Under the Lesser Light: A Friends To Lovers PARANORMAL-ROMANCE✓

Chapter 3

As I make my way to the main entrance of the building, I can't help but notice its magnificent tall frame. The towers that stand before me remind me of the twin towers in Manhattan, New York City. I immediately blink twice as I take in the glory of the company. Satisfied that I did my research about the company before coming for the interview, I blow air out of my mouth in relief. But then as I make my way inside the building, my mind quickly replays what Anna had said during our coffee date,

Well, let's just hope the CEO himself isn't the one to interview you.

I remember asking her what she'd meant by that statement, but knowing Anna, she immediately tried to dismiss it at first. I know she didn't want me to worry. But then I pressed on, wanting desperately to know what she was talking about. I let my mind recollect what she'd said.

Well, strangely, he mostly shows up during interview days. Word is, he comes around to kind of get a feel for the candidates.

I had shrugged when she said that. That seemed normal. He is the CEO after all. But then she'd continued, waking up my senses.

I hear he sometimes interviews the candidates himself, when he is around.

I sigh as I try to shake off any feeling of nervousness. What could be worse? That I don't get the job? But that would really be the worst of it all. I take careful confident steps along the long hallway to one of the elevators as my mind again recollects Anna's last words to me before I left:

But don't worry, you can do it. You've got this, Safa.

I release a sigh of relief as I shut my eyes briefly while waiting for the elevator doors to open. Then it quickly dawns on me. I check the time on my phone and I realize I still have about twenty-five more minutes before the start of the interview. I could do a quick read on the CEO before going in. The elevator doors open and I go in and push the button to the twentieth floor. Then I begin to google. I put in the search bar CEO Hillstop Group of Companies, and there were hundreds of thousands of results. 

This man sure has a lot going for himself. I whisper to myself.

Then I click on the first information that pops up as I begin to read.

Ian Trace. Youngest CEO of Hillstop Group of Companies. The ladies haven't forgotten that he is one of the top five eligible bachelors in the country. Some say he is even the most eligible bachelor. The elevators stop and I exit as my eyes find a lounge area to sit.

Then I close that page. Nothing to see here. But before I go back to the main page to see the results displayed, my eyes fall on the photo. He has dark brown hair and very light brown eyes. I am not surprised his face spells confidence and arrogance at the same time. I feel like I can sense it just by looking at the photo, or maybe it's because I'm a Santza female. 

Is that why ladies think he is the most eligible bachelor in the country? I roll my eyes in annoyance as I pause to take a quick read at the metadata before deciding to click on the third pop up result. Wikipedia. Yes, that's exactly what I want.

My eyes narrow a little bit as I begin to read:

Ian Stefan Trace, but popularly known as Ian Trace (I.T.), is the current CEO of Hillstop Group of Companies. He was sworn in as the new CEO in 2018, when his father, Norman Trace, retired. His father succeeded his grandfather, and now Ian is the new and reigning face of Hillstop Group of Companies.

The company is italicized and underlined so I could click on it to read about it, but since I've already done my fair share of research on the company itself, I continue to read on.