Chapter 2: Everyone Knew His Name
Ashley had spent the previous six months telling people she was destined for a senior management position.
Now the company's most powerful-looking executive was standing in front of a man she had just told to find somewhere else to sit.
Richard glanced at the handbag still pressed against Ashley's side.
“Is there a problem here?”” he asked.
Ashley immediately changed her expression.
“No problem at all, Richard. We were just discussing seating arrangements.””
Ethan looked at her.
“That's not what happened.””
Ashley shot him a warning glance.
“I'm sure nobody asked for your interpretation.””
Richard turned toward Ethan.
“Then perhaps I'd better hear it.””
The applicants shifted in their chairs. A woman near the windows slowly lowered her phone, suddenly paying attention.
Ethan spoke without hesitation.
“Mr. Malik asked whether the chair was available. Ashley put her bag on it and told him to find somewhere else. Then she said people like him shouldn't sit with us.””
Richard's jaw tightened.
Ashley gave a short, disbelieving laugh.
“That is an absurd exaggeration.””
“Is it?”” Ethan asked.
“Yes. I was making a point about professional standards.””
Richard's expression hardened.
“What professional standard requires you to judge a person before you've even learned his name?””
Ashley opened her mouth, but no answer came.
Malik raised one hand slightly.
“Richard, let's not turn this into a performance.””
Richard immediately fell silent.
That small gesture caught everyone's attention.
Ashley stared at Malik, trying to reconcile his worn notebook with the deference she had just witnessed.
“Look,” she said, forcing a smile, “if there has been a misunderstanding, I'm happy to move on.””
Malik studied her.
“You haven't asked me my name.””
Ashley hesitated.
“I know your name now.””
“No,” Malik replied.
“You know that Richard greeted me. Those are different things.””
A few applicants glanced at one another.
Richard stepped aside, allowing Malik space to move toward the chair.
“Would you prefer to come into my office?”” Richard asked.
“Not yet,” Malik said.
He pointed toward the empty seat.
“I'd like to finish what I came here to do.””
Richard nodded.
“Of course.””
Ashley looked from one man to the other.
“What exactly did you come here to do?”” she demanded.
The receptionist, who had been watching from behind the desk, suddenly stood.
“Ms. Ashley, perhaps you should—”
“No, thank you, Denise,” Ashley interrupted.
“I can speak for myself.””
Malik turned toward her.
“Then speak honestly.””
Her cheeks flushed.
“I have an interview scheduled. I've worked incredibly hard for this opportunity. I have the qualifications, the experience, and the professionalism this company expects.””
“Those are all good things,” Malik said.
“Then you understand why I take this process seriously.””
“I understand taking a process seriously. I don't understand using it as an excuse to treat another person as inferior.””
Ashley folded her arms.
“You're making assumptions about me.””
Malik glanced at the chair.
“You made yours first.””
Silence settled over the waiting room again.
Richard checked his watch, then addressed the applicants.
“I apologize for what you've witnessed. Everyone here deserves to be treated with dignity, regardless of position, background, or appearance.””
Ashley straightened.
“Are you suggesting I did something wrong?””
“I'm asking you to consider what you did.””
“I did nothing that warrants this kind of attention.””
Ethan shook his head.
“You still don't get it.””
Ashley turned on him.
“And you do? You're an applicant just like me. You should be worrying about your own interview instead of trying to impress someone.””
Ethan looked down at his résumé for a moment.
Then he placed it on the nearest chair.
“I am worried about my interview,” he said.
“But if getting this job means pretending I didn't hear what you said, I don't want it badly enough.””
Malik looked at him with renewed interest.
Richard's expression softened briefly before he turned toward the reception desk.
“Denise, please bring me the candidate schedule for this morning.””
“Right away,” Denise replied.
She opened a drawer, removed a printed sheet, and walked toward him.
Richard scanned the page.
His eyes stopped at one name.
Ashley noticed.
“Is everything all right?”” she asked.
Richard didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Malik.
“Your visit wasn't listed on the schedule.””
“That's intentional,” Malik replied.
Richard lowered the paper.
For the first time, his polished composure seemed to falter.
Ashley stepped closer.
“Why would someone come here without an appointment?””
Malik turned to face her.
“Because sometimes, when people know they're being watched, they behave differently.””
Ashley went still.
Richard folded the schedule in half.
“Sir, the board is waiting for your decision.””
Every applicant in the room seemed to hear those words.
The board.
Your decision.
Ashley stared at Malik's face, searching for a clue she had somehow missed.
Then her gaze dropped to the worn notebook in his hands.
A small embossed symbol was visible on its cover.
She recognized it.
It was the same symbol printed beside the company's name on the executive documents she had studied before her interview.
Her lips parted.
“That's impossible,” she whispered.
Malik heard her.
“What is?””
Ashley looked at Richard.
“Why does he have that?””
Richard followed her gaze toward the notebook.
His face turned serious.
“Because,” he said slowly, “that belongs to—”
“Richard,” Malik interrupted.
The executive stopped mid-sentence.
Malik closed the notebook and slipped it into his folder.
“Not here.””
Richard nodded once.
“Understood.””
Ashley took a small step backward.
The receptionist's computer chimed, announcing the arrival of another scheduled applicant. Nobody moved to greet them.
Malik finally approached the chair.
Ashley hurriedly lifted her handbag from the seat.
“Please,” she said, her voice suddenly thinner.
“Go ahead.””
Malik paused beside her.
“That's an interesting change.””
“I was only trying to keep things organized.””
“No,” Malik said.
“You were trying to decide who deserved a place in this room.””
He sat down.
Ethan returned to his seat, but his eyes remained fixed on Malik.
Richard leaned toward the seated man and lowered his voice.
“Should I postpone the interviews?””
Malik shook his head.
“Absolutely not.””
“Are you certain?””
“Everyone should have the opportunity they came here for.””
Richard straightened.
“Then I'll make the necessary arrangements.””
He started toward the executive door.
Before he reached it, Malik spoke again.
“One more thing, Richard.””
The executive turned immediately.
“Yes, sir?””
“Bring me the hiring records for the last twelve months.””
Richard's face tightened.
“All of them?””
“Every interview. Every final decision. Every candidate who was rejected after making it to the last round.””
The waiting room became completely still.
Richard nodded.
“I'll have them ready.””
Malik opened his worn notebook and uncapped his pen.
Ashley sat down slowly, her handbag clutched against her knees.
She had come that morning believing the biggest challenge would be convincing the company to hire her.
May you like
Now, watching Richard disappear behind the glass door, she realized someone in that building was about to examine every decision the company had made.
And she had a terrible feeling that the examination had already begun.
