Chapter 17 New Job
Although Lauren was officially tied to Quentin of the Robinson family, and their marriage was a public affair, she was concerned about her reputation. Despite the envy of many, those in City A who didn't personally know Lauren would still recognize her by name and link her to her social status.
Worried about being recognized, she didn't want her job hunt to draw attention to her connection with Quentin or her controversial public persona. Fortunately, she had used the name ‘Amelia’ from her childhood, which now came in handy.
After several days of early mornings and late evenings, Lauren went through numerous interviews before finally landing a job that was close to her heart—a tele sales representative.
Although she had experience in sales, working as a tele sales representative was a new challenge. Lauren wasn't intimidated by the prospect of selling over the phone rather than face-to-face. She believed in communicating and connecting with people, reasoning that it would not only help her skills but also prevent her baby from being shy.
The butler, noticing Lauren's frequent outings and her consistently uplifted spirits upon returning, decided not to raise the issue with Quentin.
That evening, upon completing her tasks earlier than usual, Lauren returned home where the butler swiftly approached her.
"Madam, what would you like for dinner tonight?" he asked attentively.
Since she started working, Lauren had lost the desire to cook daily, either dining out or relying on the butler's kindness to have her dinner prepared, sparing her the trouble.
Lauren gave the butler a grateful look and said, "Thank you, Uncle Robinson. I got home early today, so I can cook for myself. No need to trouble everyone."
"What are you saying, Madam? There's no trouble at all. It's our duty to take care of you," the butler sincerely replied, noticing the weariness between Lauren's brows and genuinely wishing to take good care of her.
Lauren nodded shyly, "Hmm, I know, but still, thank you all for looking after me. I appreciate it."
The butler took Lauren's backpack and followed her, suggesting, "How about soup for dinner tonight? The chef bought a very fresh and big fish from the market today, I'm sure you'll like it."
"Okay, that would be great. Thanks, Uncle Robinson."
Lauren felt longing for the meal, fully aware that her sensitivity to greasy and fishy foods was heightened during the early stages of her pregnancy. Yet, the butler's words had already tempted her cravings.
"It's okay. But, Madam, you've been out a lot these days. Is something wrong?" the butler asked with concern.
Lauren knew she couldn't keep her job-hunting a secret for much longer, nor did she really want to.
"No, Uncle Robinson. I found a job," she responded.
The butler was astonished, "A job?"
With a bashful nod, Lauren felt a bit awkward. Who would have thought that the Madam of the prestigious Robinson Conglomerate would end up as a tele sales representative elsewhere?
"I just get bored staying at home all day. I don't want to become some lazybones who just waits to be served," Lauren admitted earnestly.
To her surprise, the butler wholeheartedly agreed with her decision.
"You're doing the right thing, Madam. There's no rule that says a married woman can't work. Having a job is good. It makes sure you stay connected to society," he said. The butler, having seen many different women in his time with Quentin, found Lauren to be the most special and innocent of them all.
His eyes held even more admiration when he looked at Lauren now. Indeed, Quentin's choice of a wife was exceptional.
Unaware of the butler's thoughts, Lauren basked in the joy of feeling understood and supported. She was truly lonely, and just the butler's kind words lifted her spirits for the entire evening.
Lauren wasn't concerned about the butler telling Quentin about her job hunting. She didn't care and certainly wouldn't mind.
After dinner, Lauren headed to bed early, lying there with music playing softly as she engaged in some prenatal bonding with her baby. She didn't want to miss any chance to connect, drifting to sleep content and happy, knowing tomorrow would only be better.
The next morning, Lauren woke promptly to the alarm, freshened up, and got a simple breakfast started. As she sliced bread, the knife slipped, nicking her fingertip with blood quickly pooling.
With a fluster, she popped her finger in her mouth; although the cut wasn't deep, it still hurt like hell.
"What's going on today?" she thought. "Bleeding first thing in the morning can't be a good sign."
Then she shook her head, dismissing the thought. As a modern woman, she had no belief in such superstitious tales.
Grabbing a bandage, she swiftly covered the cut, finished breakfast in haste, and caught the bus to work like any other day.
Getting off the bus, a ten-minute walk brought Lauren to the towering spire of her workplace, Kingridge Tower. Rising over forty stories, it loomed mightily, recalling the day of her interview, packed with candidates, resulting in a twenty-some story climb up the stairs just to make her appointment on time.
Stepping confidently into the grand foyer, Lauren bumped into her supervisor, Abigail.
"Good morning, Abigail!" she greeted warmly.
"Morning, Amelia," Abigail nodded back as they entered the elevator together.
Lauren felt a twinge of nerves; her career was still young, and schmoozing with the higher-ups didn't come naturally to her.
Their office was on the thirty-sixth floor, and as the elevator ascended, time seemed to slow to a crawl, her palms growing sweaty with tension.
Abigail, perceptive of Lauren's nerves, appreciated this newcomer. Hardworking and ambitious, unlike some opportunistic job-hoppers she'd dealt with.
"Amelia, you're doing great work, and your performance is impressive. I'm sure you'll be a permanent fixture here soon enough," Abigail offered, smiling.
A rush of excitement hit Lauren; to be recognized by her boss was a huge confidence boost.
"I'll keep pushing, Abigail."
They rode the rest of the way in silence until they reached the thirty-sixth floor.
Stepping out, another coworker approached Abigail, "Abigail, Henry mentioned a big shot is coming by today. We need to showcase our best work – today could be the day we clinch his investment."
Abigail's eyebrows arched, "Oh? Is he finally arriving?"
Lauren was puzzled. She had no idea who this important person was. Did the company really need to fawn over someone to that extent?
Abigail turned to Lauren and said, "Amelia, bring over the successful projects from your group; I'll pick one."
Amelia nodded and swiftly went to do as instructed by Abigail. She didn't care which big shot was involved—she just wanted to work steadily and earn money.
