I Refused His Alms, Then He Fell In Love

Chapter 7: Unspoken Troubles

Late at night, Lynn stared at Elias’s message for a long time.

These days, she had visited countless agencies across New York. Most applications went unanswered, and every interview ended in disappointment. The psychology industry had strict barriers.

Without an official practitioner’s license, few clinics were willing to take on new graduates. Proud and resilient by nature, she hated to give up, yet constant failures had worn her down completely.

Continuous setbacks made this potential referral opportunity extremely valuable to her. Still, doubt lingered. She was fiercely independent and disliked owing Elias favors for no reason.

Faced with harsh reality and endless rejections, she had to seize this slim chance. After much hesitation, she typed a reply to Elias and agreed to meet for dinner.Early the next morning, Lynn headed out again.

She wandered the cold streets of New York, handing out resumes and attending interviews. By the end of the day, she had achieved nothing. Exhaustion seeped deep into her bones.She dragged herself back to the villa as dusk fell.

The living room was brightly lit. Kian had just finished an online meeting and flipped through documents on the sofa. A heavy silence filled the spacious room, carrying a faint, icy tension.He looked up when he heard her footsteps. His tone remained calm, weighted with subtle pressure.

“Still no progress with your job hunt today?”Lynn’s heart tightened, and she nodded automatically. She said nothing about running into her former classmate or their dinner arrangement.

She instinctively avoided the subject. To her, this contractual marriage was nothing but a formal agreement. They had clear boundaries, and she saw no need to report every detail of her private life.Her subtle evasion did not escape Kian’s notice.

The memory of Lynn’s relaxed smile on the sidewalk surfaced once more. He chose not to press her further. He simply nodded, yet the cold aura surrounding him grew thicker.Over the following days, the atmosphere between them turned increasingly stiff.

Lynn left early and returned late each day, rushing from one interview to another. The weight of unemployment pressed hard on her. This possible referral from Elias was her only glimmer of hope, even if accepting the help made her uncomfortable.Kian slipped back into quiet detachment.

Occasional casual conversations vanished entirely. Once work ended, he retreated straight to his study and stayed behind closed doors. He barely spoke during meals, his expression cold and unapproachable.Sharing one roof, they became strangers who lived side by side.

Lynn was filled with confusion. She kept to herself and respected the limits of their marriage contract, yet she could never make sense of his hot-and-cold attitude.

Frigid silence hung over the villa, and quiet unease slowly crept into her heart.

She tried to avoid crossing paths with him as much as possible. She carried on with her routine, waiting for the dinner with Elias. She clung to the hope that this opportunity would pull her out of her difficult employment situation.