Chapter 20 Subject to Others
"Here's an idea," Alicia said, her tone brightening with sudden inspiration. "Why not come work at Davis Group? I'll speak to my brother—he'll make sure you're taken care of."
Just like that, Alicia had solved Quinley's immediate crisis and mapped out her future. Anyone with a shred of conscience would be overwhelmed with gratitude.
"Ms. Davis, thank you for your generosity," Quinley replied carefully. "But I can't impose on you regarding employment matters."
She had no intention of becoming someone's puppet. Her refusal was polite but firm.
"Think about it carefully," Alicia pressed. "In Rosewood City, only Davis Group stands on equal footing with Apex Global. My brother won't shortchange you—your salary and benefits would match what you received at Apex."
The bait was substantial, but Quinley knew the price would be even higher.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Davis," she said, feigning embarrassment. "I've already accepted another offer. Several companies had been recruiting me before my planned departure, and when this emergency happened, I reached out to one of them."
Poaching employees was a cardinal sin in business circles. By invoking this excuse, Quinley knew Alicia couldn't reasonably push further.
Sure enough, displeasure flickered across Alicia's perfect features.
"Fine then. As long as you are doing well, I'm satisfied," she said with practiced graciousness.
Of course, Alicia didn't truly care about Quinley's welfare. Her insistence on bringing Quinley into Davis Group was simply about control—keeping her under close surveillance where she could be manipulated at will.
If Alicia wanted Quinley to stand, she wouldn't be allowed to sit; if Alicia wanted her to stay put, she couldn't move an inch.
As Alicia's subordinate, Quinley would be at her mercy.
Most importantly, she could prevent any contact between Quinley and Zachary.
It was a perfect strategy, but Quinley wasn't foolish enough to fall for it.
"I won't disappoint you, Ms. Davis," she responded with quiet dignity, meeting the sharp edge in Alicia's gaze with steady composure.
High-caliber women didn't resort to hair-pulling or shouting matches. Their battles were conducted through seemingly casual exchanges, each carefully crafted sentence concealing daggers beneath pleasant smiles.
Alicia's lips curved upward slightly. "I'll hold you to that."
Her smile was faint but carried an unmistakable certainty of eventual victory.
Quinley had underestimated Alicia.
She thought rejecting the job offer would free her from Alicia's control. Reality delivered a crushing blow.
With three years of experience at Apex Global, Quinley possessed excellent credentials. Finding similar employment should have been straightforward, especially with modest salary expectations.
She submitted countless resumes, highlighting her qualifications and experience.
Then something strange happened. Every single company rejected her application.
One day passed. Then two. Then three.
Each resume she sent vanished into silence.
Confusion gave way to restlessness, then anxiety, and finally a spiral of self-doubt. The confidence Zachary had helped her build was crumbling by her own hand.
Just as her self-assurance was about to shatter completely, Quinley received an interview call.
The company name meant nothing to her—clearly a small operation.
But she was no longer in a position to be selective. Any company that could provide quick income was exactly what she needed.
The interview was scheduled for that same afternoon at an office building downtown.
Quinley arrived ten minutes early. The entrance displayed several company signs, but none matched the name she'd been given.
She approached the reception desk hesitantly, gave her name, and was promptly escorted inside.
"Ms. Morgan, your interview candidate is here," the receptionist announced, stopping before a glass-walled office.
The woman inside looked up at the interruption and rose to open the door.
"You're Quinley Elikin?" Lauren Morgan asked, arms crossed as she assessed Quinley with a critical eye.
She was of average height with a trim figure, wearing an apricot-colored suit that was both elegant and practical.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Morgan," Quinley greeted her politely, following Lauren inside and taking a seat on the visitor's couch.
"Do you know what position you're applying for?" Lauren poured Quinley a glass of water, her shrewd eyes never leaving her face.
Quinley nodded. "Public relations."
She had no direct experience but was familiar with the field. Apex Global had its own PR department, which handled everything from investment promotion to government relations. These functions were vital at important events.
Everyone knew PR departments had strict hiring standards.
Good looks were merely the baseline. Emotional stability, quick reactions, social intelligence, and excellent communication skills were fundamental requirements.
Beyond that, each person brought their own talents to the role—as long as they stayed within boundaries and got results, those talents were valued.
"Have you done this work before?" Lauren leaned back in her chair, studying Quinley with narrowed eyes.
She prided herself on her ability to assess people quickly, and something about Quinley impressed her.
Beautiful with good proportions—Quinley passed the first test. From her entrance to her seating, she showed no signs of timidity, suggesting someone familiar with professional environments.
"No," Quinley answered honestly.
Lauren toyed with her crimson nails. She had reviewed Quinley's resume and recognized that PR might not be the ideal fit. But she appreciated talent and didn't want to let it slip away.
"Need money badly?" she asked candidly.
Quinley didn't hesitate. "Very badly."
Desperation for money often translated into determination to succeed.
"When can you start?" Lauren pulled out a blank contract from her drawer and handed it to Quinley.
Quinley accepted it without reading it thoroughly, only checking the commission structure.
A small PR firm couldn't match Apex Global's professionalism, but Quinley wasn't planning on staying long.
"Tomorrow," she confirmed, signing the document. Lauren stamped it, made a copy, and handed one version back to Quinley.
"If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime."
Quinley considered briefly, then focused on what mattered most, "Are commissions paid monthly?"
"They're deposited on the third of each month. No delays," Lauren assured her.
With her primary concern addressed, Quinley had no further questions.
Early the next morning, Quinley arrived punctually for her first day. Three years at Apex Global had instilled the habit of arriving ahead of schedule.
Someone escorted her to a conference room for new employee training, which was scheduled for two days.
The trainer spoke enthusiastically, describing public relations in glamorous terms and painting an enticing picture of the career path.
The other new hires—all young, attractive women with heavy makeup—listened with eager, money-hungry expressions.
Quinley sat apart from them, maintaining her distance and her composure.
The training lasted only one day.
That evening, Lauren assigned Quinley her first job, and she finally understood the nature of her new employer. The small company was actually a "shell" operation for a larger corporation.
These "shells" maintained independent identities and financial structures while their business operations remained tied to the parent company—essentially a symbiotic relationship. They shared benefits but not liabilities.
The arrangement was complicated, and while Quinley understood some aspects of it, she didn't particularly care. She was there solely to earn quick money.
What she hadn't anticipated was running into someone she knew.