The Interview

The wind had calmed, but the bridge still whispered with the residue of unspoken words. Tim Aury sat on the cold metal railing a moment longer, the woman’s voice echoing in his mind.

"You wouldn’t wait for an audience."

He exhaled sharply, the cold air biting at his lungs as if reminding him — life hadn’t slipped away just yet.

Not today.

Reluctantly, he pushed himself up and walked away from the edge, not toward salvation, but responsibility. His company — AURY — needed him, even if he wasn't sure why anymore.

Meanwhile, several blocks away, the woman — Amane — walked with purpose, her eyes scanning the high-rises ahead like a queen observing a city built too small for her throne.

"AURY… let’s see what this place is capable of."

She wasn’t here for a job. Not really. She didn’t need one. In fact, if the world knew her real name, the very foundation of AURY would tremble. But today, she played a role — just a curious applicant with calm confidence and something hidden beneath her smile.

The building stood like a glass toothpick among skyscrapers — clean, efficient, but modest. A far cry from the empires she had built, shaped, and swallowed whole.

Still, it had potential.

She stepped inside. The lobby was minimalistic, tidy, modern. Workers passed with folders in hand, murmuring into headsets. No one noticed her presence until she walked up to the front desk.

The receptionist looked up, blinking as if momentarily disarmed.

"Can I help you, miss?"

Amane’s voice was smooth. Controlled.

"I have an appointment with your CEO. Regarding the secretary position."

The woman nodded, checking her screen before gesturing toward the lounge. “Yes, of course. Please wait a moment while I notify Mr. Aury.”

Amane sat, legs crossed, fingers tapping her phone — not idly, but purposefully. She wasn’t nervous. She was calculating.

Upstairs – CEO Office

Tim sat behind his desk, hair still slightly tousled from the morning wind. The receptionist's voice came through the intercom.

“Sir, a Miss Amane is here for the secretary interview.”

Tim paused. A flicker of confusion crossed his face. That name again.

The woman from the bridge?

He stood and walked toward the window, gazing down at the street as if expecting her to vanish.

A knock.

“She’s here,” his assistant said.

“Send her in.”

Inside the Office

The door opened, and Amane stepped in, looking utterly composed in a sleek black coat. The tension was immediate. Not spoken. Not visible. But palpable.

"You," he said quietly, unable to hide his surprise.

"You look different when you’re not sitting on a railing," she replied with a small smile.

Tim gestured to the chair. “Let’s begin.”

He tried to remain professional, but unease crept in. She didn’t fidget. She didn’t blink too much. She didn’t sell herself with desperation like most applicants.

In fact, she spoke little.

But everything she did say was sharp — tailored to the kind of man Tim was. She picked her words with the precision of a surgeon, weaving answers that were both impressive and vague. She knew enough about AURY to flatter it, but not too much to seem rehearsed.

By the end of the conversation, she had said almost nothing — and convinced him of everything.

Tim leaned back. “You’re hired.”

She nodded with a graceful, “Thank you,” then left with the same calm aura she arrived with.

The second the door closed, Tim picked up the intercom.

“Ruby. My office."

Moments Later – Ruby’s Entrance

Ruby, 25, blonde, striking — the kind of woman who could silence a room without a word — entered with her usual confident stride.

“You called, sir?”

“I need you to run a background check. New hire. Name’s Amane. No surname.”

Ruby raised an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

“That’s all she gave.”

Ruby smirked. “I’ll find her.”

Scene Shift – Amane’s Inner Thoughts

Downstairs, Amane stood by the elevator, lips curling faintly.

"Of course he’s suspicious. That’s good though , let's keep things spiced up a bit."

Later That Day – CEO Office

Tim sat at his desk again, staring at a printed task sheet. He had assigned Amane a few mundane tasks just to test her adaptability. She completed them with quiet efficiency.

Professional.

Too professional.

Just as he reached for his coffee, Ruby returned, her expression tight.

“You find anything?” he asked.

Ruby shook her head. “Nothing. No school records. No prior work history. No ID matches. It’s like she doesn’t exist.”

Tim’s brow furrowed, the cup halfway to his lips.

A long silence.

Then he muttered under his breath — almost to himself:

"Just who is this woman?"

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