Suddenly, Vivian put down another paper. “This is the compensation if you can survive more than a month.”
Kara's eyes grew wider. ‘That's enough for the twins' school fees!’
“And if you can survive for three months, this will compensate for the months to come.”
As soon as the last paper was put down, Kara's mouth fell open. She seemed to see a very bright way out.
‘I don't have to worry if that amount goes into my account every month. Not only will the twins be prosperous, Mom can also retire from the library!’
“Hey, Emily. How much is that? You're better at math,” Louis whispered as he nudged his younger sister's arm.
"I don't know, Louis. I only know that if there are three zeros, that's two thousand. That's four zeros. Is it twenty thousand dollars?"
"Mommy, accept it. There are a lot of zeros," Louis whispered, covering his mouth with one hand. He didn't care if Vivian held her laugh, while his grandmother narrowed her eyes at him.
"If Mommy accepts this job, that means we have to move to another city. Do you guys mind?" Kara asked in a wise tone. She didn't have much time to deliberate in the other room.
Receiving such a serious question, Emily blinked, while Louis looked at Vivian with a curious expression. "How is your city, Madam? Is it safe and fun?"
Vivian spontaneously raised her eyebrows. She didn't expect to get such a question from a very young boy.
"The crime rate tends to be low and it's a cool city. There are more playgrounds and shopping centers there. You can have fun with your mom on the weekends."
"What about the library? Our grandmother is a librarian. We like to help Grandma whenever she works," Emily asked in her charming little voice. It was as sweet as cotton candy. Vivian finally let out a laugh at that.
"What a coincidence, we just built a library. It's a charity project. If your grandmother is willing to work there, we will be happy to welcome her."
While Susan thanked her, the twins folded their arms and looked at each other. They were exactly like Kara who was thinking. After squinting and fiddling with their eyebrows, they nodded together.
"Okay, Mommy. We don't mind."
Seeing the hope radiating from the twins' eyes, the corners of Kara's lips rose by themselves. She no longer needed to ask. Who the CEO was and how annoying he was didn't matter at all. In order to support her two little angels, she was ready to face the perfectionist big boss.
‘This golden opportunity cannot be missed.’
***
"Welcome to the Savior Group, Miss Martin. It's a pleasure to see you here."
Kara smiled at Vivian's greeting. She was amazed by her kindness. As far as she knew, there had never been a commissioner who was willing to welcome employees, apart from Vivian.
Not only that, Vivian also invited Kara to visit every floor. From the lowest level to the highest level, her spirit never went out.
In just a short time, Kara already felt familiar with the Savior Group. She felt proud to be able to work there. Her new company was much larger than Miller's.
"And this is your desk. Be careful with that glass because Mr. CEO can see you from his chair." Vivian pointed to the mirror partition that separated the secretary's room from the boss’.
"That's one-way glass?" Kara whispered as if she was afraid her boss would hear her.
"That's right. That glass has triggered many dismissals. Your predecessors were careless enough that their mistakes were noticed by Mr. CEO."
Kara swallowed hard. Without realizing it, she pulled her shoulders to stand straighter. Isn't her new boss a perfectionist? The man must demand employees to stand in a perfect manner and give their best look.
Because of that, Kara wore her best blouse and tied her hair in a ponytail. She even wore glasses to add a professional impression, and also ... brown contact lenses to cover up her too attractive eye color.
Kara Martin was ready to conquer the boss and gain praise from him.
"So, what can I do and what can't I do, Ma'am?"
Vivian smiled faintly. After a gentle blink, her gaze fell on the pile of folders near the computer.
"I hope you are a good memorizer, Miss Martin. You have one day to remember all the information."
Kara's face turned frozen. With stiff movements, she pointed her index finger at the folders. "That's all the guidance on being a secretary here?"
"A guide to survive, to be precise."
Before negative thoughts took over her brain, Kara took a deep breath and then exhaled faintly. With steady steps, she picked up the top document.
"Frank Harper?" She read the biodata listed there.
"Yes, that's the CEO of Savior Group. He's still young, but his abilities can't be doubted. This is his sixth year leading the company."
Kara was silent. It wasn't the CEO's age that surprised her, but his last name.
‘Harper? Why does it feel familiar? Has Finnic ever worked with them before?’
Suddenly, the elevator doors opened. Nine men in black suits immediately came out and took positions. The east, west, and north corridors were each guarded by two people. The other two were on standby next to the CEO's room door, while one was still waiting at the elevator door.
A moment later, a man in a gray suit came out followed by another man who looked like a bodyguard. An eerie aura suddenly filled the room. His firm footsteps were able to intimidate anyone who saw them, including Kara. The girl spontaneously lowered her chin and held her breath.
‘Why am I nervous like this? Is it because I haven't dealt with important people for too long?’
Kara closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her courage. While catching her breath, she imagined Louis and Emily's cute faces every time they welcomed her home. After taming her own heartbeat, she raised her head again.
At that moment, the CEO stopped right in front of her. When their eyes met, a large explosion blasted in her chest. Kara couldn't hear anything anymore. Her ears were ringing. Her brain failed to work. Her attention was stuck at those cold gray eyes.
‘This man .... Isn't he the twins' father? The devil who screwed me at the Harper Hotel? Harper? Oh my God! Why did I just realize?’
Kara looked like she was dealing with a ghost. Seeing her expression, Frank Harper furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't like that look, like there was something wrong with his face. In fact, he thought he was perfect.
“Is this the new secretary you told me about, Mrs. Bell?” Frank asked without looking away. His tone was low, but soul-piercing. “Didn't you say that she is professional and intelligent? Why is she glaring like a stupid owl? Did she just lose her moral and IQ?”
Kara blinked. She realized that her mouth was slightly open and quickly closed it.
‘It turns out he hasn't changed? He is still a cold and heartless arrogant devil! What should I do now? Should I pull his hair or poke his eyes? He's the reason my life suffer!’
‘But what if he gets angry and kills me straight away? The twins will definitely be very sad. They won't be able to survive this cold world. Should I run away while this gray devil hasn't realized my identity yet?’
‘Yeah! I must not let this lewd devil oppress me any longer. He has thrown me out of his life. I'll prove that I can survive without a penny of his money.’
"You!"
Kara pointed her index finger right in front of the CEO's nose. Everyone who saw it stared wide-eyed. For the first time, someone dared to confront Frank Harper so bluntly.
Frank involuntarily raised an eyebrow and held his breath. He only insulted a little, but the new secretary already dared to bark? “If I had known the CEO of Savior Group was this rude and arrogant, I wouldn't have signed the contract!” Kara snapped without the slightest hesitation. Frank checked the expressions of the bodyguards and Vivian. They all got tensed. No one dared to move. Indeed, it was only the girl in front of him who dared to seek death. Frank looked at Kara closely. The corners of his lips twitched slightly. "So, you think I'm rude and arrogant?" Before the girl could answer, he snorted and brushed the tip of his nose with his long forefinger. “Who are you? How dare you judge me? You have no sense of shame and manners, huh?!” “Sorry, Mr. Harper.” Vivian pulled Kara back. “Miss Martin has just signed the contract and this is her first day visiting the company. She hasn't had any training or read any manuals." "That's not a reason for her to be rude to me," Frank
Looking at Kara's stiffness, the corners of Frank's lips lifted slightly. "But, if you want to use this situation as an opportunity, that's fine. Savior Group has a vision to save people's futures. Maybe, three months of working here, your mindset can change. Trust me. Your future will be bleak if your personality is still like this." Kara clenched her jaw. She began to have difficulty as her blood boiled. ‘You're the one who makes my life bleak!’ Kara wanted to scream it. However, she still had to live. Now, the best way was to be patient. "You don't mind seeing my face for three months?" Frank smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow. His response made Vivian massage her temples. She knew that the CEO was definitely planning something. "Okay. I will be your secretary for the next three months," Kara said firmly. The girl understood that her work would not be easy. That Pervert Demon couldn't possibly let her be in peace. However, it wouldn't be Kara if she didn't have a solution
Shaking his head in disgust, Frank pointed at the secretary's black shoes. “You're not an apprentice, so put away those old fashioned shoes. And those pants ... swap them for skirts. That way, you might look a little more attractive. Then, that boring blouse ... look for something more fashionable. Lastly, your head.” "What's wrong with my head?" Kara asked in a horrified tone. She could understand if the CEO protested her outfit, but her head? Does that Lewd Demon also want to replace it? “You are unsightly. Take off your hair tie!" Kara flinched. She was in danger. If her hair was down, wouldn't Frank Harper recognize her more easily? “I'm more comfortable like this, Sir. If my hair was down, it would be more troublesome.” “You're the one who's bothered, not me. Take it off or I'll do it!" Kara swallowed hard. She wanted to find a reason, but there wasn't one. While lowering her head, she was forced to let her hair down. “Put away your glasses too!” “G-glasses? How can I see
"Do you want to suffer the same fate as the Savior crew? Even though as individuals they are professional, as a team they are very bad. Employees who hinder the company deserve to be drowned." Frank's words made Kara swallow hard. Cold sweat began to bead on the back of her neck. ‘Is this what punishment other than dismissal means? Being drowned?’ Holding her breath, Kara watched the coffee she brewed. The CEO's anger would definitely double if he drank it. Kara would not only be expelled from the company, but also from life. The mission must be aborted immediately! However, before Kara could move the cup, Frank had snatched it. The man apparently had hung up the phone. His throat was dry and needed refreshing. "No!" Kara grabbed the cup. "Aargh!" Frank stood up and gasped at the secretary. Warm black liquid had stained his trousers, right in “that” part. "... Kara Martin!" Kara's life was almost ripped from her body. She wasn't ready to be drowned yet. With a quick movement,
"Do you like the library?" Kara asked, faking a smile. She hoped the twins wouldn't catch on to her sadness. "Yes!" Emily stretched her neck. "There are more books there. The reading room is wider and there is even a seminar room. The visitors are also busier. Grandma told Louis for not disturbing them several times. But Louis didn’t listen." Hearing that report, Louis' eyes widened. "I'm not disturbing them. I just want to make friends." "Louis, you know that the library is a place to read, right?" Kara asked softly. However, the son shrank when he heard it. "Okay. I won't bother the visitors anymore. I'll just sit quietly and observe them." "That will be scary!" Emily said while hugging her plush tighter. "If a stranger had done that to me, I would have closed the book and found somewhere else to read." Seeing Louis' sullen face, Kara pinched his cheek. "Emily is right. You shouldn't make library visitors feel uncomfortable. Grandma could get fired. Instead of paying attentio
"How old are you?" Frank asked spontaneously. Emily furrowed her brows. Instead of answering, she just shook her head. "Sorry, Sir. Mommy said we shouldn't share personal information with strangers." "But you already told me your name." "That's a form of responsibility. Who knows, your knee hurts and you want to sue me. You can come here again and look for me." Frank was amazed. That answer was too mature for Emily. ‘That stupid secretary couldn't have given birth to such a genius baby. It must be just a coincidence that they have the same last name.’ While Frank was lost in contemplation, Emily nodded respectfully. "Now please excuse me, Sir. I have to meet my brother. I'm afraid he'll bump into someone else if he keeps looking for me." With sparkling eyes, Frank stared at Emily's tiny back away. Her thick hair swayed beautifully to match her steps. For the first time in history, Frank Harper was interested in a child. "Isn't that toddler very cute?" Jeremy whispered, looking
"He invites me, but he’s late?" Frank Harper glanced at the restaurant manager. "Sorry, Mister Harper. Mister Wilson is on the way. He should be here in a moment." "I don't need an apology, but proof." With a cold expression, Frank waved his hand. The manager quickly disappeared from his sight. However, when he was about to lean back, two bodyguards entered carrying a toddler. His hanging legs kicked in the air. "Let me go! Let me go! If Mommy finds out that you are bullying me like this, you will regret it!" "Sir, we found this child sneaking around outside. It looked like he wanted to spy on you." With a suspicious look, Frank studied the little boy in the blue coat. One of his eyebrows furrowed and his lips pursed. "Did someone tell you to follow me?" "No. I want to do it myself. Please tell your guards to take me down!" Frank raised his index finger. Louis' feet were on the floor again. "Why are you following me?" Louis didn't answer. He just bit his lip and looked at Fr
Frank's pride hurt, but he didn't know how to deal with it. He couldn't possibly put the boy in a sack and throw him into the sea. The world could be in an uproar! Meanwhile, Ben was amazed to hear how Louis quoted his sentence. Smiling, he bent his knees so that their eyes were level. "Do you understand what irrational means?" Louis nodded. “Not logical thinking. The accusation from him was completely unreasonable. How could a toddler as cute as me be called a spy?" Ben's laughter suddenly burst into the air. His hand moved to stroke Louis' hair. “Please forgive that irrational mister, Little Man. Sometimes, he is a bit crazy.” As Frank glared at him, Ben pulled Louis to stand by his side. “Now, do you mind if I take you to meet your family? At which table are you guys having fun?” Louis didn’t want the annoying man to know, so he answered Ben in a whisper. His hunch was right. Ben was the escape. Now, what Louis needed to do was to ensure that Kara didn't get into trouble due t
Philip rushed in and grabbed Barbara's hand. Before he could say anything, Barbara was pushing again. After Briony came out, Barbara breathed a sigh of relief. “Philip .... Our child has been born.”Even though his head was nodding, Philip blinked in confusion. His mouth was agape, not knowing how to respond. "Yes ...," he sighed after a few moments. Briony's cries helped him regain his senses. "Wow," Philip blinked. He bent down, stroking his wife's hair with mixed feelings. "You're so great, Babe. You can give birth that fast." Barbara smiled proudly. "Our efforts weren't in vain, Phil. I was actually scared earlier. Briony's urge was very strong. But Louis and Emily forbade me to push. I tried to hold it in until finally, I gave in." Philip sighed in amazement and disbelief. Still looking stiff, he kissed Barbara's temple. "You're amazing, Babe. I'm glad you didn't encounter any major difficulties." Philip wiped the tears from her face. "I'm happy too. But where were you? I to
"Louis, Auntie is about to give birth!" Emily rose with a high arch of her eyebrows. "You’re right! We have to take her to the hospital!" Wasting no time, Louis grabbed Barbara's hand, pulling her to turn around. "Come on, Auntie. Let's go back to the car." However, Barbara shook her head. Her face was pale, her body tense. Her feet seemed to be glued to the earth. "What's wrong, Auntie?" "Call Philip," she muttered softly. "What?" "Call Philip!" The twins flinched. After one nod, they ran towards Philip. "Uncle Philip! Uncle Philip!" "Hey, where are you guys going?" Barbara exclaimed again. The twins braked. When they looked back, Barbara was waving. "Why did you leave me here alone?" Her voice was shrill. "You told us to call Uncle Philip!" Louis shook his head, not understanding. "Yeah, but don't leave me here." While limping, she inched closer to Louis and Emily. "One person calls him. One more person, hold me!" The twins blinked. Not because they didn't understand, b
"Hello, Orion," Emily whispered as the tiny baby in the box opened his eyes. Her hand reached out, trying to reach his chubby cheek. From the other side of the box, Louis also looked inside. "Hello, Oscar." "Louis?" Emily scolded with round eyes. "Why do you call him Oscar? This is our first meeting with him. Don't make a bad impression." Louis pursed his lips. "Okay, sorry. I'm used to it. Let me repeat." After clearing his throat, he looked down again. "Hello, Orion. It's me, Louis. I'm your cousin." Emily smiled slightly and nodded. "That's just right." After giving Louis thumbs up, she waved her hand downwards. "And I'm Emily. Nice to meet you, Orion." For a few moments, the two toddlers were busy observing Orion. Philip and Barbara were amused by their comments. "It turns out that Uncle Philip was right. Orion looks like both of his parents. His eyes are like Auntie's, while his nose and mouth are like Uncle's." "His chin also looks like Uncle’s, but his hair looks like
A nurse tried to calm Ava. However, the woman still shook her head, rejecting all the words directed at her. She was very weak. The pain seemed to knock out all the bones in her body. Her brain could no longer function normally. "No. I have no strength anymore. I can't continue." After taking a heavy breath, Jeremy bowed. The nurse had shifted. Jeremy had more freedom to stroke Ava's hair which was wet with sweat and her face which was flooded with tears. "Ava, can you hear me? Ava?" Their gazes finally met. Jeremy could see the desperation in those brown eyes. "I can't take it anymore, Jeremy. I can't. Let the doctor take it out. I can't take it anymore." Jeremy's chest felt like it had been torn apart. He almost choked with pain. Stroking Ava's shoulder, he shook his head. "No, I know you. You're not someone who never gives up, Ava. You can do it." "But I don't have the energy anymore, Jeremy." "There is. There definitely is." Jeremy grabbed Ava's shaking fingers. "This is f
"Look at this, Brandon." Louis placed a stack of photo paper on the table. Then, he showed them one by one to his friend. "This is a picture of Russell crying. This is a picture of him laughing. And this is a picture of Russell being angry." "Can babies get angry? Isn't he still too young to understand anything?" Brandon shook his head faintly. Louis shrugged. "I don't know about that. But when Russell sees something he doesn't like, his hands keep flapping and his mouth makes sounds ...." Louis imitated a baby's moan which made the librarian glance. "Russell also has sharp eyes, Brandon. If he feels annoyed by us, he will glare while furrowing his eyebrows." Emily touched the base of her eyebrows, checking to see if they were the same shape as Russell's eyebrows in the picture. Brandon smiled at Emily's expression. "I think he must be really cute when he's angry." "Yes!" Emily nodded quickly. "He's always cute, all the time. Louis, show him a picture of Russell in the shower."
"Oh, look at Russell, Louis. Isn't he very handsome? He's clean and smells good." Emily put her nose closer to Russell's face. When she managed to kiss that very soft cheek, she giggled holding back her laughter. She didn't want to disturb Kara who was sleeping in Frank's arms. "Yes, he is very handsome. He looks like me. Isn't that right, Grandma?" Louis raised his gaze towards the woman holding Russell. Susan smiled amusedly. "Yes, he looks like you. Only his nose is a little sharper." Louis' lips immediately pursed. His forefinger pointed at his own nose. "How sharp do you want Russell's nose to be? My nose is already very sharp." Susan chuckled at Louis' answer. "I’m just joking, Louis. It doesn't matter whose nose is sharper. What's important is that you're both healthy." Louis nodded in agreement. His hands then rose to touch the baby's feet. "Grandma, is Russell heavy?" Susan raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to carry him?" Louis glanced at Emily. "How about you try fir
"Hello, Good Boy," Kara held Russell carefully, as if the little creature was a very fragile pearl. Tears could not stop running down her face. After kissing the baby who was covered in a towel, Kara whispered again, "This is Mommy, Russell. I'm happy that I can finally hug you like this." While biting his lips, Frank also bowed. He stroked the tiny back then kissed his head. "And this is Daddy, Russell. Daddy is also happy that you are finally here." Still with a wide smile and red eyes, Frank looked at Kara gently. Before the pool of emotion dripped again, he quickly kissed her forehead. Kara closed her eyes accepting the warmth. "Thank you for giving birth to our son, Queen Bee," Frank whispered hoarsely. Kara smiled wider and nodded faintly. "Thank you for accompanying me here." "That's what I should have done a long time ago." Frank stroked her cheek before kissing her again. "Daddy, we want to see Russell too! Can we come closer?" Emily asked, jumping a little on the chai
Kara was sitting on the bed. Her head rested on the broad shoulder next to her. Closing her eyes, she tried to catch her breath."Is there any news from the Twins?" she asked quietly. Frank shook his head. His hands kept to massage Kara's fingers. "You don't need to worry about them, Queen Bee. They are independent and intelligent children. They will understand that you have to give birth soon. Let's celebrate their birthday after Russell is born, hmm?" After a short nod, Kara turned her head further. "Are you crying?" Frank's eyebrows pulled together. Moving his head away so that it would be easier to see her, he shook his head. "Why do you think I'm crying?" "Your voice is shaky, Frank." Pursing his lips, Frank took a deep breath. "I'm not crying." "Then why are your eyes red and watery?" Frank blinked firmly. "I'm not crying," he repeated with more emphasis. Still out of breath, Kara let out a laugh. Her head tilted slightly, waiting for his tears to fall. "Are you sure?"
"Hello, Brandon. Welcome to our event," Louis shook his classmate's hand. "Hello, Louis. Happy birthday. I hope you live a long and healthy life," the blonde boy said, occasionally glancing at Emily. "Thank you, Brandon. Did you come alone?" Brandon nodded. "Yes, my parents had to attend another event. So, only the driver took me here." After one blink, Brandon offered his hand to Emily. "Happy birthday too, Emily. You're so beautiful tonight." Emily shook Brandon's hand with a sweet smile. "Thanks, Brandon. You also look cool tonight. The jacket suits you." Brandon blushed. His lips twitched to suppress the excitement in his chest. "Thank you, Emily. I deliberately asked my mother to look for the best outfit. I want to look cool at this event." "Your mom has a good sense of fashion," Emily nodded before glancing to the side. "Louis, I think you should try a regular tie like Brandon. You're five years old. It's time for you to leave that bow tie behind. You should try somethin