Chapter 2

There were two doors in the interview room. One was the one I came through, the other one was the one that apparently went to him. I hadn't really expected to meet him today, though I had been mentally preparing myself for the occasion ever since the first interview. 

I was happy that I had decided to wear my finest dress today. It was a white, skin-tight dress which complimented my black hair nicely. I had painted my lips a fierce red, using the very last little stump of lipstick I owned. I was ready.

The door led to a bigger room. Most of the walls were made out of glass, like the hallway, but we seemed to be in the corner of the building now. The floor was pure white, and to my right was a big desk, with Robert King sitting behind it. 

He was built tall and lean, with pitch-black hair and possibly the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen. He looked fit for someone who sat at a desk all day and definitely did not look like a person that would need to place an ad to find someone to get pregnant.

"Ms Adler." He greeted me with a firm handshake. I saw how he was assessing me the same way I had been assessing him. Up close I could make out more fine lines in his face. He had thinking lines etched into his skin, and I thought I could see a few premature grey hairs near his temple. 

"Mr King." I greeted him back. He put his hand on my back as he led me towards the desk. It was just for a few seconds, but I knew it was a test. Would I immediately jump at the opportunity and flirt with him? Of course not. He was clearly talking with the woman through the laptop, he liked my, nearly, honest intentions. 

His desk was fully cleared out, with only a few folders remaining on his desk. He grabbed one and laid it open, it had my Facebook profile picture pinned to the inside. 

"Dalia Adler." He muttered. "That's a classic name." 

"I'm a classic person." I answered. Was that a small smile playing at his lips? I couldn't tell. His face looked like it was set in iron, as though he never really showed emotion unless he wanted to.

"Do you enjoy classical music then?" He asked. 

"No, I enjoy Eminem, Imagine Dragons and Post Malone," I said honestly. Now he did fully laugh and leaned back in his leather chair.

"You do know that the lie detector isn't here right? You could lie to make me feel better." He smiled. His teeth were all perfectly pearly white and straight. Damn him, I doubt he even ever had to wear braces for them. 

"Well, I wouldn't lie." I lied. "The contract that is at hand requires the honest truth from both parties to make it mutually beneficial." He raised his brow at me.

"Did you work here before?" He asked. I shook my head. "You talk like you could have." He flipped through my file again. "No private school, nor university." It wasn't a question, it was more of a statement.

"I was never really able to afford it." I said. 

"So if I were to drop a million into your bank account you'll be the most mature twenty-year-old and go to college?" He asked, seemingly not buying it. 

"I would buy a better house first." I answered. "Then college."

"Why not take the money and party it all away?" He asked. "Half the waiting room would do that." I was quiet for a few moments, trying to think of the best answer.

"They must have different responsibilities then." I said. Outside of the office, the weather had taken a turn for the worst, like it often did in our rainy city, the wind caused the rain to hit into the windows like bullets. 

"Do you already have children?" He asked. 

"I don't." I answered.

"Are you a virgin?" I thought back to the one time I had sex, it was with one of the employees of a store I was currently working at, back when I was still in high school. It was exactly two and a half minutes of grunting and me pretending to enjoy it. Never again. 

"No." 

"Ever had an abortion?"

"No."

"STD?"

"No."

"Have a good day, Ms Adler." He stood up and held out his hand for me to shake. "We will be in touch."

That was it? They could have asked me all of those questions in the previous room, and he would have been much more secure in my answers. I hesitantly stood up and shook his hand again. I hadn't even noticed how much bigger his were than mine. He looked like he could squash my hand in a heartbeat. 

When I exited the room I saw the next girl being ushered into the lie detector room. She was prettier than me, I'll admit that. But she also looked like she was about to meet her biggest idol. 

I had no idea how I did. I knew I could come across as cold, but that was just the side effects of knowing fully well what people are capable of.  Besides, he didn't really appear to be the warmest person ever either. All I could do now was wait.

And they had been in touch. I got a call from his personal assistant, which was the woman I had met before. Her name was Sarah Locke and she informed me that I was among a group of a dozen women that got selected. She gave me the new information about where to go for the next round of interviews, but it wasn't the King Building this time. 

I arrived ten minutes early at the doctor's office. It was one of those fancy doctors who had a private practice in what used to be a house. I got buzzed in by his assistant, a young man that looked way too excited to be here, and took place in yet another waiting room.

I was getting closer to the prize. To the million dollars. I had spent the week going over every answer and every question that had happened last time. The hour before I got the call I had completely convinced myself that it wouldn't be me. I had been too blunt, too distant. 

But by the looks of it, that was what they were searching for. There were very little blonde bimbos in the waiting room this time, and I only overheard three women talking about a possible marriage. The others were more like me. They just looked around, taking in the scene before engaging in polite conversation.

Luck wasn't on my side this week, I was one of the last to be called in, and had to watch all the others go in. Apparently there was another exit because I didn't see any return. I quietly tapped my fingers on my thighs. I couldn't wear the same dress twice, so today I had shoplifted a black pencil skirt and paired it with a blue blouse that had birds from my local thrift shop.

I was finally called in and was greeted by an older man with dark-rimmed glasses and a distinct Santa feel to him. He explained to me what kind of tests he would be doing on me today. They all had to do with fertility.

He drew blood, I peed in a cup, he did an ultrasound and after a while I had to put my feet up in the stirrups and try to keep my mind occupied as I felt the cold equipment. Luckily for me, the procedures were over rather quickly. He labelled all the samples he got from me with 'candidate 11' and sent me on my way.

I had to take the subway for thirty minutes, doubled with a bus ride of another twenty to get back home. I lived near the outer edge of the city. In an apartment complex that cared less about its tenants than they did about the bugs which were plaguing us. Maybe I was a little annoyed after being prodded for half an hour. Sue me.

I lived on the second-highest floor, level twenty-two, in apartment number twenty-two. It was very easy to remember really.

The key clicked into the lock easily, but when I turned it I realized that it was left unlocked. something I never did. I didn't really live in the best neighbourhood. I always triple checked.

I opened the door, slowly. My heart went back to a steady rhythm when I heard the familiar intro song to Totally Spies. 

"Clara?" I called out. I heard some crunching coming from my bedroom, but no one answered back. My living room only had a couch and a bookshelf. I only really used it to eat my dinner there, I didn't have a table or anything like that. My bedroom had a small TV I found in a thrift shop and fixed back up. It was still a proper box and had a small, worm like line that kept crawling through the screen. But I did not care. 

I opened the door to my bedroom and found my sister Clara sitting on my bed, trying not to look suspicious while she watched Totally Spies. Her mouth, however, was covered with the familiar orange Doritos dust.

"What are you doing here, princess?" I asked her, wondering where she hid the bag this time. She jumped down from my bed, rubbing her nacho covered hands across my sheets, and went over to her backpack. She handed me a crumpled up note. 

Liann's mother is sick. Can't take her right now. Call you when I can.

The note came from Max. He was my older brother, though we did not share the same father. We took care of Clara together, our mom was too messed up to do it herself. Max and Liann had gotten married a few months ago, and I did not like her. She was far more trouble than she was worth. 

"Looks like it will be a sleepover." I smiled at her, putting the note away. Clara was always happy to be around me, though my house was in a far worse neighbourhood than Max'. I didn't like Liann, but her grandfather had invented the curling iron or something, so at least they had that money to live off of.

"What are we feeling today?" I scrolled through the apps on my phone. "Chinese? Indian? Pizza maybe?"

"Pizza!" She shouted.

"Under one condition." I said. She nodded her head furiously. 

"Tell me where you hid the nachos."