Chapter 1144

As soon as Natalie opened the door, a strong smell of alcohol hit Skylar, making her glance into the room. “Have you been drinking?”

Natalie hiccuped, the alcohol scent intensifying. “Yeah, I’ve been drinking. It’s boring alone, so I called you to cheer me up.”

Skylar frowned. Natalie never hid her feelings; something was clearly amiss. She wouldn't be drinking alone otherwise.

She changed her shoes and followed Natalie inside, noticing several empty beer bottles near the couch. The quantity suggested a serious problem.

After sitting down, Skylar immediately took the beer from Natalie’s hand. “Come on, tell me what’s going on.”

Natalie, picking up some fried chicken from the coffee table and nibbling on it, replied, “It’s nothing, really.”

“Nothing?”

Natalie, realizing she couldn’t hide the truth, put down the drumstick. “Okay, something did happen.”

Skylar nodded, waiting. Natalie had called her precisely to confide. Recent events had left her feeling disoriented, as if experiencing a dramatic plot twist.

“Yesterday, Mr. Powell’s mother came to see me.”

Skylar was surprised. “Mr. Powell’s mother?”

Natalie forced a smile. “Yes, I didn’t expect it either. I’m just his assistant; I didn’t know why she’d contact me privately. When we met, I realized she disapproved. She said my background and status as a divorcee would negatively affect him. Basically, she implied I’d try to seduce him.”

“And then?” Skylar frowned.

She had suspected Austin liked Natalie, but Natalie had recently ended her marriage. Even if she harbored feelings for Austin, they were nascent, with no clear romantic intentions. Under these circumstances, Austin’s mother's approach was surprising.

“Then I told her I only admired Mr. Powell and never intended anything more. I said I wasn’t interested in marrying into wealth. I just got out of one such situation, why would I jump into another? But she didn’t believe me. She said my presence was already affecting Mr. Powell, that he might leave Jipsburg soon, and that I shouldn’t be a burden. Then, she handed me a blank check.”

Natalie’s expression reflected the shock of that moment.

Skylar understood Natalie wasn’t heartbroken; she seemed more concerned about losing her job—her first since graduating.

Natalie continued, “I won’t be able to keep this job. I can’t make things difficult for Mr. Powell. He’s helped me a lot. I need to think about what’s next. It’s just hard to leave. The colleagues are great, especially Hank. He’s like a big brother, and I’ll really miss his barbecues—no one makes them like him.”

Skylar was speechless. “So, you’re just reluctant to give up the food?”

“It’s not just that. I’ll miss Mr. Powell too. I won’t be able to watch him act in person anymore. Seeing him perform live is so much more powerful than watching him in a theater. But I’ll keep supporting his movies,” Natalie said, sounding sentimental.

Still, something else lingered, a vague feeling she couldn't quite define. It wasn't just those two reasons. Perhaps… she simply loved the job too much, making leaving that much harder.