The Billionaire's Pretend Wife (Isabella)
Chapter 9 Nine

After settling in her new home, Isabelle had one more thing to do: replace a job. The sooner, the better. She was no longer getting any money from her parents, and Jacob's financial situation wasn't the best.

So the sooner she got a job, the better it would be for all of them. Once she found a job, maybe she could look for a new apartment to rent. While the house they were living in wasn't exactly the worst, it was practical at best. Living with Jacob in the same room when they were only pretending to be a couple had its own share of challenges she wished to fix soon.

With a good job, she could be able to afford to rent a good apartment where they could each have their own rooms. Also, once she found a job, she would have fewer things to worry about and finally focus on replaceing ways to raise funds for Ruth's medical bill.

She had high hopes of replaceing a job quickly. Just the other day, she had received a call for an interview from Larson Group, a famous design company that was renowned in the fashion industry. They reached out to her because she had won first place in a design competition and received many accolades.

Isabelle was determined to ace the interview and get the job. Working for Larson Group would be a dream come true. As a jewellery designer, it was the most lucrative spot she could hope for in the industry. As long as she got a job with them, she would have a decent income.

Other than a good pay, she would also get a chance to work with some of the best talents in the industry. She would also have access to the best resources that would help her advance her skills and build her experience quickly.

If she was lucky, she would get to meet the company's CEO. Larson Group's CEO was a legend in the industry, but, oddly, not much was known about him. But Isabelle didn't need to know anything about him to know he was someone worth meeting. Leading a company like Larson Group and achieving its level of success and popularity was no mean feat. Meeting and learning from such an accomplished figure would be an honour.

She arrived at the company at half-past eight, half an hour before the time scheduled for her interview. That was enough time to gather her wit and ensure she was completely calm for the interview. Interviewing for such a company was surely no joke-she had to be on her A-game. There were definitely other talented designers eyeing the same spot, and she couldn't afford to make any mistake.

After getting past security at the lobby of the company building, she got into an elevator to take her to the floor where her interview would take place.

While she waited for the doors to close, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the lobby. She craned her neck, trying to get a clearer look, but he was obstructed by a group of people. She felt like she knew him... The doors closed, and she shook her head. She was overthinking. How could she recognise anyone from their back?

At exactly nine o'clock, Isabelle and the other interviewees were led to the interviewing room. It was set up like an examination room, and she was directed to take a seat at a desk. She politely greeted the interviewers as she took her seat. It wasn't until after she was seated that she recognised one of the panel members.

It was impossible to forget the girl. Her name was Ann, and they had been classmates in college. Isabelle remembered her well because they had once competed for the same scholarship. Isabelle won the scholarship, and since then, Ann had a grudge against her.

"Hello, Isabelle. It's so nice to see you here," Ann greeted as she approached with an examination paper in hand. Her bright voice caught Isabelle off-guard. Was this the same girl who had sneered at her all the way through college?

"Hi, it's nice to see you too, Ann," she replied, smiling. Ann was probably only being nice because the other interviewers were around. She was glad for that. Otherwise, it would have been too awkward. "Here's your paper," Ann said, giving her the paper. "All the best."

"Thank you," Isabelle replied, getting ready to begin the exam.

When Isabelle was done with the interview, HR told her that the results would be emailed to her. She left to go back home, hoping for a positive response. The exam paper, although she had noticed it was prepared for more experienced designers, hadn't been hard on her. She had confidently answered the questions and felt that she would pass.

However, a little worry nudged at the back of her head because of Ann. Having someone who hated her on the panel deciding whether to give her a job or not didn't exactly bring on positive feelings. She knew very well that if Ann was influential enough and didn't want her in the company, it wouldn't matter how well she did on the paper.

After Isabelle left the interview room, the panel of interviewers went through her examination paper. It didn't take long for them to realise that she had done exceedingly well on all the questions.

"Wow, this is amazing," one of the female interviewers commented after seeing her impressive answers. "Ann, you gave her a paper meant for senior experienced designers, but she got everything right. Are you guys sure she is just a beginner?"

Another interviewer nodded. "She won the design championship for junior designers. She is brilliant for someone with so little experience. It will be great if we can bring her on board before another company snatches her up. I'm already excited to see the pieces she works on."

"Guys, I think you are exaggerating," Ann said from her spot on the panel table. "She is good, but not any better than others we have interviewed."

The interviewer sitting next to her turned to face her. "You are kidding, right?" he asked. "She managed to finish a paper that was above her level on time, and with very good answers. I feel she even did better than many senior designers who have taken the same examination. She is definitely above the mark among her peers. Personally it's been a while since I came across such a brilliant interviewee."

"Just because she scored well on the paper doesn't mean she is the right designer for our company," Ann argued, hating how her co-workers were praising Isabelle. She hadn't expected Isabelle to complete the paper on time, let alone pass it with flying colours. It irritated her to no end. But there was no way she was going to let that woman work at Larson Group. Going to the same college with her had been unlucky enough.

"But she essentially passed the interview," the female interviewer told her. "This examination is designed to reveal a designer's strengths and weaknesses. Someone with poor skill or knowledge cannot possibly pass the paper, let alone so well. Also, don't forget we have managed to replace some of our best designers in this manner."

"If you had given her the right paper for her level," the last panel member put in, “she would have undoubtedly aced it too. Come on, you have to admit she is the kind of person we are looking for. Why exactly do you think she is not a good fit for the company?"