The man who had been interviewing me quickly stood up and told the others who had rushed in that he was going to handle it.
At that moment, I was completely lost. What the hell is going on here? Everyone surrounded him, and then a tall, handsome man walked in. I didn't get a clear view of his face because the crowd was blocking me.
Immediately, he asked, "Is my work done?"
The one who had been interviewing me replied, "Not yet, sir. In a week's time, you will get feedback."
He snapped back, "To hell with the feedback! I am giving you four days, and I won't be coming back here. Deliver it to my house."
He sounded very rude, and his voice felt familiar, but I couldn't place it. Everyone chorused, "Okay, sir," and then he left.
Immediately, one of them said, "What are we going to do now?"
Another replied, "If he finds out the work isn't done, we're doomed."
"I guess it's high time I relocate," someone muttered, "because we're all going to spend our lives in jail. And I can't afford that now — I still have dreams I want to chase."
The interviewer told him to shut up and gave himself time to think. At that point, I realized he was the CEO of this company, but… who was the man that had came in, causing everyone to panic?
The CEO immediately asked the other two to bring the AI robot. They brought it, and he made more than two calls. That's when he was told that the engine he had asked for would only be available in six months.
At that point, I had to cough. That's when they noticed I was still there.
He stared at me and said, "You're hired."
Me? Just like that? Oh wow.
But I was a little scared. It was my first day here, and all of this was happening already. Still, I had no choice — there was no work anywhere.
The CEO said, "Everyone should think of something."
Then someone suggested, "What if we send him a human instead?"
Everyone gasped. "How?"
He explained, "The machine is still being manufactured. We can just pick someone, train them, and give them an AI costume. He won't know."
The CEO's eyes lit up. "Wow, how come I didn't think of that? That's a great idea. Now, who's going to go in posing as the AI?"
Everyone stared at me.
I thought, No way. I can't do it. I don't know why everyone is looking at me, but I can't do it.
One person said, "You're the perfect fit. Your shape is okay — slim and about 6'2". Perfect for the job."
The CEO nodded. "Yes, she's perfect."
I immediately said, "No. I can't do it. And that's final."
He looked at me coldly. "If you can't, then your work here is done."
At first, it felt like this was just a dream. But it wasn't. It was real.
With a heavy heart, I left — shattered dreams weighing me down.
What will become of me now?