Chapter 4 Set You Up on a Date
998 Words
Sophia returned to the hospital in the rain and promptly settled the fees.
Perhaps due to prolonged immobility, her mother had developed bedsores all over her body. Sophia felt a pang of sadness and bitterness at the sight.
"Mom, if only I could afford to hire a professional caregiver for you..."
Sophia carefully applied medicine to her mother while speaking softly, accustomed to chatting with her mother whenever she had a moment.
"Why hire a caregiver? It's just a waste of money!"
Zach's voice echoed in the ward.
Sophia couldn't be bothered to spare him a glance. He rarely visited the hospital, so she wondered what had prompted him to come at such a late hour!
Zach approached her with a wide grin and pulled her arm. "Sophia, how about I set you up on a date?"
"I’m good," Sophia replied coldly, giving him a frosty look.
"Don't be so quick to turn me down! Listen, he's the youngest son of my boss, a real rich kid!" Zach persisted urgently. "Do you really think you can find someone better?"
"I don't care! I just want to take good care of Mom now!" Sophia said with impatience and brushed off Zach's hands.
"Sure, but medical bills won't pay themselves, will they? If you don't find someone wealthy to help cover these expenses, how will Mom recover?"
Zach continued to argue, but Sophia couldn't bear it any longer. She shoved Zach out the door.
"I have no interest in dating anyone! Get out!"
"You ungrateful wretch!"
Zach's angry curses reverberated against the closed door.
Sophia pressed herself against the door, her nose stinging intensely.
She shouted with red eyes, "f**k off! You're making me sick!"
How could she have such a brother? Instead of figuring out how to cure their mother, he actually plotted to take advantage of her to get money!
"Mom, hang in there. I'll find a way to earn enough money to cure you," Sophia whispered, her resolve hardening as she looked upon her mother, blissfully unaware on the hospital bed.
Early the next morning, Sophia was waiting outside Ethan's office.
Ethan paused as his gaze fell upon her.
Today, she had donned a simple white chiffon dress, her golden brown hair elegantly pinned back, with just a touch of makeup. It wasn't extravagant, but it accentuated her natural beauty.
Ethan's lips twitched into a hint of a smile. "That dress looks really pretty on you. It suits you well."
Sophia blinked in surprise. In truth, she had only wanted to add a touch of ceremony to what could never be a real wedding.
"Thank you." She bit her lip, the simple words feeling unusually hard to utter in this situation.
Ethan walked to his desk and handed her a contract he had prepared earlier.
"Ten thousand dollars for making Grandpa smile once. Twenty thousand dollars for cooking delicious meals for Grandpa. One hundred thousand dollars for accompanying Grandpa during his hospitalization..." Sophia flipped through the contract terms, almost all revolving around his grandfather.
Taking care of the elderly was something Sophia didn't mind, especially when there was compensation involved.
She stared at the contract and paused her movement. After signing, there would be no turning back.
Yet thinking of her mother, she knew she had no other choice now.
She then picked up a pen to sign, but suddenly, Ethan pressed her hand.
She looked up and met his gaze.
His blue eyes held emotions she couldn't quite decipher, but she sensed danger lurking within them.
"Read through the terms carefully." Ethan nodded towards the end of the contract.
Sophia lowered her gaze, her eyes widening as she read. "If the male party has physical needs, the female party must comply?!"
She looked up at Ethan in astonishment.
Ethan said without expression, "Ms. Williams, sign it, and you'll get a million dollars."
A flush of embarrassment washed over Sophia's face.
This man constantly reminded her that this contract was nothing short of selling herself!
Sophia swallowed her bitterness and nodded. Ethan then took his hand away.
She quickly signed her name and passed the contract to Ethan.
Ethan accepted the agreement with a nod, tossing it aside. "Ms. Williams, you can leave now. I'll let you know if I need you."
Sophia nodded and immediately escaped his gaze.
"Sophia, the manager wants to see you." A female colleague approached her as she returned to her desk.
Sophia's heart sank. "Did she say what it's about?"
The colleague shook her head, sympathy evident in her expression.
Internship evaluations were looming, and yet she was being summoned by the manager...
Sophia approached the desk of the financial manager, Emily Brown, with a heavy heart.
"Ms. Brown, do you need anything from me?"
"Sophia! Where have you been just now? Don't forget it's working hours! You think the rules don’t apply to you?" Emily's finger jabbed accusingly at her. "Just because you've achieved some results doesn't mean you can act however you please! I could fire you at any moment!"
"Mr. Whitman asked me to his office just now," responded Sophia.
After the last word slipped her tongue, she realized she had said something she shouldn't have.
"Mr. Whitman? Seriously?" Emily looked at Sophia with disdain. "You mean Mr. Whitman, the CEO, wanted to talk to an intern like you?"
Sophia wanted to reply, but she couldn't come up with a good excuse right now. She couldn't just tell her about the contract.
"Answer me!"
Getting no response from Sophia, Emily raised her voice and kept scolding, "Loafing on the job and lying, huh? You don't want to pass your probation, right? You can leave at any time if you don't want the job!"
Listening to Emily's increasingly fierce scolding, Sophia clenched her fists and was about to refute.
"She was indeed in my office just now," A deep, magnetic voice interrupted the tense atmosphere.
Sophia turned around, surprised to find the tall, imposing figure of Ethan looming closer.
- Writer
