365 Days with My Billionaire

CHAPTER 8

SARAH

I realized why Carrie left the building crying.

It was one thing to hear rumours about someone and it was quite another to realize they were true. I was trying really hard to keep my composure, especially when the two CEOs of the company were here and listening to all that I was saying. Bryson Knox was okay. He had a chill aura around him and he looked like the type that you could comfortably be around.

Onyx Bradford however was another story.

“I didn’t stutter, Miss Lane. You heard me perfectly.”

I knew I was going to regret not doing enough research about Renegade. Onyx Bradford asked me what changes and additions were made to the Renegade app and I had no f*****g clue. Sure, I was a Renegade user but I barely posted pictures on my story or personal feed. I only had about two pictures on my feed to at least show that I was alive.

How was I supposed to know the changes that were made and the new features that were added?

“W-well,” I started. He blinked once, his brown eyes waiting for me to continue but I was completely blank. For the first time in forever, I was speechless.

“Do you not know, Miss Lane?”

“I-I d-do,” I stuttered again like a complete i***t. I was face-palming myself internally because I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing that I was weak. Call it intuition or maybe it was due to the rumours, but Onyx Bradford looked like the type of man that got off of making people uncomfortable. Like most powerful men, it was a boost to his already inflated ego.

“Miss Lane, you’re wasting my time as well as yours,” He wore his thick-rimmed glasses and looked at the papers in front of him. “You don’t know the answer and instead of being honest, you’re stalling like a child. I don’t like childish behavior and the next time you’re going for an interview, try to learn a little more about the company you want to work for. It’d save you the embarrassment.”

I wished the ground could swallow me whole.

“Since you can’t answer a question as simple as that, then the next question would be completely irrelevant.” He looked up from his papers and stared at me but I pressed my lips into a thin line. Thank heavens for the mahogany desk that was in between us because he would have definitely seen my clenched fist.

Yes, I didn’t know the answer but he didn’t need to be an asshole.

Wait, he was an asshole so no surprise there.

“What additional job training have you done?”

I just said that I had never been a personal assistant before. How was I supposed to have additional training?

He just asked that question to embarrass me.

“As I just said, sir, I have never been a personal assistant before and-“

“Yes, I heard you loud and clear,” he cut me off. “however, you must have done some training or an online course relating to being a personal assistant.”

I looked out the corner of my eye to see that Bryson Knox was no longer paying attention to us, but was typing something on his phone. I knew he couldn’t see it but I was sending him a few signals to help me out.

“I want your honesty, Miss Lane,” he continued. “Do you have any additional training?”

“I don’t.” I finally admitted.

Are you happy, Onyx Bradford?

“What are your career goals? Everyone has one so what are yours, Miss Lane?”

Well, if you behaved like this then goal number one is certainly not to work at Renegade.

I took a deep breath and counted to ten in my head. I was not going to let him get the best of me.

“My goal, for now, is to provide the best assistance possible if given the role. The endgame for me however is being a travel blogger.”

He wanted my honesty, well there it was.

I wanted to be a travel blogger. I knew that was what my heart wanted to do. For three years, I lived in different countries, cities, and states and it was amazing. I loved every second I spent with people I didn’t know, testing new cultures, and eating non-American foods. However, to achieve that and continue that lifestyle, I needed money which ultimately leads us back to square one.

My interview for a job at Onyx & Co.

I could have imagined it but I saw a hint of a smirk grace his cheeks and he nodded. “Tell me about your travels.”

I told him about the good parts of my travels, leaving the bad ones out like how I almost got hypothermia in Iceland and how I got malaria in the DRC. He seemed impressed by the way he looked at me like I was reading Arabian Nights to him. Then again, Onyx looked like a tough man to impress so maybe he was just waiting for me to finish because I do tend to talk a lot when asked about the countries I had visited.

“Interesting,” was all he had to say. Even Bryson commented on how he wanted to visit Egypt someday based on my testimony.

At least I was able to win the CEOs over with that story. I patted myself on the back and inhaled again, waiting for his next question.

“Lastly, why do you think I should hire you? Let me be honest with you, Miss Lane,” You haven’t been honest from the start? “Apart from your stories about your travels and your views about feminism and women empowerment, you haven’t given me solid reasons why I should hire you. Again, you do know you’re competing against a lot of people,” I thought we were only thirty. “and most of them have impressive resumes and a host of qualifications and certifications. You have none and I don’t want to hire a novice,” he said coldly.

I felt like I had been punched in the chest. His words cut deep, not because it was the truth, but the way he said them made me feel small. It was harsh, belittling, and a cold reminder that I had blown yet another job interview. I fight back the tears in my eyes and said the first thing that came to mind.

“You shouldn’t hire me.”

That caught Bryson and Onyx’s attention.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, sir. You shouldn’t hire me,” I restated with confidence. “It’s just like you said. I don’t have the qualifications like the rest of my counterparts and I most likely wouldn’t scale through this interview.” I held his gaze, daring him to contradict me, but he didn’t. He just adjusted his glasses from the bridge of his nose. “But if you give me a chance-“

“I don’t give people chances.”

“Is that so, Mr Bradford?” I was getting confident now. “You wouldn’t have invited me for an interview if you didn’t think I was worthy enough.”

“Your resume was interesting. That was why I invited you for an interview. It however doesn’t determine your fit for this company,” he pushed back. “You got a callback because I needed you to prove that you were more than what your resume was saying, but you’ve been here for about twelve minutes and I must say I am disappointed.”

All the colour drained from my face, but I still held my own against him. I had a backbone and I wasn’t afraid to use it.

“Give her a break, man,” Bryson said from the sofa, his eyes still glued to his phone. “You’re being a little too harsh.”

A little?

Onyx narrowed his eyes at his friend’s reprimand and said nothing while I smiled inwardly. At least I had one other person in the room rooting for me.

“I’m sorry, Miss Lane but-“

“Wait,” I interrupted. I knew what he wanted to say. I had heard it a million times before and it sucked. He was going to tell me that I wasn’t hired.

“I hate being interrupted,” he said with a tight smile.

“You interrupted me numerous times during my interview, so it seems only fair that I do the same just once, sir.”

“Yes, girl,” Bryson encouraged. I giggled internally again and get myself together. “From the beginning, you said I should be honest so I’ll do ask you ask. I’m applying for this job, not because I necessarily care about being a personal assistant, but because the one person who really cares about me is sick. We haven’t gone to the hospital yet but I suspect that she may have cancer and we need money.’’ My voice cracked a little. “I know it’s inappropriate to say things like this considering it’s a job interview and it’s none of your business, but I’ve already bombed this, and not in a good way, so I might as well say the truth lest the devil be ashamed.”

I needed to care for Aunt Bella and she was my main motivation for applying for this job..

“Also, at least I could say I tried because it’s not every day you can get to say you got a call back from one of the hardest companies to get into. I’ll probably add that in my next resume,” I joked.

Nothing was funny.

I continued. “Renegade is a wonderful app by the way and I wish you both more success.”

At least, if I didn’t have anything, I still had my pride. “Well, sirs.” I stood up, “I would be taking my leave. Thank you for your time.”

I turned to look at them both, giving each a nod, and side-stepped the chair, heading to the door. I didn’t wait long to assess their reactions but they were most likely shocked. I was shocked too but again, at least I tried. I had to go online and search for another job and have another interview, but what the heck? I wouldn’t give up.

There would be a million no’s, but there would always be that one yes that had the ability to change your life.

As my hands wrapped around the doorknob, I heard Onyx Bradford call my name. “Miss Lane, wait.”

Huh?

I turned around and looked at the two men questioningly. His next words did more than shock me. “I think I have a solution to your problem, well, both our problems.”

You’re a billionaire. What do you know about real-life problems?

“You’re hired.”

I pointed to myself. “M-me? I am?”

Bryson seemed to be as clueless as I was because he stared at his friend intensely, waiting for some sort of explanation. “But not as my personal assistant.”

If I’m not hired as a personal assistant, then what did I come here for?

“I’m sorry, Mr Bradford, I’m really not following,” I said.

“Me too, Nyx,” Bryson agreed. “What’s this about?

Onyx stretched out his hand towards the seat. “Why don’t you sit down and let me explain what I mean.”