1. Contract and First contact

"You, come here!"

Lia Carver sat in the last row waiting for her number to be called. But she was abruptly greeted by someone else. The person was in a suit and his serious face had a trace of impatience he hadn't masked obviously. She was observant and she understood that something was gravely wrong here.

Anyway, she had to leave.

"Can I ask why you called me? This is my card. I'm here for the interview. If I go with you, I will miss my chance."

The man was visibly provocative now. He showed her his ID. The fancy kind that the top assistants carried. She was taken aback but she quietly followed now. If she followed him, she wouldn't miss the interview chance. He would leave her a way out.

He took her to the elevator to the topmost floor. This elevator was only used by two people, other than the maintenance team, she guessed.

The elevator opened and a chic office space was in her view. The decoration was classy, she admitted. There was no one else and the man took her to the innermost room.

CEO

Aster Brooks

She knew him. He was actually a well-known person in recent days because his brother died in a car accident a month earlier. It was all over the news and social media. Most of them suspected that he had killed his brother for inheritance.

This was all bullshit in her opinion. As a second kid, this guy was a famous player.  The kind that played games. He had participated in all kinds of bot shows and made many robots that were awesome with cool features. She knew because she followed his shows.

But when she came face to face with him, she was still stunned.

The man was wearing a suit, and scrutinizing her. It felt like she was here to give a presentation to an auditor who decided if she passed or failed.

She had trouble breathing now.

"Lia Carver. Age 22. Freshly out of college. A newcomer to the industry. And you are applying for a position that requires experience."

She was about to answer when he continued.

"A brother and mother. Father died when you were nine. You worked under Professor Ray and participated in the Gibot program. Impressive."

She was not following where he was going.

"How about you work for me?"

Lia sighed with relief. All of this was just a job interview. He had scared her there for a moment.

"What position, Sir?"

She fantasized about maybe being an intern, then, she could slowly climb the ladder.

"My wife!"

It was good that she wasn't drinking water. She would have not controlled herself. Her ears were ringing, right?

"Sorry? What?"

The man leaned back on his chair and put a file before her.

"Read it."

It was a contract marriage agreement.

The dude was really serious about the wife part. But she wasn't that crazy yet. They show in movies, contract marriage then bam, fall in love, bam villains enter, then there is a separation and sometimes a kid, then a happy ending. That was it all because it was movies. And in real life, no way.

She felt it would be foolish to waste time reading this agreement when she could try getting a job and getting paid.

She closed the file and put it back on the table.

He looked as if he had foreseen this.

"Turn to page four."

She opened it again as a courtesy. Not because she was curious.

The incentives were crazy. He gave her 1 billion, just like that.

There was no way someone could give you money for free, she knew. This seemed more and more shady to her. She began to think if those rumors were credible and if he was really a murderer.

"You should know, if you start working now, it will take you two years to have a team of your own. And even then, there's no guarantee that you will work on something you like. Companies like ours don't cater to your whims but public demand. It would be impossible for you to go back to research because you would lack funds and another thing, you also shoulder the finances of your family. Think carefully. After two years, when this agreement is canceled, I will give you a research fund and you will have your team here. And you will be my deputy in my future projects."

She had to say it was tempting. She was working with her professor but they had to bow for money. She also had to pay loans for her and her brother so she came to look for a job instead of working with her professor. He was right. She couldn't earn how much she wanted if she went like this. It was okay if she was normal. But considering her working ability, she loved to research and she couldn't show her full approach there.

And to top it all, she earned one billion. That was enough for ten years. Her loans would be paid, her brother would be okay and her family would no longer have to live day by day.

Yeah, she was shamelessly attracted to this proposition.

"Why me?"

Yes, this is the most important question. She was almost blinded by the bling of notes. Yes, what if he was a bad guy? And she wanted his money! She almost entered his lair.

"You wouldn't like me, that's why!"

Narcissism much?

"You will be very close to me. I need you to leave me after two years. What if you entangle me? That's why I had to screen and you were the most conspicuous. "

What? Did everyone know her money-loving nature?

This is a disaster. But what to do? She remembered what her brother scolded her during breakfast.

"You shameless. If you eat my chocolate again, I will sever our relationship."

Yes, her little brother looked fussy. So, to keep their relationship like always, she had to listen to this capitalist monster, for once, and then who knows, she could pull him into all her projects as an investor.

She took a deep breath as if facing an executor.

He looked at her like a potential partner and she looked at him like a golden pot filled with notes. Their thoughts weren't visible but they were very much invested in their turn of events.

"Mr. Aster Brooks. I will not marry you."