Skylar arrived for her first day with Alexander’s team, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. As soon as she entered the building, Alexander’s assistant, Oliver, greeted her and guided her through the onboarding process. It wasn’t too complicated, so the process didn’t take long.
Afterward, Oliver led her to meet Alexander.
Alexander was deeply focused on cleaning a bronze artifact when they entered the room. His concentration was absolute, and neither he nor the artifact appeared to be disturbed by their presence.
Oliver motioned for Skylar to stay quiet. She understood—handling antiques required complete attention, especially if mistakes were to be avoided. She was intrigued to see someone as experienced and renowned as Alexander still working on such delicate items himself.
She glanced at the bronze artifact, noting its inscriptions. From the design and markings, it appeared to date back to the early Augustan period and was inscribed in classical Glorian.
Skylar was captivated. She imagined the artifact’s journey—from its creation to its burial alongside its owner, and finally, to its recent discovery. It was a piece of history in her hands, one that told a story of time long passed.
She knew that Alexander’s team worked closely with the country’s archaeologists on such projects, and this artifact was likely part of that collaboration.
Meanwhile, Oliver stood by, watching Alexander with admiration. In their industry, Alexander was a legend. Many envied Oliver for being the assistant to such a revered figure. Over the years, he had learned countless valuable lessons from Alexander.
Finally, Alexander looked up, noticing both Oliver and Skylar standing there. He set down his tools and walked toward them with a warm, welcoming smile.
“Can you tell me when this artifact was made?” he asked, his voice light and friendly.
“During the Augustan period,” Skylar responded without hesitation.
Alexander’s eyes sparkled with approval. “You’re right, Skye. Impressive. And tell me, who is your mentor?”
“I don’t have a mentor,” Skylar said, thinking of the elderly woman who had taught her at home. “I learned from an elderly lady who took me in like a granddaughter. She had a lot to teach me.”
Alexander didn’t press further. Instead, he smiled knowingly. “I’m not sure what you’re capable of yet, so I can’t assign you to a specific job just yet. However, I do have a painting that my team is reluctant to work on. Would you like to take a look and see if you can restore it?”
Oliver’s eyes widened in surprise. What was going on? Why was Alexander giving Skylar such a difficult task so soon? She was new to the team and not yet experienced, yet Alexander was handing her one of the toughest projects.
He hoped Alexander wasn’t scaring Skylar away with his unconventional way of testing new team members.
Skylar, however, didn’t hesitate. “Sure, I’ll give it a try,” she said, as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
Oliver was stunned. While he hadn’t been there during Skylar’s interview, his colleagues had spoken highly of her skills—some even claiming she was more talented than many who had worked with Alexander’s team for years.
When Oliver first saw Skylar, he was captivated by her beauty and had briefly forgotten what his colleagues had said. They had warned him not to judge a book by its cover, and yet, he had made that very mistake.
Alexander, on the other hand, was pleased with Skylar’s response. He knew that Caleb had done something right for once—he had good taste in women.
Whether or not Skylar could fully restore the painting didn’t matter to Alexander. He had no doubt that she would have ample opportunities to work with ancient artifacts in his team. Over time, she would become an expert. He was ready to see her thrive, even if it took a few years.
Later, during lunch, Skylar headed to the hospital.
Skip to content