The night had stretched endlessly for Selina. Her tiny apartment was quiet except for the ticking of the old wall clock and the faint sounds of traffic drifting through her cracked window. Bills lay scattered on her coffee table, reminders of how quickly her world had collapsed in just a single day.
She sat on her couch, legs curled beneath her, eyes stinging from scrolling through endless job postings. "Receptionist needed." "Assistant wanted." "Experience required." Every click, every submission of her résumé felt like throwing a pebble into the ocean, hoping it would make a difference.
Her heart was heavy, weighed down by exhaustion and uncertainty. She hugged her knees to her chest, whispering into the dimness, "I can't fail. Not now. Not again."
Just then, her phone buzzed.
The sound was sharp, startling in the silence. She snatched it from the table, frowning at the unknown number flashing across the screen. For a moment she hesitated. Should she answer? What if it was another rejection? Or worse—another debt collector?
With a shaky breath, she swiped the screen. "Hello?"
A crisp, professional voice replied. "Good evening. Is this Selina Whyte?"
Selina's breath caught. "Yes, this is she."
"This is Vels Corporation. We have reviewed your application. You are to attend an interview tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. sharp. Bring all relevant documents. Do not be late."
The line clicked dead before she could even form a response.
She blinked, the silence returning just as suddenly as it had been broken. For several long seconds, she simply sat there, staring at her phone as though it might explain what had just happened.
"Vels Corporation?" she whispered.
Her pulse quickened. She knew that name. Everyone knew it. Vels wasn't just a company—it was an empire. Sleek buildings, international projects, countless branches across the globe. Getting into Vels was like unlocking the gates to a brighter future.
Selina's lips parted, and suddenly, laughter—light, breathless, almost disbelieving—spilled from her chest. She jumped up from the couch, the phone clutched tightly in her hand.
"Oh my God! I got an interview!" she exclaimed, spinning once in her cramped living room. She laughed again, a sound full of relief and giddy disbelief.
She set the phone down and did a little dance, hopping from one foot to the other, her hands raised as though she'd just won a victory she hadn't dared to dream of hours ago. Her petite frame twirled lightly, knocking into the arm of the couch and sending one of her pillows tumbling to the floor.
"Finally… finally something is working out!" she whispered, clutching the pillow to her chest, tears pricking at her eyes.
Her excitement fueled her determination. With renewed energy, she grabbed her laptop, searching through her closet for something—anything—that could pass as professional attire. Her clothes were modest, worn at the edges, but she carefully laid out her best blouse and skirt on the bed. She ironed them with slow precision, her hands trembling only slightly as she smoothed out the fabric.
"This will have to do," she told herself softly, as though saying it aloud would make it truer.
She spent the rest of the evening rehearsing answers in front of the mirror. "Why do you want to work here?" "What are your strengths?" "Tell us about a challenge you've overcome." Each practice answer felt shaky, but she pushed herself harder. She had no choice.
By the time she slid beneath her thin blanket, the clock read past midnight. Sleep came only in fragments, each dream interrupted by flashes of anxious questions, or the image of standing in front of sharp-eyed interviewers who judged her with silence.
..........
Morning arrived too soon.
Selina woke before her alarm, her body taut with nerves. She dressed carefully, smoothing her blouse and pinning back her hair with trembling fingers. She held her documents close as though they were a shield, whispering encouragement to her reflection.
"You can do this. You have to do this."
The bus ride into the city was a blur of honking horns, bustling sidewalks, and murmured conversations. Selina barely registered the world outside her window; her thoughts were consumed by the looming appointment ahead.
When she finally stepped off the bus, her heart slammed against her ribs.
There it was.
The Vels Corporation tower stretched toward the sky like a monument to power itself. Its mirrored windows reflected the rising sun, dazzling and intimidating all at once. Crowds of sharp-suited employees streamed into the revolving doors, their polished shoes clicking confidently against the marble entrance.
Selina froze on the sidewalk, her breath catching in her throat. The building was even more overwhelming up close, more than she had ever imagined.
Her mouth fell slightly open, awe and nerves clashing violently inside her. "Vels Corporation…" she whispered, the words barely escaping her lips.
She clutched her folder tighter, her knuckles white against the edges of the paper. This was no ordinary interview. This was the chance she had been waiting for.
With a shaky breath, Selina squared her shoulders and forced her feet forward.
And as the doors slid open to swallow her inside, her world tilted into the unknown.