Bella's POV
The woman across the desk couldn't even look me in the eye anymore. Her gaze kept drifting between my resume and the wall clock, counting down the minutes until she could deliver the blow I already saw coming.
"I'm sorry, Miss Poley," she said, stumbling slightly over the fake surname. "We've decided to go with another candidate."
I forced my expression to stay neutral even though my stomach dropped. "May I ask what made the difference? I thought our conversation went really well yesterday."
She gave me that practiced smile every HR person perfected in training. "Your qualifications are impressive, but we found someone whose experience fits our specific needs better."
The same rehearsed rejection I'd heard many times in different variations. I thanked her politely, shook her hand, and walked out of that sterile office building with whatever dignity I had left.
The moment I hit the sidewalk, I let out a frustrated breath that could probably be heard blocks away.
