Chapter 10

"That idiot! Does that ex-convict really think he'll find a job? Pfft!" Raymond cursed out loud as he looked at Perseus in the rearview mirror. "That's enough. Just shut up and leave him there. Looking at him just annoys me to no end." Catherine wore a disdainful look as well. She had never liked Perseus in the past. When she found out about his imprisonment, she was so elated that she had the urge to celebrate the occasion with fireworks. After all, the Perseus from three years ago was way too outstanding. He had amazing grades and was every teacher's dream student. Not only that, but he was also the child that everyone in the area wished to have. Randolph used to bring Perseus up to compare him with Catherine during the holidays. Thanks to that, Catherine found herself resenting Perseus more and more. Now, Perseus was reduced to nothing but an ex-convict. He still needed Catherine's help in getting a job. What was the point of having good grades? "Don't worry. I've already passed the message to the ones in the company. I'll make sure that he gets kicked out right away. "It's true that his presence in the company will be an eyesore for us. I'm starting to think that your dad wants him there on purpose so that he can spy on us." Hatred flashed across Raymond's eyes at that moment. "My dad's the old-fashioned type, so you should be on your best behavior. Ah, you'll be attending the family gathering that's taking place this Sunday. Remember to prepare some gifts. Don't give my dad a chance to nitpick at your flaws." "Got it." Raymond plastered a grin on his face, but in reality, he wasn't happy at all. His monthly salary was quite low. He didn't have much money left after going out with his friends. … After Perseus got out of the car, he spotted a small convenience store nearby. He stopped by to buy a pack of cigarettes before heading toward Quantum Innovations leisurely. About 20 minutes later, he finally saw Quantum Innovations. Quantum Innovations wasn't a large-scale company at all. It was just a small-scale company that focused on research. Its net worth was 200 million dollars, with only about a few hundred active employees keeping the operations ongoing. However, Quantum Innovations came from a strong background. Neptuna was a city where land was as valuable as money itself, yet Quantum Innovations owned a building that was located on Ringed Street. The building itself took up at least 13 acres. The security guard didn't stop Perseus from entering the building. After Perseus told him about his purpose, the guard let him register at the counter before letting him in. After Perseus asked one of the beautiful receptionists about the interview's location, he headed to the third floor right away. There was another person being interviewed at the moment. Perseus had to wait for around 20 minutes before it was his turn to enter the room. The HR manager was a 40-year-old man named Dean Orcall. "What's your name?" Dean rifled through the pile of résumés on his desk without bothering to look at Perseus. Quantum Innovations might be a small-scale company, but it excelled at researching new technologies. It had begun to reveal its actual potential in the tech industry. Many departments were in dire need of new blood. As the HR manager, Dean was under a lot of stress to recruit new employees. "Perseus Caitford." Perseus sat across from Dean while maintaining his neutral expression. "Hmm? Perseus Caitford?" Dean was clearly stunned for a moment. He raised his head to look at Perseus, noting the latter's sharp features and buzzcut. At first glance, Perseus looked like a decent man. But Dean's expression grew cold when he remembered Raymond's orders. "Yes. My name is Perseus Caitford," Perseus reiterated. "Oh." Dean inclined his head slightly. "Why can't I find your résumé?" "I didn't have the time to draft one yet." That was a brilliant excuse for Dean to act up. He tossed his pen onto the desk with a loud clatter, his expression now thunderous. "Why are you looking for a job without a résumé? Are you screwing with me right now?" "Why don't you just start asking me questions? I'll make sure to hand in my résumé later. How about that?" Perseus frowned slightly, but he wasn't angry at Dean. He did score a chance to get an interview without going through the proper means, so it was his own fault for not preparing his own résumé in advance. "Fine. Which university did you graduate from? What sort of working experience are you equipped with?" Dean folded his arms in front of his chest while arching a brow disdainfully. He had seen Raymond's WhatsApp message to him earlier, which was how he found out about Perseus being an ex-convict. Perseus thought for a few seconds before saying truthfully, "I only have a high school diploma. I've never graduated from my university, and I don't have any working experience." Three years ago, he was thrown into jail when he started his internship. Both the university and the hospital expelled him shortly afterward. Of course, he never got to accumulate any working experience. "But you have three years' worth of experience as an ex-convict, right?" Dean scoffed mockingly. "Tell me, how did you get into jail in the first place? Did you rob a house or steal from someone?" "How did you know that?" Perseus asked instinctively. That was when a thought popped up in his mind. Either Catherine or Raymond must have leaked his past to Dean. It seemed that Catherine was insincere about arranging a job position for him. To think that Perseus would actually get pushed around by someone who was far inferior to him… One would have to fail in life in order to discern the true colors of the people around them. Perseus finally experienced this life lesson at this very moment. Dean knew that he had misspoken, but he didn't care at all. "It doesn't matter how I know about it. On behalf of Quantum Innovations, I'm going to make it clear to you that we don't need ex-convicts to join our ranks. The door's that way. You can get lost now." Perseus slowly stood up, his beautiful eyes firmly glued to Dean's face. "I can understand the reason why I failed the interview, but you don't get to decide whether or not I'm an ex-convict. At the same time, you have no right to represent Quantum Innovations." "Oh?" Dean chuckled in amusement while raising an eyebrow. "You think you can fight back, punk?" "I'm not fighting back. I'm just stating the truth. What right do you have to represent Quantum Innovations? Are you even worthy of that?" Perseus decided not to tolerate Dean's rudeness anymore. There were already a handful of people calling him an ex-convict since his return yesterday. First of all, Perseus wasn't an ex-convict. Second of all, even if he was one, did that mean all ex-convicts were bad people? Hell no! There was an inmate who stayed in Thistle Isle Prison. He was the King of Soldiers, an individual who once crossed the border to kill his enemies. As a result, he was taken to the military court for his crimes. After all, he did commit murder. But many people living in Thistle Isle Prison thought of him as a national hero. Perseus' patience was slowly whittled away every time someone referred to him as an ex-convict. Now, he couldn't endure it anymore. There was no need for him to hold himself back. "If I'm not worthy of that, then who do you think is actually worthy? You? Get out of here right now, you fucking ex-convict!" Dean slammed his hand onto his desk. He exclaimed, "If you don't leave right now, I'll have the security guards toss you out like a piece of trash you are!" "Hah! You want me to get lost?" Instead of leaving, Perseus sat down leisurely before pulling out a Camel cigarette and lighting it. He even crossed one leg over the other arrogantly. "Heh! You're putting on airs now, eh? I told you to fucking get lost, but you sat down instead just so you could fight back! Fine! Just you wait!" Dean dug out his phone and made a phone call right away. He wasn't sure why Perseus had landed himself in jail in the first place. It'd be humiliating for him if he tried to beat Perseus up and ended up getting struck instead. That was why he decided to summon more people to the office in order to ensure his winning rate. "Here's a word of advice; call Charles Stout and ask him if he has the guts to tell me to get lost," Perseus said casually. His words left Dean flabbergasted. He put down his phone instantly before turning around to look at Perseus in confusion. "You know Mr. Stout?" Charles was the founder and CEO of Quantum Innovations. He was definitely the figurehead of the company. Did Perseus know Charles? "I may not know him, but he definitely knows me," Perseus said coolly. "Yeah, yeah. Keep acting." Dean thought Perseus was just trying to intimidate him. How could an ex-convict know Charles on a personal level anyway? The fact that Perseus uttered Charles' full name wasn't surprising at all. Anyone could've easily found out about Charles' name on the Internet. Besides, Raymond had already investigated Perseus' background thoroughly. He wouldn't lie to Dean. That was why Dean was sure that his speculation was correct. "Hmph! You really think I'd believe you? I'm giving you one more chance. Are you going to leave on your own or not?"