Ian watched as Gemma Scott approached them. Ever since her interview at Montgomery Group where she encountered Aurora, she felt as if she had been cursed. Subsequently, she interviewed with five companies and astonishingly, no one hired her. All her friends had secured internships, leaving her the only one without a job.
Why wouldn’t Gemma be worried? Initially, she thought those people lacked vision, as someone with her qualifications shouldn’t struggle to find a good job. Reality proved otherwise; while jobs were plentiful, securing a good position was challenging. The prestigious companies would not hire her, and after repeated rejections, Gemma was truly panicked.
Coincidentally, she heard from a friend that Ian and some of the top students were interviewing at a new company, and after some investigation, Gemma found her way there. Ian had already grown to despise her from her past actions, and seeing her here was unpleasant.
“Ian.”
Gemma approached him coquettishly. Once, he thought she was the best girl in the world, but after learning of her dark past, he found her utterly repulsive.
“Why are you here?”
Even Ian, usually too nice for his own good, didn’t want to deal with Gemma, especially after meeting Aurora, whom he admired for her independence and confidence.
Gemma’s every move was affected. When you like someone, you might find even their teary eyes endearing. But when affection turns to disgust, you would find even an angel repulsive if it were her; her every grin and grimace induced nausea.
“I heard you’re well acquainted with the president of Sun Corporation. Look, we’ve been friends, can you…” Gemma latched onto Ian’s arm, her pose suggesting they were a close couple.
The other guys, unaware of Gemma’s true nature, thought Ian still liked her as before. Many joked, “Oh, no wonder you ignore us. You plan to save a spot for your girlfriend, huh?”
“What girlfriend? What spot? Don’t say such things,” Gemma said, feigning shyness but leaning closer.
It baffled her how this fool had changed. He no longer obeyed her blindly, and now he even dared to show disdain.
No matter, he still had his uses. If need be, she could sacrifice a bit of dignity to secure his help, especially since he knew the CEO of Sun Corporation. The chatter confirmed this, and she was determined not to miss this opportunity.
“Don’t talk nonsense, I’m single, I have no girlfriend,” Ian said, disgusted by Gemma’s flirtatious behavior. He wondered if he had been blind to have liked her before.
“Why so shy? We all understand, Gemma, don’t mind him, he’s just shy,” said his roommate, who clearly didn’t believe Ian.
“I know Ian has always been shy, how could I mind?”
Gemma replied, even more affectionately.
Ian glared at her; this woman was blatantly lying. He had made it very clear that they had nothing to do with each other anymore, yet here she was, misleading everyone around.
“Wait here for me; I need to speak with her privately,” Ian said, pulling Gemma aside.
“This Ian seems different from before,” remarked one bystander.
“He used to not look at Gemma like that.”
“Who knows? Maybe she was out of his league before, and now she’s his girlfriend, things naturally changed. Instead of worrying about their affair, let’s think about our chances of getting hired today.”
“At first, I thought not many people would apply to the new company, and we would surely pass,” one person lamented.
“But seeing this crowd now, it seems we hardly stand a chance.”
“Right? Who would have thought so many industry elites would also apply? How good must the benefits at this company be to attract them all? It looks like we’re doomed,” another added.
“Man, the pressure is intense. Now, our only hope is Ian,” the group muttered as they watched the elites from various companies shake their heads.
“Look, Aurora is here too,” someone pointed out, spotting Aurora in the crowd immediately.
It wasn’t that his eyes were particularly sharp, but Aurora really stood out among the crowd. Her skin was very pale, and today she was dressed in a white shirt and capris, topped with a black blazer. Her feet were adorned with black stilettos, giving her a competent and mature aura.
The group was stunned. If anyone had thought Gemma was out of reach, their gaze upon seeing Aurora would instantly elevate her to queen status! Even her mere presence exuded a ‘keep away’ vibe.
Thanks to the makeup she deliberately wore earlier, no one could recognize her true identity. Now, she was like the sun, impossible to ignore.
“She is the daughter of the Montgomery family. How could she possibly be applying at another company? I heard the Montgomery family had a huge scandal. It turns out Ivy and Zachary aren’t Montgomery’s children. Now, she’s the only daughter left. Ah, to think how naive we were. If we had realized this sooner and pursued her, we could have been part of the Montgomery family,” they dreamed.
While they were still dreaming, one pointed to the man beside Aurora, “I advise you to stop dreaming. Do you see who that is?”
“Him… what’s his name? I’ve seen him in financial magazines before, but I can’t recall his name right now.”
“Julian Barnet, the real tycoon and eligible bachelor. No wonder he’s been single; he was waiting for Aurora. Do you think this company belongs to Mr. Barnet?”
Everyone speculated, and no one guessed it could be Aurora’s company. This was the most likely scenario they all agreed on, “It seems Mr. Barnet and Aurora are quite close. Do you think we should try to get close to Aurora and have her put in a good word for us with Mr. Barnet?”
“That’s a good idea. After all, we’ve been friends. Aurora wouldn’t be so heartless, right?”
They unanimously decided to try and get Aurora to speak to Julian on their behalf.
Everyone tried their best to secure a position in the company, deploying all sorts of tricks just to stay.
This included Gemma, who Ian pulled aside to a secluded area, “What exactly are you here for?”
“Let go, you’re hurting me!”
Gemma shook off Ian’s hand.
“My purpose is the same as yours. I want to get into this company.”
“If you’re just here to apply, then why are you spouting nonsense in front of them!”
Ian’s disdain for Gemma grew.
“What nonsense? We are a couple, aren’t we? Where did I speak nonsense?”
Gemma blinked innocently.
“Shut up. I’ve already made it clear there’s nothing between us. Stay away from me in the future and keep your mouth clean,” Ian felt she had an incredibly thick face.
Soon, this thickness would redefine his understanding of her. Gemma, suppressing her anger and wearing a flattering smile, leaned in close to Ian and whispered seductively in his ear, “Ian, help me get into this company, and I’ll be yours tonight.”