After Lila moved back into the villa, Elisa began going out for job interviews. Strangely, she had applied to over a dozen companies online but hadn’t received a single message in response.
She couldn’t help but suspect if there was something wrong with the system. Elisa woke up early, prepared breakfast, and changed into formal attire.
Hamish came downstairs for breakfast and saw her dressed up. He asked, “Are you going out?”
Elisa lowered her head while drinking porridge and replied, “I’m going out for an interview.”
Having not mentioned it for a few days, Hamish almost forgot about Elisa’s plan to work. But wait, didn’t he ask Tobias to take care of it? Why would someone still call Elisa for an interview?
Elisa glanced at the time, hastily finished her porridge, and left. After watching her leave, Hamish called Tobias, instructing him to keep a close eye on Elisa and prevent her from finding a job.
Tobias was puzzled by Hamish’s behavior and, as an onlooker, he strongly disapproved of such actions. Elisa was a twenty-four-year-old adult, and if she was confined to the house and not allowed to go out, it would eventually ruin her ability to function as a member of society.
Hamish wanted Elisa to be a housewife, but it also depended on whether she was willing or not. Elisa had taken over the Powell family at the age of eighteen, presenting herself as a female elite to the outside world. Such a person would never willingly be trapped like a parrot in a cage.
Hamish understood this reasoning, but when he looked at Elisa’s beautiful face and her emaciated body, having lost the Powell family, he couldn’t help but wonder what she could do if she went outside.
Just the thought of Elisa working outside made him feel restless. He didn’t allow it and couldn’t tolerate Elisa interacting with other men, facing their unabashed gaze.
At this moment, Hamish began to realize that Elisa was different to him. It was like buying a painting, initially just for decoration and appreciation, but then unexpectedly discovering that the painting was an antique and wanting to hide it away to prevent it from being stolen.
He was so domineering but forgot that Elisa was a person, not an inanimate object, nor a painting for his admiration.
Elisa went out to look for a job, but every time she saw a suitable company recruiting, she would directly fill out her resume. However, each time before it was her turn, the other party would say it’s already over.
She could accept it once or twice, but after repeatedly hitting a wall, even if she were foolish, she would notice something unusual. Not finding a job had taken a toll on her health. Spending half a month outside under the scorching sun, she felt weak and nauseous.
Elisa initially thought it was a heatstroke, and coupled with her pre-existing stomach cancer, feeling nauseous was normal, so she didn’t pay much attention to it.
She thought resting for a while after returning home would make her feel better, but she didn’t expect that as soon as she entered the kitchen and smelled the fumes of cooking oil, she felt even more nauseous.
She couldn’t muster the energy to cook, so she handed it over to Mrs. Gordon. Although Mrs. Gordon didn’t say anything, her displeasure was evident on her face.
For dinner, Lila and Mrs. Gordon cooked together, preparing steamed fish, braised pork, a vegetable dish, and chicken soup.
When Hamish returned home from work and looked around but didn’t see Elisa, his gaze deepened. “Where is she?” he asked.
Lila approached him affectionately, hooking her arm through his and said, “Elisa might not be feeling well today. I made dinner.”
Hamish looked at the table, where everything looked delicious, but he couldn’t muster an appetite.
Unaware of what was going on in Hamish’s mind, Lila kept insisting and handed him the chopsticks, saying, “Hamish, you haven’t tasted my cooking in a long time. Try it and see if my skills have improved.”
Hamish looked at the table full of dishes, unsure of which one to pick. He tightened his fingers and finally put the chopsticks down. “You go ahead and eat. I’ll go upstairs to check on her.”
Lila’s smile on her face faltered. She pursed her lips but didn’t say anything. Hamish hastily got up and went upstairs.