MMORPG: Birth of the World's Luckiest Player

Chapter 498: The Contract

"Fine. We’ll do it your way. But you’d better deliver results."

Vivian finally relented with a tired sigh, the kind that came from weighing pride against necessity and choosing the latter. "Marcus, once we finalize the agreement and sign the contract, I’ll have the legal team process all the paperwork."

Even as she said it, watching him get exactly what he wanted made irritation bubble up again. She added coolly, "You really have absolutely no class."

"Class doesn’t pay the bills."

Marcus smiled as if he had just heard a compliment, entirely unbothered. "Ms. Sterling, since I’ll be working for you, maybe it would help if you focused on my strengths instead of obsessing over my flaws. If you go into this thinking I’m unbearable, how are we supposed to work together? How’s anything supposed to get done?"

The beautiful CEO stared at him flatly. "Right now, just looking at you is giving me a headache."

She waved her hand in dismissal, already done with the conversation. "So. Any other conditions? If not, the agreement is settled."

It was obvious she was trying to usher him out.

Unfortunately for her, seeing that mix of frustration and reluctant acceptance only made Marcus more amused. "Actually," he said casually, as if the thought had just occurred to him, "now that you mention it, there is one more thing."

"Another condition?"

The words were barely out of her mouth before her composure cracked. She almost yelped, instantly regretting giving him the opening.

"Yeah." He grinned, completely shameless. "Let’s add a clause. If my advertising proposal gets approved and implemented, you have dinner with me."

"You—"

Vivian cut him off without hesitation. "Absolutely not. Don’t be ridiculous."

"Why not?" He put on an exaggeratedly wounded expression. "All right, then I’ll compromise. I’ll have dinner with you instead."

"Stop dreaming."

She shot him a withering glare and turned away, clearly done entertaining him. Marcus had not expected her to agree anyway. "When the agreement’s ready, just give me a call."

He turned toward the door.

His hand was already on the handle when something stopped him. He paused, then glanced back at her. "Ms. Sterling, can I ask you something?"

She did not respond.

"Why do you trust me so much?"

Vivian looked at him in silence, her expression unreadable.

Marcus laughed softly, shaking his head. "Forget it. Pretend I didn’t ask."

He was about to leave when she spoke. "Marcus."

"Yeah?"

He looked back. Her voice was quieter now, stripped of sharpness. "You’re a good basketball player. But more than that, the way you play with your team... it’s obvious you’re someone people can rely on. On the court, you have presence. Nothing about you feels fake. You’re not the type to betray someone once they trust you."

She met his eyes. "Don’t you think so?"

Marcus froze. In that moment, it all made sense.

She had known who he was from the start. Not just his resume, not just the numbers. She had seen him play. She was a fan. That explained her patience, her tolerance for his provocations, her willingness to give him room others would never get.

He smiled faintly and gave her a small nod.

Standing there, he took her in properly for the first time. Composed and elegant without trying, she carried herself like a flower in full bloom, refined and impossible to ignore. Her beauty was striking, but what stood out more was the quiet authority beneath it, the kind that came from confidence rather than arrogance.

"You know," he said lightly, "I wasn’t just flattering you earlier. That suit really does suit you. You wear it well."

His gaze drifted to the teacup on her desk. "And your tea smells great. Good brewing technique. Not quite on Alana’s level, but still really good."

With that, he left the CEO’s office, ignoring the curious glance Ms. Lindsey shot him from the front desk as he headed off to meet Mark and the others for lunch.

"...You..."

Vivian stared at his retreating back, completely at a loss for words. It was a good thing he had left. If he had stayed any longer, she had no idea what she would have said.

"Scoundrel."

The word slipped out at last, perfectly capturing the man who had bullied her into concessions one moment and disarmed her with sincerity the next. He was infuriating beyond belief.

And yet.

He had agreed to return to Mellory Financial.

She sat back down and picked up the performance reports again, her eyes scanning the figures. No matter how many times she reviewed them, the same thought returned.

His skill was incredible.

Even someone as confident and proud as Vivian had to admit it. In this arena, she could not match him.

Her gaze drifted to his photo in the employee file, one she had taken herself during a game. That sharp focus in his eyes, that commanding presence, it went far beyond basketball. It was simply who he was.

With him on board, she was certain she could transform Mellory Financial into something unstoppable.

And when that happened, when she finally proved herself to the company and to the Sterling family, no one would ever treat her like a bargaining chip again. No arranged marriages to strangers. No being forced into a future she had never chosen.

"Scoundrel," she murmured to his photo. "Do your part. For my freedom."

She caught herself drifting, not toward him exactly, but toward the life she wanted. Control. Independence. That was the real prize. And maybe, just maybe, this infuriating man was the key to it.

She reached for her teacup and took a sip, only to realize it was nearly empty.

She froze.

The teacup. He had used it. She had been so distracted that she had forgotten. They had shared it. And the spot where her lips touched was exactly where his mouth had been.

That was basically an indirect kiss.

"My... my first kiss."

Vivian slammed the cup onto the desk as if it had burned her.

Then she remembered his parting comment, that her tea was not nearly as good as Alana’s. The audacity of it stung. Coming from her, Vivian Sterling, confident and accomplished, how dare he say such a thing?

"Marcus, you absolute scoundrel. A complete, utter, super scoundrel!"

Her composure finally shattered. The stream of curses that followed would have made her assistant faint. Outside the office, Ms. Lindsey peeked in with barely concealed curiosity, wondering if the boss had finally lost it.