A gripping short story by Gunjita Das, Class VII, Epic Public School. It follows Akansha, a young girl full of hope, who joins a prestigious company led by CEO Shivani Grover—only to discover that beneath the polished exterior lies cruelty, manipulation, and the harsh truth that all that glitters is not gold.
There was once a woman named Shivani Grover who lived in Noida, Delhi. She used to be happy, cheerful, and bubbly. But society gradually stripped away her beautiful personality. Now, she is extremely particular about what she wears, what she eats, and everything she does. People’s opinions matter more to her than anything else. Though she appears happy, deep inside she is completely depressed—she has lost her true self.
Despite this, Shivani now runs her own business and proudly holds the title of CEO—CEO Shivani Grover.
On 5th May 2025, a girl named Akansha Mishra came to her cabin for an interview.
“May I come in, ma’am?” she asked politely.
“Oh! Sure, come in,” The CEO replied.
Akansha entered and sat on the chair.
“So, are you prepared for today’s interview? Feeling confident?” The CEO asked.
“Yes, ma’am. I hope it goes well,” Akansha responded.
“Okay, shall we begin?”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said.
The Interview Begins:
The CEO – So, why do you want this job?
Akansha – Actually ma’am, I am now responsible for my parents. My brother left home to live abroad with his wife. I’m in a critical situation, and this job could at least help me earn some money.
The CEO – Oh. You’ve applied for the P.A. post, right? Can you really handle it properly?
Akansha – Yes ma’am, I can handle everything.
The CEO – But your file doesn’t have much information. How many years of experience do you have?
Akansha – Actually, I don’t have any experience.
The CEO – What! And you’re asking for a P.A. position? What nonsense!
Akansha – Ma’am, trust me, I can handle it. Please give me a chance.
The CEO – I’ll think about it.
Interview ends.
That night, Shivani thought to herself:
That girl doesn’t even have a year of experience. How can I give her the job? But maybe she’s helpless… What am I thinking! Shivani, you cannot compromise on business. Still, I’ll give her the job—with a free dose of the trauma I got.
Two weeks passed.
Will I get the job? If not, how will we survive? Akansha wondered.
Just then, she received a mail:
“Congratulations, Miss Akansha Mishra. You have been selected as the P.A. to Shivani Grover, our esteemed CEO. You must start from tomorrow. Thank you.”
Reading the mail, she screamed in excitement. She shared the news with her parents, who blessed her for a good life.
Next Day:
Akansha arrived at the office. Shivani asked her to make a strong black coffee. She hesitated but did as asked. After a while, Shivani gave her 12 files to review within an hour.
“If you can’t complete these files within an hour, don’t show me your ugly face tomorrow,” Shivani snapped before leaving for her cabin.
In her cabin, Shivani laughed:
Hah! What a fool. Does she really think I’d just give her the job without testing her? Too innocent! Hah!
Forty-five minutes passed—only 4 files done. Six minutes left—7 files done.
“Time’s up!” Shivani shouted. “Don’t come back if you can’t manage time.”
“Ma’am, I’m very sorry. But please don’t take this job away from me,” Akansha pleaded.
“You still want to stay after this? Huh?” Shivani scoffed.
But in the end, she gave Akansha a final warning.
A Month Passed
Today was salary day. Akansha had already planned to buy her father’s essential medicines. But upon reaching the office, she was told her salary had been cancelled—Shivani claimed she hadn’t met expectations.
Akansha was devastated. The medicine was critical to her father’s survival. With no money left, she rushed out of the office and called her brother.
He picked up the phone and said sarcastically,
“Oh wow! Which side of the sun rose today that you’ve decided to call me?”
“Bhaiya, this is urgent. My salary’s been cancelled and dad’s medicine course has ended. You know he can’t survive without it. Please, just send enough money to buy the medicine,” she pleaded.
He replied coldly,
“No. You were confident you could handle everything, remember? Don’t expect anything from me.”
He hung up before she could say another word.
She stood there helpless.
She had read many articles praising this company, calling it a great influence. Some even claimed it was the best. Others said the CEO was sweet, kind, and down-to-earth.
While she was lost in thought, her phone rang.
It was Shivani.
“Did you like the surprise, my dearest P.A., Akansha?” Shivani sneered, then hung up.
That was the moment Akansha realised:
ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.
