Beyond Boundaries

Chapter 4: Mr. Darcy

Eliz arrived at Rkanel Inc., a company well-known for its fashion and, of course, its brand. Everyone at the Rkanel office appeared fashionable with expensive looks. "Gosh, I can see why this is a top-tier company," she uttered to herself. She arrived about an hour early for her interview, so she decided to go to a nearby coffee shop. "One Americano, please," she requested.

A man in his twenties, standing 6 feet tall, was in front of her. "He's such a scene-stealer," she thought to herself. She couldn't take her eyes off him; she had never been attracted like this before. She caught a glimpse of his ID: "Darcy." It was an Rkanel ID. "I think Rkanel company is particular about looks," she mused, looking him in the eyes, hoping to start a conversation.

"Hi, I'm Eliz," she offered, extending her hand for a handshake. Darcy just looked at her and asked, "Why do you care?" Eliz explained, "I have an interview with the company you're working with, and I'm excited to make friends." She smiled, but Darcy retorted, "I'm hoping you fail," grabbed his coffee, and left.

Somehow, Eliz felt annoyed. "Is that how Rkanel employees act? Shame on this company, damn," she muttered to herself, visibly upset. "I'll ace this, you'll see," she affirmed, determined to prove herself.

Eliz arrived at the interviewer's office to begin her interview, albeit slightly annoyed. Despite her irritation, she understood the importance of maintaining a sense of firmness and propriety. As she entered the room, she found Darcy inside, along with the other interviewer.

"Please, have a seat, Miss Eliz," the first interviewer, Mr. Ralph, greeted her. Ralph, a cute and bubbly HR employee, exuded a vibe that hinted he might not be straight. Eliz couldn't help but notice his interactions with another male employee earlier in the lobby, sensing a certain sweetness between them.

"Damn, why do I care about HR's personal stuff?" Eliz chastised herself mentally, reminding herself to focus. "Hi, good morning," she greeted Mr. Ralph, pushing aside her distractions to present herself professionally.

"Miss Eliz, tell us about yourself," Ralph inquired. Eliz responded by detailing her name and work experiences, strategically presenting herself to highlight her strengths. Ralph seemed quite impressed by her qualifications.

However, Darcy interjected with a surprising and somewhat accusatory question. "If you were such a catch, why did your past employer let you go? Isn't that odd? I don't think you're the type to voluntarily leave, but rather you were fired, perhaps for being too friendly or vulgar," he speculated, his tone probing and critical.

Eliz was taken aback. "What?" she asked, bewildered by Darcy's unexpected line of questioning. "What's this guy talking about?" she wondered, her mind racing to comprehend his accusatory insinuations.

"Well, I can't seem to understand why I was let go by my employer, but I believe they had their reasons," Eliz responded, her voice tinged with emotion. Darcy remained impassive, his gaze unwavering as he observed her reaction. Sensing the tension, he redirected his attention to Ralph.

"Wrap this up, Ralph. I need to go," Darcy instructed curtly, his tone indicating his impatience to conclude the interview.

Darcy left the interview room abruptly, leaving Eliz feeling unsettled. She couldn't shake the feeling that Darcy harbored some kind of dislike toward her. Was it something she had done at the coffee shop? She replayed their brief encounter in her mind but couldn't pinpoint anything she might have done wrong.

As she contemplated the situation, Eliz couldn't help but wonder if there was something about her that rubbed Darcy the wrong way. "Did I say something without realizing it?" she mused, speaking to herself softly in the empty room. The uncertainty lingered, adding another layer of complexity to an already tense situation.

"I'm sorry about Mr. Darcy, Eliz. I know you're a great woman and could be one of the excellent employees here. I want to congratulate you," Ralph said, offering his genuine support and encouragement to Eliz despite the unsettling encounter with Darcy.

"Did I get hired?" Eliz asked, her voice tinged with anticipation.

"Of course, you are," Ralph answered with a reassuring smile. "You have a good background and can be a valuable asset here."

"Really?" Eliz exclaimed, her relief evident. "Oh, Mr. Ralph, thank you so much!"

Despite the joy of being hired, Eliz couldn't shake off the perplexity surrounding Darcy's behavior towards her. The mystery lingered, casting a shadow over her excitement for her new opportunity.