Chapter 2: Coldness of a Lion
"Please, take a seat."
The woman interviewer on Leonard's left gestured toward two chairs positioned directly across from the panel. Laura's legs felt like jelly as she moved forward, acutely aware of Leonard's eyes tracking her every movement. Jane settled into the chair beside her, still clutching her folder like a lifeline.
Laura forced herself to sit straight, placing her hands carefully on her lap to stop them from shaking. She could feel the weight of five pairs of eyes on her, but it was Leonard's gaze that burned the most. She kept her own eyes fixed on the woman who had spoken, a middle-aged professional with kind eyes and graying hair pulled back in a neat bun.
"I'm Mrs. Patterson, Head of Human Resources," the woman continued with a warm smile. "This is Mr. Davies from Finance, Ms. Chen from Operations, Mr. Williams from Legal, and of course, our CEO, Mr. Leonard Conti."
Laura's stomach clenched at hearing his name spoken aloud. She managed a small nod of acknowledgment toward each interviewer, but when her gaze briefly met Leonard's, she quickly looked away. His expression was unreadable, carved from stone.
"We'll start with you, Miss Robin," Mrs. Patterson said, consulting her notes. "Could you tell us why you're interested in the executive assistant position at Conti Corporation?"
Laura opened her mouth to deliver the answer she'd practiced countless times in front of her bathroom mirror, but before she could speak, Leonard's voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Actually, I'll handle Miss Robin's interview myself."
The other four interviewers exchanged surprised glances. Mrs. Patterson's eyebrows rose slightly, but she nodded deferentially. "Of course, Mr. Conti."
Leonard leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him as he studied Laura with the intensity of a predator sizing up its prey. The silence stretched on until Laura felt compelled to meet his gaze, despite every instinct telling her to look away.
"So, Miss Robin," Leonard's voice was flat, devoid of any warmth. "Why exactly do you think you deserve to work at my company?"
The question hit Laura like a physical blow. Not 'why do you want to work here' or 'what can you contribute'... but why did she deserve it. As if she were somehow beneath consideration from the start.
"I… I believe my qualifications speak for themselves," Laura began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Business Administration, and I have experience in…"
"Experience?" Leonard's laugh was cold and sharp. "What experience would that be exactly? Stocking shelves at a grocery store? Making coffee at some dingy café?"
Laura felt heat rise in her cheeks. "I've been working to support myself through…"
"Through what? Making poor life choices?" Leonard cut her off again, his eyes never leaving her face. "Tell me, Miss Robin, what makes you think someone with your... background... could handle the demands of working for a Fortune 500 company?"
The venom in his voice was unmistakable now. Laura could see the other interviewers shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Mrs. Patterson cleared her throat softly, as if to remind Leonard that this was supposed to be a professional interview, but he ignored her completely.
"I..." Laura's voice caught. She could feel tears threatening behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of him. "I've always been dedicated to my work, regardless of the position. I believe hard work and determination are more important than…"
"More important than what? Loyalty?" The word dripped from Leonard's lips like poison. "Trust? Integrity?"
Laura's breath caught. She knew exactly what he was referring to, and the knowledge that he would use their personal history against her in this setting made her feel sick. She glanced quickly at the other interviewers, who were now looking distinctly uncomfortable with the direction the interview had taken.
"Mr. Conti," Mrs. Patterson interjected gently, "perhaps we should focus on Miss Robin's professional qualifications?"
Leonard's jaw tightened, but he didn't take his eyes off Laura. "Fine. Tell me about your biggest professional failure, Miss Robin. And don't give me some rehearsed answer about perfectionism or working too hard."
Laura's mind went blank. Every answer she'd prepared, every interview technique she'd studied, seemed to evaporate under the intensity of his stare. She could feel Jane looking at her with concern, probably wondering why the CEO was being so particularly harsh with her.
"I..." Laura started again, then stopped. How could she possibly answer that question honestly without revealing their past? Her biggest professional failure was sitting right in front of her, but it wasn't professional at all… it was deeply, painfully personal.
"We're waiting," Leonard said, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table.
"I suppose," Laura said carefully, "my biggest challenge has been learning to balance multiple responsibilities while maintaining high standards in all areas."
"That's not what I asked." Leonard's voice was ice-cold. "I asked about failure, not challenges. Can't you follow simple instructions?"
Mr. Davies from Finance shifted in his seat and shot Leonard a questioning look. "Sir, with respect, Miss Robin seems to be trying her best to…"
"I didn't ask for your opinion, Davies." Leonard's tone was sharp enough to cut glass. He turned back to Laura, and she could see something dark and satisfied in his expression. "Let me rephrase the question, Miss Robin. When was the last time you disappointed someone who trusted you?"
The question hung in the air like a loaded weapon. Laura felt the blood drain from her face as she realized he was going to make her relive their past right here, in front of strangers, in the most important interview of her career.
"I..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Speak up," Leonard commanded. "We can't hear you."
Laura lifted her chin, drawing on reserves of strength she didn't know she possessed. If he wanted to play this game, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her completely broken.
"I believe everyone makes mistakes," she said, her voice growing steadier. "The important thing is learning from them and ensuring they don't happen again."
"How convenient." Leonard's smile was razor-sharp. "And what exactly did you learn from your mistakes, Miss Robin?"
Before Laura could answer, Leonard turned abruptly to Jane, who had been sitting quietly through the entire exchange, her eyes wide with shock at the CEO's behavior.
"Miss Desmond," Leonard said, his tone immediately warmer, almost pleasant. "Thank you for your patience. Tell me, why do you want to work for Conti Corporation?"
The contrast was so stark that Laura actually flinched. Jane, still looking confused by what she'd witnessed, launched into her prepared answer about the company's reputation and her desire to contribute to its success. Leonard nodded along politely, asked a few standard follow-up questions, and within five minutes, dismissed her with a smile.
"Thank you, Miss Desmond. We'll be in touch soon."
Jane stood up, looking uncertainly between Laura and Leonard. "Should I... should Laura come with me?"
"Miss Robin and I have a few more things to discuss," Leonard said smoothly. "Privately."
The other four interviewers began gathering their papers, clearly taking the hint. Mrs. Patterson paused at the door, giving Laura a sympathetic look before following the others out.
And then they were alone.
The silence in the room was deafening. Leonard sat back in his chair, watching Laura with those cold green eyes she had once loved so desperately. The afternoon sun streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows cast long shadows across the conference table, and Laura realized that her entire future now rested in the hands of the one person who had every reason to destroy it.
"Now then," Leonard said, his voi
ce dropping to barely above a whisper, "shall we discuss what you're really doing here?”