More Than A Favor
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I arrived at the company for my Interview at 11:00 am. The location wasn’t in the bustling CBD but in a suburban neighborhood, just 20 minutes from my place.
The company specialized in lighting programming and had once bid on the amusement park project, though they weren’t selected. When the project had lighting issues, I even considered reaching out to them for help.
Those experiences kept them on my radar, so when I saw their job posting for a marketing position that suited me perfectly, I applied immediately.
They were the first company I submitted my résumé to, and they were also the first to offer me an
interview.
The company operated out of a rented office building. It wasn’t the towering skyscraper Mercer Corporation had, but it was respectable, occupying three floors.
I took the elevator and followed the signs to the HR office.
As soon as I stepped in, a man greeted me with a smile. “You must be Ms. Hart. Are you here for the interview?”
I nodded politely. “Yes, that’s me.”
*Please, have a seat,” he said warmly. He looked to be in his 30s, with an average appearance but a friendly demeanor that left a good impression.
“You’re our only interviewee today,” he added, which explained how he recognized me immediately.
“Nice to meet you,” I said, extending my hand.
He seemed slightly surprised but quickly shook it. I’m Alex Hall. I’ve reviewed your résumé, and it matches our needs perfectly. I’d like to hear more about what you’re looking for.”
Noticing his name tag, I saw he was the HR Manager and Vice President. It made sense that he was Interviewing me for the head marketing director position, but it still felt odd that I ran into him the moment I arrived, almost like he’d been waiting for me.
Realizing they might urgently need someone, I set aside my suspicions and got to the point.
“Salary, vacation, and I’d like to know more about the company’s development plans. Let’s start with the first two. If we’re aligned, we can discuss the last one,” I said.
Like any candidate, my main concerns were pay and time off.
Alex poured a glass of water and set it in front of me. “We’ve reviewed your résumé. We know you worked as an executive assistant at Mercer Corporation. While we can’t match that salary, we offer performance–based bonuses.”
I wasn’t surprised.
He continued, “Your monthly salary would be 30 thousand dollars, with an annual bonus of 0.3% based on performance, Insurance and holiday benefits are standard. Any questions, Ms. Hart?”
“None,” I replied.
The salary was 10 thousand less than what I earned at Mercer Corporation, about a quarter less
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overall, but I agreed. This company wasn’t in the same league as Mercer Corporation, and if they matched my previous salary, I’d find it suspicious.
At Mercer, my position came with the unspoken understanding that I was the future boss’s partner,
abilities. which justified my pay. Here, I was just another employee earning a fair wage based on my
“Ms. Hart, do you have any other requests?” Alex asked.
“I’d like to see the company’s development plan,” I said.
I needed to know their future prospects. I didn’t want to invest my effort in a company that might close in a few months–it would be a waste of my time.
Alex grabbed a folder from his desk and handed it to me. I reviewed it for about ten minutes before returning it.
“Mr. Hall, if you have no objections, I can start immediately,” I said confidently.
Alex’s grin widened. “Today’s Thursday. How about you complete the paperwork now and start officially on Monday?”
“Sure,” I agreed.
“Welcome to the team, Ms. Hart.” This time, it was Alex who extended his hand. He then had someone take me through the onboarding process.
In less than half an hour, I was officially hired. That’s when it hit me–Logan hadn’t approved my resignation yet. If it came to that, I’d just talk to Ethan. He’d surely let me leave.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, vibrating several times while I was talking to Alex.
‘mofft
It was a call from Nora. “Where are you? I’m off today. Wanna hang out?”
“Are you home? I’ll come over,” I offered.
Knowing how hard it was for her to get a day off, I didn’t want her to exhaust herself.
“Yeah, come on over!” Nora replied cheerfully.
“How about a couple of drinks at noon?” I asked with a smile.
“Sure! I’ll cook, and you bring the wine,” she said.
After hanging up, I checked a few missed calls from unfamiliar numbers. I figured they were from other companies I’d applied to and didn’t bother calling back. If they really wanted to hire me, they’d call again.
On my way, I picked up a bottle of wine, some fruit, and a portable stove for Nora.
When she opened the door, she took the items from me and kissed me on the cheek. When she saw the stove, her eyes lit up. “You’re the best! I’ve been meaning to get one of these but just haven’t had the time.”
“I bought it hoping you’d actually use it,” I teased.
Nora paused and then said, “Time is like cleavage. If you squeeze it, you can always find some.”
I burst into laughter, glancing at her flat chest. “Not necessarily. Can you even squeeze anything out?”
I wasn’t trying to poke at her insecurities, but Nora really did have a flat chest. In summer, she didn’t
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even bother with bras–nipple covers were enough.
“Don’t underestimate my chest! It’ll be a treasure for my baby later. Yours might not even be as useful,” she retorted, her obstetrician knowledge giving her confidence.
“Then let’s have kids together, and you can breastfeed mine too,” I joked.
Nora gave me a playful kick. “Only you would think of that.”
I laughed, but my phone rang again. This time, it was another unknown number.
Assuming it was a recruitment call, I answered politely. “Hello, this is Elaine Hart.”
“Ms. Hart, your wedding dress has arrived. We’d like to schedule a fitting with you,” the caller said.
“What?” I was stunned. “You must have the wrong number.”
“No, it’s correct,” the caller said and repeated my number.
It was indeed my number, but I hadn’t ordered any wedding dresses.
Who was playing this prank?
