*Third person pov*
Just like that Monday had arrived. In Clara's dormitory room , Clara was preparing for her first day at her new internship program. She carefully chose an outfit that was professional yet appropriate, and styled her hair to her liking and made sure she looked presentable. Though she was really nervous, she was determined to start building her career.
"Okay how do I look?" Clara asked her roommate , zael .
"You look beautiful and professional I didn't think I'll ever see you in a skirt but here we are".
"Do you really have to joke about everything , I'm really serious right now"
"Okay I'm sorry but you do look good and stop being so nervous I can hear it in the way your talking" zael told her.
"Is it really that obvious?".
"Yes it's that obvious, now go before your late".
"Okay bye" Clara finally said before she stepped out.
Twelve minutes later, Clara arrived at the company building. She was in awe of the firm's immense size and beautiful decor and the hard working energy inside , every soul seemed intensely focused on their work. This environment immediately impressed her, encouraging her to rethink her future options and wonder if this was where she should aim to work after graduation
"Good morning. I'm here for the internship program," I stated, approaching reception desk.
"Good morning, and welcome to Sylus Enterprises," the receptionist replied, her tone perfectly composed. "Could you please state your full name and present your confirmation papers for verification?"
I quickly handed over the documents. Once she finished confirming the details, she gestured to a tall woman waiting nearby. "Okay, Miss Clara . Please follow Ms. Perez; she will lead you to the waiting area for the other candidates."
Ms. Perez and I took the lift up to the seventh floor, where the waiting area felt less like a corporate floor and more like a minimalist gallery. To my surprise, there were remarkably few interns gathered. I found an empty seat next to a pretty redhead girl.
"Hello, my name is Clara. What's yours?" I asked, hoping to ease the nerves with a friendly face.
"Oh, hey. I'm Sydney," she replied, giving me a quick, assessing look. "So, how did you manage to get your foot in here? Was it your dad's connection?"
I blinked, confused by the her statement. "How I made my way here? Um, what do you mean? My university simply selected and sent me for the program."
Sydney let out a short, dismissive laugh. "Please. You genuinely believe the only way into this company is through a mere university application? The only way anyone works here is through heavy, heavy connection." A thick layer of thinly veiled sass coated her voice.
"But I'm serious," I insisted, feeling suddenly small. "I was just sent here. I used no personal connection."
"Oh. So you're just an ordinary girl then." Her expression soured instantly. "I'm afraid I can't be your friend, though. I only socialize with people on my level and within my social class." She emphasized on her statement with a truly unpleasant look before pointedly turning her attention away.
Just as the sting of Sydney's rudeness faded, a woman entered the room. She wore a perfectly tailored black professional suit and, though clearly experienced, carried herself with an air of ageless, sharp competence. She was the one scheduled to deliver our orientation.
"Good day, everyone. My name is Miss Shin, and I will be guiding you. I will provide a short orientation on the essential knowledge and expectations of this company." Her voice was crisp and commanded immediate attention, and every intern focused intently on her.
"But before we begin," she continued, her eyes sweeping the room, "who is a Miss Clara John?"
The abrupt question startled me. I looked around, seeing the confusion mirrored on the other interns' faces, before slowly and hesitantly raising my hand.
"Ah, hello, Miss Clara. Please, could you follow me?" Miss Shin directed the statement toward me with an expectant look.
"Okay, Ma'am," I responded, my confusion deepening. Why was I being singled out?
"Good. Everyone else, please wait patiently here in the hall. I will return shortly," she instructed the remaining candidates before ushering me out.
Miss Shin led me to a private elevator—one that required a fingerprint scan to activate. Inside, the walls were lined with a stunning, seamless black marble design.
"Um, excuse me, Ma'am," I finally asked, a clear tremor of worry in my voice. "May I know where we are headed? We haven't had the orientation yet."
"Someone has specifically requested to see you, Miss Clara," she responded calmly. "The person is Mr. Sylus. You may know him as the owner of this establishment."
"The owner? Why would he want to see me?"
"You will find out soon enough. Just be patient, Miss Clara." She glanced back at me as the elevator doors opened onto the building's top floor.
We stepped out and began walking down a long, dimly lit corridor that echoed the elevator's dark, luxurious design.
"When speaking to Master, please be respectful and do not test his patience," Miss Shin instructed softly, her voice now a hushed warning. "Listen to and obey everything he tells you."
"Master?" I asked, the word sounding bizarrely archaic and possessive.
Miss Shin stopped walking and turned to face me. A gentle, unsettling smile touched her lips. "Yes, Clara, I call him Master. Now, please stop with the questions, and let us proceed quietly. Are we clear?"
"Yes, we are," I whispered.
After what felt like a long, significant walk, we arrived at his office. Miss Shin knocked once on the massive, dark wooden door before opening it.
As we entered, I was struck by the sheer scale of the space. My eyes were immediately drawn to a man in a black tuxedo seated behind an immense desk. His back was facing us, but I could clearly see a shock of gray hair. This confused me, as the industry rumors all suggested Sylus was remarkably young.
"Good day, Mr. Sylus. Miss Clara is here, as you requested," Miss Shin informed him.
He raised a hand in a dismissive gesture, signaling her to leave. As the door clicked shut behind Miss Shin, he slowly swiveled his chair around. I was instantly proven wrong he was young, with sharply defined features, and the gray was clearly a purposeful, stylish choice, perhaps dyed or prematurely streaked.
"Hello, Clara." His voice was deep and resonant, sending a strange shiver down my spine. It felt oddly, disturbingly familiar.
"Please, have a seat." He gestured toward a sleek leather chair opposite the desk.
I sat down, my posture rigid. "Thank you, Sir. But may I ask why you specifically requested to see me?"
A flicker of amusement crossed his face. "You are quite bold. Can you not greet your boss before demanding explanations?"
"Oh, I apologize, sir. It won't happen again," I quickly corrected.
"It's quite alright. And please, save the formalities. Just call me Sylus." He offered a small, disarming smile.
"Okay, Sylus. But please, back to the reason you wanted to see me privately?" I pressed.
"Why do you ask? Am I not allowed to meet one of my prospective interns?" he responded playfully, his dark eyes fixed on mine.
"No, I mean, your calling me privately like this might give people the wrong idea," I explained.
Sylus raised one eyebrow, an expression of genuine, if slightly theatrical, surprise. "And what precisely would cause them to have the wrong idea, Miss Clara?" he asked, standing up and leaning casually on the edge of his massive desk, his arms crossed.
Up close, he was even more tall and impeccably structured. I forced myself to maintain eye contact, resisting the urge to look away. "I mean, people might think I used influence, or bought my way in, especially since Miss Shin announced for me to follow her like that."
He let out a short, quiet laugh. "And why should that concern us? How is their perception affecting me or you? Besides," he said, his expression hardening slightly, "I called you here because your academic records caught my attention." He lied smoothly.
"My records?"
"Yes, Miss Clara. Your records. I have reviewed your profile, and I have decided. I want you to personally work with me." He delivered the line with the same self-assured smirk I had seen just moments ago, confirming the unnerving power he held.
END OF CHAPTER