THE CEO'S CHALLENGE✔️

Taking A Chance

                                                                                ISABELLE 

I had always imagined my last summer before graduation would feel lighter.

I thought there would be relief in knowing I'd almost made it to the end. Four years of late nights, deadlines, group projects that never really felt like group projects. I thought summer would bring a pause—a breath before real life began.

Instead, it brought pressure.

I was lying on my bed with my laptop open, one leg bent, the other dangling off the edge like I might get up any second even though I hadn't moved in almost an hour. The ceiling fan spun lazily above me, doing little to cool the thick summer air pressing into my room. Outside, I could hear laughter from somewhere down the street. People enjoying themselves. People who didn't feel like their future was staring them down.

My screen was filled with internship listings.

I scrolled.
Paused.
Scrolled again.

Every title sounded the same after a while. Intern wanted. Fast-paced environment. Must be motivated. Must be exceptional. Everyone wanted exceptional. No one explained how you were supposed to become that without being given a chance first.

I rubbed my eyes and leaned back against my pillows.

Final year.

The words settled heavily in my chest every time I thought about them. This was it. My last chance to prove—to myself more than anyone else—that I could actually do something with everything I'd worked for.

I wasn't just looking for any internship. I needed one that mattered. One that meant something. One that could open doors instead of quietly closing them.

That was when I saw the name.

Reed Global.

My thumb stilled on the trackpad.

For a moment, I just stared at the screen, convinced my tired eyes were playing tricks on me. Reed Global wasn't a company you casually applied to. It was the kind of company professors mentioned in lectures with a tone of respect. The kind you researched for case studies. The kind you dreamed about in a distant, unrealistic way.

I'd admired it for years.

Their growth was almost ridiculous. Global reach. Clean branding. Smart leadership. Everything about them screamed intentional. I'd once spent an entire night reading an article about their expansion strategy instead of studying for a midterm.

I swallowed.

My heart began to beat faster, like it recognized the name before my brain could catch up.

I clicked the listing.

The description loaded slowly, each line tightening the knot in my stomach.

Business Strategy Intern.
High expectations.
Competitive selection process.
New U.S. headquarters.

New headquarters?

I sat up straighter.

I scanned the requirements again, my confidence wavering with every bullet point. Analytical thinking. Initiative. Adaptability. Experience preferred.

Experience preferred.

I almost laughed.

I told myself I was just looking. Just satisfying my curiosity. I wasn't actually going to apply—who was I kidding?