Brian quietly walked in the room with the sound of his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. He stood
by the bed Molly was sleeping in and gazed at her face in the dim light by the wall lamp. He leaned
over to smooth over her knitted brows. He smiled at this bitterly and sat next to her just staring at her
face. He was so near her yet their hearts were so distanced from one another.
Brian didn't know how long he stayed there but he eventually left. Before he did, he saw a bunch of
newspapers on the bedside table with red marks scribbled all over. He was smiling as he walked out of
the room.
The sun rose to welcome the morning.
Molly got up very early in order to look for a job. She quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth,
and changed her clothes. She stuffed the newspapers in her bag and went downstairs. When she
passed the dining room, she was surprised to see Brian was having breakfast there but she ignored
him and just continued walking glancing only slightly.
"Don't you have manners?" Brian said coldly.
Molly paused, took a deep breath, and turned her head, "I have to go get a job so I'm not having
breakfast here. Enjoy, though," she said simply. Then she turned around and left.
At that moment, Lisa was just coming out of the kitchen with a plate of steamed buns in hand. She saw
the whole thing happen. She slowly placed the plate on the dining table and avoided Brian's gaze,
sighing all the while.
"You don't have to cook so much," Brian said flatly, "Lucy must be expecting you and John to go there
earlier. You can let John drive you."
"Okay," Lucy didn't see herself as an outsider in this villa at that moment. She knew Brian too well.
Brian finished eating, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and left. As Tony drove by, he passed by Molly
who seemed to be in a hurry. The villa was in a secluded, private road that taxis didn't pass through.
"Mr. Brian, aren't we going to offer Mrs. Molly Long a ride?" Tony offered.
Brian felt his heart twist at the sight of Molly walking along the road in a haste, "Let her be," he said
coldly.
The car passed Molly and as she watched the car disappear, she slowed down her steps. She tried to
convince herself that it was okay but she couldn't deny that it stung.
Molly pressed her lips tightly and stiffened her grip on her bag. She had to take a few deep breaths to
calm herself down before she continued walking down the mountain.
When Molly arrived at the interview - there were tons of people milling around filling out forms. So
many people had apparently applied because the troupe that was hiring was famous and offering good
compensation - higher than the regular salary for assistants. Since she had worked as Spark's
assistant for a couple of years, she had already grown accustomed to this industry.
"Fill out the form first," The recruiter said as he handed Molly a piece of paper. Molly did as she was
told and handed it back to the recruiter. She quickly glanced at the form and hastily said, "Just wait
over there. We'll call you for your interview,"
Molly sat at the corner as she always did, she liked sitting at the corner because she felt safest here.
Time flew by and soon it was almost noon. There were three people before Molly and about twenty
more after her. Molly started to lose her hope because so many people were competing against her.
She was supposed to add her work experience as Spark's assistant in her resume on the form she
filled out but she gave it up.
"Molly Xia!"
Molly hastily stood up when she heard her name and promptly walked towards the interview room.
There was a panel of interviewees—some looking relaxed and some looking bored. After waiting for so
long, she started to get anxious.
But it was quick and easy - she came out of the room just five minutes later. She didn't expect that the
interview would be so simple. She just took a quiz about interpersonal relationships and then they
asked her two questions about being an assistant for the troupe and then they told her she was hired.
When she turned back to the look at the door, the next person passed her by and sneered at her
consequently walking extra confidently into the room.
It wasn't until a few moments later that Molly realized that she just got a job. She was so elated that as
soon as she left the building, she fished her cell phone from her bag and gave Ximena a call. She
wanted to share her good news!
From behind the glass window, someone was standing till gazing at Molly.
Someone knocked on the door and Brian let them in.
"Mr. Brian, we've hired Miss Xia as you've ordered," the head of the troupe said politely, an easy smile
on his face. This Brian Long was going to fund the troupe for the next five years on the condition that
they hired this Molly Xia. The troupe didn't expect too much for an assistant and it seemed like Molly
was competent enough so it was no trouble at all to hire her.
"Hmm,"
Brian answered as he turned around, "Don't tell her about me." He said this in a way that made sure
that they wouldn't go back on their word. Then he left, brushing his shoulders lightly with the head of
the troupe. He stood in shock until Brian left - he couldn't help but shudder at him.
Brian left the building too and got in the car. "I've told Harrow to take care of this whole thing with the
troupe. As you've ordered, it's going to be under the name of my young master."
***
Molly chatted with Ximena. Hearing her voice made Molly feel calmer and more relaxed, "Ximena, if
you ever come by to A City, I'm going to make you try the best snacks here!"
"Okay!" Ximena answered excitedly but her face looked the opposite. She was standing in front of the
window and looking out as Aaron and Vivi were having coffee on the patio, talking and laughing. Molly
sensed she wasn't listening already so she just said, confused, "Well, um, it's okay."
"Hmm," Molly said, "Ximena, I'll be strong and hold on. You should too."
Despite the hurt Ximena was feeling, she said with a light smile, "Don't worry, I've never given up."
They said goodbye and hung up the phone. Standing under the clear, blue sky; Molly stretched her
arms, closed her eyes, and took deep breaths as she relished the sunlight. She thought, 'I've lost to
Brian, so what? I am who I am, I'm Molly Xia, and I will survive anything life throws at me. Without you,
I'd still be happy no matter what it costs.'
She opened her eyes squinting at the sunlight. She looked at the street where people were hustling
and bustling. Her heart might have been imprisoned but her mind wasn't. 'One day, I'll get what I want
on my own without anyone's help, one day!' she promised herself.
With a hopeful smile pasted on her face, she started to walk without no clear destination in mind—she
was going to spend the rest of her day however she wanted to.
A figure walked out from behind a flower bed. With a cruel and gloomy smile, the person followed Molly
into the crowd.
***
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