The Billionaire's Secret

Chapter 02

When she opened the door and laid eyes on the candidate, she froze for a split second. There had been no photo on the résumé, and she had assumed that looks might not be this person's strong suit. But the man standing before her was strikingly handsome, the kind of handsome that made people do a double take.

Dressed in a sharp black suit with a perfectly knotted tie, his fair skin and chiseled features gave off a polished, almost regal vibe. As he stood up, Grace estimated his height to be over 6'1". Confidence radiated from him.

"Good morning," the man greeted her with a slight smile, his tone warm but composed.

Grace quickly regained her professional demeanor and returned the smile.

"You must be Aiden Thompson?"

"That's right."

"Please, have a seat."

Aiden sat down with an ease that carried a hint of arrogance. Grace had interviewed countless candidates, but few fresh graduates carried themselves with this level of poise.

"I reviewed your résumé last night. Very impressive," Grace began, flipping through her notes.

"Thank you," Aiden replied with a calm confidence.

Grace dove into the standard questions about his internship experience and technical knowledge. Aiden's answers were concise and sincere, and Grace found herself nodding in approval.

After about ten minutes, she decided to up the ante.

"With your credentials, you could easily land a position at one of the top three investment banks in the U.S. Why choose Nova Capital, a mid-sized firm?"

Aiden didn't miss a beat. "I've been following Nova Capital's consumer investment projects, and I admire the unique approach you take. It aligns perfectly with my career goals. Plus, I'm drawn to the innovative culture here. I believe it's a place where I can grow in ways that the big banks might not offer."

Grace nodded thoughtfully, impressed by his response. She then moved on to logistics.

"The role involves some grunt work in the beginning. Are you okay with that?"

"No problem at all."

"Here's the deal: the position has a two-month trial period. Once you're confirmed, you'll start as an Investment Manager. Trial pay is $18,000 per month, and it goes up to $20,000 upon confirmation. Bonuses are typically three months' salary, with additional rewards for star projects. Is the compensation acceptable?"

"Works for me."

Grace had been concerned that he might find the pay too low, but his straightforward answer put her at ease.

"If we decide to move forward, when can you start?"

"Tomorrow."

The interview wrapped up, and Grace returned to her office. Her assistant, Olivia, came over with a coffee in hand, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Boss, how'd it go with the hot guy you just interviewed? Did he get the job?"

Grace smirked, knowing Olivia's tendency to gush over attractive men.

"You're really invested in this, huh?"

Olivia shrugged. "We've been drowning in work lately. I didn't leave the office until 11 PM last night. A new hire would be a lifesaver."

Grace didn't tease her further. "He's in. Let's see if he actually shows up tomorrow."

Olivia's face lit up. "Yes! Finally!"

Their colleague Ryan overheard and chimed in. "Olivia, you're so shallow. Just because he's good-looking?"

Olivia shot back, "And you don't stare at every pretty woman who walks by?"

Ryan feigned innocence. "I'm not that shallow." He turned to Grace for backup.

"Boss, what's the deal with this guy? The last few candidates didn't cut it. What makes this one so special?"

Grace leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of water. "Oxford MBA, fresh graduate, Goldman Sachs internship."

Olivia gasped. "Whoa, total rock star!"

Ryan scoffed. "That résumé? Plenty of those on Wall Street."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Coming from you, a state school grad?"

Ryan immediately deflected. "Now you're just offending the boss!"

Olivia panicked. "I wasn't talking about her! Just you, Ryan, and your big mouth."

Grace, used to their banter, cut in. "Alright, enough. The Pfizer due diligence report needs to be finalized today. Let's focus."

The office quickly returned to its usual hum of productivity.

Grace Li, as usual, arrived at the company parking garage at 8:40 AM, then walked into the elevator to head up. The elevator stopped on the first floor, and people filed in. Grace's eyes immediately landed on Aiden Thompson.

When Aiden saw Grace, he flashed his signature smile—a soft, effortless grin that carried just the right amount of warmth, mixed with an undeniable air of confidence. From the first time they met, Grace had wondered if Aiden came from a wealthy background. The way he carried himself, so effortlessly poised, just didn't seem like something that came from a regular upbringing.

"Morning," Aiden greeted first, his voice calm and friendly. He nodded politely to the other people in the elevator, offering them a smile that was both professional and welcoming.

"Morning," Grace replied, offering a smile of her own, her voice natural and easy.

Aiden stood near the front of the elevator, while Grace was a little farther back. At that moment, two women standing next to Grace couldn't help but whisper excitedly to each other.

"Wow, he's seriously good-looking."

"I've never seen him before. Do you know what company he works for?"

"I'm not sure, but he definitely has that executive vibe. Could be a big shot."

"Yeah, he definitely looks like he's got money."

Even though the elevator was a little cramped, everyone stayed mostly quiet, except for these two women whose conversation was loud enough to hear. Aiden caught the tail end of it, and with a quick, easy smile, he just nodded at them before turning back to face the doors. He didn't seem to mind, or even notice the attention, just went on about his day as usual.

The elevator reached the floor with the offices, and the doors slowly opened. Aiden stepped out first. Grace was about to follow when, to her surprise, the metal charm on the purse of the girl standing next to her caught on Grace's lace dress. The girl immediately noticed and looked embarrassed, quickly apologizing.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that!" the girl said.

"It's alright, no big deal," Grace reassured her, gently helping the girl unhook the dress. But in the process, the elevator doors were about to close. Grace instinctively reached for the button to hold them open, but before she could, a long, graceful hand beat her to it and pressed the door open button.

As the doors reopened, Grace's eyes met Aiden's once again. For just a moment, she felt a slight rush of warmth and maybe something else. She quickly shook it off and hurried out of the elevator, her voice a bit flustered as she said, "Thanks."

Aiden simply nodded, his expression polite and neutral, as if holding the door open was no big deal at all. Grace watched him walk away, feeling a strange flutter in her chest. Shaking it off, she straightened up and made her way to the office.