CHAPTER 10: CHAPTER 10: MARRIAGE IS FOR A BETTER LIFE, AND DIVORCE EVEN MORE SO!

"Someone reported that you have an outsider staying in your room."

Warren looked at Una Hutton and said, "Mr. Hutton, you know, this dormitory is meant for faculty members of the university, and outsiders aren’t allowed to stay overnight. That’s the school’s rule. The staff at the logistics office should’ve emphasized that to you when you moved in."

"Warren, could I trouble you to make an exception?"

Una Hutton pleaded with a hopeful expression.

Warren replied with difficulty, "Mr. Hutton, it’s not up to me. I’m just a temporary worker; I do what the management tells me to do. All these years, have you ever seen me making things difficult for anyone? I always get along well with everyone."

"Warren, my friend..."

Not wanting Una Hutton to be embarrassed, Serena Sinclair interrupted her, turning to Warren, "Aunt Warren, I’ll be leaving right after dinner. I promise I won’t stay overnight!"

"That’s good, that’s good... You all eat quickly, then. I’ll be off!"

Warren nodded, and as she left, she helped Una Hutton close the door.

The scrumptious aroma filled the room, and Una Hutton’s face turned sour, "It must be Adrian Lockwood!"

The entire building was occupied by female instructors from Aethelgard University. Forget friends and family, sometimes even boyfriends stayed over, and no one ever said anything.

Even if someone bumped into them in the hallway, they would just tease and talk about when they’re getting married and to remember to send wedding candy.

Who would be bored enough to care about whether there’s an outsider staying overnight in someone else’s room?

After thinking, it had to be that bastard Adrian Lockwood.

Una Hutton cursed furiously.

Serena Sinclair felt a pang in her heart, but kept her face composed.

With a smile, she picked up the chopsticks and handed them to Una Hutton, "Regardless of who it is, we’re indeed at fault. Even if the sky falls, we should eat first. Let’s eat..."

"Then, what will you do?"

"I’ll stay at a hotel tonight... Come on, don’t frown. Trust me, I can handle it."

Una Hutton sulked, as if she were the one being kicked out.

Serena Sinclair coaxed her for a while until she finally smiled a little.

The cheerful hotpot meal came to an end amidst Serena Sinclair’s jokes and antics.

Una Hutton went to the bathroom and returned.

Serena Sinclair waved her phone, showing her the hotel booking page, "Coincidentally, I have an interview tomorrow. I booked a hotel next to that company, so I don’t have to rush early in the morning."

"Alright."

Una Hutton nodded and held Serena Sinclair, feeling guilt-stricken.

After finishing the hotpot and cleaning up.

They collected the trash.

The two linked arms and strolled through the night breeze, walked to the subway station at the school gate.

In the past, she would drive a luxury car.

But now, Serena Sinclair didn’t even want to take a taxi.

Approaching the subway entrance, Serena Sinclair turned and walked to Una Hutton, hugging her with reddened eyes, "I know you want to call me foolish, and stubborn, but Una, I don’t regret it!"

Adrian isn’t in the right, if she finds a lawyer, not to mention the assets under The Lockwood Group, she could at least get half of the house and car under Adrian’s name.

"But when I married him, it wasn’t for the house and the car."

She just wanted to spend her life with him, having a little home that belonged to the two of them.

A family of two, three meals and four seasons.

Perhaps, have one or two children, living a lifetime of warmth and happiness.

"Instead of wasting time fighting lawsuits, it’s better to end things swiftly and cleanly."

"Working hard, with my skills, I can definitely afford a house and car."

"Marrying is to have a good life, and so is divorcing. Una, I believe I can do it!"

Una Hutton was convinced.

"I believe too!"

Taking a deep breath, Una Hutton held Serena Sinclair tightly, cheering her on, "Then you have to do your best! I’m still waiting for you to reach the pinnacle of life and take me along with you. Just don’t make me wait until we’re old and gray, because then, even if you can take me, I won’t be able to keep up..."

"Alright, I’ll try my best!"

Serena Sinclair laughed.

It took two subway transfers to reach the hotel.

As the door closed, darkness fell.

Serena Sinclair felt like all her strength had been drained, sliding down the door to the floor.

She hugged her knees, burying her face against them, her expression defeated.

She lied to Una.

There’s no interview at all.

During the week she stayed at Una Hutton’s dormitory, she submitted over a thousand applications.

Starting with positions as an architect or architect assistant, to lowering standards to administrative assistants and logistics assistants, she’s spoken to an untold number of human resources managers.

Knowing she was married and had a child, most eliminated her immediately.

Upon learning she only had a year of work experience from the past years, even more eliminated her.

The few remaining companies likely only considered her as a distinguished graduate from Aethelgard University, with a vague "waiting for the interview notice," followed by silence.

A week had passed, and she hadn’t even received a proper interview call.

It’s said that heaven never seals off all exits.

But for a moment, Serena Sinclair felt like she was standing at a cliff’s edge.

With fierce winds and the looming threat of a storm.

She couldn’t move forward, nor back.

Ding!

The unique notification sound from the job application app chimed.

Serena Sinclair was stunned for a moment, then quickly snapped back.

Seeing a "Interview Notice Email" popped up on her phone screen.

A company called Celestial Architecture.

Checking through her history, she hadn’t submitted her resume to this company before.

Yet the company seemed unimpressive both in scale and in projects they had worked on, not within her selection criteria.

Only the salary was absurdly high.

A monthly salary of fifteen thousand.

Plus additional housing allowance, phone allowance, and transportation allowance.

Unusual circumstances are often suspicious.

Serena Sinclair never believed in free lunches, especially in moments of helplessness and despair.

Before she could question it, the other party seemed to have noticed that she had viewed the interview notice email.

The HR manager greeted proactively: [Hello Ms. Sinclair, I’ve reviewed your resume and am quite interested in your profile and experience. Could you come for an interview tomorrow morning?]

Serena Sinclair hesitated for a moment and asked: [Could I inquire about the job content?]

The reply came: [Administrative Assistant. We are a startup company, and the boss himself is an architect, traveling frequently, so he needs an assistant. Meanwhile, the assistant needs to assume duties as a personal secretary.]

Frequent travel.

Personal secretary.

It became crystal clear instantly what the subtext was.

Serena Sinclair’s face turned cold, she declined decisively, [No, thank you!]

She tossed the phone aside; the screen dimmed.

The room plunged into darkness, and Serena Sinclair was engulfed by endless fatigue and helplessness.

In an instant, recalling the untouched ten thousand dollars in her account, realizing that even if she took three to five months to find a job, it would be enough to cover her essentials, Serena Sinclair perked up.

Take a shower.

Change clothes.

She opened the backpack and found what Una Hutton had packed for her when she volunteered to help.

Not only had she packed two sets of clean clothes.

Among the clothes, she had also slipped in two boxes of facial masks and several skincare products.

Just like...how Serena Sinclair had done for her once before.

Fatigue evaporated immediately.

Lying in bed with a facial mask on, chatting with Una Hutton for a while, Serena Sinclair drifted to sleep amidst the noisy TV background.

When daylight broke, the ringing of the phone woke Serena Sinclair.

Picking it up to glance at it, she saw the familiar number on the screen.

Adrian Lockwood.

Serena Sinclair decisively hung up.

Ring ring!

The phone rang again.

Not completely divorced yet, she couldn’t block or delete him.

Even if she turned off the phone, she couldn’t avoid it today, nor tomorrow.

Serena Sinclair answered, "What do you want?"