Chapter 52

Giles froze, then let out a bitter laugh. “What other plans could I possibly have? Irene had the baby, and we don't even have diapers or formula yet. I need to find a job so I can buy formula.”

Usually, his temper would have demanded an explanation from Sunrise Pharmaceuticals, and he wouldn't have let the matter slide so easily. But now he had a wife and child to consider. He couldn't fight for pride and let them suffer.

Despite his bitterness, what could he do? He was broke, and Aurora had even covered his wife's hospital bills. He couldn't stay in the pharmaceutical industry, but figured people were adaptable, so he could apply for jobs elsewhere. The only drawback was the lower pay.

"Have you found a job yet?" Aurora asked.

Giles hung his head. "I plan to start looking once Irene gets out of the hospital, Ms. Crawford. I might need more time to repay you."

He knew it was a difficult situation. He and Irene were childhood sweethearts. Her early labor, due to unforeseen circumstances, left both her and the baby in poor health, and there was no one else to care for them. He couldn't afford a caretaker, either. Frustration clenched his fists in his lap.

Aurora made her offer at the perfect moment. "I'm actually planning to start a company soon. Since you have experience, I'd like to hire you as my business manager. What do you think?"

Giles was stunned. Surprise, disbelief, and gratitude warred in his eyes, eventually settling into bitterness.

"Ms. Crawford, you're still young. Not everyone in this world is as kind as you think," he said, his hands opening and closing, his eyes reddening. He forced himself to continue. "I know you want to help me, but I've never managed a company before, and your money was hard-earned by your parents. You can't just throw it away because you feel sorry for me."

Knowing Giles misunderstood, Aurora interrupted. "It's not about pity. In fact, I'm already looking for a company location. I just thought, given your pharmaceutical experience, you could help me avoid pitfalls. Even without you, I would have hired someone else."

Giles stared, noticing the determination in her eyes and the seriousness in her voice. She was nothing like the naive high school student he'd assumed. He mused, "Man, rich kids are raised seriously hardcore. They just casually hand over a wad of cash to let a teenager start a company!"

To prove her point, Aurora showed him her business plan on her phone. "Take a look."

Initially dismissive, Giles's expression gradually shifted to surprise as he read. The more he read, the more shocked he became, finally admitting it was incredibly well-thought-out. He knew a plan like this couldn't have been created in a few days; it must have taken weeks. He wondered if Aurora was truly serious.

"What do you think?" Aurora tapped her fingers lightly on the table, drawing Giles from his thoughts. "If you're interested, I'm offering you a $150,000 annual salary and a 30% share of the original stock."

Chapter 52 (continued)

"Ms. Crawford, you're back?" Emma stood at the living room door, smiling warmly. "Lunch is already on the table."

"It's so nice having Ms. Crawford alone in the house. Our work is much more relaxed," Emma thought. But then, the phone rang. After hanging up, her smile vanished.

Aurora noticed. "What's wrong?"

Emma quickly recovered. "Mr. Crawford just called. They'll be back the day after tomorrow. He asked us to prepare Ms. Maura Crawford's room and change all the bedding."

Aurora raised an eyebrow. 'Oh, so Maura's coming back, huh? I haven't seen her since she was hospitalized. I wonder what she looks like now. I'm kind of curious.'