dang, it.

Just who are you?

"So, this is already an interview?" I giggled shyly, keeping the air from getting awkward, hiding the nervousness knocking on my chest. Dang it, Alice! Get a grip. It would be best if I got this job.

"Yes." He responded enthusiastically, smiling happily and innocently at me as if he didn’t keep it from himself that he would be the one doing this—ugh, he even told me to tell the HR that I was sent by him but in the end, he was doing—what the heck, if I knew he’d do this I wouldn’t text him—anyway, Alice. Focus,

Glancing back and forth to me and to my portfolio that's currently on his hands—well, aside from his possible ulterior motive. It must be pretty convenient, considering I live just below his penthouse. That must be why he recruited me right away; I bet that kind, gentle face will soon fade away…

"Uh, that explains everything then…" I uttered, giggling, considering he's the one who gave me his contact number.

But is it really alright, doing this without an HR? Well, never mind. Just do your best, Alice, and make yourself unforgettable—of course, in the right way.

After seconds of mustering my composure, I cleared my throat, getting his attention from looking at my portfolio. He looked at me with complete attentiveness when he saw me composing myself on my seat.

"Shall we start over?" I asked, smiling formally. I should nail this, this is one of the top architectural firms and it's a hit once I get in. Keep your eyes on the goal, Alice!

I thought, looking at him.

"Sure." He said, composing himself as well, pulling his coat down straight, tidying it up, sitting in front of me correctly.

"Good morning, I'm Alice Gomez graduated from XXXX University with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture—"I was introducing myself when he suddenly cut me off.

"Alice, shall we just skip the introduction?" He said, scratching his nape, still keeping his smile followed by his eyes.

Well, right… we made it this far without a proper introduction after all.

"Uh, yeah—sure. "I agreed, feeling a bit shy.

"Then, if you have any questions, please let me know." I continued, skipping the introduction, secretly praying in between the lines that he wouldn't ask about the problem I mentioned.

"Hmm! Ah! Since we were at it earlier, let's start with what happened. Why didn't you keep your president's list? Oh! Don't get me wrong. I don't mind. It's just me being nosy." And with that, he just dropped a bomb on me.

Everything is perfect aside from you being nosy, Sir Lennox. I thought, keeping up with a smile.

"Then please prepare a box of tissues." I jokingly said before starting.

"Kidding, anyway, it started when my professor, in a particular minor subject at that time, got switched. Because of her high standards, I remember making it out, barely keeping my grades up alive." After coming up with a lie, I followed it with a genuine laugh. Of course, I can't just say the real reason why I got off from being a president, lister… Although I really hate what happened, I still couldn't voice it out as it sounds so dramatic.

"Oh, I can relate! Minor subjects really suck, huh? Oh! I was meaning to ask, but…are you familiar with the Gómez?" He asked. Sending another bomb on me, quite taken aback, I stared at him for a moment, barely keeping a smile up.

No, Alice, relax, no one will know if you'd just simply deny it—then, I remember my father's face that suddenly pierced me with guilt.

"Yes…" I admitted feeling guilty about thinking of lying. Relax, he just asked if I knew them—

"Well, I asked because you kinda look like Mr. Albert Gomez's only daughter. Oh wow! You do look—wait? Alice…are you the daughter?" He asked, looking back and forth from his phone to me, ultimately killing me inside. He must have researched it just now.

What the heck? Ugh, seriously? What’s he planning? Does he know Albert? Are they in good terms—what if they’re not? Ugh, I know one day, dad's going to be the end of me.

For a moment, I couldn't utter a word as cold sweat started to break free from my temples. One thing I hate the most in this type of meeting when people keep questioning me about—

"What are you even working here for?"

"Are you rebelling from your family?"

"What are you doing in this field? Shouldn't you just grab the opportunity and be an heiress?"

"Are you sure you're not lost? You're too well-off to start over by yourself. Sure nice to be rich, huh?"

"Hey, if you ever want to swap lives with anyone—I'm more than willing. "

"What happened? This field is too far from your family’s business. Why are you taking this job when you could just grab a position or at least inherit some parts?"

Hearing those questions from those people who say they envy me…don't know an inch what it feels like to grow up in that kind of family.

All my life, I've been competing endlessly with my brothers even if I have no intention to, we always end up competing. No matter what I do to avoid them. I always find myself in an endless cycle of conflict with them. It was so toxic that it makes me want to puke whenever I see loving families, so toxic that it made me wants to run away from them more.

Because that family… didn't treat me as a little sister instead, they foolishly see me as a threat. A threat they thought so big that whenever my father notices how good I am doing. They always make a move to sabotage and out shadowed me, completely out casting me.

It wasn’t the last time they did something but when they have me removed from being a president's lister, it made me realized that my life won’t be any better if I stayed with them any longer.

After that, I kept my college life low-key, not trying to attract too much attention from them.

Those…people asking me why I'm here in this field doesn't have the slightest idea that this field is my only saving grace and escape from them.

Just you wait, bastards! I'll ace up my career and build an empire of my own!

Now, Lennox…ask, ask just like what other people do. And I'll give you the answer I always give—

"Anyway, that's too way out of topic—Sorry! I don't mean to pry! It's just that Mr. Gomez is one of my inspirations. Founding a company at a young age is a struggle." He said, and after that, he continues reading the rest of my resume, complementing the rest of my portfolio… as I am here, entirely at lost in front of him.

Wait… aren't you going to ask? Aren't you curious?...

"Whoa, using this material here is genius—"He didn't ask but kept on complimenting my portfolio.

And seeing he’s the only one that really read and thoroughly examines every page of my portfolio, I began to feel flattered.

...wow, for some reason I… I'm happy…

And just when I thought everything is going smoothly—only then, a feeling of uneasiness struck again, did I miss something again—just what is it?! Ugh,I hate this feeling— why do I always feel like this lately— suddenly, I lost my train of thoughts when I realized something from what he just said—

"—founding a company at a young age is a struggle."

Recalling what he said makes me think—

"Founding…” I mumbled, realizing something I urgently needs confirmation to spare myself more embarrassment in the future. “Uhm sir Lennox, if may I ask you… if what's your position here at APEX?" Asking someone this question could come out offensively, but knowing how we skipped through proper introduction should make him understand that I still don't know where exactly should I put myself here.

Quite taken aback because of the question I raised a bit late after realizing it now—that even if I should have understood what he meant by what he said—I still asked because I feel like I need to ask to satisfy at least one of my questions this day and I need to hear the answer from him directly.

"Ah! Right, sorry don’t worry I wasn’t able to introduce myself properly when I gave you my number.” He said shyly said and continue on—“How unprofessional of me, anyhow I'm the founder of APEX design and build, this very firm." He said, smiling without a hint of dominance on his tone and smile.

Expecting this coming, it took me fast to recover from the shock. I was thinking of him being my superior but not as a superior's superior! Nevertheless, after hearing it from him doesn’t give me any relief but it just makes me feel like I just realized that I’m walking on an eggshell all this time.

And before I could apologize from anything that I may have done to offend him or embarrassed myself—

"Oh! Please don't call me, sir! Just Lennox—"

"Sir, how could I just call you by your name?" I immediately cut him off, realizing his position made it instantly clear why were most of the employees earlier couldn't even talk to him.

Either they were not expecting him walking around the building casually with a stranger or they were just intimidated by his sudden appearance in this area, with an applicant—that he walks himself to the HR office.

And both these possible reasons make those stares reasonable.

"Because I say so?" He said, grinning gently.

"Huh?" Out of words, I couldn’t help but release an authentic reaction.

Call him by his name?

Ugh, I see where this conversation would go and I don’t like it! I was expecting this coming but I never thought he would do this now—on top of that he’s the CEO!

Does he do this to anyone—ugh! Now, what do I do?

Dang it, how can I reject him politely?