CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 18: WHY DO WOMEN MAKE THINGS HARD FOR OTHER WOMEN

It’s the same business car she was just in, with dry seats and fresh air.

All traces of the previous mess and dirt were gone.

As she got out, Serena Sinclair thanked the driver profusely.

The driver smiled politely, "It’s my pleasure to serve you!"

She returned to her room, and it was already past six o’clock.

Without an appetite and feeling dizzy, Serena briefly freshened up before hugging a pillow and diving into bed.

Sure enough, she got a fever in the middle of the night, so she found the medicine prescribed by the doctor and swallowed a few pills, then fell asleep again.

At dawn, she was awakened by the ringing of her phone.

With difficulty, she opened her eyes to check, and it was already past nine.

On the screen was an unfamiliar landline number.

Serena sat up and answered the call, "Hello?"

"Is this Ms. Sinclair? ... I’m calling from Apex Architecture & Design. Are you available for an interview today?"

The female voice on the other end was polite and gentle, and Serena, after a brief stupor, became clear-headed.

She scheduled an interview for two o’clock in the afternoon, and sat staring at the silent TV screen for quite a while.

She knew Apex.

As one of the leading architecture firms in the country, buildings designed by Apex are spread across various provinces and cities.

She had applied to Apex on the first day she submitted her resume, but a week went by without any news.

She thought she must have been eliminated.

Unexpectedly, a door opened when she thought there was no way out.

Her spirits lifted instantly, even the discomfort of dizziness and fever was cast aside.

Serena hurriedly got up to wash and get dressed.

With ten minutes left until two, Serena walked into the Apex lobby.

The corridor of the interview floor was already filled with more than a dozen people.

At a glance, there were nervous graduates and mature, steady middle-aged people.

Serena registered with the interview coordinator and found an empty seat to sit down and wait quietly.

People were being called one by one for the interview, and by the time it was Serena’s turn, an hour had passed.

Upon entering the meeting room for the interview, Serena immediately locked eyes with the woman seated in the center.

White blouse, black skirt.

The nameplate before her indicated that the woman’s name was Tessa Tate, and she was the Director of the Design Department.

Serena’s intuition told her that Tessa Tate did not like her.

To be precise, she held a strong resistance and rejection towards her.

As if Serena had some notorious history.

But evidently, she did not.

Ignoring that inexplicable feeling, Serena handed over her resume, "Director Tate, hello! My name is Serena Sinclair, I graduated from Aethelgard University’s architecture design department, and this is my resume."

Tessa’s gaze fixedly fell on Serena’s face, after several glances, she finally lowered her head to look at Serena’s resume.

A cold smile crept at the corner of her lips.

An excellent graduate from Aethelgard University.

One year of work experience at The Lockwood Group.

Six years of full-time work.

Scanning the resume in one glance, Tessa labeled Serena in her mind.

As an outdated, romantic-minded housewife.

In Tessa’s eyes, job seekers like Serena should have been eliminated in the initial screening.

But a word from the boss meant Serena would definitely be recruited in the end.

This is unfair not only to the architects currently working at Apex but even more to the many excellent candidates who were just about to be eliminated.

"Ms. Sinclair..."

Listening to the Director of Human Resources ask several questions, Serena answered fluently one by one.

Tessa sat up straight, arms crossed, "Among the 11 designers before you, you saw them, right? Compared to the graduates, you’re not as young. Compared to the other architects, you lack their extensive design experience. Furthermore, you have the burden of family ties more than they do. So, please tell me, on what basis should I hire you?"

This was asking her what advantages she had to win out.

Serena had none.

But she couldn’t easily give up on this hard-won opportunity, "My graduation design at Aethelgard University has already been implemented in Syburg. In the year I worked at The Lockwood Group, I completed two design projects bearing my name as the author. I believe this sufficiently proves my working capability."

"Choosing to work full-time for six years was my personal decision, but I never stopped learning. Over the past six years, I have followed and studied renowned architects both domestically and internationally, including their works. Compared to the graduates, I have richer experience and a wealth of knowledge. Compared to the other architects, I am younger."

Serena, neither servile nor overbearing, returned Tessa’s doubts to her.

Tessa raised an eyebrow, "Go back and wait for the notification."

Waiting for notification was tantamount to a polite refusal.

With resignation in her heart, Serena sighed inwardly, stood up, thanked them, and exited the meeting room.

Ten minutes later, Tessa headed to the boss’s office with the compiled resumes.

"President Thorne..."

Entering the room, Tessa placed two resumes in front of the boss, Brandon Thorne, "I’ve interviewed Serena Sinclair as you asked me to. Tasteless and regrettable to discard; compared to Serena, I believe the other candidate is more excellent. Please take a look."

"Tasteless and regrettable to discard..."

A cold voice sounded from the side, and Tessa turned around to find the young man reclining on the sofa by the window.

Wyatt Hawthorne lazily stood up, a cold smile on his face, "If it’s truly tasteless and regrettable to discard, how has this resume made it through your hands to appear in front of your boss? You’re both women, so why bother? Don’t you think?"

"President Hawthorne..."

Clearly not expecting her hidden thoughts to be seen through by Wyatt and exposed right in front of the boss.

All but bluntly slapping her face.

Tessa’s expression darkened for a moment.

Without giving her a chance to explain, Wyatt walked out.

"Wyatt!"

Brandon Thorne chased after him and saw Wyatt already stepping into the elevator.

Thinking of what Wyatt had just asked him, considering he cared so much, why not straightforwardly recruit Serena into Hawthorne Corporation.

Wyatt said that someone as proud as Serena would never want to take advantage of connections.

Having finally had the opportunity to let the lofty Crown Prince step down for a moment, but unexpectedly, the opportunity was ruined by a self-important subordinate.

Brandon Thorne looked back at Tessa, then smirked coldly, "Clean up your neck and pray!"

Tessa was startled.

Brandon Thorne said in a deep voice, "Pray that in the future you don’t encounter Serena Sinclair at a bidding conference."

???

How could that be possible?

In order to have the qualification to attend an architectural project’s bidding conference, one must first be a senior architect and secondly be a high-level executive of a company with signing authority.

Just a full-time housewife like Serena???

Even upon returning to her own office, Tessa felt confused.

Not sure if she had misheard.

Or whether the world had really turned crazier than she imagined.

"Senior!"

The familiar call sounded when Serena was spacing out by the roadside.

A minute ago, she received a call from Apex’s front desk, informing her that she had been hired and to report for work next Monday.

But this... how is it possible?

Clearly, Tessa’s every cell resisted and rejected her, looking down on her entirely.

But somehow she got hired?

Serena looked up again, just in time to see a black Ferrari slowly stop in front of her.

The wing-like doors slid upward.

In the driver’s seat, Wyatt Hawthorne removed his sunglasses, his face filled with surprise at the chance encounter, "What a coincidence..."