(Jacob's POV)
I watched her walk in, a slight hesitation in her steps, though it wasn't enough to be obvious to anyone but me. There was a quiet grace to the way she moved, something unassuming yet magnetic. Selene Javis — the woman Skype had chosen to meet with today, though I wasn't so sure it was the company's decision. Something about her... drew me in.
I stood by the desk, watching her adjust the strap of her purse, her eyes shifting between the space around her and me. The moment she looked up, our eyes met — and in that instant, I felt something shift. Something unexpected.
"Mr. Gerard?" Her voice broke the silence, tentative, but not afraid.
I didn't immediately respond. Instead, I gave her a moment, taking her in — the way she looked so out of place in a room like this, with its pristine minimalism, its cold perfection. She was different from the women I was used to.
"Miss Selene Javis." I finally spoke, my voice smooth, controlled. "Come on in."
She hesitated again, before stepping further into the room, her nervousness palpable. She wasn't used to this kind of attention, I could tell. I liked it. It made her feel more real, more... approachable. She wasn't like the others who fawned over my position, my wealth, my name. There was something deeper in her — something beneath the surface.
She took a seat across from me, her eyes avoiding mine for just a second too long. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable. It was just that she didn't want to be looked at — or maybe, she wasn't ready to have someone see her for who she really was.
I decided not to break the silence. I wanted to see what she would do. Would she fumble? Would she let her nerves show? Or would she rise to the occasion, like so many before her?
Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve as she finally met my gaze again.
"So, Selene…" I leaned back against the desk, folding my arms across my chest. "Tell me about yourself."
I could see the slight flicker of hesitation in her eyes. This was what she had been prepared for, no doubt. A simple question, an easy answer. But there was something about her that made even the simplest questions seem more complex. More layered.
"I, uh…" She cleared her throat, looking down for a second as if trying to gather her thoughts. "I just graduated recently. I've worked on a few projects involving artificial intelligence, mostly focusing on accessible technology for people with disabilities."
I nodded, my gaze narrowing slightly as I listened. There was something... raw about her words. No pretension. No selling points. Just the truth.
"That's admirable," I said. I wanted her to know I wasn't just humoring her. The work she'd done wasn't something a lot of people in her field would focus on. She had potential. I could feel it. But I needed to know more.
I paused, watching her for any sign of discomfort, but she didn't flinch. She met my gaze, even if briefly. And that, for some reason, was enough.
I leaned forward slightly, dropping my voice a little lower, just enough to make the air between us shift. "What else, Selene? Tell me more."
She didn't respond right away. Instead, she looked down again, like she was weighing how much to say, how much of herself to reveal. It wasn't something I was used to. Most people were eager to tell me everything. They wanted to impress me. But not her. She was... different.
The silence stretched, and I found myself studying her more closely. Her fingers twisted together in her lap, her posture slightly stiff. It was almost as if she was trying to hide from me.
She swallowed hard before speaking again, her voice a little quieter this time. "I've always wanted to follow in my grandfather's footsteps," she said, her tone turning reflective, almost wistful. "He had a vision for making technology that could truly help people. People like my brother. But that... that dream ended. And I don't know if I'll ever really know what happened."
I sat back a little, intrigued by the sudden shift in her demeanor. There was pain there. A deep, lingering pain. Something that haunted her more than she was letting on.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice softer now. I wasn't sure why I'd asked. But the question had slipped out before I could stop myself.
She shook her head, her expression distant for a moment. "There was an explosion. A reported accident. But I..." Her words trailed off as if the memory was too much to carry.
I leaned forward again, this time completely ignoring the professional distance that normally kept me detached. "You think it wasn't an accident."
Her eyes snapped up to meet mine, and for a second, I saw the fire in her gaze — the same fire I felt burning in myself, the need to uncover the truth, to find the pieces that didn't fit. She was no different than me in that regard.
"I have to know what happened," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a determination there, an urgency that almost made her words feel like a promise.
I wanted to ask her more, dig deeper. But instead, I simply nodded. "And you think Skype can help you figure that out?"
She shrugged, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "I don't know. But it's a start. Maybe the people here... maybe they can relieve me of my burden."
I watched her, the desire to know more about her growing with every word she said. She wasn't just here for the job. She wasn't just here to work. There was something more driving her — something more personal.
I'd seen a lot of ambitious people in my time. But this... this was different.
"You'll do well here," I said, my voice quiet, almost a promise. It wasn't just about the job. It was about something else, something unspoken between us. I wasn't sure if she felt it too, but I knew I did.
I stood, walking to the window and looking out at the city for a moment. My mind was racing. I didn't know what was happening between us, but I knew it was something I couldn't ignore.
"Be ready, Selene," I said, my voice low. "This place has a way of changing people."
I turned to face her once more, but there was no question in my mind now. She was unforgettable.
"You're hired,Miss selene."