Zayn stood in front of a tall building, gazing up at its towering structure with bright, eager eyes. He then lowered his head, focusing on the brown folder in his hand. According to his plan, Zayn was going to apply for a job at the company. He hoped to be accepted for the best position available.
"Hopefully, there's a chance for me to get into this company," Zayn thought to himself as he stepped inside the building.
"Excuse me, how can we help you?" asked the receptionist upon seeing Zayn's arrival.
"Excuse me, I would like to apply for a job. I heard there are openings here, right?" Zayn replied politely.
"Sure, you can go up to the fifth floor. A member of our staff will guide you there," the receptionist explained.
Zayn nodded and walked toward the elevator. Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a toy car belonging to a small child suddenly blocked the closing doors. The doors opened again to reveal an adorable child with a wide smile who stepped into the lift. He adjusted his car with the remote in his hand and placed it on his right side.
"Nice toy you have," Zayn praised with a smile.
"Of course, this is pajelo..." The child's chatter stopped when he looked up and saw Zayn's perfect round eyes.
"Remember what Grandma said, find a tall, fair, handsome, kind daddy. If you find him, ask if he wants to be your mommy's boyfriend?" The child recalled his grandmother's words and turned his attention back to the man who was still smiling at him.
"Uncle, do you want to be Mommy Kai's boyfriend? Mommy Kai is a widow." Kai said, leaving Zayn in disbelief.
"Uncle is here to apply for a job, not to be your dad, kid," Zayn replied.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened, and Zayn quickly stepped out, leaving Kai blinking in surprise. The child thought Zayn was very handsome, fitting for his mommy, who looked so beautiful. A smile spread across Kai's face as he grabbed his car and ran out of the elevator.
CKLEK!
"MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!" Kai shouted as he entered his mommy's workspace.
"What is it? Mommy is working, Kai. You promised not to disturb Mommy while she's working," Shea replied, her eyes still glued to her laptop.
"Mommy, Kai met a tall daddy today," Kai said, causing Shea's fingers to freeze above the keyboard.
"Kai, please don't start again," Shea sighed wearily.
"Kai wants that white uncle to be his new daddy! I'm not asking for Maltabak, I want a new daddy!" Kai insisted.
Shea rubbed her aching head, facing her son’s relentless requests for a new daddy every day. Even at home, her mother was pressuring her to find a husband. Shea was exhausted; she just wanted a moment of peace. But it seemed impossible.
"Kai, how about Mommy buys you a hundred Maltabaks instead? If it works out, I'll order them now," Shea said as she reached for her phone, which was right next to her laptop.
"Brother wants Bulgel! Kai wants a new daddy, not Bulgel! Mommy loves only Brother! Kai isn't loved! Mommy doesn't love Kai!" Kai exclaimed, his breath quickening.
"Kai, Mommy—"
Knock!
Knock!
Shea exhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a moment to steady her emotions. Then, she tried to act as normally as possible. Meanwhile, Kai hugged his toy car, his expression showing anger.
"Come in!" Shea called out.
Cklek!
A man entered Shea's office carrying several folders. He approached his boss and handed her the folders he had brought. "Here are some CVs I received and have already screened. You can review them yourself, Boss," the man said.
Shea furrowed her brow, then grabbed some of the folders and opened them one by one. Her hand paused when she saw a CV belonging to Zayn; she was intrigued and wanted to read its contents. "Please call the applicant named Zayn to my office," she instructed.
"Zayn? But I think Zayn was only positioned as a cleaning service since his previous job was a waiter," the man replied, confused.
“Are you already bored working here and pretending to be the boss, huh?” Shea said with her cold stare.
The man stuttered, quickly nodding and stepping outside to call Zayn. Soon after, he returned with Zayn walking behind him. “Boss, here’s the person you asked for.”
Shea’s gaze lifted as she looked at Zayn standing in front of her. She requested some time alone to speak with Zayn, prompting the man to leave and return to his work. Zayn remained motionless, unsure of what to do in this CEO’s office.
“Please, have a seat,” Shea invited.
Hesitantly, Zayn sat down in a chair directly across from Shea. He still hadn’t realized Kai’s presence there. Unlike him, Kai was intensely focused on Zayn as he looked toward his mother and tugged at her hand.
“Kai, wait a moment. Don’t disturb Mommy; go play for a bit,” Shea admonished.
“That’s Kai’s daddy, Mommy,” Kai asked, making Shea widen her eyes in surprise.
“Don’t joke around now, Kai!” Shea whispered.
“Kai wants a new daddy, Mommy!” Kai whined.
Shea pinched the bridge of her nose; her son was once again whining for a new father. If this continued every day, her head might just explode. She was already exhausted from work, not to mention her son constantly asking for a new dad. Her attention returned to Zayn, who was still bowing his head.
“He... is quite handsome,” Shea admitted to herself, acknowledging Zayn’s attractiveness.
“You used to be a waiter, even though you had good grades in school. Why didn’t you apply to a company from the beginning?” Shea asked, making Zayn flinch with nerves.
“I... I’m a pessimistic person, so I thought I wouldn’t be accepted. Besides, I only graduated from high school,” Zayn replied softly.
Shea nodded in understanding, going silent for a moment as she considered something. Her gaze fell once more on Zayn, whose appearance was very humble. He didn’t appear to be wealthy. But why did he look so incredibly handsome? Shea’s eyes shifted to her son, who was gazing at Zayn with sparkling eyes.
Remembering Kai’s words from last night caused Shea’s head to throb again. “Okay, you’re hired,” Shea decided, which made Zayn smile widely.
“Thank you, ma’am, thank you...”
“So you’ll be my husband.” Shea's words made Zayn instantly stand up. His face turned pale as he stared at Shea in shock. His gaze shifted to Kai, who was beaming at him.
“Is this the kid I met in the elevator who offered his mom, right?!” Zayn screamed in his mind.
“Ma’am, I apologize. I think there’s a misunderstanding. I came to apply for a job because I need money for my grandmother's medical treatment. I’m not applying to be your husband. If I were to be your husband, what would you want to eat? Rocks? I can barely afford my grandmother’s treatment, let alone support someone else’s child. No way, I can’t handle that. I...”
Crash!
“An advance of one hundred million. Is that enough?”
“Huh? Fo-for me?!” Zayn exclaimed in surprise.
How could he not, when Shea pulled out a stack of money from her desk drawer and placed it in front of him. Zayn, seeing such a massive amount of money, wide-eyed in astonishment. He had never seen that much money up close before. What would it feel like to hold that much cash?
“You have twenty-four hours from now. Think it over before I give this opportunity to someone else,” Shea said, her expression flat as she regarded Zayn, who looked anxious.
“What do I do?” Zayn thought.
.
.
.
Zayn stared at the business card in his hand while walking down the hospital corridor. He hadn’t given Shea a definite answer yet; he was still uncertain. To him, marriage should be based on love, not any form of gain. Yet, he thought Shea’s offer was incredibly beneficial.
“No, it can’t be. Marriage is about mutual love, not mutual benefit. How can I marry a widow who already has a child? Not to mention, she’s a CEO,” Zayn murmured. He let out a heavy sigh, directing his gaze straight ahead.
“DOCTOR, QUICK!”
Zayn stopped in his tracks, his gaze directed at several medical personnel rushing towards a room he knew all too well. Zayn's expression turned pale as he stepped closer to that room. His footsteps halted upon seeing his grandmother's gurney covered by a curtain. Other patients in the room began discussing Grandma Dian.
"I don’t think she’s going to make it, her condition is really bad," whispered a middle-aged woman.
"Yeah, it’s so sad," replied another.
Tears streamed down Zayn's face, and his body suddenly felt stiff and unmovable. He watched the medical staff bustling about. Zayn was oblivious to what was happening; his ears now rang with a dull sound. One of the doctors emerged from behind the curtain and motioned for Zayn to step outside for a talk.
"Doctor, my grandmother…" Zayn's voice trembled; he couldn’t contain his panic.
"We need to refer the patient to a larger hospital due to limited equipment and staff here. You need to sign the referral letter so your grandmother can receive care at the destination hospital," the doctor said, leaving Zayn feeling weak instantly.
"I don't have any money, doctor," Zayn murmured. This hospital wasn't one of the big ones in the city with comprehensive medical equipment and the best doctors. However, he hoped the medical staff here could help his grandmother.
"Bu Dian’s condition needs to be referred immediately; this hospital can no longer handle the patient's condition. Additionally, the medical support here is insufficient, so we will refer the patient to a hospital with better medical facilities," the doctor explained, his gaze sympathetic.
"We will be waiting for your decision," he continued.
Zayn fell silent, his mind racing. Then he glanced at the business card he had received from Shea. His left hand folded tightly, and his eyes appeared reddened. With no other options, Zayn had to accept Shea’s offer. Reluctantly, he took out his phone and dialed the number on the card.
Meanwhile, Shea had just stepped out of her car with her son. This afternoon she planned to eat at home, unlike the previous days when they always dined out. She smiled faintly as she watched her little boy walk into the house, clutching a cotton candy.
"Why do you keep haunting me, ghost? That's why I bought this, so I won’t be haunted anymore. If not, I’ll buy again, just like Daddy," Kai chattered cheerfully, then ran off, leaving Shea feeling anxious.
"KAI! DON’T RUN AROUND! LATER…"
Ding!
Ding!
Shea's phone rang, and she pulled it from her small bag to see who was calling. Upon noticing an unfamiliar number, Shea felt puzzled. Hesitantly, she swiped the green button and answered the call.
"Hello…"
"I’m willing to marry you."
.
.
.
Shea and Zayn took a small book that a middle-aged man had just given them. They stared intently at the differently colored book, both surprised to find out that they were now legally husband and wife, with a dowry of fifty thousand rupiah from Zayn’s remaining money. The man's gaze shifted to Shea, who let out a soft sigh and placed the book into her bag.
"Boss lady…"
"Let’s go outside," Shea suggested, getting up and leaving Zayn standing in place.
"Times have changed, huh, with younger men leading the way," said the man who had married them.
Zayn stood still, watching the middle-aged man for a moment before turning to follow Shea. They were now in the parking lot; Shea took a folder from her car and handed it to Zayn. With a confused look, he accepted it and opened it.
"It is our agreement, and you have no right to file for divorce. Only I have the right to decide when we end this marriage. Your sole duty is to care for my two children, and each month I will provide you with thirty million. If you file for divorce, you must return all the money I have given you, multiplied by two." Shea said, causing Zayn’s eyes to widen.
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