**9**
99%
Every day, Damon spent the entire day in the lab.
As the boss of a company, he didn’t really need to be so hands–on, but he said he wasn’t
tired.
The current him felt truly alive.
I brought him meals every day, making delicious food, and a portion for the little fatty too.
After all, he held the future of our company in his hands.
Chloe said, “Aren’t you two basically a husband–and–wife startup?”
Hus… husband and wife?
My old face flushed.
Damon and I were completely innocent…
Okay, maybe not *completely* innocent.
Because countless times when we pulled all–nighters at the company, Damon and I would sleep on makeshift beds, facing each other.
“What are you talking about? We’re completely innocent.”
<
10:52 Thu,
“Tsk. You made tens of billions, and instead of taking the money to live it up on your own, you put it all into his startup and work like a dog every day. Don’t tell me that’s not true
love?”
“Even though I made tens of billions, the initial five hundred million was his!”
“Girl, your heart isn’t as tough as your words.”
Chloe left me with that thought.
Working late one night, I brought Damon some late–night snacks.
He and the little fatty were discussing an experiment. Seeing me approach, he immediately stopped and walked towards me.
“Why are you still here so late?”
“Uh, Boss, there’s something I want to ask you.”
My heart felt anxious, but I kept a calm expression.
“Ask away.“”
I took a deep breath. “Damon, are you…”
“Hmm?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Are you sure this research will succeed?”
His
eyes,
which had been full of anticipation, seemed to lose their light as if blown out by a gust of wind.
But he quickly smiled. “Of course. Trust us.”
Accidents always seemed to strike unexpectedly.
Just as the research was nearing completion, a fire suddenly broke out in the lab,
<
burning all the materials to ashes.
Damon didn’t sleep a wink that night, salvaging what he could with the little fatty, but almost all the useful data was gone.
I stayed up all night too.
First thing the next morning, I went to find Damon.
He had clearly been up all night; his handsome face was utterly haggard.
Seeing him like that, my heart ached. “Boss…”
He invited me inside.
99%
He poured me a glass of water and placed a card in front of me.
I was puzzled.
“There’s fifty million in here. It’s all I have left. I’m sorry, Riley. I wanted to repay you with a hundred billion, but I can only give you this.”
He gave a self–deprecating laugh. “You shouldn’t have helped me back then. You should
have just taken your tens of billions and lived it up for a lifetime.”
“I can’t.”
I cut him off, gripping my cup.
He looked at me.
I licked my lips and said each word distinctly, “Because I like you. That’s why I can’t live it
up on my own. Damon, watching you start this business every day with so much fire, I think you’re unbelievably handsome. I was afraid I wasn’t good enough for you, so I kept putting off telling you how I feel.”
“You…”
He looked at me in disbelief.
<
10:52 Thu, 3 Julam
99%!
I gave a self–deprecating laugh. “Now it seems you don’t really know me. You think I can’t share your hardships.”
“Riley…”
“I don’t want the fifty million. I never had a single penny to begin with.”
I put down the water glass, suppressing my tears, and opened the door, only to collide
with the little fatty standing outside.
He knocked me to the ground, leaving me sprawled on my back, completely ungraceful.
Damon rushed to help me up. “Are you okay?”
The little fatty looked apologetic, but he couldn’t hide his excitement. “Boss! I’ve got it!
I’ve got it!”
Damon and I looked at his stomach.
You’re a grown man. You’ve got what?
The little fatty ignored our gossiping glances, excitedly exclaiming, “Even though the lab
data burned down, I did an initial simulation at home beforehand, and my little nephew took
it!”
“How old is your little nephew?”
“Three.”
Me: “…”
“Then what are you waiting for?! Let’s go!”
