4 – Job Offer (1)

"You said you’d do any kind of work?" The question came from Callie, Alethea’s best friend, whose mother owned a staffing agency.

"Yes. Did you get the latest update from your mom?" Alethea asked eagerly. They were deliberately talking in the kitchen in hushed voices because Alethea’s mother and younger sibling were watching TV in the living room.

"I did," Callie replied, equally enthusiastic. "It’s a job with a very tempting offer, and you wouldn’t have to go abroad because the job is in the capital city. Plus, you don’t need to spend a dime on documents like work visas or anything." Callie’s tone was filled with excitement.

"What kind of job?" Alethea asked, eyeing Callie suspiciously as she washed vegetables at the sink. Despite feeling exhausted after just getting home from work, cooking dinner for her family wasn’t something she could skip. If she refused, something would surely be thrown at her, and the pain from that would outweigh her fatigue.

"My mom said it’s a caregiving job for someone who’s ill," Callie said as she helped Alethea slice tomatoes.

"But the conditions they’ve set are a bit... unusual."

"What do you mean?"

"They’re looking for someone who can work 24/7 for an entire week. No days off. No cell phone. No family visits."

"Are you sure this isn’t a prison?" Alethea shot Callie a sarcastic look.

"No. My mom said the person who contacted her is someone she trusts," Callie replied firmly. However, Alethea frowned, her mind racing as she tried to process the peculiar conditions her friend had just shared.

"Are you sure this job isn’t dangerous for me?" Alethea asked, still suspicious. "Are they good employers? And think about it—how can someone work without rest? That’s completely unreasonable, Callie. I’m human, not a robot. Even robots need downtime, let alone me." Alethea vented her frustration. "I can tolerate the no-family-visits rule because, honestly, I wouldn’t want my mom coming to my workplace. You know how she is; I’m not sure she wouldn’t make things worse for me. And I’m not a phone addict, so I wouldn’t mind not using one during work hours. But what if I need help? Or what if my family—my grandmother—needs to reach me? Those two conditions you mentioned earlier just don’t make sense."

"Let me explain first," Callie said with a smile, reacting calmly to her friend’s fiery outburst. "My mom and I already discussed this with the employer. The 24/7 work condition is just a figure of speech. They’re not actually forbidding days off or banning phone usage completely. It’s more of a metaphor. You won’t be working around the clock because they’re not that crazy. What they mean is that they want you to always be available to meet the employer’s needs whenever they arise. So, you might have to wake up and do your job even in the middle of the night. They said your work would be similar to caring for a baby, except this is an adult baby."

"What exactly is wrong with the employer?"

"I don’t know, and my mom didn’t dare to ask," Callie replied, leaving Alethea in thoughtful silence. "As for your personal needs, they said they’d handle everything. You won’t even need to worry about washing or ironing your own clothes because they have other staff for that. And for food and healthcare, they’ll fully cover those expenses, meaning you’ll get a clean salary every month. And here’s the best part, in my opinion."

"What is it? How much are they going to pay me?" Alethea asked eagerly. This was what she had been dying to know from the start.

"They’re going to pay you forty thousand dollars a month," Callie said, trying to contain her excitement as she revealed the staggering number. "Just imagine, Thea, how much that is! With that kind of money, you could finally shut your mom up." She whispered this last part while shaking Alethea, who stood frozen in place.

"Y-you’re serious?" Alethea stammered in disbelief, her eyes staring at Callie in confusion. Callie grinned widely and nodded enthusiastically.

"That’s impossible," Alethea replied, still skeptical.

"What’s impossible? Remember, your working hours are twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for an entire month. That’s why the pay is so high. They also said the rest of it is basically a weekend bonus," Callie explained. "Have you ever heard of a more incredible offer than this? Even my mom said she’d take the job herself if her health allowed it. And me? I’d do it too, but my mom said I’m not as gentle or patient as you, so hiring me would only ruin her agency’s reputation." Callie sighed, feigning frustration.

"I’m not sure, Callie," Alethea said softly. "Even if the pay is tempting, the job feels suspicious."

"I get it. I thought the same thing at first," Callie admitted. "That’s why I asked my mom to secure some guarantees. They said they’d draw up a contract that protects you completely. They’re even willing to pay you the full month’s salary upfront."

Alethea bit her lower lip hesitantly.

"You’re sure this isn’t a dangerous job?" she asked, still worried.

"I’m sure, Thea. Absolutely sure. Do you want me to contact the person offering the job? My mom gave me their contact info, and the woman said I could call her if you had any doubts."

Alethea thought for a moment before nodding. Callie pulled out her phone and dialed the number.

"Helen Bishop," said the voice on the other end of the line, answering on the first ring.

"I’m Callie Osborn, the daughter of Imelda Osborn, owner of the staffing agency," Callie responded confidently.

"Ah, yes. What’s the matter? Have you found a candidate that meets our requirements?" the woman asked bluntly, skipping any pleasantries.

"We have one candidate who we think is a good fit for you," Callie said, glancing at Alethea. "I’ve explained all your terms and conditions, but she still needs some reassurance. Honestly, the offer you’re making is very tempting, and the salary you’re offering is fantastic. That’s why she’s a bit hesitant—it feels almost too good to be true."

A soft chuckle came from the other end of the line.

"Is she with you now? I’d like to see her face," Helen said. Callie immediately switched the call to video mode.