Her expression didn't change. She remained on her seat while looking at her cell phone screen that kept on ringing. Carole had no time to talk with Aston. She already said her final piece and everything about the divorce will be directed to her lawyer.
Her husband already hurt her enough, causing her so much pain to feel nothing now. She had no intentions of getting it back together with Aston, now that she is pregnant, she will not let this child experience the pain and betrayal she had.
Her palm went to her stomach and a smile formed across her cheeks. This baby will be her hope and light to her new life. Carole decided to pick up her phone, but when she was about to turn it off, she received a notification from her email.
She quickly opened it and read it thoroughly. She told herself that she will never ask for any money from Aston. A time for her to get a job to sustain her daily needs and to survive with the child inside her womb.
However, a disappointed expression changed her smile. Carole got rejected again for the fifth time. There are a lot of companies to whom she already sent her CV but everyone of them rejected her application.
She put her phone down and her fist clenched. She didn't want to think about it,but it seems that Aston is the one behind it all. For sure, Aston didn't want her to get a job because he wanted her to suffer and to crawl back to him.
A long deep sigh escaped her lips. Carole needed a job so bad. She has bills to pay since she rented an apartment. She needs to get her financial status stable for the next few months because her belly is growing.
Carole stood up and fixed her hair. She looked at herself through the mirror. Her eyebags are getting darker and the stress are showing on her face.
***
The strong scent coming from the brewing coffee awoke her. Carole blinked her brown eyes and looked at the surroundings. She decided to head out and have something from the coffee restaurant near the building she was in.
The barista smiled and greeted her but she had no time to act friendly today so she told her order straight and paid.
After that, she sat down next to the glass wall of the restaurant to entertain her eyes. This week has been hectic and stressful for her. She still couldn't find a job.
Suddenly, to her surprise someone pulled the chair across from her. Carole looked up and scanned the old man from head to toe. The old man is wearing a black and gray checkered polo and loose pants. He didn't remove his straw hat but the side of his gray hair next to his ears is showing. He was wearing tinted sunglasses so she couldn't see his eyes.
The old man nodded at her and smiled. "Hello there, young lady,"
Carole's ears irked. This old man's voice wasn't that old or doesn't sound like one. It looks like this man is wearing a disguise. Since she had no time to talk, she ignored the other person's presence and put her eyes back through the glass wall.
"You look bothered, need someone to talk to?"
The old man offered with a sincere tone, still gazing through Carole's eyes filled with worries.
Silence
It only broke when the crew finally put what Carole ordered on the table. The old man smiled at the crew and when they were alone again, his eyes went back to Carole.
Carole finally sighed.
"Fine," she said, all ready to talk out her frustrations now. Since this man is a complete stranger to her, it doesn't matter whether she would tell his problem.
Maybe that's all she needs, someone who she can vent to for a while.
"You're asking me what's wrong, right?" She looked at the man straight through his eyes even though he was wearing sunglasses.
"I need a job" there was a long pause before she added "badly,"
She sighed again, watching the smoke coming from the latte she ordered. Her appetite suddenly vanished after looking at the strawberry cake on the table.
"Oh," the old man across the table said. "That's a hard one," he added.
"It's not that hard for me if there is no someone blocking me from getting the perfect job I need," her blood almost boiled again.
If only her ex-husband was not working behind those companies she was trying to apply for, she knew that she would not sit here alone and stressed. Instead she will sit in an air conditioned office and enjoy her job.
The old man suddenly felt intrigued when he heard the lady say that someone is blocking her from getting a job, though he secretly smirked.
"Is that so?" He mumbled. "Why don't you try to apply at my grandson's company?" The old man asked.
Hearing his offer, Carole's ears perked up. "Are you serious, Mister?" She asked
The old man sitting across her table leaned his back and chuckled, then he looked at Carole. "Do I look like I'm making fun of you right now?"
The sudden change of serious tone made Carole gulped. The old man is indeed serious. She didn't know if he was being kind or they just really need people.
But the offer sounds convincing. If this is her luck today, she will quickly bite the opportunity.
Before she could think of anything else, the old man took something from his pocket. It was a card, he pushed it towards Carole.
"Just call this number,"
Carole picked up the card and then her eyes squinted because she thought that it will looked like something professional, but it only has a number and a first name which is 'Rene'
"Rene?" Carole mumbled.
The old man chuckled. "First time hearing my name?" He asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude." Carole quickly apologized. "Thank you, Mister Rene," she corrected herself.
"It's nothing," the old man finally stood up. "I should be going for now,"
Carole suddenly wanted to talk to him more but she didn't call the old man and just watched him disappear from her sight after saying his goodbye.