Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
Aria
“Good afternoon, Ms. Mason. You look lovely today.”
“Thank you, Enzo. I have an interview.”
“I would say good luck, but you won’t need it.
” He smiles at me. Over the last few days, I have really enjoyed getting to meet him.
He has told me about his wife of forty-two years and their two grown children.
He was so proud to tell me his youngest got into Pearson’s School of Design.
We laughed over coffee when my online order accidentally doubled.
Mia hasn’t been back since our day of shopping, but she has made sure to text me every day.
I’m starting to feel at home here. While on the outside that seems great, a fear is settling in my stomach that this all can be taken away in a minute.
The fact that Theo isn’t home yet doesn’t make that fear any less.
When he left, he said he would be gone for a night, two max.
But now it seems like he will be gone for a week or more.
Which is fine, work is work, and it’s how he’s able to afford the luxuries he is freely giving me, but not giving me any information about where he is or why his trip got extended is worrisome.
Is he with another woman? Is he extending his trip because he doesn't want to come home and kick me out? He would tell me if he didn't want me here, wouldn't he?
A black SUV pulls up, and the doorman opens the door for me.
Between Theo and this level of service, I don't think I will ever touch another door handle.
Sliding onto the seat, I ask the driver, who I learned is named Stan—unmarried, no kids, but does like walking through Central Park—to take me to the Castin Tower.
They have their office located in one of the most well-known buildings they have built.
It's very reminiscent of The Shard in London. I have always wondered if they intended to have it look like a particular superhero’s tower, but either way, it is still a gorgeous piece of architecture.
As we pull up in front of the building, I note how the sun’s light bounces off the glass and almost spotlights the buildings around it. Stan gets out and opens my door, assisting me onto the street.
“Thank you. I'll see you in a few.” I smile as he tips his head.
“Just send me a message when you're ready to be picked up I'll be nearby.” I smile before turning to enter the building. Another doorman is at the door, waiting for me, and ushers me inside.
“Ms. Mason, Mr. Castin has been expecting you. Please head up this elevator to the seventy-fifth floor.” I look at my watch, a brand new Rolex I bought with Theo’s money, to see if I am late.
I arrived fifteen minutes early, like planned.
I guess they really were expecting me. I head into the elevator as instructed and make my way to the correct floor.
The elevator beeps as it stops, the doors sliding open. I walk out into a beautifully decorated foyer. A petite woman behind the desk stands and smiles as I enter.
“Ms. Mason, it's nice to meet you.” I smile, walking towards her to shake her hand. “I am Steph Davidson, Mr. Castin’s assistant. He is finishing up with a call and will be out momentarily. Can I get you a bottle of water?” I gather that if I were to get hired, she would most likely be my boss, so I need to impress her just as much as I need to impress Mr. Castin.
“Sure, that would be great,” I nervously respond. I have never received this type of treatment before a job interview. She walks back behind her desk and pulls a cold water bottle from underneath. Just as she hands me the bottle, a man walks around the corner of her desk.
“Aria Mason.” He smiles like he is greeting a friend. “It's so great to meet you.” He stretches out his hand, and I do the same for a handshake.
“It’s such an honor to meet you. Your designs were consistently used in lectures at Acadia. You have designed some of the most beautiful buildings,” I start to ramble before cutting myself off. He just smiles, as if this is a normal occurrence for him.
“Shall we?” he says, gesturing to the hall he came from.
“Yes, sir.” I smile as he leads me toward a conference room.
He has me sit in a black leather office chair before he sits in a similar seat at the head of the table. He opens a black portfolio and pulls out a few pieces of paper.
“Mr. Reeves said you were new to the city?”
“Yes, I moved up here this weekend.” I smile.
“What convinced you to do that?”
A man twice my age that fucks me better than anyone I’ve ever slept with before kind of kidnapped me with the promise of a better life.
“I was convinced to start over, get a fresh start, and make a name for myself outside of where I grew up.” Not a lie, but I definitely can’t give the actual answer.
“A great reason to move. Rough childhood?”
“Something like that, but it made me the hard worker I am today.” He smiles.
“And why Castin? What makes you think we are the right place for you to make your name?”
“I recently graduated with my Bachelor’s of Architecture, and believe this would be an amazing place to learn as I am working towards accreditation. Hopefully one day I can move up the ladder from receptionist to intern to designer.”
“Bachelors?”
“From Acadia University, Suldatrian,” I answer.
“We were not informed of that. Why did you not apply for our internship this year?”
“I had attempted to, but there were some…family issues.” I try not to wince at the memory.
“If you're comfortable, can you elaborate?”
“One of your requirements is handwritten letters of recommendation. I had collected all of mine to mail in, but before I was able to put them in the mail, my mother accidentally shredded them with her sensitive documents.” I try to keep my voice steady, but I'm not sure I'm succeeding.
“And with the time it would take to reach back out to my advisors, I would not have made the deadline.”
“I’m starting to understand the rough childhood.”
“You don't even know half of it.” I sigh, but then reach into my own portfolio and pull out some paperwork I printed off in Theo’s office last night. “But I did bring my unofficial transcripts as well as photos of the letters of recommendation I received.” He quickly takes them and looks them over.
“We have the handwritten requirement in there because we want to make sure the letters we are receiving are not a copy-paste version that a professor gives to every student. We also want to see if you left a big enough impression on these authority figures that they are willing to sit down and spend time writing out a letter for you by hand. From what I am seeing with these letters, not only were you an amazing student, but someone that these experts saw excelling in the field.” He looks up from the paperwork.
“And some of the names you’ve got to write these letters are some of the notoriously tough professors, ones who don't usually write recommendation letters for anyone.”
“Acadia was where I got to thrive after years of being put in a box. I didn't want to waste that opportunity.”
“I am glad you didn't." He taps the stack of papers back into a pile before handing them back to me. “I am surprised Theo didn't include this information.”
“I don't think he knows. I mean, we haven't discussed much about my career.”
“Don’t underestimate him. He doesn't let many people into his inner circle. The fact that you are here means he trusts you; he probably did an extensive background check on you the night you met.” Mr. Castin laughs knowingly.
Everyone keeps saying Theo doesn’t trust people, that he doesn't let anyone in, but he let me in, he practically pulled me in himself.
“I don't think the receptionist position is the right fit for you.” My attention snaps back to the conversation at hand as my heart sinks to my stomach.
“This year's internship program started two weeks ago.
If you think you can catch up, we would like to add you to this year's roster. If your paperwork had been mailed in, you would have been offered the position.”
I stare at him in shock for what feels like an eternity.
“Yes, absolutely. I can make up the two weeks quickly and can come in on weekends—” I stammer off until I'm interrupted.
“That won't be necessary.” He laughs. “There is an intern proposal due next week; you will be expected to have it in with everyone else, even though they have had two weeks to complete it.”
“Yes, sir. No problem, I would just need the client file, and I’ll have it done ASAP.
” My smile reaches from ear to ear. I was ecstatic to be interviewing here for any job, but now I'm leaving with an internship at one of the most prestigious firms in the city.
I did this. Theo may have gotten me an interview, but I earned this spot with my hard work.
I am so glad I thought to take pictures of my recommendation letters as I received them.
Those recommendations got me this job. I should send all my professors fruit baskets.
“We can get that to you today, but let's get you to HR first and get your paperwork all set up. You can start tomorrow at eight a.m.”
“I’ll be here.” We walk out of his office and into the elevator. We exit on the seventy-third floor.
He knocks on a glass door, and a young man stands up from behind his desk.
“Malcom, this is Aria Mason. She will be joining us in the internship program this year.” He looks at Mr. Castin with confusion.
“Since she is starting later than the rest, we really need her paperwork completed today so she can start tomorrow.” His attention shifts to me.
“Malcolm Williams is the head of HR here at Castin Construction and will get you taken care of. Once you are done here, he will shoot me a message and I will show you to your desk and have you meet the other interns.” I nod as Malcom offers me a chair.
“I take it the interview went well.” He laughs.
“You could say that.” The smile still hasn't left my face.