Chapter 2 - FIRED FOR BEING KIND
“Claire, come into my office.”
Claire knew immediately something was wrong.
The restaurant manager, Mr. Collins, rarely called employees into his office unless someone had complained.
She followed him inside.
He closed the door.
“You made a mistake last night.”
Claire's stomach tightened.
“The customer?”
“You interfered.”
“I paid his bill.”
“You embarrassed the restaurant.”
“He was embarrassed enough.”
“That isn't your decision.”
Claire stared at him.
“He genuinely forgot his wallet.”
“And how do you know that?”
“I believed him.”
Mr. Collins laughed bitterly.
“Believing strangers is how people get robbed.”
Claire said nothing.
She had heard that philosophy her entire life.
Trust nobody.
Expect nothing.
Protect yourself.
But her father had taught her something different.
He had been a public school counselor for thirty years. He died eighteen months earlier after a sudden stroke.
His final lesson to Claire had not been about money.
It had been about people.
Don't let the world convince you that kindness is weakness.
She couldn't regret what she had done.
“I'd do it again,” she said.
Mr. Collins stared at her.
“Then collect your things.”
Claire froze.
“Are you firing me?”
“Yes.”
“Because I paid for someone's dinner?”
“Because you ignored management procedure.”
She looked at him for several seconds.
Then nodded.
“Okay.”
No pleading.
No tears.
She walked into the employee area, took her coat, and placed her name tag on the counter.
Her coworker Maya looked shocked.
“What happened?”
“I got fired.”
“For what?”
“Being kind, apparently.”
Maya hugged her.
Claire smiled.
“It's okay.”
It wasn't.
She had $186 in her checking account.
Rent was due in twelve days.
Her younger brother, Daniel, was starting community college and needed help buying textbooks.
Her mother's medical bills had been piling up since the surgery.
The forty-seven dollars she had spent last night suddenly felt enormous.
But Claire still didn't regret it.
Outside, she walked three blocks before stopping.
Something black and expensive pulled to the curb.
A man stepped out.
He wore a dark suit.
“Ms. Bennett?”
Claire stiffened.
“Yes?”
“My name is Ethan Cole. I'm Mr. Blackwood's chief of staff.”
Her heart skipped.
“Blackwood?”
“Yes.”
She remembered the stranger from last night.
Adrien.
Ethan held out a business card.
“He'd like to speak with you.”
Claire shook her head.
“I didn't pay for dinner expecting anything.”
“I know.”
“I don't want money.”
“I know.”
“Then why does he want to see me?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Because you did something nobody has done for him in a very long time.”
“What?”
“You believed him.”
Claire looked toward the car.
“Where is he?”
“Inside.”
The rear door opened.
Adrien sat there.
No expensive restaurant.
No crowd.
No cameras.
Just him.
He looked different in daylight.
More serious.
More tired.
Claire approached cautiously.
“You found your wallet.”
Adrien almost smiled.
“Eventually.”
She folded her arms.
“Good.”
“I owe you forty-seven dollars.”
“You don't.”
“I disagree.”
“You're the man who couldn't pay for dinner.”
“And you're the woman who paid for it.”
“Exactly.”
He looked at her.
“You were fired.”
Her expression changed.
“How did you know?”
“The manager called one of my companies this morning.”
Claire frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Adrien leaned forward.
“The restaurant is owned by Blackwood Hospitality.”
Silence.
Claire stared at him.
“You own the restaurant?”
“Yes.”
She took one step backward.
“You knew?”
“I didn't know when you paid.”
“And you fired the manager?”
“No.”
Claire blinked.
“Then who?”
“My legal department suspended him this morning.”
“Why?”
“Because his treatment of you violated company policy.”
Claire shook her head.
“You don't have to do that.”
“I already did.”
She looked away.
Adrien studied her.
“You don't want money.”
“No.”
“Then let me offer you something else.”
“What?”
“A job.”
Claire laughed once.
“Doing what?”
“Working for me.”
“Why?”
“Because you're observant.”
“That isn't enough.”
“You're honest.”
“Still not enough.”
“You're willing to stand alone when everyone else walks away.”
She looked at him.
Adrien's voice softened.
“I need someone like that.”
Claire hesitated.
“What kind of job?”
“My executive office needs a personal operations coordinator.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“That's a very different job from serving tables.”
“You'd be trained.”
“Why me?”
“Because last night you looked at me and saw a person instead of a bank account.”
That answer silenced her.
Claire looked down at the business card in her hand.
The salary printed on the offer letter was more money than she had ever earned in a year.
She could pay her mother's bills.
Help Daniel.
Catch up on rent.
Maybe breathe.
But there was something about Adrien that made her nervous.
“Are you always this controlling?”
His mouth twitched.
“Yes.”
“At least you're honest.”
“So are you.”
She looked at him.
Then sighed.
“I'll consider it.”
“Take your time.”
Adrien closed the door.
The car pulled away.
Claire watched it disappear.
She had no idea that accepting the job would place her directly inside the world Adrien had spent years hiding from.
She also didn't know someone had watched the entire conversation from across the street.
A man in a gray coat lowered his phone.
He had taken photographs of Claire.
And then of Adrien.
He sent one message.
She's the one.
May you like
A reply came almost immediately.
Then get close to her.
