Chapter 10
The person interviewing me was Walter Wood, the owner of Urban Muse—a fashionable young guy who looked no older than twenty-five.
While he looked down at my resume, I started secretly observing the office environment.
The whole company's style was bright and vibrant, full of youthful energy.
On my way here, I thought it would be like in TV shows, with employees rushing around looking cold and arrogant.
But actually, the atmosphere here was as relaxed and comfortable as being at school, with everyone wearing smiles on their faces.
Especially their clothing—not those rigid business suits, but colorful, fashionable outfits.
I couldn't help but look down at my own dress, once again feeling grateful in my heart for Matthew's thoughtfulness.
If he hadn't prepared clothes for me in advance, with those casual outfits in my suitcase, I probably would have been mistaken for someone applying to be a janitor the moment I walked into the company.
"Ms. Scott, I really like your work, and it fits our company's style perfectly. We happen to be short of imaginative designers like you right now. When can you start?" Walter put down my resume and looked at me with a smile.
"I can start anytime."
"In that case, I'd like to have HR set up your workstation today and show you around. Can you officially start tomorrow?"
"Yes."
Seeing how eager Walter was for me to start, it seemed he really needed designers, and it wasn't entirely because of Matthew. I felt a bit less burdened.
Still, I was sincerely grateful to Matthew.
Without his timely help, I'd probably still be wandering the streets with nowhere to go.
Or worse, I might have pathetically given in to William and returned to that cold, loveless home.
In the afternoon, I gradually settled into the company atmosphere. My colleagues were even more welcoming than I'd imagined.
With HR's introduction, I gained a deeper understanding of Urban Muse.
"Layla, these are our company's design portfolios from previous years. Take a look. There's less than a month until this year's fashion show, so I'll need you to work hard with the other three designers to finalize the outfits as soon as possible."
At the end of the workday, Walter came to my desk and set down a stack of files.
"Layla, I believe in your abilities. If we can successfully complete this fashion show, you'll be made permanent, and I'll sign a ten-year contract with you."
"Alright, I'll do my best."
I walked into the elevator with Walter.
We were alone in the elevator. He frowned and looked at me seriously. "Layla, here we judge by ability. I won't get involved in whatever's going on between you and William. His blacklist order against you has no effect on me, so work here with peace of mind."
"Alright, I have something to attend to, so I'll head out first. See you tomorrow." Walter patted my shoulder and left first.
Walking out of the company, I immediately spotted Matthew's eye-catching Cullinan.
We looked at each other from a distance, and somehow, I suddenly felt the heavy weight on my chest disappear.
Even the dark clouds that had hung over my head for days turned into clear skies.
It turned out that after leaving William, there were good people everywhere.
"Thank you." Getting into his car, I thanked Matthew again.
"You've already thanked me many times." Matthew looked straight ahead, slowly driving the car out of the parking lot.
Without asking for the restaurant's location, he seemed to have a destination in mind and drove straight to Olive & Thyme in the eastern part of the city.
Seeing the restaurant's name, my heart skipped a beat. I touched my flat wallet.
Oh no, the average cost here wasn't cheap. How could someone like me who didn't even have five hundred dollars afford to eat here?
As if sensing my unease, Matthew said calmly, "I still have a balance on my prepaid card here. I used to use it for entertaining company clients. But with current policies, I can't bring clients here anymore. So don't feel any burden—helping me use it up is actually helping me reduce my losses."
In the past, Matthew and I rarely interacted.
My impression of him was like a school teacher—serious and stern, always ready to lecture or criticize us.
Plus, with William being a factor, whenever I saw him, I kept my distance.
But after these past few days together, I discovered Matthew was actually someone who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, not at all as icy as his appearance suggested. Instead, he was an easygoing, caring guy.
He would always quietly consider things for me, then quietly arrange everything so I wouldn't feel awkward.
However, after that night when we almost crossed the line, being alone with Matthew in a room made it impossible for me to stay calm.
Like right now, sitting face to face, even though we hadn't said or done anything, the atmosphere somehow became intimate.
I didn't know if it was my imagination, but I seemed to see a hint of affection and tenderness in Matthew's eyes.
My heart raced, and my body temperature suddenly rose.
When Matthew handed me a glass and our fingers touched, it felt like an electric shock that made my breath catch.
I suddenly stood up. "I'm going to the restroom."
"Okay."
Sensing a gaze full of amusement following me from behind, I fled the private room.
I wanted to use cold water to calm myself down, but outside the restroom door, I heard Olivia's nauseating voice.
"Your little problem is nothing—just a word from me, no big deal.
"But you're the impressive one. In such a short time, you've got William eating out of your hand."
"What's so special about that? Men are all the same. As long as you're good-looking, have a nice body, and satisfy their sexual desires, they'll obediently do whatever you say."
"Olivia, but speaking of which, are you planning to stay like this with William forever? I heard his wife is his first love, and he won't divorce easily."
"First love? That's just what he says because he hasn't seen the world. Now that he's got a better woman, how could he still cling to a piece of expired bread?"
I stood to the side outside the restroom. Through the reflection in the glass, I could see Olivia and her friend touching up their makeup in the mirror, looking very pleased with themselves.
"If I were William's wife, I'd have the sense to pack my bags now and try to get more assets in the divorce, rather than being kicked out with nothing and not even knowing how to beg." Olivia's friend's laughter was shrill, piercing my heart like a blade.
I didn't know if this was William's intention, but I understood that I really should leave this joyless marriage.