Ananya
I wasn’t sure if the phrase ‘money makes the world go round’ was true. But the promise of an extra hundred bucks, undiscovered backroads and praying sure made my world go round.
In exactly fifty-three minutes, I was walking into a grand colonial-era building with arched windows and brick walls. The name ‘House of Advani’ gleamed in steel above the entrance doors. The ground floor was their flagship store with sandstone flooring, carved wooden counters and soft lighting. Racks displayed hand-wovenlehengasand saris, and mannequins stood in jewel-toned silks.
An employee immediately approached me with a warm smile. ‘Good morning, ma’am. Welcome to House of Advani.’
‘I’m actually here for an interview. Where do I go?’
‘The entrance to the corporate office is on the side of the building,’ she said. ‘A flight of stairs will lead you to the first floor. You’ll find the reception there.’
‘Thank you!’ I said, already moving.
I followed her directions and found myself at a marble reception desk. I smiled politely at the woman seated behind it. ‘Hi, my name is AnanyaTripathi. I’m here to interview for the position of Suraina Mukherjee’s assistant.’
‘Ananya Tripathi …’ she repeated slowly, glancing at her screen. ‘You’re late,’ she said without looking up and then pointed at the lift. ‘Second floor, common area. Someone will call you.’
I nodded.Great first impression.
On the second floor, right outside the elevator, was an open space with a couple of couches, a long table and cushioned chairs around it. A large TV hung on one wall, and an oversized plant sat by the window. This had to be it.
A sharp click of heels echoed from the corridor to my left, drawing my attention. A woman wearing a smart grey dress had her phone pressed to her ear. ‘… already got the job. Apparently, she is a friend of the Advanis. These nepo-kids make me so mad,’ she said. ‘They get the best education paid for by their mummies and daddies and then get a job handed to them on a silver platter. Who needs to work for it when you’ve got connections, right?’
Such people made me angry, too. It was unfair for the people who had worked hard their entire lives to be elbowed out at the last moment by an entitled brat.
‘Yeah, and I’ve spent the entire morning taking interviews with truly deserving people who were never getting the job. It’s a waste of everyone’s time. And totally unfair.’ She glanced at her wristwatch. ‘It’s almost time for the next interview. Speak to you later.’
Could she … could it be … ? No. No way. It must be for some other position. They wouldn’t conduct asecondinterview for a job that was already taken. No one would do that. This job was mine.
There were two women in the common area – one reading a magazine and the other glancing around.
I caught her eye, and she gave me a polite smile.
I took a seat beside her. ‘Are you here for an interview?’
She gave me a quick once-over. ‘Yup. You?’
‘Me too. I’m interviewing for the position of Suraina Mukherjee’s assistant. What about you?’
Her smile turned genuine. ‘For the COO’s assistant position. His assistant is going on maternity leave in a couple of weeks. The job is only for eight months, but there’s potential to transfer to another department.’
‘Sounds like a good opportunity.’ She seemed so sweet and passionate. It sucked that the job had already been given to a family friend.
The click-clack of heels made us both look towards the corridor. It was the woman I overheard on the call. ‘Ananya Tripathi,’ she said.
My heart stopped.
‘Please follow me.’
No.This can’t be happening.
‘Yes,’ I managed to choke out as I stood up on shaky legs and followed her.
I was supposed to be given a fair chance to interview. This job was supposed to be mine. Maybe this was all a big misunderstanding. If I could somehow talk to Suraina ma’am and tell her what these people were doing, I was sure she would undo it. She would never condone nepotism or play with innocent people’s hopes like this.
My head spun with a hundred ideas for what I could do or say to help me get a real opportunity.
I deserved at least that.
