Jossy's day was always predictable.
She tried to keep herself busy, but it was always the same thing. She would either take a walk, go to the gym, or go shopping. Sometimes she would rearrange flowers on the dining table, wipe down counters that were already spotless, scroll through social media mindlessly, and sometimes she even cooked, though Damien didn't like her cooking. He always preferred their chef to handle meals. But, no matter what she did, the day was always long and uneventful.
What bothered her wasn't just the boredom. It was the feeling of being unnecessary. Damien was out every morning, rushing between board meetings and networking lunches, and chasing deals that kept the company growing. On the other hand, she was left behind, expected to simply exist, to smile when he came home and to be ready to talk about babies when he wanted. She wanted more for herself. She owed herself that much. The more she sat idly, the more she felt like she was losing her mind. She was once sharp, ambitious, and full of ideas, and studied marketing in college, all the while dreaming of one day working in a big firm, doing something that mattered. Now, that version of her seemed like a stranger. And so, since the gala, without meaning to, she had caught herself scrolling through her phone and being drawn to job openings. She had told herself that she wouldn't apply, she just wanted to see what was out there. But when she stumbled across one particular job listing, her heart beat fast.
It wasn't a glamorous one. It wasn't even full time, but it was exactly what she needed. The Lennox Group was hiring several remote assistants to support the launch of their new beauty line, Aurora Glow, and had just launched a Serum under the product line. The role simply entailed responding to customer comments online, tracking feedback, and escalating issues and concerns to the marketing team. It would take four, maybe five hours distributed throughout the day. It was flexible and discreet. Just what she needed. She read the description again, then a third time. She could do this. It was nothing too heavy, but was meaningful enough to make her feel useful again.
Still, her fingers hovered over the "apply" button.