The Interview That Changed Everything
I walked into the interview for my dream job, heart pounding with excitement. This was it—the moment I’d been waiting for my whole life. But then I saw her. My stomach twisted into knots. The one person I never wanted to see again was sitting right across from me, turning my dream into a nightmare.
A Dream Built on Memories
Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be an architect—just like my dad. He was my hero. He taught me how to draw, encouraged me through every challenge, and cheered me on when I got into university. But just months before I graduated, he was gone. A heart attack. Just like that, my world shattered.
He never got to see me become an architect. But I kept going—for him.
Moving back to my hometown after seven years was painful. Every street, every building held memories of him. But I had to do it. This was where his old firm, the firm, was located—the one he had worked at for over twenty years. The one I’d dreamed of joining since I was a kid.
I rented an apartment close to the office, unpacked my things, and stared at a framed photo of me and Dad. This is for you, I thought.
The Interview from Hell
The next morning, I woke up on the floor—I’d been so exhausted from unpacking that I’d passed out. Panic hit me when I checked the time, but I still had two hours. I got ready, ate breakfast, and drove to the office, my hands shaking the whole way.
Walking into that building was surreal. I used to run through these halls as a kid, visiting Dad at work. Now, I was here for my own future.
I sat in the waiting area, surrounded by other candidates—all men, some in sharp suits, others in casual clothes. My nerves spiked. Then, Dad’s voice echoed in my mind:
“Remember, you’re better than anyone who stands in your way. Believe in my belief in you.”
I took a deep breath.
Then the office door opened, and I heard a voice call my name.
A voice I knew.
No. It couldn’t be.
But it was.
My mother.
Linda.
The woman who had destroyed my family. The woman I hadn’t seen since Dad’s funeral.
The Explosion
“Linda?! What are you doing here?!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the office.
She looked up, startled. “Kassandra…”
“I’ll ask again—what. are. you. doing. here?” My words were sharp, each one dripping with fury.
She swallowed. “I work here.”
Work here? In Dad’s building? In the place he had loved?
“How dare you?!” I screamed. “You don’t belong here! Not after what you did!”
“Kassandra, please, let’s just talk—”
“Talk?!” I laughed, the sound bitter. “You want to talk? After you abandoned him? After you were with another man while he was dying?”
Her face paled. “It wasn’t like that.”
“It was exactly like that!” My voice cracked. “You killed him! You broke his heart, and now you’re sitting in his office like you have every right to be here!”
A man poked his head in. “Linda, do you need security?”
“No,” I snapped. “I’m leaving.”
I stormed out, tears burning my eyes. By the time I reached my car, I was sobbing.
The Truth Comes Out
That night, there was a knock on my door.
I yanked it open—and there she was again.
“How did you find me?” I hissed.
“I’m HR,” she said quietly. “I have your address.”
I moved to slam the door, but she stopped me.
“You got the job,” she said.
I froze. “What?”
“You’re hired. No interview needed.”
I scoffed. “I don’t want your pity.”
She sighed. “It’s not pity. You’re the best candidate.”
“Then why didn’t you hire me before I walked out?”
She hesitated. “Because I wanted to see if you really wanted this… or if it was just your father’s dream.”
I stared at her.
“You never stayed at any job longer than four months,” she continued. “You were always searching for something. But was it really your dream? Or his?”
The question hit me like a punch.
Had I ever chosen this path? Or had I just followed Dad because I loved him?
The Painful Revelation
Linda took a deep breath. “There’s something else you need to know.”
She pulled out a stack of papers—divorce documents. Dated four months before Dad died.
“We were already separated,” she said softly. “We didn’t tell you because… we didn’t want to ruin how you saw him.”
My hands trembled as I took the papers. “No. That’s not true.”
“He was the one who asked for the divorce,” she admitted. “After he… met someone else.”
No.
This couldn’t be real.
But the proof was in my hands.
A Second Chance
I sank to the floor, the weight of everything crashing down.
Linda sat beside me. “I didn’t want you to hate him. But I couldn’t let you hate me forever, either.”
Tears streamed down my face. All these years, I’d blamed her. But the truth was so much more complicated.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
She squeezed my hand. “Me too.”
Silence stretched between us. Then, finally, she stood.
“The job’s yours if you want it,” she said. “But only if it’s your choice.”
I looked up at her. For the first time in years, I saw my mom—not the villain I’d made her out to be.
“I… need time to think,” I admitted.
She nodded. “Okay.”
As she turned to leave, I called after her.
“Mom?”
She stopped.
“Thank you.”
A small smile touched her lips before she walked away.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like maybe… just maybe… things could be different.
