Chapter 5: Important Client

When Maxwell returned to the villa, Isabella was already sitting on the couch, still busy with something. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and because she was so focused, her usually cold and frosty expression seemed to thaw slightly. Coming home to such a beautiful wife would feel like a dream if it were any ordinary man. However, Maxwell had no such thoughts. "Mr. Hewetson is back. Just in time for dinner," said Maria, the housekeeper, as she bustled about inside.  When she saw Maxwell, she greeted him with a smile and called him over. Isabella, deep in thought, looked up and saw Maxwell. Her gaze immediately turned cold, and her delicate face returned to its usual icy demeanor. Maria had mentioned that he went out to look for a job, but judging by his appearance, did he go job hunting? He looked more like he had gone out to have fun. Thinking about this, Isabella's expression grew even colder. Maxwell was best at deceiving elderly people. Even Maria had been praising him earlier. And then there was her grandfather. If he went out and fooled more people, what would happen? If the children of those deceived elders came knocking at their door, it would bring great shame to the Murdoch family. The thought of it made Isabella anxious. Maxwell had already taken in her grandfather, and she could not persuade him otherwise. Instead, she had ended up being dragged into this mess. If he deceived more people, it would be disastrous. The people in this neighborhood were all either wealthy or powerful. Since she couldn't kick him out just yet, it would be better to keep him by her side and limit his actions, preventing him from doing anything too embarrassing. With this thought, Isabella made up her mind. "Did you find a job?" At the dinner table, Isabella gathered her courage several times before finally asking. Maxwell was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. He glanced at Isabella in surprise, wondering what she was up to. Didn't she always dislike him? Why was she suddenly concerned about his job? "Yes, I did. I appreciate your concern." No matter what, she was still showing some concern, so Maxwell politely thanked her. "You found a job?" Isabella frowned, clearly skeptical. He wouldn't need to rely on deception if he could find a job. Was he saying this not to feel ashamed? She had always thought Maxwell was shameless and only knew how to freeload. She hadn't expected him to have even a shred of dignity. But this so-called dignity seemed rather pathetic. "Come work at my company tomorrow. I'll arrange a position for you. I'll give you a salary of 1,000 dollars a month. You won't need to do much, behave yourself. That amount should be enough for your expenses." Isabella didn't bother questioning whether Maxwell was telling the truth. She made the decision outright. Giving him 1,000 dollars was just to ensure he had money and wouldn't need to resort to swindling. Once her grandfather came to his senses, she would immediately kick him out. "No need. I've already promised someone that I'll start work tomorrow." Maxwell wasn't interested in Isabella's arrangement. He couldn't return on it since he had already given his word. Besides, staying by Isabella's side would only be asking for trouble. His job was to protect her, but that didn't mean he had to always be with her. "You…" Isabella was furious that her goodwill was rejected. But given her pride, she wouldn't lower herself to argue with Maxwell. She stomped off upstairs, her high heels echoing through the house. "Young people these days have such short tempers. Not calm enough at all."  Maxwell muttered with a shake of his head, as if he were lamenting something. After finishing his meal, he, too, went upstairs. Isabella had designated the third and above as her personal space, while the second floor was for Maxwell. As a result, he could only move around on the second floor and had never even seen what the upper floors looked like. After showering, Maxwell sat before the large floor-to-ceiling window, forming seals with his hands. Soon, strands of moonlight and starlight descended upon him, merging into his body. The Star Moon Technique could draw in the moon's power and stars for cultivation. It was considered an outdated method, but unfortunately, Maxwell had no choice. The spiritual energy on Earth was nearly depleted, making cultivation through traditional means almost impossible. Meanwhile, upstairs, Isabella felt a sudden shock. She noticed that the stars and the moon outside seemed exceptionally bright tonight. Usually, they would be obscured by pollution. She shook her head gently and walked back to bed barefoot. There were important matters to handle tomorrow, and after a long day, she needed some rest. The following day, Maxwell woke up early. By the time he had almost finished breakfast, Isabella had just come downstairs. She glanced at him suspiciously, surprised he was up so early, before quickly looking away. After leaving the villa, Maxwell started walking outside. The villa complex was so vast that it took quite a while to exit. About ten minutes later, the roar of an engine sounded behind him, and a Porsche pulled up beside him. "Do you need a ride?" Isabella asked coolly, looking at Maxwell. She hadn't intended to pay him any attention, but seeing him walking alone stirred her sympathy, so she stopped to ask. "No need. I'll take the bus." Maxwell glanced at Isabella and waved his hand in refusal. A cold glint flashed in Isabella's eyes. Without saying another word, she stepped on the accelerator and drove off. A few dozen minutes later, Isabella arrived at Strand Group. As soon as she stepped inside, Taylor hurried over and asked, "President, should my department be in charge of Mr. Kirkbride?" Taylor looked at Isabella, waiting for confirmation. Initially, Emiliano Kirkbride wasn't supposed to be handled by their department, but the job had suddenly been reassigned to them. The meeting was scheduled soon, leaving them with little time to prepare. "Yes. This client is extremely important, and I can't trust anyone else to handle it. But I have full confidence in your abilities." Isabella turned to Taylor and smiled warmly. "Oh? Are you trying to overwork me? Passing such an important client over to me." Taylor frowned slightly and playfully complained. If anyone else saw this interaction, they would be utterly shocked. "Come on, how old are you? Still acting like a child. Fine, land this client, and I'll give you a vacation." Seeing her longtime friend behaving like this, Isabella chuckled and tapped her forehead. "No way! Those other girls will tear me apart if I'm the only one getting a vacation. If you're giving time off, we all get time off." Taylor shook Isabella's arm, pleading persistently. With a helpless smile, Isabella eventually agreed, making Taylor beam with joy. "Taylor... she never seems to grow up." Watching Taylor walk away, Isabella shook her head with a smile before heading to her office on the top floor. Today's client was indeed extremely important. If this deal went through, it would bring in significant funding. She wouldn't have felt as at ease delegating this task if it were anyone else.