The Rise of David
Copyright© 2025 by RichXpower
Chapter 16: What Bad Luck
Maria had previously asked Franklin for Gary’s number.
When the latter answered, she rudely snapped, “Do you know the time now? How much longer do you want me to wait? You don’t even care about punctuality! Don’t forget that it’s your family begging me for a favor! Yet, you want me to wait?”
She hung up right after saying that without giving Gary any chance to respond. Meanwhile, Gary was stunned for a long while after the phone conversation ended.
Embarrassment showed on his face, and he felt chagrined at having been lectured by the young Maria at his age. But recalling that David had to depend on her to recommend him a job, he endured the humiliation.
“Who was that on the phone, Dad?” David queried.
“It was Maria. She’s already waiting downstairs, so hurry up and go down. Remember to speak nicely to her.” Gary started urging him to go downstairs.
After David went downstairs, he saw Maria waiting at the entrance.
Hence, he went over to her and murmured apologetically, “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
The moment Maria spotted him, she promptly barked with fury etched on her face, “If it weren’t for my father’s orders, I wouldn’t have come to pick you up! Look at your dressing! What era is that suit from? How dated!”
David’s brows furrowed slightly, but he suppressed his anger and explained, “I bought it three years ago, but I’ve never worn it, so it’s still new.”
“New my foot! No young man in this era would wear such an old-fashioned suit!” Maria curled her lips derisively.
“T-Then, should I go back up and change?” David questioned.
“Forget about it! There’s no time for that when it’s already late now! Hurry up and get into the car!” Maria opened the car door with a frosty expression and climbed into the car unceremoniously.
David wanted to sit in the passenger seat, but Maria snarled at him when he opened the car door, “Sit in the back! Do you think you’re worthy of sitting in the passenger seat?”
At that, David frowned again though he did as ordered and slipped into the back seat. Without even waiting for him to settle, Maria floored the gas pedal. It was fortunate that he knew martial arts, or he would have slammed into the front seat.
“Remember that you can’t mention anything about being acquainted with me when we arrive at the office! Also, I don’t care whether you pass the interview. Don’t expect me to help you either! It’s already benevolent of me to recommend you for an interview...”
Maria rambled on and on during the drive, mainly forbidding him from saying that he knew her because she was afraid that he would embarrass her.
“Okay.”
David merely gave her a placid one-worded reply. In no time, they arrived at Maria’s company. It was a corporate group with more than a dozen floors in the entire building.
“Sentiment Chemical Limited? This company belongs to the Sullivan family?”
David stared at the gigantic signboard of the company with his head lifted, a frown marring his countenance. If my memory serves, Sentiment Chemical Limited belongs to the Sullivan family.
I remember Josephine saying that William established it on her birthday as a birthday gift for her! Indeed, Josephine was the Chairman and legal person of that company. However, she didn’t participate in its management and rarely visited the office.
“Yes, this company belongs to the Sullivan family, the wealthiest family in Horington! It’s a great honor to be able to secure a job here. The pay and benefits are far better than other companies!” Maria declared proudly.
David merely smiled without commenting further. He then followed her into the building. As soon as they reached the entrance, they saw a tall and handsome young man in a suit standing by the door. That was none other than Maria’s boyfriend, Zayne Carlson.
“Why are you so late today, Maria?”
When Zayne caught sight of Maria, he immediately went up to her with a bright smile.
“Ugh! Did you have to remind me of that? My father asked me to pick up his comrade’s son, so I’m running a bit behind.”
Maria pouted, making it clear that she wasn’t in that great a mood.
Zayne cast a look at David behind Maria, upon which a glimmer of disdain flashed across his eyes. Then, he took Maria’s hand and started striding forward. David could only trail behind them while Zayne and Maria whispered among themselves.
“If you don’t want him to work here, I’ll just fail him during the interview later. Anyway, I’m doing the interview today,” Zayne murmured.
“Don’t make it too obvious. Otherwise, my father is going to take me to task again if he complains to his father.
He had just gotten out of prison, so turn him down on that basis,” Maria instructed in hushed tones, leaning close to his ear.
They were afraid that David would hear them, but unbeknownst to them, David caught the entirety of their conversation. After all, his hearing was far superior to the average person then. Behind them, the man chuckled coldly.
I don’t give a whit whether I can pass the interview! I’m just going through the formalities.
When they had reached the floor where the sales department was located, Maria pointed at Zayne and said to David, “Go with him. And remember what I told you—don’t tell anyone here that you’re acquainted with me!” David nodded in acknowledgment before following Zayne to the office where the interview would be held. By then, a crowd was already waiting outside, all there for an interview.
Since it was a corporate group, it paid well and offered great benefits. For that reason, many people wanted to join the company, including graduates from prestigious universities.
“Wait outside. Someone will call you later.” Zayne strode into the office after saying that. David, on the other hand, plopped down onto a chair.
“Are you here for an interview as well, bro?” a bespectacled young man sitting beside him asked.
“Yeah.” David nodded.
“Which university did you attend? I know many of the interviewees this time are graduates from renowned universities. Look at that girl in a dress. I heard that she’s from Quartz University. Meanwhile, that man with a backpack graduated from Moana University,” the young man jabbered with envy written all over his face.
“I attended Bay Coast Business School.” David flashed him a faint smile.
Taken aback, the young man exclaimed, “You’re a graduate from Bay Coast? I really laud your courage for coming here for an interview when you attended that institute! It’s even worse than me being from Blue Sky Vocational School!”
The look in the young man’s eyes was smug when he gazed at David. Finally, I’ve found someone whose academic qualifications are beneath me!
David merely smiled without saying anything.
Right that moment, a young lady in professional attire walked over and said to everyone, “Please hand me your resumes. Later, I’ll call you for the interview according to order.” Upon hearing that, everyone swiftly submitted their meticulously-prepared resumes. Only David sat there motionlessly.
“Excuse me, sir, but where’s your resume?” the young lady inquired when she noticed David’s inaction.
“I didn’t prepare a resume,” David answered nonchalantly.
A flash of surprise flittered across the young lady’s eyes when she heard that, but she then asked, “May I know your name, then? It’s so that I know how to address you later.”
“My name is David Chance,” David replied.
Nodding, the young lady spun around and walked into the office. Everyone eyed David as though he was an idiot. How could he possibly be recruited when he’s wearing such a dated suit and failed to even prepare a resume for the interview?
Only the young man who had been talking to him regarded him strangely.
Out of the blue, he whispered, “Do you have connections here, thus going through the back door, bro?”
David was startled, at a loss as to why he was asking such a question.
“You must be going through the back door. Otherwise, why wouldn’t you have prepared a resume? Also, I could tell at a single glance that the person who brought you here earlier is a high-ranking executive in the office. No wonder you’re so calm!”
With an ingratiating smile on his face, the young man took out a box of chewing gum from his pocket and offered it to him. David accepted it without hesitation and threw a piece into his mouth.
“Bro, if you really have connections, do you mind putting in a good word for me? If I’m hired, I’ll treat you to a meal at a hotel!” The young man gazed at David expectantly. In response, David chuckled softly.
“Sure! If I get the job, I’ll put in a good word or two for you!”
“Thank you, thank you! You’re too kind...”
The young man kept thanking him, his face shining with exhilaration. Shortly after, the interview started. Interviewees after interviewees entered the office nervously, only to walk back out despondently.
Even those few from prestigious universities didn’t manage to get the job. When the young man beside David saw that the graduates from the renowned universities had failed, he grew all the more apprehensive. His hands curled into loose fists, and his palms grew damp with sweat.
“Next, David Chance...” David’s turn came in no time.
When David stood up, the young man beside him abruptly grabbed him.
“You’ve got to put in a good word for me, bro. I’m pinning my hopes on you,” he implored anxiously.
David nodded before stepping into the office. The instant he did so, he was greeted by the sight of three people sitting behind a table and the young lady who collected their resumes earlier standing at the side. Zayne sat in the middle, making it abundantly clear that he was the chief interviewer that day while the men on both sides of him were only sitting in.
In other words, a single word from the former determined whether one passed the interview.
Looking at David, Zayne ordered with a calm and unruffled gaze, “Please introduce yourself.”
Just as David was about to speak, one of the interviewers sitting beside Zayne chimed in, “As you have no resume, you have to tell us about your working experience after graduating from university.”