Chapter 1046: Not aligned

"Sir, how could you just let that old fatty get away with it?!" Benjamin couldn’t help but complain while they were in the lift, seething in anger the more he thought of William’s smug grin. "He’s already that old, but he kept picking on the young ones — gah! This is so frustrating!"

"Sir Vitt..." Allen tried to calm Benjamin down, but to no avail. He glanced at Zoren and Atlas, but those two were acting as if Benjamin was nothing but a ghost. His face soured as he looked back at Benjamin. "Sir Vitt, I think it’s alright now. Please don’t get frustrated anymore."

"As if I want to be frustrated!" Benjamin scoffed at him, making Allen flinch slightly. "I mean, I’m not angry at you. I’m just frustrated that William Pierson is audacious enough to treat people like this! Besides, tell me who that security guard was who stopped you! I’ll make sure he gets punished for what he did! I’LL RUIN HIM!"

Allen smiled helplessly at Benjamin. "It’s alright now, Sir Vitt."

"It’s not alright!" Benjamin was almost breathing fire, and if he could, he would’ve gone with William Pierson and joined him in the lift to cremate him. "How dare all these people try to embarrass my boss?! I’m going to avenge him! You! Assistant Allen, you should get angry at them as well! Don’t just forgive them!"

"..." Allen was rendered speechless, but he had to admit Benjamin’s fearlessness was admirable. ’He wasn’t even scared to argue with an executive.’

Well, Benjamin worshipped no one. If someone could vouch for that, it would be Penny. She was one of the people who experienced Benjamin’s overprotectiveness firsthand. Even so, Allen felt reassured to have Zoren and Benjamin on their side.

"Sir Vitt, it’s alright now," Allen reassured Benjamin calmly. "I think we should all just move on."

"No way! I’m not moving on! The only way I’d move on is when I see that smug look on his face disappear!"

The more Allen tried to soothe Benjamin, the angrier the latter became. Meanwhile, while this was happening in the back, Atlas and Zoren stood side by side.

"I’m sorry about what happened," Zoren expressed quietly. "I should’ve waited for you in the lobby or asked Ben to see you to avoid such things."

Atlas didn’t even look at him as he spoke. "It’s alright. It’s my fault for rejecting your offer."

"Still —"

"Don’t mention it anymore," Atlas added, cutting Zoren off. "I’ll deal with him once I’m hired."

Zoren kept his gaze on his brother-in-law’s side profile and couldn’t help but smile. "I heard you denied knowing William Pierson."

When Zoren said that, Allen perked up and turned to the front.

"That’s right..." Allen frowned. "Sir Atlas, why would you tell Director William that Miss Penny didn’t mention anything about him? I think he got angry when you denied him!"

Curious, Benjamin also gazed at Atlas’s back. Now, the three of them were looking at Atlas curiously. Atlas didn’t answer as he kept his eyes on the door, not bothered by the curious eyes on him.

When his lips parted, his quiet voice said, "I thought he would chat with me if I acknowledged him. He looks chatty."

"..." Allen’s face twitched while Benjamin furrowed his brows. Zoren, on the other hand, couldn’t help but chuckle.

In other words, the only reason Atlas denied William was because he looked chatty. Atlas was not interested in small talk, nor was he interested in faking a smile. That was not the reason he was here.

"Hah..." Allen sighed, while Benjamin cast a curious look at him.

"Say, is he always like this?" asked Benjamin quietly, but no matter what, his query was heard since they were in the lift.

Allen reluctantly nodded. "Apparently."

"Heh..."

"What is it, Sir Vitt?" asked Allen, noticing the twisted look turning up on Benjamin’s face.

Benjamin just shook his head and moved closer to him. "Assistant — I mean, can I just call you by your first name?"

"Huh?"

"You can just call me Benjamin," Benjamin urged, almost making it sound like Allen had to be suspicious. "Allen, I think we’re going to get along since it seems like we have a lot of things in common."

"A lot of things in common...?" Allen furrowed his brows. "Like, what?"

Benjamin puckered his lips, pointing at the men standing in front of them. Once Allen shifted his eyes to their bosses, Benjamin moved closer to him.

"My boss is somewhat the same," he shared quietly, but not quiet enough for Zoren not to hear. "Maybe, worse."

"..." Allen’s brows rose, looking at Benjamin, and then back to Zoren. Both Zoren and Atlas weren’t reacting as if they hadn’t heard this. However, they all knew they could hear Benjamin. They just chose to ignore it!

"Ha... ha..." Allen laughed helplessly. "Sir Vitt, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do that."

"Huh? Why?"

"I can’t just call my superior by their first name. Even though it’s fine with you, I don’t feel comfortable with it," Allen explained, only to see Benjamin look even more confused. "Ah. I’m sorry for not being clear. What I’m trying to say is, you might be my superior in the future. But well, that’s still unsure since I have to pass my interview first."

"Assistant Allen, what are you talking about?"

"Sir Atlas and I came here for a job interview," Allen simplified meekly. "Of course, I know that my boss didn’t ask for any support from Sir Zoren. Besides, I also want to try if I will be hired as well with sheer determination."

Yet, the more Allen explained the situation, the more confused Benjamin appeared. The latter tilted his head to the side, thinking about whether Allen had a fever. Why was Allen saying all of this?

"Uh... Allen, I’m not too sure what you’re talking about, honestly." Benjamin shot a look at Atlas’s back, but neither Atlas nor Zoren budged. When he set his eyes back on Allen, he studied the latter with genuine wonder in his eyes.

Thinking of Atlas’s explanation of denying William, Benjamin had a theory. "Allen, are you here... for a job interview?"

"Yes."

"Did he tell you what kind of job interview it was??"

"Well... is there another meaning for a job interview?"

"Uh." And Allen’s answer hit him. Benjamin shook his head. "Allen, just call me Ben. See? We really have a lot of things in common."

Deep lines appeared between Allen’s brows while Benjamin’s mouth stretched from ear to ear. "I think your concept of a job interview and First Brother’s doesn’t align."

If not for Benjamin, Allen would’ve been kept in the dark until the time came. It only took one minute for everything to click for Allen, leaving him looking at Atlas bitterly.

Benjamin was right.

Atlas’s concept of a job interview was far different from what Allen had imagined.