Loyalty And Commitment

Liana pushed away from the front door and practically scrambled to the small desk in the corner of her cramped apartment. She woke up her battered laptop, her fingers hovering anxiously over the keyboard as she pulled up a blank email draft.

"Résumé, school records, photo ID, and a picture," Liana murmured aloud. She navigated through her folders, attaching the required application materials one by one. The thick cardstock flyer sat right beside her trackpad, a beacon of desperate hope in a room otherwise filled with suffocating stress.

She held her breath, giving the drafted email one final review. The need for this job chewed at her insides. It was an urgent, physical ache. She had to secure an income, and she had to do it today.

Her mind flashed to her vindictive ex-boyfriend, Garrett. He was the reason she was sitting here staring down an eviction notice. Garrett worked as a Talent Manager at BXC Media Company, the very place she had poured her sweat into for her part-time production job. When their relationship shattered, he refused to let her walk away cleanly. He weaponized his title, using his industry influence to get her maliciously fired from her media job. Then, he made sure she stayed unemployed, blacklisting her from any other entry-level positions that could fit around her college schedule. He had deliberately stripped her of her livelihood, leaving her incapable of paying rent.

Liana bit her lower lip, tasting copper, and clicked send on the email.

She leaned back in her chair, letting out a heavy sigh. She just had to wait and pray.

Miraculously, mere minutes later, her phone chimed. A sharp ping cut through the quiet apartment. Liana jumped, her heart kicking against her ribs as she grabbed the device. She stared at the screen, reading the shocking reply.

[Dear Miss Monroe,

Good morning! We believe you are perfect for the job. Please come for a personal interview at the Sterling Onyx Corporation and inform the front office you have an appointment with Merrick Silva. We expect you to be here at 11:00 AM.

Sincerely,

Merrick Silva

Executive Assistant to the CEO

Sterling Onyx Corporation]

Liana stared at the glowing text in pure disbelief. She blinked hard, making sure her stressed brain wasn't inventing the words. "Sterling Onyx Corporation?"

She dropped the phone and snatched the cheaply printed flyer off the desk. She scanned the elegant text again, searching the margins and the fine print. Nothing. The flyer mentioned absolutely nothing about such a massive, globally prestigious enterprise. Why would a multibillion-dollar corporation post generic flyers in rundown apartment buildings?

"I'm applying to the Sterling Onyx Corporation?" she whispered to the empty room.

She checked the clock on her laptop. She had less than two hours to mentally and physically prepare for an interview at the most powerful company in the city.

Panic instantly replaced her shock. Liana threw open her tiny closet. She shoved aside her casual campus clothes and worn-out production hoodies, frantically searching for something formal. She only had a few options, and none of them felt right for a corporate giant. Her hands landed on a familiar fabric.

The sapphire blue dress.

It was the very same dress she had worn to that disastrous engagement party a few nights prior. The memory of that night still stung her pride, but she shoved the feeling down. The dress fit her perfectly and looked professional enough. She slipped it on, the blue fabric hugging her slender frame. She quickly brushed her long caramel hair, applied a touch of light makeup, and rushed out the door to catch the train.

She arrived at the towering corporate building with ten minutes to spare. Walking into the grand lobby, Liana felt a wave of intimidation wash over her. Polished marble floors stretched out beneath her, and sharp-suited professionals moved with intense, focused purpose. She swallowed her nerves, adjusted her bag, and approached the sleek reception desk.

"Excuse me," Liana said, pasting on a polite, confident smile. "I have an appointment with Mr. Silva. It's an interview for a job."

The two receptionists paused their typing. They looked at each other, exchanging deeply puzzled, hushed glances.

"A job?" the first receptionist asked. "Why would Mr. Silva conduct the interview himself?"

The second woman shrugged, reaching for her desk phone. "I'll check with the CEO's office." She dialed an extension, murmured a few words into the receiver, and hung up. When she turned back to Liana, her professional smile returned, but her eyes held a layer of intense curiosity. "Please proceed to the top floor. A security guard will assist you."

Liana nodded. "Thank you. Has anyone else come for the interview today?"

"So far, only you," the lady replied. "Good luck."

Only her? Liana stepped away from the desk, a growing suspicion gnawing at her stomach. The CEO's high-ranking executive assistant was personally conducting an interview for a mere penthouse manager position, and she was the only applicant scheduled. As she followed the security guard to the private elevators, her heart raced a mile a minute. She wondered exactly whose penthouse she was going to manage.

The elevator shot upward, delivering her to a breathtaking, top-floor glass meeting room. The guard gestured for her to take a seat at the polished conference table and quietly left.

Liana sat on the edge of her chair, staring out at the sprawling city skyline visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Ten minutes later, the glass door opened. A sharp, composed man walked in holding a set of documents. Merrick Silva.

Liana stood immediately. She eagerly offered her hand across the table for a professional greeting.

Merrick paused. He looked down at her outstretched hand, but he completely ignored the gesture. He made no move to shake it. Instead, a knowing smile crossed his face. He lifted his gaze, briefly glancing through the glass wall divider directly behind her.

"Ah, Miss Monroe," Merrick remarked, his tone smooth and cryptic. "Your handshake belongs to someone else."

Liana pulled her hand back, her brow furrowing in confusion. Before she could ask what he meant, Merrick politely gestured toward her chair, signaling her to sit.

They settled into the interview. Merrick opened the documents and began to outline the bizarrely lavish role. "The penthouse you will be managing is located on the top floor of the Second Onyx Hotel. Housekeeping and hotel employees will handle the cleaning and maintenance. The property itself prepares all the meals. You might wonder what is left for you to do."

Liana nodded. "Exactly. Assuming I get the job."

Merrick looked intently at her hazel eyes. "First of all, we value loyalty here. The initial requirement is a strict, unbreakable one-year contract. Should you get the job, we expect you to follow through on your commitment."

This gave Liana a moment of severe pause. She was graduating in three months. Her entire plan was to plunge into the media industry, to rebuild the career Garrett had tried to destroy. Committing to a domestic caretaker job for a whole year meant putting her real dreams on hold. But the memory of the eviction notice flashed in her mind. Her desperate need for an immediate paycheck brutally won out over her reservations.

She nodded firmly. "Okay. One year is fine."

"Good," Merrick said. He leaned forward, pointing a stern finger across the table to emphasize his next point. "The owner of the penthouse despises unnecessary drama. Unless it is beneficial for him, you are strictly forbidden from having a relationship with any other men. Especially backstabbing men who can only cause distraction at your job."

Liana's breath hitched. She stared at Merrick's pointed finger. The oddly specific condition sounded terrifyingly close to her recent heartbreak with Garrett. Did they know about her past? Did they run a background check? She physically shook her head to clear her sudden paranoia. Wealthy people had eccentric rules. They just wanted a focused employee.

"I don't want any drama either," Liana replied, promising him her undivided dedication. "I will be fully committed to my job."

Merrick smiled. "Next, you will not be allowed to live elsewhere. You must consider the penthouse your home. You will live there completely rent-free, provided with your own massive private room, and all your living expenses will be completely covered."

Liana's mouth fell open. She had just wanted to earn enough to pay her landlord, but this job offered a free home. The sheer relief overshadowed any lingering suspicions she had.

Merrick slid the contract toward her, pointing to the scope of work. He began listing her actual duties, and they seemed impossibly, laughably light. "One, you remind the hotel staff of their daily cleaning schedule. Two, you open the doors for them, and when they finish, you shut the door."

Liana blinked.

"Second," Merrick continued, "you make sure basic supplies like food and toiletries are stocked. You ensure the electricity and water run fine. If anything is lacking, you notify the hotel to fix it. Third, you ensure that whenever the owner is around, his meals are provided for. You coordinate his schedule so the hotel kitchen can cook for him."

Absorbing this absurdly easy list of tasks, Liana noted that her new, mysterious boss was a man. Her domestic side naturally kicked in. Living in someone's home and feeding them hotel food felt cold to her.

She leaned forward slightly, looking at Merrick. "Can I personally cook for him instead? I really love preparing home-cooked meals."

Merrick stopped speaking. A wide, deeply knowing smile spread across his face. He instantly recognized how perfectly she was playing into Kellan's hands. She was locking herself into the trap willingly.

"I think that is an even greater idea," Merrick agreed enthusiastically. "I am sure the boss would highly appreciate such intimate gestures. I suggest you do exactly that."