Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I'd already embarrassed myself in front of Chloe because of money several times. Just mentioning the word made all those awkward memories come flooding back.

But Chloe looked completely unfazed, like she hadn't noticed my embarrassment.

"He's my friend—I won't let him work for free," Noah said, pounding his chest and promising, before Chloe could say anything.

"After the welcome party, I'll have the HR department draw up an official employment contract for you," Chloe said, sitting back down at her desk and picking up her pen again. "Your salary will be specified in the contract. Before you leave work today, Consultant Carter, you can take some time to get to know your colleagues in the Marketing Department. Noah, stay here!"

Noah had started to walk out with me, but he stopped in his tracks. "I'm not your employee—I don't have to stay! I'm gonna go check out your Marketing Department with Ethan too!"

Chloe's face darkened. Noah quickly sat back down, looking like a kid who'd been caught misbehaving. "Fine, fine. Now tell me—what did you really ask me here for?"

I walked out of Chloe's office with the offer letter, found the newly merged Marketing Department, and quickly slipped into my role as Consultant Carter. "Since your positions and salaries haven't changed, could someone give me a list of the team? It'll help me get to know everyone faster."

Thanks to my earlier "authority move," I quickly got a list of everyone in the new Marketing Department.

Back in Chloe's office, Noah looked nervous, not knowing what Chloe was up to. "Let me tell you right now—I don't put on shows, and I don't sell myself!"

Chloe rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "What are you talking about? I asked you to stay because I wanted to thank you personally. You helped me find someone who's really good at market research. My company's been missing someone like that for a long time."

"So that means me skipping the date was the right move?" Noah laughed, getting carried away—and missing the glare Chloe was giving him.

Chloe huffed. "Right my foot! Now hurry up and book a place for the party tonight. You don't want to back out of paying, do you?"

Chloe kicked Noah out to book the venue for the welcome party.

While I was getting to know my new colleagues, I received a message from Noah: "Chloe's single, by the way. I think she likes you."

When I read that message, I felt a shiver run down my spine. I didn't believe for a second that a wealthy young lady would like me after I'd embarrassed myself in front of her so many times. I just replied: "Get out of here—quit joking around. I'm not falling for it. And while I'm not at Jiayue, you better keep an eye on the place. Otherwise, I'll report you to your dad."

Noah's next message made me grin like an idiot. He wrote: "Chloe really likes Jiayue. She's planning to invest in it and turn it into a chain. Get ready to be a big boss!"

That was the best news I'd heard all day—worth all the embarrassment I'd endured.

Turning Jiayue into a chain of internet cafés had always been my biggest dream. And now, it felt like that dream was getting closer and closer to coming true.