Chapter 1035: Job hunt

[THE BENNET MANSION]

Atlas stopped as soon as he opened the front door, tilting his head to the side. Allen, who was standing outside the house, had his knuckles raised, as if he was about to knock when the door opened.

"Uh, Sir Atlas," Allen awkwardly dropped his hand and held it in front of him. "I was just about to knock, but it seems you’re earlier than I expected."

Atlas didn’t answer immediately, holding his briefcase across his body as he pointed to the side. "There’s the doorbell. Why would you knock?"

"..." Allen’s smile stiffened. "Sir, I’m nervous. That’s why I seem to forget the most menial things."

"You mean the most obvious."

Allen’s smile cracked, but he managed a quick inhale and exhale to compose himself. "Good morning, Sir."

"Morning." With that, Allen stepped aside, and Atlas resumed his steps out of the house. "You’re earlier. I told you I’d pick you up."

"But sir... how can I—" Allen stopped mid-sentence, still following Atlas to the garage. "Sir, how come your driver won’t come anymore? Don’t tell me Stephen Bennet gave him an offer too?"

"He’s on vacation." Atlas stopped and raised a hand at Allen. "I’m driving."

Having said that, Atlas resumed his steps and went to the driver’s seat. Meanwhile, Allen was left standing there, his brows furrowed.

"But it’s been a while since I’ve seen the driver," he muttered, counting the days he hadn’t seen the driver with his fingers.

Honk!

Allen jumped when Atlas honked at him. His face soured, and he dragged his feet as he got into the driver’s seat.

"Sir, how many days did you give the driver for his vacation? How come he hasn’t come back until now?"

"Three months."

"Three—three months?!" Allen gasped, but what Atlas said next almost choked him.

"All paid vacation."

"A three-month paid vacation!?" Allen gasped louder, looking at his boss while Atlas maneuvered the car out of the garage. "Sir, you gave your driver a three-month paid vacation?!"

How come the driver got this deal?! Where was Allen?

"Why are you shocked?" Atlas muttered flatly, eyes on the side mirror. "You also had a paid vacation."

"Sir, when was this?"

"When you were comatose. The company paid for everything that your health card didn’t cover. You were in the VVIP room as well, so your girlfriend could eat high-grade steak if she wanted to. The only difference between you and him is that Stephen Bennet is paying for it since I’m no longer there."

"..." Allen deadpanned, staring at Atlas before his heart grew bitter. ’It wasn’t like I wished to be pushed down the stairs! Besides, how come the driver got a three-month paid leave?! I wasn’t in a coma for that long!’

Did Atlas feel bad for the driver because Allen got a ’leave’ while he didn’t? Regardless of Allen’s thoughts and bitterness, he didn’t have the heart to demand anymore. After all, his boss was... jobless. They both were.

The only reason Allen was here with him in their formal suits was because they were out to find a job. At least, that was what Atlas had told him. Allen tagged along because he didn’t want to burn through his savings before looking for another one. Though Allen had already received multiple job offers, he just felt like he couldn’t miss this chance.

"Job hunting with my boss... wow," Allen murmured, lifting his gaze back to his former boss. "Sir Atlas, you don’t have pride, do you?"

"..." Atlas didn’t answer. Heck, he didn’t even react! He just continued driving while Allen kept rambling on.

"No offense, sir! Please don’t take it the wrong way! All I’m saying is, that some people in your position wouldn’t look for a job! You were once the CEO of a huge company! It wouldn’t be that easy because everything else feels like a downgrade! I’m sure some company already sent you some job offers, and even that would feel insulting. You’re Atlas Bennet, after all!"

"I didn’t get any job offers."

"Considering that—eh?!" Allen gasped in dismay, studying Atlas’s side profile to see if the latter was joking. "Sir, are you serious? How is that possible?! My email has been busy since the news of us getting kicked out spread like wildfire!"

When Allen saw that photo, he just wanted to evaporate! But then, the job offers that kept popping up in his email revived his dying spirit.

Atlas nodded. "No one’s interested, I think."

"That’s nonsense." Allen frowned, confused and upset at the same time. "Why won’t they offer you—Sir! Do you think Stephen Bennet had something to do with this?! I’m sure that’s the case! Otherwise, how could no one offer you something?! Even if they don’t give you a CEO position, you’re still an asset! Heck! They’d be lucky if you agreed to negotiate your terms!"

"..."

"Sir, don’t worry about them anymore!" Allen cheered, nodding at the disinterested Atlas with pity and encouragement. "Today, we’ll do well, and I’m sure they’d be crying once they find out that Atlas Bennet is interested in their company."

Atlas still didn’t answer, his attention focused on the road. Allen, on the other hand, sighed heavily. The more he stared at Atlas’s stoic side profile, the more he felt sorry for him.

’Even though he’s not giving the slightest reaction, as if he’s just a block of ice being thawed in the fridge, I’m sure he’s hurt!’he mentally wept, casting Atlas a pitiful look. ’My boss... Oh, he’s so pitiful sometimes. Even though he says the weirdest and most aggravating things, I know he’s a hard worker. His dedication to his work is unparalleled! His face may still be paralyzed, but I’m sure he’s holding back his tears!’’

What Allen didn’t know was that the very things he was telling himself were the reason no one offered Atlas anything. Aside from the fact that Atlas was known to be a vengeful soul and giving him an offer might offend him — who would want a madman like him in the office?

Atlas’s dedication was unparalleled, and this was good for an employee if they thought they were the employee! Atlas’s mind doesn’t work that way. Even if he was thrown to the bottom of the office ladder, he would still come to the top office to scold the big bosses for being stupid.

No one wanted that kind of madman in their office except...

"Get out and meet me inside," Atlas announced flatly, snapping his cold eyes at his passenger. "We’re here."

"Uh?" Allen snapped back to reality, unaware he’d spent over an hour pitying and making his boss shine. "We’re here? Where are we..."

The rest of Allen’s words rolled back into his throat as he slowly looked up at the towering building they pulled up to.

PIERSON CORPORATION

Allen: "!!!!"