7:

Camila's POV

I was lying on my bed, randomly scrolling through my phone when suddenly an email popped up on my screen. I read its contents, blinked, and wiped my eyes just to be sure I was seeing it correctly. Reading it again, I squealed happily at the good news. Knoxville Enterprise had set up an interview with my company. It was nothing short of a miracle. I had applied without much thought because I never believed we would make it to the top ten on their list.

Knoxville Enterprise is one of the most popular and well-established global companies today. When I heard they were selecting just one company to invest in, I applied because my family's company was on the verge of bankruptcy. We didn't have enough money to pay the employees or cover our bills. I knew over a thousand companies had applied to Knoxville Enterprise. Everyone wanted to be associated with them.

Among the thousands of companies that applied, I never thought we stood a chance, but we ended up being chosen. I needed to inform my parents about this good news. They had been worried sick about how we would afford the bills and pay our employees, among other things. I needed to let them know that they didn't have to worry anymore. We were saved. Although I was now the one in charge, having taken over after finishing my master's degree, I still felt they needed to be informed. I picked up my phone and dialed my father's number.

"Hello, Daddy," I said cheerfully.

"Hello, Camila. Why do you sound so excited?" he asked, his tone gloomy. I completely understood how he felt. It wasn't easy to watch everything you had worked hard for, your only source of livelihood, going down the drain.

"I'm sure you've heard of Knoxville Enterprises?" I asked, trying to conceal the excitement in my voice.

"Of course. Everyone knows about them," he replied.

"I submitted a proposal to them, asking them to invest in our company, and out of the thousands of people who applied, our proposal was accepted," I exclaimed excitedly.

"Are you serious?" he asked, his tone immediately lightening up. I nodded my head happily before realizing he couldn't see me.

"Yes, they sent me an email just now, scheduling a meeting for tomorrow morning," I replied.

"That's great news! Great work, princess," he said happily. We shared ideas about the proposal for a while.

"How is Mom doing?" I asked curiously.

"She's doing fine," he replied.

"Please assure her that everything is going to be alright, and she doesn't need to worry about the company anymore," I said.

"I definitely will. Good luck with your presentation, princess," he replied. We said goodbye before I hung up. I quickly stood up and grabbed a pen and paper. I needed to rehearse every single thing I was going to say tomorrow. I had to make a huge impression and convince them to invest in my company. This was our last hope. We couldn't afford to lose this life-changing deal.

Soon enough, there were heaps of crumpled paper around me. I wrote for a while, and when I finally felt that my proposal was perfectly written, I stopped. I smiled, feeling satisfied. They wouldn't be able to refuse my proposal. After taking a bath and following my routine, I tried to go to sleep, but I was too excited. Anticipation for the following day kept me awake.

I woke up abruptly the following morning. I peered out of the window and noticed it was still a bit dark. I got up and started to get ready, not wanting to even be a second late. I was blow-drying my hair when my alarm went off. I put on a navy blue pristine suit and tied my hair in a ponytail. Grabbing my car keys, I rushed towards the driveway, munching on an apple.

I drove towards Knoxville Enterprise, hoping I wouldn't get stuck in traffic. Luckily, I reached my destination faster than expected. I parked my car in the parking lot, grabbed my proposal, and walked towards the magnificent building. I stared at it in awe; it looked even better after the renovation. I stopped gawking and made my way to the receptionist.

"Good morning," I greeted cheerfully. She looked up from her computer and adjusted her large-framed glasses.

"Morning, ma'am. How may I assist you?" she asked politely.

"I have an interview scheduled for 8:30 a.m. here," I replied.

"From which company, ma'am?" she asked, searching through her computer.

"Arkwright Group," I said curtly, showing her my identity card. She nodded.

"Take the elevator to the sixth floor, and someone will guide you from there. I'll inform her right away," she said with a polite smile. I smiled back gratefully before heading towards the elevator. The doors opened, revealing a lady waiting for me.

"Welcome to Knoxville Enterprise, Miss Arkwright," she said politely.

"Thank you," I muttered. I must say, I admire their level of responsibility and dedication to their work.

"Please come with me. I'll lead you to the CEO's office," she said, gesturing for me to follow.

"I'll be meeting with the CEO?" I asked, shocked.

"Yes, Miss Arkwright," she confirmed.

This is new. I've never heard of anyone seeing the new CEO's face, except for some of his staff. He was a mystery everyone wanted to unravel, and I would have the honor of being the first to know this business tycoon's identity. There were rumors about him being merciless and ruthless. I just hope they aren't true.

"You can go in now. I've already informed him of your arrival," she said and walked back to her workstation. I took a deep breath, holding the files tightly in my hands, before gently pushing the door open. As the double doors opened, revealing the office's interior, my jaw dropped. The sight of numerous trees with mountains behind them, the sun casting its magnificent rays across the horizon—it was truly breathtaking.

In the middle of the glass walls sat a man with his back turned towards me.

"Good morning, sir. I'm Camila Arkwright from..." I trailed off when he suddenly swiveled his chair towards me. The files I was holding fell to the ground with a thud. I stared at the man, my eyes widening in shock.

The CEO of Knoxville Enterprises was none other than Nathan?