Chapter 188 Job Opportunity
Lauren looked puzzled at Ethan, but he just grinned and got out of the car, leading her into the company.
"Seriously, Ethan, what's going on? Why are we here?" Lauren asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
Ethan's face turned serious. "You work here and submitted a design draft. Don't you want to see the design studio?"
Lauren's eyes widened with surprise and excitement. "Really? But isn't the design studio off-limits to outsiders? Won't I be in the way?"
"You're not an outsider, Lauren. You're an employee," Ethan reassured her.
To Ethan, Lauren was never an outsider, no matter the place or time.
Lauren laughed. "That's awesome! Thanks, Ethan."
Her innocent smile made Ethan feel worlds apart. It had been ages since he'd seen her smile like that.
Lauren's needs were simple. Little things made her happy for a long time. Sadly, right now, he couldn't even give her that small joy.
Ethan looked at her fondly as they got in the elevator and headed to the design studio.
Seeing her excitement, he teased, "Actually, Mr. Hernandez asked me to bring you here. He wants to talk to you personally."
"Is it because my last design wasn't good enough? Why tell me now? I'm not ready at all," Lauren said, anxiety creeping in.
She was about to leave City A but wanted to do a good job and leave with no regrets.
"Relax. I'm here, too! He wouldn't dare do anything to you," Ethan said, amused.
"Are you enjoying this? You did this on purpose, didn't you? Telling me now, leaving me unprepared," Lauren glared at him, feeling the urge to smack him.
"Okay, okay, don't be mad. He just wants a casual chat. Relax," Ethan admitted, not wanting to see her frown.
Despite Ethan's words, Lauren was still nervous. If she had known, she might have turned around and left.
The elevator stopped, and Ethan signaled for her to get out. Feeling a bit helpless, Lauren followed him to the design studio.
On the way, they passed a few staff members who greeted Ethan, calling him Mr. White. It was impressive.
Ethan led Lauren straight to Richard's office. He knocked and walked in with a grin, Lauren right behind him.
"Busy, Richard?" Ethan asked, approaching the desk.
Richard smiled at Ethan. "Not too busy for you!"
Lauren observed Richard. She had expected someone in engineering to be either bespectacled or sloppy. But Richard was neatly dressed in a suit and didn't wear thick glasses. She was quite impressed.
"Richard, let me introduce you. This is Lauren. I finally got her here today," Ethan said, turning the spotlight on Lauren.
Richard gave Lauren a once-over and nodded. "Hello, Miss Walker. So, my assistant is a beauty. Nice to finally meet you!"
Richard's friendly demeanor put Lauren at ease, and she mentally gave him a perfect score.
"Hello, Mr. Hernandez. Please take care of me," Lauren said, still a bit nervous.
With that, Ethan stepped aside, sipping the coffee brought by the secretary and listening to their discussion on design concepts.
"Miss Walker, I didn't expect you to be so young and have such unique insights into house design. Honestly, I like your work a lot," Richard said, straightforward as ever.
Lauren smiled. "Mr. Hernandez, you're too kind. I didn't have much experience in house design before, just a strong interest. Years ago, I accidentally drew a design, and Mr. White approved it and even built the house. That gave me the courage to pursue this work."
Lauren was genuinely grateful to Ethan. To her, he was more than a friend; he was a mentor and guide.
Richard nodded. "Mr. White mentioned this to me. I also visited that villa. Although some designs are a bit immature, overall, it's quite good."
Lauren was thrilled. Richard was a big name in house design, and she was just a novice. His praise meant the world to her.
After a moment of thought, Richard spoke slowly, "Miss Walker, I understand your current situation from Mr. White. Your child is your main focus right now, but I believe getting back to work soon would be beneficial. I'd like to offer you the position of my assistant. Your talent in house design is exceptional, and you're the perfect fit for the role I have in mind."
Richard's offer took Lauren by surprise. She was tempted but unsure how to respond.
"I..." Lauren hesitated, not knowing how to turn down Richard's enthusiastic offer.
Seeing her dilemma, Ethan quickly jumped in, "Richard, Lauren's child is still very young. She really can't consider this right now. Besides, working from home isn't much different, right?"
Richard's eyes shifted between Lauren and Ethan, finally understanding. "I'm just eager to find talent! Mr. White knows the company's situation better. We need creative newcomers, and I'm considering this for you."
Ethan felt a bit embarrassed by Richard's words. If they were that effective, he wouldn't be so troubled.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Hernandez and Mr. White, for your appreciation. Please give me some time to think about it, okay?" Lauren said after some contemplation.
Hearing there was a chance, Ethan was overjoyed. "Alright, we respect your decision!"
However, Lauren felt even more burdened. She cherished and liked this job opportunity very much. If possible, she really wanted to learn from Richard. After all, such an opportunity was too rare.
