The CEO Nobody Knew

Chapter 5: The Contract

Shirley stared at the business card in her trembling hands, the weight of her desperation making the decision for her. "Okay," she whispered. "I'll do it."

Mac felt a surge of satisfaction, though he kept his expression neutral. "Excellent. I'll have the paperwork prepared by tomorrow. Can you meet me at this address at seven PM?" He wrote down the location of a small law office downtown that he used for confidential business.

"Tomorrow?" Shirley looked surprised. "That's very fast."

"My clients don't like to wait when they've found someone they want to work with. But if you need more time to think about it..."

"No!" The desperation in her voice was unmistakable. "No, tomorrow is fine. I just... I need to know this is real. That you're not some kind of con artist taking advantage of desperate people."

Mac almost laughed at the irony. "I understand your concern. Tell you what, here's an advance on your first payment." He pulled out his wallet and counted out five hundred dollars in cash, placing it on the table between them.

Shirley's eyes widened as she stared at the money. "I can't accept this. Not until I know what I'm agreeing to."

"Consider it a sign of good faith. To prove that I'm serious about this opportunity." Mac stood up and buttoned his jacket. "Tomorrow at seven, Miss...?"

"Chen," she said quickly, then immediately looked like she regretted giving him her name. "Shirley Chen."

"Tomorrow at seven, Miss Chen. Don't disappoint me."

Mac left the café feeling like he'd set important pieces in motion. Shirley Chen was perfect for his needs, desperate enough to accept help without asking too many questions, but intelligent enough to be useful. She would be his way into whatever secrets her father might know about Thompson Bank.

The next evening, Mac arrived at the law office thirty minutes early to review the contract one final time with his attorney. The document was carefully crafted to appear like a standard employment agreement while actually giving Mac significant control over Shirley's time and activities.

"Are you sure about this approach?" his lawyer, David Kim, asked nervously. "This contract is... unusually binding for what appears to be a simple consulting arrangement."

"Trust me, David. Miss Chen needs this opportunity more than she needs to read the fine print."

Shirley arrived precisely at seven, wearing a simple black dress that had clearly been chosen to look professional despite probably being the nicest thing she owned. She carried a small purse and looked like she hadn't slept much the night before.

"Miss Chen, thank you for coming. This is David Kim, my attorney. He'll be witnessing our agreement tonight."

Shirley shook David's hand politely, but Mac could see her growing nervous as the formal nature of the situation became clear.

"Before we begin," Mac said, "I want to make sure you understand that this is a serious commitment. Once you sign this contract, you'll be bound by its terms for a minimum of one year. The compensation is generous, but the expectations are high."

"What exactly will I be expected to do?"

"Various tasks as they arise. Research, administrative work, occasionally accompanying me to business meetings or social events. Nothing inappropriate, but everything confidential."

David placed the contract in front of Shirley, and she began reading the first page carefully. Mac watched her expression change as she encountered the more complex legal language.

"This section about exclusivity," she said, pointing to a paragraph near the middle of the document. "It says I can't work for anyone else without your written permission."

"That's standard for consulting agreements involving sensitive information."

"And this part about relocation? It says you can require me to travel or even move to different cities for work purposes."

Mac nodded. "Some of my clients have business interests in multiple locations. But any relocation would be temporary and fully compensated."

Shirley continued reading, her frown deepening with each page. "These financial penalties for breaking the contract... they're enormous. More than I could ever pay."

"They're designed to ensure commitment from both parties. I'm investing significant resources in you, Miss Chen. I need to know you won't simply walk away when something better comes along."

"But if I wanted to leave for a legitimate reason..."

"The contract includes provisions for reasonable circumstances. David can explain the details if you have specific concerns."

Shirley looked at the lawyer, who cleared his throat uncomfortably. "The contract is... comprehensive. But it's also legally binding. You should understand that signing this document would limit your options significantly."

Mac shot David a warning look. The lawyer was supposed to be facilitating this, not discouraging Shirley from signing.

"However," David continued more carefully, "the compensation structure is indeed very generous."

Shirley's phone buzzed with a text message. She glanced at it and her face went pale.

"Bad news?" Mac asked with false concern.

"The care facility where my father is staying. They're saying if I don't make a payment by tomorrow morning, they'll have to discharge him." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "He has nowhere else to go."

Mac felt a twinge of guilt but pushed it aside. This was business, and Shirley's desperation was exactly what he needed to secure her cooperation.

"The signing bonus alone would cover that payment and give you several months of breathing room," he said gently.

Shirley stared at the contract for a long moment, then picked up the pen with shaking hands. "Where do I sign?"

"Every page needs to be initialed, and your signature goes on the last page."

She worked through the document quickly, clearly not reading the later sections in detail. Mac could see the exact moment when desperation overrode caution, and she began signing without fully processing what she was agreeing to.

"There," she said finally, setting down the pen. "It's done."

David notarized the signatures and handed Shirley her copy of the contract. Mac produced an envelope containing the promised signing bonus.

"Welcome to the team, Miss Chen. I think you'll find this arrangement very profitable."

Shirley took the envelope with trembling hands. "When do I start?"

"I'll be in touch within the next few days with your first assignment. In the meantime, I suggest you take care of your father's situation and get some rest. You look exhausted."

After Shirley left, David shook his head disapprovingly. "That girl has no idea what she just signed. If she ever tries to break that contract..."

"She won't," Mac said confidently. "She can't afford to."

Mac was walking to his car in the parking garage beneath the law office building when his phone rang. Marcus Webb's name appeared on the screen.

"Mac, where are you right now?"

"Downtown. I just finished some business. Why?"

"You need to get somewhere public immediately. I just received some very disturbing intelligence about Thompson Bank."

"What kind of intelligence?"

"The kind that suggests someone has been watching you much more closely than we realized. Mac, I think you might be in danger."

Mac paused beside his car, suddenly aware of how isolated the parking garage felt. "What exactly did you find out?"

"Harold Thompson isn't just some private businessman. My sources indicate he has connections to some very dangerous people. People who don't hesitate to eliminate threats to their interests."

"And you think I'm a threat?"

"Mac, Golden Enterprise's recent actions have cost Thompson Bank's shell companies millions of dollars in lost opportunities. If they've connected you to those losses..."

A car engine echoed through the parking garage, the sound bouncing off concrete walls in a way that made it impossible to tell which direction it was coming from.

"Marcus, I'm going to call you back."

Mac ended the call and looked around the garage more carefully. Most of the spaces were empty at this hour, but he noticed a dark sedan parked near the exit that hadn't been there when he arrived. The windows were tinted too dark to see inside.

He reached for his car door handle, then froze as he heard footsteps echoing from somewhere behind him. Slow, deliberate steps that seemed to be getting closer.

Mac's hand moved toward his phone to call for help, but before he could unlock the screen, he heard the unmistakable sound of a car door slamming shut. Then another. And another.

He turned around slowly and saw three men in dark clothing emerging from different vehicles positioned strategically around the garage. They were moving toward him with the kind of coordinated precision that spoke of professional training.

The man in the center, who appeared to be their leader, smiled coldly as he approached. "Mr. Clement. You've been causing some problems for very important people."

Mac backed against his car, his mind racing through possible escape routes. But the men had positioned themselves to cut off all exits from this section of the garage.

"I think you have me confused with someone else," Mac said, trying to buy time.

"Oh, we know exactly who you are. The question is whether you're going to come with us quietly, or whether this has to get unpleasant."

One of the other men reached inside his jacket and Mac caught a glimpse of something that made his blood run cold.

These weren't just thugs sent to rough him up. These were professionals, and they were prepared for violence.

"What do you want?" Mac asked, his voice steadier than he felt.

"Mr. Thompson wants to have a conversation with you. About your recent business decisions and their impact on his interests."

"And if I refuse?"

The leader's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it whatsoever. "Let's just say that refusing isn't really an option."

Mac was about to respond when his phone suddenly buzzed with an emergency alert. He glanced down at the screen and felt his heart stop.

The message was simple, but it changed everything: "We have the girl. If you want to see Shirley Chen alive again, you'll do exactly what we tell you."