25 Why do you need a job?

Jasper finally smiled, a wave of relief washing over him. It would be his first time dining with her when Elsa was not around.

He would treat it like a date. He couldn't help but think of Elsa's delight at seeing him with Abigail. This thought alone was joyful.

The corners of his lips curled slightly.

"Let's go." He stood up and walked out quickly, hiding his joy.

Abigail followed him out, her bag slung over her shoulder.

They came to the parking area and got into his red Mustang.

The car began to move down the road.

His fingers were drumming on the steering wheel. Jasper was ecstatic. Today, one of his dreams came true.

He had always wanted to take her on a long drive, and she was finally sitting beside him in his car. This sensation improved his mood. At this point, the exhaustion and annoyance he had felt after interviewing the candidates vanished.

He couldn't help but take a glance at her.

She was silently looking out the window, not even looking in his direction.

He suspected she was uncomfortable with him.

"Um… Did you talk to Elsa?" he asked after a while, assuming she would like to talk about her childhood friend.

"No…" She lowered her gaze to her lap, embarrassed yet again. She had not spoken to Elsa in years, but she came to her brother and begged for a job shamelessly. "I don't have her contact number."

Jasper's visage turned serious. He had been upset with Elsa because of how she had treated Abigail at the time.

It was not her fault entirely.

Elsa loved him so much. She only wanted to bring Abigail closer to him, which is why she pushed her to join the company. She was upset not only because Abigail had rejected her offer, but also because he had never gathered the courage to confess his feelings to her.

He gripped the steering wheel, disturbed by his memories. Because of his lack of confidence, he had simply watched Abigail marry another man. He was depressed but never expressed it. He believed she was not meant for him. That was why she had never fallen in love with him despite the fact that they grew up together.

Why hadn't she noticed him? How come she never realized why he was always there for her when she needed it?

"She is upset with me."

Her words broke the trail of his thoughts. When he glanced at her, he saw a bitter smile on her face.

"You must be thinking I am shameless," Abigail mused. "I declined to work for your company. Now I come to you for a job." She turned to him. "You don't have to be kind to me. I won't mind if you don't want to hire me."

Jasper became restless, assuming she was not going to join the company. Even if he couldn't make her his girlfriend, he could at least watch her every day. No matter what, he wouldn't let her walk away this time.

Maybe someday a miracle would happen, and she would come to him.

"What nonsense!" he said hurriedly. "I always wanted you to work for the company. I still want that."

Abigail was taken aback to learn that he still wanted her to work there. That meant he had no reservations about hiring her. It was relieving. At the same time, she felt guilty.

She realized Elsa was only showing her love for her by offering the job, not doing a favor for her. She had misjudged her and made her upset.

"Thank you," she murmured, forcing a smile.

Jasper could see how depressed she was and thought it was because Elsa had severed the relationship with her. The truth was that Elsa had gone abroad for further studies at the time and had only recently returned.

"Elsa is now a pilot," Jasper announced proudly. "She recently joined a well-known commercial airline. She will be back in a week. I'm sure she will be delighted to see you."

A wide smile surfaced on her face. Abigail was overjoyed for Elsa.

"Wow! It's fantastic news."

She remembered how excited Elsa had been as a child whenever she saw an airplane flying in the sky.

'I will fly an airplane someday.' These were her words.

Abigail was delighted to know that her friend had ultimately fulfilled her dream.

"I am looking forward to seeing her."

Her smile began to fade as soon as those words left her mouth.

"She must not want to meet with me," she admitted dejectedly.

"You don't know Elsa if you think like that," he scoffed.

"I know her." She pouted a little, displeased to hear it.

"Hah…" He chuckled and pulled over the car in front of a restaurant. "We have arrived."

She looked at the high-end Italian restaurant, memories from the past flooding through her mind.

It was the same restaurant where Jasper had brought her and Elsa the day he had founded the company. That day, Elsa asked her to start working with her brother. Abigail had not taken it seriously at the time and had jokingly said yes.

Since then, Elsa had often pestered her to join the company.

Abigail had assumed it would be a favor to her if she took the job. So, she instead joined a small consultancy firm after graduation, which enraged Elsa and drove her to break up all ties with her.

Looking at the familiar building, she recalled all the past events and became even more depressed.

Jasper opened the door for her.

She stepped out of the car, wondering why he had chosen this place to dine.

'Is this his favorite restaurant?' she murmured to herself.

"Let's get in, shall we?"

She nodded and followed him inside.

They took an empty table in the corner.

Jasper checked the menu and asked, "What do you like to eat?"

Abigail was caught between the present and her memories of the past. She couldn't think of anything.

Jasper noticed her hesitation. "If you trust me, allow me to choose the food," he said in a gentlemanly manner, gazing deeply into her eyes.

"Okay." Looking into his sincere eyes, Abigail felt particularly at ease and was willing to accept his arrangements.

Jasper motioned to a waiter and placed his order. "Steak, seafood soup, grilled salmon, and mixed vegetable salad."

"Sure…" The waiter left.

Jasper returned his focus to her.

"Why do you need a job?" he finally asked the question that had been bothering him since he saw her name on the list.