Chapter 357: A Familiar Name, An Unexpected Interview

Maya tilted her head. “Wait, does that make me a thorn in his side now? I’m always standing between you two, stopping him from bothering you about getting back together.”

“Don’t overthink it. He might not even care that much about getting back together,” Ellis said. She still couldn’t figure out what exactly triggered Easton’s sudden regret over the divorce—or his renewed interest in her. She remembered hearing from the police that Easton had helped in getting Victoria arrested. Whether it was his wife or his first love, he never seemed to hold back. It was like he did whatever he wanted—treated people better or worse—based entirely on his mood. That piece of crap really only ever loved himself.

With Maya around, Ellis had been able to keep Easton at arm’s length. And now that she seemed relaxed and in a good mood, Maya didn’t want to make her worry about things that might not even happen.

They were out for a reason—to grab groceries. So they dropped the topic of Easton and focused on shopping, carefully picking through items at the supermarket. Afterward, they stopped by a restaurant to grab a quick bite.

Midway through the meal, Maya asked, “Your birthday’s coming up. What kind of gift do you want?”

“I don’t have anything specific in mind. Just get whatever.” Ellis didn’t really care what Maya gave her. Even just having dinner together was enough. A gift wasn’t necessary. That reminded her—Easton had never once given her a birthday present on his own. He wasn’t into celebrating holidays, but she was. Expecting him to remember her birthday had always been laughable. She knew that, but still clung to the hope. Not wanting to get hurt, she’d always remind him and tell him exactly what she wanted. He’d get her the gift, sure—but always with this look on his face like he was doing her some huge favor. Looking back, it felt like he was tossing scraps at her while she begged—for his love, begged to be seen.

After two weeks of job hunting, Ellis had five offers on the table. Now she had a new problem—picking one. She couldn’t decide. Then another interview invitation came in. She figured, why not give it one more shot before making her final decision?

But as she neared the building, the car in front of her suddenly slammed on the brakes. She almost rear-ended it. She thought it was just a quick scare, but after she parked a little farther down, she noticed the man who got out of that car looked really familiar. Mr. Marwell? Her brain ran through memories at lightning speed, landing on the time she saw him at a hotel in Kyrador.

What was he doing in Stonebridge? What were the odds—three cities in a row, and somehow they kept crossing paths. She watched him walk into a nearby office building. The security guards standing at the entrance gave him a formal nod of respect. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but her interview was about to start, and she couldn’t be late. She checked her phone, matched the address with the buildings around her, and found the one she was headed to.

12:50 PM

When she confirmed it, her eyes drifted right back to the building Mr. Maxwell had just entered. She walked in too and told the front desk she was there for an interview. They handed her a few forms to fill out. While she was writing, she overheard two voices whispering nearby.

“Mr. Maxwell is so good-looking.”

“He’s been gone forever on this business trip. Finally back today!”

“Thank God. We get to stare at him again.”

Ellis glanced over and saw two receptionists trying to hide their giddy expressions while gossiping. It sounded like they were talking about their boss. Nothing she hadn’t heard before. So their Mr. Maxwell—was that the same man she’d run into a few times already?

Either way, she wasn’t focused on that. Right now, the interview was the only thing that mattered. She finished her paperwork, handed it in, and waited to be called.

After the first round, the HR rep said, “Ms. Harper, the position you applied for is actually to assist Mr. Maxwell. Since he happens to be in the office today, why don’t you wait a bit while I check if he’s available for a second-round interview? That way you won’t need to come back another day.”

Mr. Marwell again? Ellis immediately thought of the man she’d seen walk in. Was she really about to end up as his assistant?

She smiled politely. “The Mr. Maxwell you mentioned… is he Maxwell Fox?”

“Yes,” the rep paused. “You know him?”

“No,” Ellis quickly waved her hands. “We’ve just crossed paths a few times. That’s all.”

She didn’t know him. Just a few run-ins, that was it. It wasn’t unusual for applicants to know something about the higher-ups—it showed initiative. The HR rep didn’t find the question strange at all. She just nodded and said she’d reach out to the executive office.

A few minutes later, Mr. Maxwell’s assistant, Cleveland, responded. Mr. Maxwell was available, but first, they wanted to narrow down the candidates who passed round one. HR collected all the qualifying résumés and sent them upstairs.