Alexander didn’t fully believe Caleb’s words. However, since he had already promised to give Skylar a chance, he couldn’t back out so soon after the interview had just begun. Besides, he had no other commitments that morning. He could stick around for a little while longer to show Caleb that Skylar wasn’t everything he thought she was.
Though Alexander had to admit, Skylar was a pretty girl—definitely the kind of person a young man like Caleb would take an interest in. But she didn’t seem like she belonged in this field. She didn’t have the aura of reliability that one would expect from a professional in the restoration world.
When the two other candidates handed in their answers, the interviewers carefully reviewed them. They placed Skylar’s answers at the bottom of the pile, intentionally delaying her turn to examine her work.
In their line of work, everything had to be precise. There was no room for errors when it came to antiques. Skylar’s approach, treating the interview as if it were a casual matter, didn’t earn her any respect from the interviewers.
The two men beside Skylar were visibly tense. It was no secret that Alexander’s team had high standards. The fakes they’d been tasked with identifying were so convincingly crafted that only years of experience could distinguish the real from the counterfeit.
The interviewers reviewed the other candidates’ answers first. Their results didn’t surprise anyone—after all, when the interviewers first joined the team, they hadn’t been able to identify all the fakes either. Some of the items were so well-crafted that even seasoned experts had difficulty telling the difference.
Finally, they turned to Skylar’s answers. Initially, they weren’t expecting anything remarkable. After all, she had completed the task so quickly.
Skylar remained composed, not an ounce of nervousness showing on her face. On the other hand, Caleb, watching from the monitoring room, was on edge. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
Alexander glanced over at Caleb. “Why are you so tense?” he asked.
“I’m not tense. Skylar’s the real deal. If she’s not worried, why should I be?” Caleb answered, trying to sound confident.
Alexander simply grunted. He couldn’t figure out if Skylar’s calm demeanor was genuine or just an act.
As the interviewers examined Skylar’s answers, their expressions shifted. They exchanged looks, stunned by what they saw. Skylar had identified all the fakes correctly. Every single one.
It was a feat that no one had ever managed before, especially someone interviewing for the first time. Even those who had worked in the team for years could miss a few, but Skylar had nailed them all.
Skylar noticed the interviewers staring at her. With a polite smile, she asked, “Is there something wrong with my answers?”
“No, not at all,” one of them replied, though his voice was tinged with awe.
The fact that there was no problem was, in itself, a problem. They were all surprised, and it was hard to hide their astonishment.
Fortunately, they managed to maintain their composure. One of them finally said, “Please follow me to the next stage of the interview.”
As they led the candidates to the next part, one of the interviewers took the answers back to the monitoring room.
Caleb, still watching intently, felt his anxiety rise. He couldn’t understand the interviewers’ reactions. What did it mean? What would happen if Skylar failed to identify the fake items?
But Skylar had performed brilliantly. It wasn’t her fault if the fakes Alexander provided were so convincing.
“Do you still want to keep watching?” Alexander asked, his voice laced with mild curiosity.
“Of course,” Caleb replied, trying to act nonchalant. “I want you to see for yourself how skilled Skylar is at restoring antiques. Honestly, your fakes are so good that it’d be normal if she missed a few.”
Alexander was left speechless by Caleb’s confidence. He didn’t know what to make of him anymore.
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