Waking up the next morning, Vanessa knew she was in the mood to cause chaos. She had a beautiful plan laid out in her head to get her rightfully deserving job from that bimbo, Yama, Maya, or whatever she called herself.
With a fiendish smile curving her lips, she rolled out of bed and hastily got herself ready.
"Where are you going to? You have another job interview?" Sophia asked when she noticed Vanessa dressing up while preparing herself for school.
"Yeah. Something of that nature." Vanessa said with a cool smile. Yes, she was going for an interview as there was no other name to call it, and this time the people who would be interviewed would be Maya and her lover.
Sophia quickly wished her good luck. "Don't worry. Hopefully, something positive will come from this one." Sophia said with an encouraging smile.
"You bet!" Vanessa responded with a confident smirk as she adjusted her black suit pant. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She did not doubt that she looked beautiful and smart in her outfit. A well-ironed white shirt tucked into her black suit pant with a red stiletto and a matching handbag to pair was something a core businesswoman or negotiator would wear on such a beautiful and promising morning.
"Go get them, Van!" She told herself enthusiastically before heading for the door, "See you later, Sophia." She waved as she headed out.
Half an hour later, she arrived at the prestigious Moore Apparel. This was the best place she was going to work, and she was more than convinced about it. She took in deep, calming breaths before walking through the door and into the lobby.
Since punishing evil with evil was the rule the world went by, she was going to take the role of an fairy evil godmother today gladly, Vanessa decided as she approached the reception desk.
"Good morning!" She greeted the receptionist with a pleasant smile, but before the receptionist could respond to her, she heard her name and turned around.
Just the person she was hoping to see. Even the heavens were in her favor. Vanessa thought to herself the moment her eyes met Maya's eyes, and she flashed her a smile.
"I knew that was you!" Maya said excitedly as she looked Vanessa over, "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you came over to cheer me on my first day and shake off the first-day nerve." Maya said with high expectations, but to Vanessa, the girl seemed to be on something very bad.
Cheer her up?! She scoffed inwardly. The girl was way over her head. Cheer her up indeed, more like she had come to crush her. With a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, Vanessa replied, "I'm here to see Mr. James, the head of the human resources department."
"Mr. James? You know him?" Maya asked with a confused smile.
"Oh! Yeah! I have something very important for him. You don't happen to know the way to his office, do you?" Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
Maya's eyes narrowed as she looked at Vanessa. "You know him?" Maya inquisitively asked.
"Something like that." Vanessa vaguely replied.
Maya hadn't expected her to know James. She didn't seem like she did the first day. She hadn't gone in with her during her interview, so she couldn't really know.
"Uhm, come with me. Let's find it together." Maya offered as she led the way while Vanessa followed behind.
Vanessa thought Maya to be a nice person. Had the situation been different, maybe Maya would have been her friend, but she wasn't going to allow herself to feel guilty for doing what she was about to do. Had Maya even put in a tad bit of effort into getting the job, she wouldn't have been so angry. Still, over the last couple of days, she had replayed Maya's conversation in that bathroom in her head, and the more she thought about how Maya bragged about not even participating in the aptitude test, the angrier she became. Maya didn't deserve the job, and that was it.
"I think this is it." Maya said when they stopped in front of an office, "You can go in." Maya said with a friendly smile.
"Why not come in with me since you work here? I feel a little nervous. I'd like to have a familiar face with me in there, please?" Vanessa pleaded.
"Okay, let's go in," Maya said as she knocked on the door and pushed it open when the person inside gave them the go-ahead to enter. If she was going to be honest with herself, the reason she had agreed to show Vanessa the office and even gone in with her was that she was a bit curious to know why Vanessa had come to see James and what their relationship was.
"What are you doing here?" Mr. James asked with a smile that wavered when he saw Vanessa behind Maya. He had thought Maya was coming in for a quickie before she resumed her job, but obviously not. Wasn't this why he had considered giving her the job despite knowing she was the least qualified candidate? A man with privileges could sometimes bend the rule to fulfill his fantasy and sate his needs—perks of being a boss.
"Good morning, sir! This is my friend Vanessa. We were here for the interview together. She is here to see you, so I brought her to your office. I'll be leaving for my office now." Maya sounded so polite now that had Vanessa not known about their relationship, she would never have suspected anything.
"Hold on. You don't have to go." Vanessa said, placing a hand on Maya's arm to stop her, "I'd like you to know why I'm here since it concerns you too." Vanessa said, making Maya frown confusedly.
"Me?" She asked with confused eyes and a shaky smile.
"Yes. Give me a moment, and you'll both know why I'm here." Vanessa said as she took out her phone from her handbag.