Donovan's WhatsApp username was simply his real name: Donovan Blake.
Chloe even scrolled through Donovan's social feeds. She found very little personal content, mostly reposts of public relations materials crafted by New East International's team.
To make Donovan less obvious in her phone, Chloe deliberately changed his contact name to "Mike."
After the exchange, "Mike" sent a message.
Mike: [Sign the agreement and get the license tomorrow.]
There were no surprises. Donovan was a man of his word.
Chloe: [Okay].
After work, Chloe went to the New East Mall to buy a red blouse.
The New East Mall was also owned by Donovan, who had a vast network of businesses.
The next morning, Chloe applied slightly heavier makeup. Her skin was naturally pale, and with the additional makeup, her features stood out more, even prettier. She then put on the red blouse she had bought.
Her reflection in the mirror was stunning.
The bus was a bit crowded that morning. Close to her stop, she received a WhatsApp message from Donovan.
Mike: [Come to my office.]
Chloe: [In ten minutes.]
When she arrived at Donovan's office, the way she dressed caught Donovan's eye, especially the swell at her chest, which briefly reminded him of that night. His thoughts momentarily wandered – a natural instinct for a man – but he said nothing.
Another person was in the office, Donovan's legal advisor, who had Chloe sign several agreements. The core terms were: Donovan's assets were none of Chloe's business, and the marriage was to remain confidential, but at the end of the agreement, Chloe would receive a payout of one million. In addition, there would be bonuses during the term of the agreement. The bonus details were as follows:
First, making Samuel laugh once was worth ten thousand.
Second, cook Samuel a delicious meal for twenty thousand dollars.
Third, during Samuel's hospitalization, they accompanied Samuel once for one hundred thousand dollars.
Fourth, be there for Grandpa in his dying days, one million dollars.
Lastly, Chloe saw the most important clause: Starting from the day this agreement was signed, the man would prepay the woman two hundred thousand dollars as a deposit.
Remark clause: The man retains the right to interpret any matter not covered in the contract.
The weight of the financial rewards left Chloe astonished. Donovan must be really wealthy, and moreover, all the rewards were centered around his Samuel.
The money she would get to accompany Samuel just once was enough to pay for her mother's caregiver for ten months.
Secretly, Chloe hoped that Samuel would live a long and healthy life. That way, she could keep earning money endlessly and no longer worry about her mother's illness.
Donovan's salary scheme was similar to that of New East International Group. The base pay wasn't high, but if you did a good job, the end-of-month takeaway could be quite substantial, motivating workers to give their best.
Chloe thought to herself, 'I have to do a good job and make more money.'
With a confident stroke, Chloe signed her name on the document.
"Is everything ready?" Donovan asked Chloe in a cool tone.
"Yes, everything's prepared," Chloe replied, pulling out two items from her bag and placing them on Donovan Blake's desk.
Donovan glanced at them briefly and then said, "Let's go."
They went to the courthouse.
In less than ten minutes, Chloe and Donovan had completed the procedures.
Although it all felt like a dream to Chloe, officially, she was now a married woman.
That afternoon, she returned to work as usual, pretending like nothing had happened.
But one thing constantly preoccupied Chloe. 'Why haven't the two hundred thousand dollars been deposited yet?'
The two hundred thousand was a critical sum for Chloe's urgent needs.