Don't Divorce Me

Chapter 4 Found a Job

Regina didn't pay much attention to Colt's hospital visit. Once her mother's condition started improving, she threw herself into job hunting.

She uploaded some of her previous compositions online, and quite a few companies seemed interested. But whenever she showed up for the interviews, things would take a sharp turn. Suddenly, they didn't need any employees, or they'd claim she didn't quite fit the role.

After hitting dead ends at a few companies, Regina finally couldn't take it anymore.

Staring down the interviewer who had just told her she wasn't suitable for the job, she asked, "You seemed pretty pleased with my resume. So why's that all out the window the second you see me in person? Tell me, exactly how am I not suitable for this job?"

Regina's tone was firm, and the interviewer's face turned awkward as he forced a smile. "Mrs. Ryan, please don't make this harder for us."

Hearing how the interviewer addressed her, Regina froze for a moment.

'He knows who I am? Could this all be Colt's doing? Is he really trying to back me into a corner like this? Will he only be satisfied when I have nowhere left to turn?'

Furious, Regina clenched her teeth and stormed out of the office. She then made a beeline straight for Colt's office.

She'd been to his company a few times before, always to bring Colt food, so most of the staff recognized her.

The moment she walked in, everyone was quick to offer their help.

But Regina waved them off politely and headed straight for Colt's office.

Without hesitation, she pushed open the door.

Colt was in the middle of a video call for some international meeting. When he saw Regina barge in unannounced, his brows furrowed in irritation. But a moment later, he spoke a few words in a foreign language, lowered his gaze, and shut his laptop.

He looked up at her and asked, "What do you want?"

Regina said, "Don't play dumb, Colt. Are you behind all the trouble I've been having during my job interviews?"

Colt's brows furrowed even deeper, his ears only catching onto the words "job interviews".

"You're still not giving up on that idea? Even if you get hired, how's that paycheck gonna cover your mom's medical bills or keep up with your current lifestyle?"

Regina's anger flared, and she shot back, "None of that's any of your damn business!"

Her sharp retort had Colt fuming. He stood up and walked closer to her, his steps deliberate and unrelenting.

Regina instinctively backed away until her heel hit the desk, making her stumble backward.

Luckily, Colt caught her by the waist just in time.

She looked up at him, their eyes meeting for a split second. Caught off guard by her wide, confused yet captivating gaze, Colt found himself forgetting his anger, if only for a moment.

Their breaths mingled, and the atmosphere grew charged with an unmistakable ambiguity.

Driven by an invisible power, Colt reached out and squeezed Regina's soft waist.

He knew full well from their years in bed together exactly where her weak spots were.

Sure enough, her limbs turned weak, and a blush spread from her cheeks down to her neck.

A faint, smug smile played on Colt's lips. "Regina, what's so bad about being Mrs. Ryan? I can give you more than just material things."

He applied a bit more pressure with his hands, and Regina instantly caught his meaning, her face flushing even deeper.

Embarrassed and annoyed, she shoved Colt away and hurriedly bolted for the door.

Colt watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.

Her accusation still echoed in his mind, and after a moment, he picked up the phone and called his secretary, asking her to dig into what Regina had been up to lately.

When he found out she'd been looking for jobs, he paused for a few seconds and ordered, "Find a suitable company and make sure they hire her."

Outside the CEO's office, Phyllis responded, "Yes, sir." After hanging up, her face turned gloomy.

Just a few days ago, Colt had asked Phyllis to check up on Regina's whereabouts, and she'd found out that not only was Regina taking care of her mother, but she'd also been sending her resume to multiple companies.

Phyllis passed that information to Wendy, who then used her influence in the industry to spread rumors and tarnish Regina's reputation.

The plan was simple: Interviewers would treat Regina with respect because of her status, but none would dare hire her. Naturally, Regina would suspect Colt was behind it all.

They figured Regina would come storming into Colt's office and cause a scene, and Colt would get fed up with her once and for all. But now, Colt was personally calling to get her a job.

Phyllis's expression twisted with bitterness. 'Did that woman seduce him in some other ways?'

She recalled the sight of Regina fleeing Colt's office, red-faced, and a flicker of resentment flashed in her eyes.

Regina, meanwhile, had run out of the building and spent quite some time trying to calm down.

But her mind was spinning with questions she couldn't answer.

'We're getting a divorce, and isn't it a good thing for him? Why does he insist on standing in my way?'

Frustrated, she pushed the thoughts aside. 'No use overthinking it. Right now, the most important thing is survival.'

Since high-end teaching gigs were out of the question, her best option was to take on some part-time work with a band.

With that in mind, she called a hotel manager she knew.

The hotel had been looking for a cellist to perform in the lobby. The job wasn't glamorous, and the pay wasn't anything special, but it was the best opportunity she had at the moment.

After a brief conversation, the manager agreed without hesitation and told her to start the next day.

Working at the hotel, Regina played just about any piece thrown her way, often performing for hours on end. Her fingers, unaccustomed to the constant strain, soon blistered from the intensity.

But when she checked her bank account and saw the balance steadily rising, she figured every ache was worth it.

One day, the manager handed Regina a glass of water during her rare one-hour break.

With a sigh, he said, "Regina, you play so beautifully. Honestly, you're wasted here. I know plenty of training centers that would be a better fit for your talents. If you're interested, I could put in a good word for you."

Regina accepted the water and said with a smile, "Thanks, Mr. Ollier, but that won't be necessary."

Ollier looked puzzled. "Why not?"

Regina's smile faltered for a second.

Colt ran this town. As long as he didn't want her to work anywhere, she'd never get a foot in the door.

Even if Ollier did recommend her, it wouldn't be long before someone else shut her out. She thought it was better to just hold on to what she had now.

But there was no point explaining all that. With a casual shrug, she said, "I actually like it here."

Seeing that Ollier was about to press further, Regina quickly stood up and threw out an excuse. "Mr. Ollier, I should grab a bite to eat before my next shift starts."

Ollier finally let it go.

After her shift, Regina made her usual trip to the hospital to check on her mother. Once she was sure her mother was resting peacefully, she slipped away to the rooftop for some fresh air.

From up there, she could see the whole Lakeshore's night view and the quiet and gentle breeze eased her mind and body.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Gavin approaching.

Gavin smiled as he walked over. "I was just passing by. Didn't expect to run into you up here."

Regina sized him up for a few seconds.

He wasn't wearing his white coat, so he was definitely off the clock. No doctor would go up to the rooftop after their shift ended.

Regina knew it was just an excuse, but she didn't call him out on it. Instead, she gave him a polite smile.

Gavin, taking the hint, sat down next to her and gazed at the city lights with her. "Your mom mentioned you've started working. If you need help with anything, just let me know."

Regina turned to look at him for a few moments and said, "Gavin, I get what you're trying to do, but my mom's attending physician already made things pretty clear. You don't need to worry so much about her situation."

Gavin caught the hint of rejection in her words, and his face tensed up briefly. Yet he kept his cool and flashed a decent smile. "Well, I see."

Regina gave him a grateful smile and then went downstairs.