"You know in your heart whether it's nonsense or not. I've told you, you won't get into Hastings Group. Now move, I'm leaving," I said coldly, my expression unyielding. "You think you can stop me? Serena, lace it. You'll never be better than me!" Elena screeched behind me, her voice filled with hysteria.

Back at the dorm, I immediately collapsed onto my bed. I had been too anxious about the interview to sleep well for days. Now that it was over, regardless of the outcome, I desperately needed rest.

The next morning, I woke to my phone buzzing. Half-asleep, I answered it.

"Serena, how could you lie to me?" Alex said in an upset tone.

That jolted me awake. I sat up straight. "When have I ever lied to you?"

"You said you'd join Hastings Group, but I just checked the recruits' résumés, and yours isn't there."

I was surprised that Alex would check the applications. So, Elena was right. The office assistant was to report to Alex directly; otherwise, he wouldn't bother reviewing the applicants.

"Oh, you told me to show up for the written test and the interview. I just finished my interview yesterday, but the interviewer told me on the spot that I wasn't a good fit and handed my file back to me," I said innocently, lying back down on the bed.

"What?" Alex's tone sharpened. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Well, I didn't know how to bring it up. I mean, I interviewed at your company and got rejected right away because I wasn't qualified. How could I admit that to you?" I said, scrambling for an excuse.

Alex took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll handle it."

The call ended, and I stared at my phone. Someone was about to have a very bad day.

Sure enough, by that afternoon, I received Hastings Group's official job offer. They instructed me to report for work the following Monday.

When I arrived at Hastings Group, I was greeted by the same driver who had accompanied Alex to handle the false accusation incident.

"Ms. Ashford, Mr. Hastings sent me to escort you," he said with a slight nod.

I was taken aback but followed him.

He led me to a small office space just outside Alex's main office. It wasn't much, just a narrow and modest desk, but at Hastings Group, even a desk like this meant a comfortable monthly income. As I settled in, I clenched my fists in quiet determination. I was going to prove myself here.

"Serena, come in," Alex's voice called from his office.

I quickly stood, adjusted my outfit at the door, and walked in with a mix of confidence and what I hoped came off as professional poise. "You asked for me?"

"This is Jolene Harrington, the head office assistant," Alex said, gesturing to a young woman in a crisp white suit.

"Ms. Harrington," I greeted her with a slight nod.

Jolene nodded warmly, returning the nod. "If you need anything, come to me. Try to avoid troubling Mr. Hastings."

Her words were music to my ears. I grinned and answered, "Got it!" He picked up a stack of documents from his desk and handed them to me.