[Chapter 12]
The Larson Group was located in the center of the city.
Natalie had to take several buses to get to the suburb.
After about two hours of travel, she finally returned home.
Natalie was so exhausted that she slumped on the sofa as soon as she returned home.
Elaine had always despised Natalie ever since they were in college.
Her hatred was apparent during the interview.
Therefore, Natalie guessed she would somehow prevent her from getting the job. Just as she was lost in thought, she received an email from the HR department of the Larson Group that she had failed the interview.
Natalie stood up and went to the table to get her laptop.She was not discouraged.
There were still many other companies that she could work for.
Natalie scrolled through the e-mails and continued to prepare for interviews.She was determined to get a job.
Just then, her stomach rumbled.
Natalie had been busy with the interview since she woke up — she neither had the time nor energy to eat.
She went to the kitchen, made a quick sandwich, and munched on it as she continued to read the e-mails.
Just then, she heard the clinking of keys, and the door opened.
Sebastian walked in, wearing a black jacket and faded jeans.
He slumped on the sofa and let out a long, weary sigh.
As he turned to look at Natalie, his gaze fell on her resume and the portfolio on the table.
"Are you looking for a job?" he asked.
"I have graduated from college," said Natalie with a mouthful of sandwich.
"I obviously have to find a job. I have made more sandwiches.Do you want one?"
Sebastian looked at Natalie.
She was wearing light makeup and a simple yet elegant outfit.
Her dressing revealed she was an art major.
Sebastian looked at her plump lips as she bit her sandwich — they looked inviting.
He blinked away and said, "Well, I'll have one if there are any extra sandwiches."
Natalie put the sandwich in front of him and sat opposite him.
Sebastian's eyes fell on the pamphlet of the Larson Group under her resume.
He picked it up and looked at her.
"Did you go to the Larson Group for an interview?"
Natalie's focus was fixed on the laptop. She took the last bite of the sandwich.
"Yes, I did.But I failed the interview,"she answered while typing.
"I'm checking other companies now." Sebastian took a small bite of the sandwich and put it down. He quietly looked at her resume and portfolio.
She had achieved excellence in school, designed several works, and had won several awards and accolades.
Although her jewelry and clothing designs looked amateurish, it was still better compared to the works of her fellow graduates.
A fresher with exceptional talent like this deserved a job at the Larson Group.
"Why did you fail? Did the interviewers tell you the reason?"
Sebastian put the sandwich on the plate and sat on the sofa with his legs crossed. His face looked cold and stern.
Natalie looked up at him. She felt strange and couldn't understand why he was asking her too many questions.
However, they were a married couple now.He had the right to question her for knowing her better.
"Perhaps it was an unlucky day for me," she said, shrugging.
"One of the interviewers was my schoolmate.She has been harboring a grudge against me.Maybe that's why she didn't want to hire me." Sebastian's face darkened.
He nodded without saying anything more.
Enoch, too, was confused as to why he was questioning her.
Her failure or victory had nothing to do with him.
However, he didn't know the HR department of the Larson Group had an employee who rejected a talent for a personal grudge.
He couldn't tolerate the injustice, so he questioned her.
Or that was what he told himself.
Natalie checked a dozen companies and sorted the information of the company she had to go to for an interview the next day.
After that, she stretched herself and looked around the small house.
The house looked small, but many things were crammed inside.
The decorative pieces on the shelves were all piled up together.
Several old magazines and a few flower pots with withered roses sat on the window sill.
Several showpieces and objects were scattered carelessly everywhere.
Natalie knew he must have bought these right before their wedding. The place looked like a temporary abode as if they would move at any time.
It just didn't feel like home at all.
She didn't know what the future had in store for her and Sebastian.
Until then, they had to live here.
Therefore, she decided to tidy up the house.She didn't want to live in a haphazard manner.
Therefore, she picked up everything and began cleaning the house.
Natalie balanced the thick stack of magazines in her hand and stole a glance at Sebastian, who was sleeping on the sofa.
From afar, he looked like a male model on the cover of a fashion magazine.
Natalie wondered if she should ask him to join her.
After all, this was his house.
Just as she was thinking about what to do, Sebastian's eyes fluttered open.
Looking at Natalie's vigilant eyes, Sebastian smiled.
"I will feel conscious if you continue to stare at me this way.Do you need my help with anything?"
Natalie quickly averted her gaze and pretended to be impervious to his good looks.
"Well, you can go to the kitchen and wash all the tableware on the cupboard," she said, clearing her throat.
Her heart was racing in her chest as she didn't expect Sebastian to catch her staring at him.
Sebastian stretched himself and walked to the kitchen.His tousled jet-black hair somehow made him look sexier.He opened the cupboard to get the tableware.
His mother had raised him all by herself a difficult feat for a single mother to achieve.
When Sebastian was a child, he had always helped his mother do the household chores, and Natalie seemed to have awakened his old habit.
After organizing the magazines, Natalie began to clean the bookshelf.
An involuntary smile stretched across her lips as she glanced at the tall man cleaning everything in the kitchen.
Although Sebastian wasn't wealthy, he was principled and organized.
Ever since Natalie moved into Sebastian's house, she felt the rumors were untrue.He wasn't a useless hooligan who fought on the streets like people told her.
She was glad that Sebastian shared the household work with her, unlike other sexist husbands who thought only women belonged in the kitchen.
Although they were only a nominal couple, Sebastian seemed to be a good partner.
Natalie hummed a song and continued to clean the house.Just then, a loud bang reverberated from the kitchen.
Natalie spotted Sebastian as soon as she entered the kitchen.He stood there awkwardly, surrounded by shards of broken china.He raised his eyes at her, looking lost and helpless.
"I was washing the dishes when they… slipped off my hands."
Well, he hadn't done this sort of thing for more than ten years, so a mess was inevitable sooner or later.
Natalie walked over and began picking the broken pieces one by one.She wasn't quite sure whether to laugh or cry.
"I'm guessing you didn't rinse any of these dishes.Ceramic tableware needs to be rinsed with warm water twice."
"I see.I'll take note of it next time."