CHAPTER 25: Offer

I kept telling myself over and over to stay away from people who did nothing but ruin my life. But no matter how much I wanted to, I still could not do it. Even if it went against my will, even if my patience was tested repeatedly, and even if my blood boiled in frustration countless times, I could not avoid them, especially that bastard Yuan.

There was only one reason—money.

I needed money, and since that asshole was a billionaire, it was easy for him to get whatever he wanted using his wealth, including my services.

He constantly invited me to his condo, paying me just to annoy me all day until he fell asleep. I had no idea why he was wasting his money on me, but I did not complain either, because I was after the cash he offered, which was far more than any monthly salary I could earn.

I decided to just endure that idiot's torment, as long as it added to my debt fund. That was what occupied my thoughts as I stepped inside an expensive restaurant.

I had no clue why Yuan wanted to meet up, let alone at a high-end restaurant. I glanced down at my outfit, which was as plain as usual. I was wearing a simple black long-sleeved shirt paired with black trousers.

Once I stepped inside, the interior immediately impressed me. It looked remarkably elegant, featuring rows of marble tables, luxurious sofas, and grand chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

The restaurant had a wonderful ambiance, and the other diners were clearly wealthy based on their sophisticated attire.

I walked over to the counter to inquire about the table Yuan had reserved. I was unsure if he was already there, as I scanned the room but could not spot him anywhere. I noticed a grand staircase leading up to the second floor. Was he up there?

"Good evening sir, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked me politely.

"Which table was reserved under Mr. Yukihira?" I asked her.

"One moment sir, let me check the list here."

I simply nodded at her. While she checked, I scanned the restaurant once more, watching waiters head up and down the staircase.

It reminded me of the time I worked part-time as a waiter. The restaurant I worked at was not big and the pay was modest, but I gained a lot of experience there. That included breaking plates and glasses multiple times, as well as messing up orders. The absolute worst moment was when a customer scolded me after I accidentally spilled water on them.

I was not angry at the customer. Instead, I felt furious at myself for being so foolish. Because of that incident, I was fired. Again, I held no grudge against the man who scolded me or the restaurant that let me go. I was just mad at myself for failing to do a simple job right.

My thoughts were cut short when the receptionist spoke up. "Sir, you are at table 52 on the second floor."

I nodded at the receptionist. "Thanks miss," I said before heading straight toward the staircase leading to the second floor.

Upon reaching the second floor, I surveyed the area and spotted Yuan not too far away in a corner, talking to a waiter.

I started walking toward his table, but before I could even reach it, a drink spilled all over Yuan's shirt. A smirk tugged at my lips.

"Fuck!" I heard Yuan curse. "What the hell did you do?!"

He bolted up, dabbing at his shirt, which was now soaked with juice.

"Are you new here?! Why are you so useless?! Damn it!" he snapped at the worker.

The waiter kept his head bowed, apologizing repeatedly.

"I am so sorry, sir."

Yuan glared at him with furious eyes.

I quickly walked over to them. "Hey Yuan," I greeted, drawing his attention toward me.

The moment he saw me, his dark aura gradually softened, though the anger in his eyes remained.

He glanced back at the waiter and motioned with his hand for him to leave.

"Get the hell out of my sight before I call your manager to fire you," he threatened in a heavy tone.

"I am truly sorry, sir," the waiter said, bowing as he hurried away from us.

I watched Yuan rub his temples before turning his gaze to me. "Did you see that? He's so stupid," he said, sinking back into his seat. "I chose a five-star restaurant, but that waiter's service was nowhere near five-star quality," he added.

"Yeah, he's really stupid," I blurted out.

I was not actually referring to the waiter, but to my own past mistakes during my time as a waiter.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the single-seater sofa across the table.

I sat down. A spread of untouched food was already served, including steak, mashed potatoes, seafood, and several other dishes. He probably had not eaten yet because he was waiting for me.

"Why did you call me here anyway?" I asked directly.

"Isn't it obvious? I am taking you out on a date," he stated, still trying to wipe down his wet white shirt, which was now stained pink from the spilled drink.

My brow furrowed. "A date? Are we together?" I asked sarcastically.

"We do not need to be together for me to take you on a date, right?" he replied, a mischievous smirk gracing his lips.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Whatever," I muttered, reaching for a piece of tempura on the table without asking.

"Go ahead, eat up, but it is not free," he teased in an annoying tone.

I nearly choked on the food. "What? This is not free?" I blurted out right after swallowing the tempura.

The corner of his lip tugged upward, making it obvious from his smirk alone that nothing decent was about to come out of his mouth.

"Yeah, you have to pay me with your service," he said with a wink. My eyes widened as I felt his shoe rub against the bottom of my trousers.

I threw a disgusted glare his way. "What kind of service do you want? Me stabbing you with this knife or poking your eye out with this fork?" I said through gritted teeth.

He let out a soft laugh at my response. "You are so hot-headed. Can't you tell I was just joking?"

I glared daggers at him. "Next time, keep your jokes to yourself because they are corny. Not funny at all," I said firmly.

He just laughed it off, treating my comment about him being corny as another joke.

"You know what? I realized lately that I actually enjoy your company."

"Enjoy annoying me?" I asked sarcastically.

"Sort of," he replied with a chuckle.

People I knew must be out of their minds, always laughing at what I said as if I were a clown performing for them.

I just rolled my eyes at him and proceeded to slice into the steak, realizing that if I did not channel my energy into cutting food, I might use the knife on him instead.

"Just tell me, what do you really want from me?" I asked, keeping my eyes fixed on the meat I was cutting.

"I told you, I just wanted to take you to dinner," he replied.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Really?" I pressed, staring directly into his eyes.

He let out a heavy sigh. "Fine," he gave in. "Honestly, I have an offer for you."

One of my eyebrows raised. "What is it?" I asked skeptically.

"I want you to become my personal assistant," he answered, his eyes turning serious now.

My brow furrowed in confusion. "Do you honestly think I will agree? I already have a job—"

"You mentioned having massive debts to pay off every month, right?" he interrupted. "How much is it?"

"Why are you asking?" I said, irritated.

Why did he have to remind me of my debt to the loan sharks?

"I will pay for it."

"What?" I thought my ears were playing tricks on me.

"Every month, you won't have to worry because I will cover your debt," he responded seriously.

"Plus, you will get an extra allowance, so you won't have to stress about your debts or expenses anymore."

I narrowed my eyes, trying to judge whether he was being serious or just messing with me, because it felt far too good to be true. Who would make an offer like that just to get a personal assistant?

The corner of his lip curled up. "All you have to do is be my personal assistant. What do you think?"

I pursed my lips at his proposal. It was undeniably tempting, but knowing him, I felt there had to be a catch.

"What are the other conditions?" I asked to be sure.

He just smiled at me. "None. You just have to be by my side as my personal assistant," he explained. "No other conditions."

I knew I should not trust him easily, considering how many times this bastard had acted like a creep toward me. Yet I could not help considering his offer. The financial help would be massive, meaning I would no longer need to hustle multiple jobs just to scrape together 100k a month.

Negative thoughts raced through my head, warning me that this might be a scam or something that could put me in a tight spot later on, but the thought of money ultimately won out.

I had no choice but to nod in agreement. "Fine, I accept," I told him.

A distinct smile spread across his lips, full of overwhelming anticipation. "Great, you said it yourself, no take-backs," he declared.

"Do you have a contract?"

"No, but..." He pulled his phone out from his pants pocket. "Let us seal the deal with a selfie."

My brow furrowed. "What?" I said, open-mouthed.

He aimed the camera toward the two of us, capturing my thoroughly annoyed face on the screen.

"Hey, give us a smile."

I rolled my eyes, having no choice but to offer a fake smile for the camera.

"Perfect," he exclaimed after snapping the photo.

His eyes remained glued to his phone screen. "You look cute here," he teased, amusement laced in his voice.

"Ah, I really cannot wait to experience your service," he added in a suggestive tone, his voice implying he expected far more.

"Don't you dare try anything funny with me," I warned him sternly.

"Why, what will you do?"

"I will bury you alive," I answered flatly.

He just laughed it off as if I were joking, but I was not.

I was definitely not joking.