The interview started at exactly nine in the morning.

I arrived early because I needed this day to be perfect. Like my emotional survival depended on it.

The CEO's office—a woman whose makeup brand was recognized all across the country—felt calming the moment I stepped inside.

It was filled with light, warm colors, and a soft scent of vanilla and white flowers.

Nothing like the cold, dark, meticulously hostile offices of Sterling Group.

When I finally saw her, a quiet sense of relief s