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Chapter Four – Interview of the Year

Monday morning hit like a slap.

Malik had barely shaken off the glitter and gossip of the gala when he found himself sitting in a minimalist waiting room at the RoweTech tower again — but this time, in a suit that cost more than his bank account and with the full weight of the media aimed right at his face.

Across from him sat Lisa Trent, a sleek, sharp journalist from The Stream, a popular New York tech-lifestyle publication known for biting interviews and clickbait gold. Her black heels were crossed neatly, her posture perfect. Her eyes flicked over her notes, then up at him — amused.

“So,” she said, voice silky and just slightly predatory, “you’re the Malik Carter.”

Malik smiled. “The one and only. Unless you’ve found another broke guy who landed the most untouchable woman in Manhattan.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Untouchable, huh?”

“Figuratively,” he said quickly. “Though also — per contract — literally in most cases.”

Lisa’s eyes twinkled with interest. “You’re refreshingly unpolished.”

“I aim for ‘just enough to be charming, not enough to be canceled.’”

She laughed. “Okay, Malik. Let's do this. For the record — Tina’s team said you’ve been dating for six months.”

Malik nodded. “Give or take a long stare in a Brooklyn bookstore.”

“And you met… how?”

He smiled as he remembered the flashcards.

“I was standing in the poetry section, arguing out loud with a book. Tina walked by and asked if I always fought with dead writers. I told her only the stubborn ones.”

Lisa blinked. “That's… actually romantic.”

“I know, right?” he said. “Fake relationships need real stories.”

Oops.

Lisa tilted her head. “Fake?”

Malik’s eyes widened. He forced a cough. “I said... great. Great relationships need real stories.”

She squinted. “Huh.”

He cleared his throat, leaning forward. “Look, I know how it seems. Tina’s a big deal. I’m just some guy. But the thing is — we click. She challenges me. Makes me rethink stuff. Plus, she’s got this resting CEO face that terrifies people. I kind of like it.”

Lisa smirked. “You’re a character, Mr. Carter.”

“Better than being a cliché.”

---

Upstairs: Tina Watched It All

The interview was being streamed live across internal RoweTech screens and social media accounts — part of a strategic push to humanize Tina and her “relationship” before the company’s public listing.

Tina stood by her office window, arms folded, watching Malik charm the audience like he was born for it. He was doing exactly what she needed.

Still, something about it irked her.

“He’s off-script,” said Ronnie, her assistant, standing beside her.

“He’s authentic,” Tina replied without looking away. “That’s better than any script.”

Ronnie hesitated. “You don’t seem thrilled.”

Tina didn’t answer.

---

Back in the Interview

Lisa leaned in slightly. “So, Malik…what’s the hardest part about dating Tina Rowe?”

He paused. This was a critical moment. Say something stupid and the illusion might crack. But his brain, as usual, took the scenic route.

“She doesn’t trust people,” he said, voice softer.

Lisa blinked. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, eyes steady. “I think when you build an empire like she has, you start wondering if people like you, or the building. I’m trying to show her I see the person — not the skyscraper.”

Lisa sat back, visibly affected. “That’s…damn. That’s good.”

Malik smiled. “Tell her I said that. She won’t believe I can be deep.”

---

After the Interview: Elevator Ride to Heaven or Hell

Tina was waiting for him in the elevator as the doors opened. She stood with her arms crossed, expression unreadable as usual.

Malik stepped in, heart thudding like he was back in school waiting for a test result.

The doors closed. Silence.

Finally, Tina spoke.

“You said I have trust issues.”

He winced. “I also said you were intimidating, brilliant, and hot. But yeah, I said that too.”

“You weren’t supposed to go off-script.”

“I improvised,” he said. “People liked it.”

“I don’t care what people liked.”

He turned to her. “Yes, you do. That’s why you hired me.”

She didn’t answer. The elevator dinged.

As they stepped out, she turned to him sharply. “If you ever say something I haven’t approved again, we’re done.”

He raised his hands. “Understood, CEO.”

But even as she walked ahead, he caught the faintest flicker of uncertainty on her face — like maybe… just maybe… part of her didn’t mind being seen too clearly.

---

Later That Night: Tina’s Penthouse

Tina sat at her pristine glass desk, sipping whiskey and rereading Malik’s transcript from the interview.

She hated that she liked it. That she smiled at it. That he sounded like someone who wasn’t pretending.

> “…I'm trying to show her I see the person — not the skyscraper.”

No one had ever said something like that about her. Not without expecting something in return.

Across town, Malik sat on the worn couch in his tiny apartment, phone buzzing like crazy.

> James: BRO YOU ON STREAM WITH THAT SUIT LOOKIN LIKE BUDGET IDRIS ELBA.

Mom: I saw you on the YouTube. You didn’t tell me you were serious with someone!

Landlord: Rent received. And I forgive the delay. Celebrity neighbors now, huh?

He grinned, flopped back, and whispered to himself:

“This might actually work.”

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End of Chapter Four.