From a young age, Zara Cole had excellent grades. Most importantly, she had a photographic memory. Using this talent, she memorized Evander's contact information from the note he gave her with just a glance and quickly arranged a time and place to meet him.
When she stepped into his office as scheduled, her eyes lit up. The first thing she saw was a large pot of birds of paradise, their tall, arrogant, and beautiful foliage.
There was a mahogany desk with minimal clutter: a stylish business laptop, a fine Lamy fountain pen, a brass inkwell, a copy of the Financial Times, and several hardcover history and philosophy books. A small, delicate sansevieria stood quietly beside it. The high-end ergonomic office chair was made of full-grain genuine leather, and its expensive craftsmanship was obvious at a glance.
In the reception area next to it, a set of full-grain leather sofas was understated and luxurious. The texture of the leather alone was enough to make one imagine the feeling of sinking into them.
Industry awards, certifications, and innovation patents covered the walls.
She couldn't help but stare, mesmerized.
He sat at his desk, watching her with a smile. She had a shoulder-length curly hairstyle, a beige blazer with a small Chanel-style mini skirt, and nude high heels, an elegant and professional look.
He gave a look to a subordinate, who understood and left, closing the door behind him.
He leaned back, his back pressed against the chair, a meaningful smile on his face. "Miss Cole, it seems you're very interested in my office environment?"
Her back stiffened, and she quickly snapped back to reality, giving an awkward laugh. "Mr. Becker, hello!"
"Miss Cole, hello!" He looked at her, then paused. The lines on his face instantly tightened, and the playful expression in his deep eyes vanished, replaced by a heavy, almost solidified seriousness. "Now that it's just the two of us, I think you'll be willing to be my girlfriend!"
Her mouth fell open, and her eyes widened. She stared at him for a moment as if he were a monster, and then said loudly, "Mr. Becker, you are very fond of jokes! But I am not interested in this one!"
He quickly sat up straight, his gaze becoming even deeper and sharper, and his brows furrowed with an unquestionable authority. "What if I'm willing to pay you a large sum of money?"
"Oh, that's enough to make me waver. But I'm curious, why me? With your status, what kind of woman can't you get?"
She had already found out everything about him. When she searched online and discovered that he was the CEO of Salmart Software, she no longer doubted that he could help her find a job. She naively believed that a reputable company like Salmart would be willing to cultivate honest, kind, and loyal employees, and she felt she fit the bill perfectly. So, with what she believed was a valid reason, she quickly contacted Evander.
But when she heard that the so-called job was to be his girlfriend, she was so shocked that she stood still for a long time.
"It seems you already know my background very well!" Suddenly, a hint of coldness appeared between his eyebrows, and his expression became heavy. "Yes, with my current status, what kind of woman can't I get? But I trust my intuition more, and my intuition tells me that you are more suitable to be my girlfriend than other women!"
"This is too sudden. I think... I am not up to the task! After all, you are not an ordinary person. Becoming your girlfriend might... might cause me a lot of trouble in the future!" She opened the door and fled in a hurry.
He smiled and leaned his back against the chair again.
For this meeting, Zara had gone to Sophia's house early in the morning. At Sophia's suggestion, she wore a professional yet casual little lady's outfit. Of course, apart from her naturally beautiful shoulder-length curly hair, everything else was a gift from Sophia.
As she received the blazer, mini skirt, and high heels, she felt both grateful and shy. She comforted herself, thinking that all of this was temporary, and she would repay Sophia once she found a job! But with what would she repay her? She had rejected Evander! A golden opportunity to make a fortune!
When she was hitting dead ends everywhere in her job search, she would comfort herself, saying that she would eventually find a way. But as time went by and she saw her classmates—those with worse grades and who were not as good as her in other aspects—finding jobs, she became more and more anxious.
She returned to her rented apartment and habitually opened her email, only to see one debt collection notice after another! Rent, her mother's medical expenses, daily food costs... Zara's head ached.
Suddenly, she got up and ran out.
Evander did not seem at all surprised by Zara's sudden return.
He called for his lawyer, who handed a contract to her. "Miss Cole, please read the contract. If there are no issues, you can sign the agreement."
She took the contract, glanced at it, and reached out her hand.
The lawyer handed her a pen. "You don't want to read it carefully?"
"No need!" She was about to sign.
Evander suddenly walked over, snatched the pen from her hand, and said with a solemn expression, "For your sake, please read the terms carefully. It's not too late to sign after you've confirmed everything is in order!"
She was stunned and said nothing.
He looked at the lawyer, who understood, picked up the contract, and began to read the terms one by one.
She watched the lawyer, her expression becoming more and more serious.
When he finished, the lawyer asked, "Miss Cole, do you have any questions?"
"The agreement doesn't specify the payment amount? More than anything else, I'm concerned about how much money I'll get!"
"Don't worry, it's already written in the contract. You can confirm it carefully. If there are no problems, you can sign. Currently, the compensation my boss is giving you is already very high."
She carefully looked at the compensation section over and over again. After confirming that the amount was enough to cover her mother's medical expenses and daily needs, she picked up the pen. Just as the tip was about to touch the paper, Evander suddenly called out, "Wait, we need to add one more clause!"
Zara and the lawyer looked at him.
He turned his gaze to the window, his voice low but firm: "No matter when or where, if either party encounters any difficulties, they must speak up so we can solve them together!"
She couldn't help but scrutinize the man in front of her. He was stunningly handsome and looked a bit uninhibited on the outside, but the sharp glint in his eyes showed that he was not to be underestimated. His deep, beautiful eyes and a model-like, golden-ratio figure made her gasp in admiration.
The lawyer picked up his pen and added the clause to the notes section.
She turned her gaze back to the contract, took a look, and quickly signed it!
The lawyer took the contract, closed the door, and left.
"Mr. Becker, can I ask you for a favor?" she said, her face flushed red and her voice low.
"Huh?" He looked up at her.
"This is just a small thing for you, but it means the world to me!"
He smiled but didn't say anything.
She took a deep breath, looked at him with determination, and said, word for word, "I want to work at your company. I've long aspired to be a programmer there. Of course, I'm willing to start as a junior programmer, or even as an errand person. I won't give you any trouble!"
He nonchalantly said "Oh," but a storm was brewing in his heart. The small amount of compensation he was prepaying her shouldn't have made her so eager to start working, should it? It seemed that this woman cared about more than just money, and a woman who cared about more than just money was definitely not simple.
If he hadn't been pressured to get married by his elders, he wouldn't have been in a hurry to find a girlfriend. He thought about the family dinner in Ann Arbor in three days, where he would be forced to reluctantly accept Lise, and he felt as if his whole body was being pricked with needles.
Her appearance gave him a sense of deja vu, and the idea of a contractual girlfriend instantly arose. She seemed to be in great need of money, and he needed to be temporarily 'protected.' They could each get what they wanted, so why not?
He spoke quickly, looking at her and saying, "That's not difficult, but if a certain CEO and his new girlfriend work at the same company, subordinates will inevitably gossip. Aren't you afraid that it will be difficult to carry out your work?"
"For the programmer job I've dreamed of, I can endure anything that makes me unhappy! Please, I beg you to give me a chance. I will be 100% loyal to you!" As she said this, her eyes were determined and her face was sincere.
"No, our contractual agreement does not include a free programmer position!" He paused, then changed the subject. "Of course, if you perform well, it can be considered a bonus. I think I will work extra hard..." He shook his head and laughed.