That morning, Nerina couldn’t borrow Livia’s car—her friend had to work early. Hesitantly, she left the house earlier and opened the Uber app. Her eyes widened when she saw the distance estimate: Malibu. Quite far for a morning ride, and her mind was immediately filled with questions.

“Why not sign the contract at the office?” she muttered, lips trembling slightly. Her eyes were fixed on the phone screen, looking at the driver’s name, and she took a deep breath.

After confirming everything, Nerina pressed the “request” button and prepared to head to the luxury neighborhood in Malibu. Her mind was in chaos: Could it be that my job starts from here? Aren’t I supposed to be a personal assistant? Maybe—she had to take care of Dominic from his home all the way to the office.

A few minutes later, a black car stopped in front of Nerina. She took a deep breath, glanced at the car, then opened the door and got in. The driver greeted her briefly, and Nerina placed her bag on her lap, trying to calm herself, suddenly nervous. She hadn’t worked in a while, maybe that was why she felt anxious. Moreover, she was working for one of the most successful companies in New York.

The car slowed until it finally stopped right in front of the gate of a classic-style mansion towering majestically on the edge of Malibu. From afar, the salty scent of the sea carried by the wind mingled with the fresh air, vastly different from the city’s hustle.

Nerina paused, her eyes wide as she saw a familiar figure standing there—the secretary she had seen at the office yesterday, now waiting for her. Luckily, she wasn’t late. With a formal smile, the man opened the door of a shiny black sedan. “Please, we must not be late for a second.”

Nerina grew even more nervous; for some reason, she felt she might be fired too quickly. Yet, she was still confused why Dominic accepted her so easily. Nerina felt she didn’t deserve this at all. Her appearance was a mess, and she had no experience as a personal assistant.

Nerina had no choice but to get into the car, sit quietly, and wait to arrive. She had to get this job, no matter what.

As the wheels started moving again, her gaze drifted outside the window. Rows of luxurious, elegantly designed houses lined the street. Nerina couldn’t imagine living in a place like this, going to the beach every day.

The car stopped in front of a neoclassical mansion. Tall white pillars stood proudly, large glass windows gleaming in the morning light. From a distance, the Malibu ocean stretched out, making the house look like a throne facing the sea. When Nerina got out of the car, she couldn’t stop marveling. Every corner of the house seemed to force her to look around—the towering marble pillars, the shiny floors reflecting the morning light, even the large framed paintings on the walls. Even as she followed the secretary, her eyes continued sweeping the surroundings, admiring every detail as if afraid to miss any beauty.

But the awe suddenly halted. The air around her seemed to tighten, slowing her steps. At the end of the hallway, a man appeared. His sharp gaze fell directly on her—Dominic. In an instant, the mansion’s shine seemed to dim, and all the grandeur that had dazzled her moments ago turned into a gloomy backdrop. What kind of man is this, why does his aura feel like the Angel of Death? Nerina didn’t understand; she always got chills when looking into his eyes.

“Alright, I’m Morgan. I’m Mr. Dominic’s secretary. I will hand you the contract you need to sign.” The man with neatly brown hair spoke formally, almost expressionless, as he handed a black folder filled with documents to Nerina.

Nerina gave a thin smile, more out of politeness than joy. Her fingers trembled slightly as she took the papers. Before she could read them, her eyes glanced briefly at Dominic—he was standing not far from her, hands in his pants pockets, shoulders upright, face cold and expressionless. His mere presence was enough to make the air feel heavy. Terrifying.

“The contract is only for one year?” Nerina asked cautiously, trying to sound calm.

“Correct,” Morgan answered shortly. “Mr. Dominic only requires you for one year. But there may be extensions if circumstances demand it.”

Nerina nodded faintly. Whether the contract was long or short didn’t matter much to her—the urgent thing was money. She didn’t want to owe anything for medicine again, especially not burdening Livia.

Her eyes then fell on the first page. The numbers there made her freeze. Her eyes widened, breath caught in her throat. The amount stated… far beyond her expectation. “Five hundred thousand dollars per year? Are you serious?”

Her eyes widened, breath caught. It wasn’t just the absurd amount, but also the fine print below: house facilities, vehicle, health insurance, and all necessities would be fully covered by the contract giver.

Her hands trembled slightly. That was more than enough to pay off all her bills. Nerina bit her lip, trying to suppress the surge in her chest—between disbelief and fear.

She lifted her gaze, looking at Dominic once more. Cold. Untouchable. As if that fantastic amount was just a trivial number to him.

Nerina swallowed, then looked back down at the contract in her hands. Her eyes scanned every line carefully. Her heart beat faster as she read the next clause—the contract could not be unilaterally canceled.

Her brows furrowed. She held her breath reading the following sentence: if either party, especially the second party, cancels unilaterally, the second party must pay damages of five million US dollars. Insane. But it was fine. Besides, Nerina wouldn’t cancel it anyway.

Her fingers felt stiff, the paper seeming heavier in her hands. Five million dollars? An impossible sum even in ten lifetimes. She glanced at Dominic again. He still stood upright, eyes cold, as if challenging Nerina to run if she dared.

“Okay, I’ll sign. I won’t cancel this contract no matter what happens.” Nerina’s voice was firm, though her heart shook violently. She grabbed the pen Morgan offered, and without hesitation, her hand moved to sign the paper.

Morgan looked astonished. “You don’t want to read it again? There are many clauses you need to understand,” he said, his tone almost disbelieving at seeing her sign so quickly, before finishing reading everything written in detail.

But Nerina only took a deep breath. To her, the words no longer mattered—the figures on the contract were enough to close her eyes to all possible consequences.

“After this, what should I do? Can I start working right away?” she asked calmly, though her heart raced.

Dominic gave a slight smile. From the start, he had been sure the woman wouldn’t refuse. Indeed, that was what he wanted—someone desperate, someone who would do anything for money and could sacrifice for him.

Morgan took the stack of documents he had prepared and handed them to Nerina. “Here’s everything you need to go through.”

Nerina wasn’t surprised anymore, knowing that a personal assistant had many duties to serve their boss. With full spirit and readiness, she said, “Okay, where do we start?”

Morgan didn’t answer. Without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving Nerina alone in front of Dominic.

Her heart raced, feelings of confusion and fear mixed together. She didn’t know how to face the blue-eyed man, whose gaze had pierced her since earlier, as if weighing every move.

Dominic stepped closer, slowly but surely. Each step made Nerina take a step back, her body tense, eyes alert. “What should I do for my first task, Mr. Dominic?” she asked, trying to remain calm.

“Your first task is simple,” Dominic said, his voice deep and heavy. Nerina held her breath, heart pounding wildly. He approached, only inches from her face, then spoke softly and sharply. “Tonight… you will marry me.”