Chapter 138 - Efforts Paid Off

The interview lasted about a quarter of an hour, not too long since I already knew her skills, her strengths, and weakness, and her experiences based on the tears we had worked together. Interviews were part of the praxis so I had to attend it anyway but after her gentleness of telling me of the rumor and confessing her esteem in my regards, her name now climbed the list and reached the top of the people I will surely hire to work here.

The second person arrived, she was Sara, someone I worked with since the very beginning. When I came to Simon's company she was already working there. 

"Hi!" She offered a smile, not too bit not too small, just professional and I did the same.

"Welcome here. I still have to name this place." I giggled lightly but her face stayed impossible and almost tensed. I had never talked to her much so I didn't know her personality enough to say if she could be one of the people who talked behind my back or not.

We did a quick interview then she stood up from the chair and walked to the corridor, she turned around right when she was about to cross it and looked at me with a superior gaze.

"Is it true that you're dating Cameron Collins?"

What the...

Why were they all suddenly interested in my private romantic story?

"I don't think this information is useful for our interview. Thank you for your visit, Sara, I will let you know." I replied, monitoring the peak of my voice not to sound too rude.

I had to get used to people's envious and intruding, if I was going to be the head of the company that position also lead people to talk a lot behind my back. The sooner I learn how to deal with that intrusion. The sooner I grew impassible to their offenses.

I went to open the door for her but she didn't seem willing to let go that matter, driven by an inexplicable curiosity she turned around once again, this time when she was about to cross the door threshold.

"I had worked for Stellantix company so many more years than you, girl. I am sure if it wasn't for him I would be the one to own this company."

She spat fully rancourous, and I finally saw her for who she truly was. Someone who was jealous of a younger woman and thought she was better than me only because she had been there for longer. She saw me grow day after day and sacrifice even my life to work in that company, yet she still thought my efforts weren't paid off and that my progress wasn't deserved. 

"You may work there for longer than me but that doesn't make you a better worker than me. I probably had accomplished in a shorter time more things you did."

My voice rang a bit nervous and I started to be annoyed by her subtle comment and by the entire situation. I had never thought that dating someone so powerful would reflect poorly on me. 

"Well, I always knew there must have been a reason why Simon put so much trust in you. I wonder if you had dated him too."

My jaw dropped forming a perfect O as my eyes widened. That was disrespectful and tactless. Such an insensitive comment was driven by envy and meanness. 

"Leave now." My voice rang nervously, I gestured at the door thinning my eyes and creasing my forehead.

She rolled her eyes and finally left, I slammed the door close that she didn't even bother closing on her way out.

I remained alone inside, so I blurted out my fury, "what an uncouth woman."

The following two other interviews didn't mention my affair with Cameron. But Sara's comment ruined my mood for the day and I spent the interviews tensed and distressed expecting them to call me out as that middle-aged woman did.

When I finished the interviews I was drained out as if I ran a long marathon without having trained before.

I expected the people I had worked with for so many years, to be happy for me, to recognize my progress and my hard work. Instead, they were the first people who hadn't only forgotten what I had done but also criticized me.

Cameron called me and I answered with a lower voice than the usual that he immediately recognize.

"What happened?" He questioned alarmed by the sound of my voice.

"I just got disappointed by my people. I called my ex-coworkers and found out they thought I got here just because of you. One of them even asked me if before you I dated Simon."

I scoffed.

"That's rude. Sometimes it's their jealousy who speak for them."

"Maybe that's the case but I still got hurt by their judgment. I wonder if they had always underestimated my capabilities or if they just do not because they heard we are seeing."

"You shouldn't even waste time wondering that, Lily. You should focus on things you can control and let them spend their time envying you while you keep growing. I had met many people saying that behind my back, they said my progress was thanks to my grandfather and that I was incompetent. Now those people beg me for hiring them."

I smiled, I wished I had his mindset, that I could let people's judgment don't affect me or my mood.

"Their hate even motivated me at first, I thought I had to prove to them who I was with facts but then I learned the only person I owe something to and had to prove a point to was the person I used to be the day before. So I focused to get better daily, to improve in a short time." 

He had a point, maybe I should do the same, but why was it so hard to stop caring about what people thought and start focusing on yourself only?