CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 49- GIRLFRIEND

The three women were Catherine, Amy, and the other young girl. The men were Carry, who was currently being interviewed, and the two men who had finished their interviews earlier.

Seeing the two women openly arguing, the two men immediately went silent and sat back to watch the drama unfold.

Facing the young girl’s questioning, Amy candidly admitted,

"That’s right—I’m only here because of the big boss. Otherwise, why would I give up a high-paying job at another company just to come here for an interview?"

The young girl was momentarily dumbfounded by Amy’s words, unable to respond for a long time.

This woman was far too bold—she actually dared to openly admit she was targeting the boss.

In fact, even during the initial interview, Amy had openly expressed her admiration for Bert.

Catherine glanced at Amy and realized she couldn’t blame Amy or the young girl for openly appreciating him. A man like Bert indeed had the right to attract women.

His appeal didn’t just come from his wealth or business influence; it also came from his mature and reserved demeanor, and even more so from his talent.

Catherine had previously heard that Bert himself was an outstanding designer and had won many awards abroad. Now that she connected the dots with Bert as the company’s big boss, she finally understood why, every time she had met him before, his aura didn’t feel like that of a mere businessman—it carried a kind of unrestrained, artistic freedom.

The young girl was left speechless, essentially conceding victory to Amy.

Soon after, Carry’s interview ended, and the next person to enter was Amy.

After returning to wait for her results, Carry’s expression was very serious.

Catherine wondered if Bert might have deliberately made things difficult for Carry because he was from Channing’s company.

But then she reasoned that Bert wouldn’t be that unfair—after all, Carry had nothing to do with Channing’s wrongdoing, and Bert wouldn’t punish him indiscriminately.

In fact, the reason Carry looked so serious was that during his meeting in the conference room, Bert hadn’t conducted a formal interview with him. Instead, Bert directly discussed terms with him.

Bert’s proposal was for Carry to continue working at Channing’s company, but in addition to the modest salary Channing paid him every few months, Bert would offer him a generous extra salary. As for why he wanted Carry to remain at Channing, Bert said there was no need for further explanation; there was a purpose behind this arrangement.

Carry agreed—he couldn’t refuse such a favorable offer that would give him extra income.

He had always been a loyal and straightforward man. If Channing’s company had been reliable, he wouldn’t have sought opportunities elsewhere. At his age, with a son getting married and buying a house, he needed to start preparing financially. Many designers who had once stayed at Channing long ago jumped ship for better prospects—yet he remained loyal.

Being loyal was commendable, but when income couldn’t cover expenses, one had no choice but to look for other opportunities.

Amy entered the conference room for her interview. As before, the finance manager and HR manager asked their questions first, and Amy handled them with poise and professionalism.

When it was Bert’s turn to ask, he put down the documents in his hands and looked across at the refined woman in front of him,

"I heard Miss Amy switched jobs to join Bert Design because of me?"

His question was direct, giving Amy no room to evade.

Amy remained calm.

"Yes. I admire Lord Washington."

"Oh?"

A flicker of curiosity crossed his otherwise stern face.

"And what exactly about Lord Washington do you admire?"

Amy hadn’t expected to be asked such a question in an interview. Yet, she had always wanted to express her feelings to him honestly in a face-to-face setting, so she spoke openly:

"Lord Washington is exceptionally talented. As a fellow designer, he embodies the qualities I aspire to and admire. Beyond that, he carries a captivating charm—mature and composed."

Amy thought her words might move him. But once she finished, his expression darkened instantly, and his voice took on a colder edge:

"I already have someone I care for, and I intend to discuss marriage with her."

Amy froze. Not only Amy—the HR manager, finance manager, Bert’s assistant, and another staff member in the room were all stunned.

His calm voice pressed on,

"Miss Amy, do you still want to stay?"

Amy snapped out of her astonishment and looked at the man across from her.

His expression was composed, yet when his deep eyes fixed on someone, it was impossible not to feel drawn in. This was the very reason Amy had resolutely chosen to switch to Bert Design. Not long ago, at a design industry event, she had seen Bert once and was instantly captivated.

She had never met a man who could so perfectly embody the mature, commanding aura of a grown man. Handsome men were many, mature men were many—but only he had a presence in every gesture and movement that was utterly mesmerizing.

"Why would I not want to stay?" she said proudly, lifting her chin under his penetrating gaze.

"I prefer fair competition over conceding without a fight, even though I don’t yet know who she is."

The two managers beside Bert heard her answer and felt both regret and disappointment. They had high hopes for Amy—an experienced designer with her own client base—who could have immediately contributed to the company’s profits.

But they also realized that the Catherine Bert favored was his "special someone." If Bert were to hire Amy, it would effectively place a rival in front of his girlfriend.

Such a thing was unthinkable for the boss. They were certain Amy would be eliminated, which made them feel a bit sorry for her.

After Amy finished speaking, Bert announced her interview was over.

"All right, you may leave."

He then instructed his assistant to call in the next candidate. Amy had no choice but to stand and exit.

The young woman who had argued with Amy was the last to be interviewed. After her, the final round of interviews concluded. About half an hour later, Bert’s assistant returned to announce the results.