The morning sun poured through the blinds, unforgiving in its brightness. Lian hadn't slept.
Her project sat in a crumpled heap by the desk, a silent reminder of last night of how Salim had barely looked at it before tossing it back at her like trash.
A knock came at her door.
Before she could answer, it creaked open and Chloe stepped in beaming like she'd just won a lottery. And to be fair, in their world, she kind of had.
"Oh. My. God. Lian, guess what!" she said, plopping onto the couch like she owned it. "My project got approved.salim himself signed off on it This means I'm definitely going on the tech trip! Paris, baby! We could...."
"We could explore, take so many pictures, eat expensive food, and maybe even breathe the same air as the company's elite," Lian finished with a hollow smile.
Chloe grinned. "Exactly! Wait why do u seem..?"
"Mine got rejected," Lian said flatly.
There was a beat of silence.
"Huh? Stop kidding me." Chloe's face fell, trying to laugh it off. "You're joking, right?"
Lian didn't answer. She didn't need to.
Instead, she walked past Chloe, picked up her dented project, and dropped it into the bin.
Chloe blinked. "Wait. You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
"But you're, like… good. Really good. You had a head start on everyone. I even ..." Chloe stopped herself. "What did he say?"
"That it was nonsense. Then he told me to leave," Lian replied, trying to keep her voice neutral.
Chloe's eyes widened. "He said what? What the actual...."
Lian raised a hand. "Don't. It's fine. Maybe he was right."
"No, it's not fine." Chloe stood. "You didn't sleep all night, did you? Lian "
"I'm not going to break down if that's what you're expecting," Lian said with a bitter smile. "I just… didn't do my best. And he knew it."
Chloe softened. "Still… he didn't have to throw it in your face like that."
Silence lingered between them for a moment.
"Wanna come over later? I could use some company. My apartment's cleaner anyway," Chloe offered with a small, guilty smile.
Lian nodded. "Yeah. I'll come by."
As Chloe left, Lian stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired. Small. Almost like the girl who first stepped into this world, hoping to belong.
He expected better.
And she hadn't delivered.
But she would.
She had to.
The cafeteria's hum felt louder today, like laughter and conversation were bouncing off the walls just to mock her.
Lian sat beside Chloe, who was practically glowing, surrounded by Ariel and two other upper interns the golden team.
"My project was approved!" Chloe beamed, eyes wide with excitement. "Which means...I'm definitely going on the trip!"
Ariel leaned in. "No way. Congrats!"
"I can't wait. It's going to be amazing. We could explore... meet new people... It's worth anticipating, honestly. Last time, we ended the trip with a yacht party. It was so elite, like designer everything, top-shelf drinks, a view you'd sell your soul for."
"Oh, yeah," one of the upper interns chimed in. "We met like, half the tech industry's upcoming giants that night."
Lian let them talk. Let them glow.
Then, quietly, she cut in. "Mine got rejected."
Ariel blinked. "You're joking."
"I wish."
"Who reviewed it?" one of the interns asked.
"Salim."
Everyone fell quiet.
Ariel leaned back. "Unlucky."
Chloe's face fell. "That's harsh…"
Before they could spiral into pity, her name was called.
His Office
This time, it was different.
No staff. No noise. Just Salim behind his desk, flipping through something on his tablet.
He didn't look up right away, just gestured. "Sit."
She did.
"I saw the new project," he finally said, locking eyes with her.
"And…?"
He set the tablet down. "It didn't reach my taste. But I'll approve it. It had some effort in it."
There was no warmth in his tone. No smile. No "good job" or "you improved."
Just… approval.
Cold. Bare.
Lian blinked, pressing her lips together. She didn't know why it stung more than the rejection.
Why was he like this with her?
He didn't feel real. He was too sharp, too polished. Too unreachable. Like talking to a glass wall.
She stared at him, jaw clenched. And before she could stop herself, the words left her mouth:
"To me, you haven't even made any achievements. All of this… it's your grandfather's work."
Silence.
Salim stilled.
Then he smiled.
Not mocking. Not angry.
Just... intrigued.
"Interesting," he murmured.
Lian swallowed hard. "I didn't mean .."
He stood, shrugging on his coat. "Let's go."
She blinked. "Go where?"
He didn't answer. Just grabbed his car keys and started walking.
"I won't be able to prove you wrong if I don't show you," he said over his shoulder.
Through the Halls
Lian followed.
Confused. Anxious. Curious.
People stared. Whispers followed her like perfume.
"Is that intern… with him?"
"No way. Salim Vance? Walking out with her?"
"She's forgotten her place."
But Lian didn't turn back.
She didn't understand what was happening, or why he suddenly wanted to "show" her something.
All she knew was… her heart was racing.
And deep down, she knew
This wasn't going to be just a ride.
As the elevator doors closed behind them, Lian finally asked, "Where are we going?"
Salim looked at her.
And then, calmly, he said:
"To the place where I earned the right to sit behind that desk."
"I won't be able to prove you wrong if I don't show you."
That was all he said.
Chloe caught a glimpse and nearly dropped her tablet.
They stepped outside the company building, but they didn't walk far.
A matte black SUV with a private driver waited. Of course. She shouldn't have been surprised.
Location: Sampin Tower
The car pulled up in front of a glass-and-steel giant that curved into the sky.
"This is Sampin Tech's innovation center," Salim said casually as they walked in. "We built it two years ago. I oversaw the designs, the concept development, and the early-stage architecture."
Lian looked up, stunned. The place was... alive. Massive digital walls streamed live feeds of prototype testing, code renders, and virtual simulations. Teams in sleek uniforms moved in coordinated motion.
"This wing," he continued, "is working on AI optimization The next one is running energy-efficient automation for homes in remote areas."
"You... you're running this?"
He gave a small nod. "I don't like noise. I let my work speak."
Lian was quiet for a long time. Something in her chest twisted.
She'd called all this meaningless. She'd called him privileged.
And yet he had built a small empire in just a few years.
They reached a quieter space on the top floor. A room encased in glass with a view of the city and the coast. It was stunning.
There was only one chair.
He sat. She remained standing.
"You're not wrong, Lian," Salim finally said. His voice lost that icy edge. "My grandfather gave me opportunity. But not respect. Not power. I earned those myself."
She met his eyes, for once unable to speak.
"Your project lacked effort. It was below you. And I won't tolerate mediocrity, even from people I..." he paused, then changed his words, "
She looked down.
"You want to make it here? You don't just submit a file. You show me you're fire. Show me you burn for something."
There was a silence that said more than words ever could.
She didn't know why, maybe it was the silence, maybe it was the ache but her hand moved before she could stop it.
She reached for his.she had to apologize
He paused.
And when he turned, there was something unreadable in his eyes.
He felt it.
That familiar touch