Chapter 30 Desperate for Money
After they changed, Miley led her outside. They were in a luxurious hallway with the scent of money lingering in the air, different to the dim employee corridor.
Isabella was extremely nervous. She felt thrilled as if she was a child sneaking into an internet cafe to play games without her parents' knowledge.
At the door, Miley reached out to knock, while turning her head to advise Isabella, "You need to be quick-witted later. Remember to say nice things. If someone gives you a tip, take it. Don't be shy."
Isabella listened attentively and nodded, indicating she understood. Although she had already mentally prepared herself, she couldn't help but feel nervous when the door opened. She kept her head down, afraid to look at anyone, and simply followed Miley's footsteps, afraid of being left behind.
"Shy assistant?" a voice sounded above her head, tinged with a hint of confusion and teasing.
Isabella was taken aback and looked up to see Zaire's smiling face.
"It really is you, huh?" Zaire seemed excited when he saw her. Without waiting for Isabella to say anything, he turned to his other side and said, "This waiter looks like your shy assistant, Mr. Landon."
Isabella felt as if she was frozen in place. She stiffly turned her head, following Zaire's gaze, and she saw Sebastian. In that moment of eye contact, Isabella's mind was struck by a bolt of thunder and she felt as if her world was about to shatter.
How would you feel if you secretly took on a part-time job behind the boss's back and got caught? You would feel as if you wanted to die.
Zaire reached out and tugged at her sleeve. "I'm talking to you. Why aren’t you saying anything? Aren't you an employee of the Landon Group? How did you end up here... as a waitress? Don't you know that the Landon Group prohibits its regular employees from having part-time jobs?"
Isabella was shocked. She had been anxious about finding a part-time job and earning money and had completely forgotten about the Landon Group's regulations. Now, prompted by Zaire's reminder, she realized she had made a big mistake!
Isabella lowered her head, weakly saying, "You're mistaken. I'm a waitress here, I’m Amber."
Zaire raised an eyebrow, looking at Sebastian.
Sebastian simply glanced at Isabella, and then calmly said, "She does look like the shy assistant."
This indirectly denied Zaire's speculation.
"After a closer look, I suppose they really don't look alike." Zaire stared at Isabella intently, then tapped the table with his finger. "Come here and pour me a drink."
Isabella silently walked over and filled a glass for Zaire.
Zaire looked at the glass, a little dissatisfied as he said, "I can't hold my liquor. Are you trying to get me drunk by pouring so much for me?"
Isabella felt a bit anxious.
She was a newcomer to the workplace and it was her first time working as a waitress, so she was a bit at a loss in this situation.
"Mr. Jose." Miley walked over, lightly resting her arm on Zaire's shoulder, her soft body leaning against him. She held a glass of wine and clinked glasses with Zaire, making a crisp sound. "Can’t you hold your alcohol, Mr. Jose? Why are you being modest today? Here, I'll drink with you."
As she spoke, she lifted her glass and handed it to Zaire, saying, "I'll go first. You can have as much as you want, Mr. Jose."
She tilted her head back and finished a shot.
Zaire glanced at Miley’s snow-white delicate neck and narrowed his eyes. "I'll drink with you."
With that, he also tilted his head back and downed the contents of his glass.
Miley took the opportunity to give Isabella a signal, so Isabella quickly left. She stood by the door with a few other waiters, waiting to go over if anyone needed service.
Miley stayed with Zaire the whole time. They drank as if it were water and had a great time.
At first, Isabella was worried about Miley, thinking that she would get drunk later. It turned out that Isabella had underestimated Miley. Miley drank a lot, but her face never turned red.
Isabella gradually let go of her concerns. She looked around and finally saw Sebastian. He had been sitting there the whole time. Despite the chaos in the private room, he seemed unaffected, as if he couldn't blend into the lively atmosphere. If someone talked to him, he would respond politely, but he wouldn't initiate conversations with anyone else. He just quietly drank by himself.
Isabella looked at him and felt that he seemed quite lonely.
Just then, a charming woman appeared beside him. A girl in the pink dress approached him, blushing. She held a glass of wine and wanted to drink with him. However, she didn't hold the glass steady, which caused her drink to spill onto Sebastian's white shirt.
"Sorry, Mr. Landon. I've stained your clothes. Let me help you clean it..." Although she apologized, her expression showed that she did it intentionally. She took out a few tissues and started wiping Sebastian. It seemed like she was removing the stain, but in reality, she was touching Sebastian. Her beautiful pink nails traced circles on Sebastian's chest. She looked at him affectionately. All her desires were written on her face. If Sebastian said the word, she would undress herself and spend a passionate night with him.
For some reason, Isabella found that scene quite annoying. She was someone who liked peace, but at that moment, she wanted to step forward and push that woman away, keeping her far from Sebastian.
Suddenly, Sebastian grabbed the woman's wrist. Taking advantage of his strength, the woman leaned onto him.
Isabella suddenly remembered how Sebastian had acted so desperately with her that night. The thought of Sebastian doing the same with someone else made her heart ache.
As she was about to turn away, she saw Sebastian push the woman away and stand up, saying, "Stay away from me."
He walked out.
The woman pouted but was undeterred. She turned to please another man.
A few minutes later, Isabella walked out of the private room. In the dimly lit, long corridor, she spotted Sebastian smoking by the window at the end of the hallway. After a moment of hesitation, Isabella approached him.
When Sebastian heard footsteps, he turned his head, frowning when he saw her. He extinguished the cigarette, tossing the butt into the trash can.
Isabella always felt nervous when she faced him. "Mr. Landon," she said.
Sebastian, looking at the top of her head, spoke earnestly, "Don't you want to work at the Landon Group anymore?"
Feeling flustered, Isabella hurriedly replied, "No... I... I..."
She didn't know how to explain it to him. Everyone had empathy, but she didn't expect Sebastian, as the boss, to understand a lowly employee like her. And working part-time did violate company regulations. The more she said, the more it sounded like she was making excuses.
Isabella's eyes reddened with anxiety. She bit her lip and didn’t know what to say.
Sebastian's heart softened when he saw her teary eyes He pulled out another cigarette, lit it, took a few puffs, his voice slightly hoarse. "Do you need money?"
