Chapter 6 The Interview

Emily's next interview was in another upscale neighborhood.

The couple had been married for only six months and were clearly still in their honeymoon phase. They displayed their affection openly in front of Emily, exchanging loving glances and casual touches that made her inwardly cringe.

"Darling, you're so thoughtful to find someone to take care of me," the female employer cooed, then shot Emily a suspicious glance. "But she doesn't look like a typical housekeeper. Why would someone so young and pretty choose this line of work? It seems odd."

Emily maintained her professional smile while her fingers tightened slightly on her knee.

"Sweetheart," the male employer said gently, "Ms. Green is indeed a housekeeper, but she's a Chartered Housekeeper. She's fluent in multiple languages and can read foreign language books to our baby. This will give our child a head start in language development."

The pregnant wife nervously stroked her swollen belly, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Absolutely not! Our baby should only hear my voice during prenatal education. What if external voices confuse the baby and it doesn't recognize me after birth?"

The logic was so absurd that Emily almost laughed out loud.

"You have a point," the male employer conceded, "but didn't you mention feeling lonely during the day? Having someone close to your age around might give you someone to talk to. I'm sure you'd have plenty in common."

"A housekeeper is here to work, not chat," the female employer said with a slight pout. "What could we possibly talk about? We're clearly not on the same level."

The undisguised contempt made Emily's eyes cool slightly. Before her rebirth, she would have immediately fired back at such an insult. Now, she chose strategic silence.

"Don't be so judgmental," the male employer attempted to mediate. "Ms. Green is a university graduate. She's probably just as knowledgeable as you are."

The female employer's eyes widened in disbelief. "A college graduate working as a housekeeper? Is the job market really that terrible these days?"

"The employment landscape can be challenging," Emily replied softly.

The female employer fell into obvious internal conflict. Her furrowed brow revealed her dilemma—refusing would reject her husband's thoughtfulness, but accepting meant bringing this young, attractive, educated woman into their home... exactly the type her husband seemed to appreciate.

Seeing her hesitation, Emily suggested, "Perhaps I could do a trial run?"

"Fine. Make us something to eat," the female employer reluctantly agreed. "The refrigerator is stocked. Prepare something suitable for a pregnant woman—light and nutritious."

"Of course," Emily rose and headed to the kitchen.

This couple wasn't ideal, but workable. The female employer was a bit dramatic, but nothing serious. Most importantly, they seemed to have a solid relationship, which would prevent many misunderstandings. And the male employer was quite generous—offering $15,000 per month.

Emily surveyed the contents of the refrigerator and quickly decided on a menu. For two people, a simple meal of two dishes and a soup would be perfect—light, nutritious, and quick to prepare.

An hour later, the food was ready. The presentation was impeccable, the aroma inviting. The male employer's eyes showed clear appreciation, while the female employer maintained a carefully neutral expression.

She tasted each dish, then frowned critically.

Emily was momentarily taken aback. She was confident in her culinary skills, and these criticisms were clearly deliberate nitpicking.

The male employer sampled each dish, looking confused as he glanced at his wife. He tasted again.

"This tastes great," he said honestly. "Has pregnancy changed your taste buds? Ms. Green can adjust to your preferences."

Emily's lips twitched slightly. This husband was truly clueless about his wife's intentions.

The female employer immediately adopted a hurt expression. "Honey, her cooking just doesn't agree with me. Let's ask my aunt to help instead. She has experience with both her daughters-in-law's pregnancies, and being family, she'll take better care of me."

"Not your aunt, please," the male employer sighed wearily. "She always leaves with something of mine. Last time it was my suit and tie, before that my old car, and that box of premium steaks I had shipped from abroad. If she becomes our housekeeper, we might find our home emptied."

The female employer looked embarrassed. "We're family. What's wrong with sharing? You can afford it."

"I'm happy to give freely, but I won't be taken advantage of shamelessly," the male employer showed a rare display of principle.

The female employer's eyes welled with tears. "You agreed before. I thought you were willing. If you didn't want to, why didn't you just say no?"

"I only did it because of you—" The male employer stopped mid-sentence.

Emily deliberately made herself less noticeable, observing the couple's interaction.

In her previous life, she'd seen too many marriages that looked perfect on the surface but were full of problems behind closed doors. This couple was relatively better—at least they still considered each other's feelings, even if they both lacked emotional intelligence.

Emily quietly stood, preparing to excuse herself. The couple suddenly remembered they had company, and the female employer shot her an annoyed glance.

The male employer looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Ms. Green. I think we'll end the interview here."

Emily nodded politely and took her leave.

Back at her apartment, she immediately contacted Drew. "The position wasn't suitable for me," she said casually.

"Not suitable? What happened?" Drew asked.

"The female employer was concerned about my presence affecting her marital harmony," Emily explained diplomatically. "I'd appreciate if you could continue looking for other opportunities."

Drew immediately understood the subtext. "Beauty can be a curse sometimes! Don't worry, there are plenty of good positions available. I'll be in touch soon."

Emily wasn't disappointed. Rather, she found the experience interesting—interviews were becoming a fascinating study in human behavior.

Two days later, Drew called with exciting news. "I have a lead with a retired professor couple. Their son and daughter-in-law are traveling abroad for business, and they're looking after their grandson for a month. They need someone to help care for the boy and assist with his homework. It's only for a month, but they're premium clients!"

"That sounds perfect," Emily said, her interest piqued. "Even if it's just for a month, it's a good way to pass the time."

When Emily arrived at the professors' home at the appointed time, she was about to ring the doorbell when she heard a young boy throwing a tantrum inside.

"I won't eat it! I won't! It tastes horrible!" the child was shouting.