“But the current timeline suggests June at the earliest.”
Victor stood.
“That's enough.”
Naomi stopped.
The room remained silent.
Victor looked at his guests.
“This is absurd.”
One of them spoke.
“No. It is important.”
Victor turned.
“What?”
The investor asked, “Why did your proposal omit the permit delay?”
Victor hesitated.
“It wasn't relevant.”
Naomi quietly returned to the service station.
But the damage was done.
The guests began asking questions.
Not about Naomi.
About Victor.
About the project.
About the financing.
About the permits.
About the projections.
Victor's confidence slowly disappeared.
After twenty minutes, the dinner was over.
The investors left without signing anything.
Victor remained seated.
Naomi approached with the check.
He looked at her.
“You ruined this.”
“No, Mr. Hale.”
She placed the check on the table.
“You invited me to speak.”
Victor stared at her.
“You think you've won?”
Naomi shook her head.
“I wasn't competing.”
Then she walked away.
A Hundred Thousand Dollars
The next morning, the story had already spread through the restaurant.
Marcus was the first to tell her.
“You know everyone is talking about you?”
Naomi groaned.
“I hate that.”
“You embarrassed Victor Hale.”
“I answered questions.”
“You made him look foolish.”
“He did that himself.”
Marcus laughed.
Then Daniel arrived.
He looked serious.
“Naomi.”
She turned.
“Mr. Hale called.”
Her stomach tightened.
“What does he want?”
“He says you violated company policy by discussing confidential business matters.”
Naomi stared at him.
“He asked me to speak.”
“I know.”
“His guests asked questions.”
“I know.”
“Then what did I violate?”
Daniel sighed.
“Nothing.”
Naomi waited.
“He also wants to know where to send the one hundred thousand dollars.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“The bet.”
Naomi laughed.
“He doesn't actually have to pay me.”
“He says he does.”
“Why?”
Daniel smiled.
“Because apparently his guests told him they witnessed the bet.”
Naomi shook her head.
“I don't want his money.”
“You don't have to take it.”
She thought about it.
Then she remembered her mother.
A woman who had worked two jobs.
A woman who had always said:
Never take money from someone who expects ownership of you.
Naomi looked at Daniel.
“Tell him to donate it.”
“To what?”
Naomi smiled.
“The community nursing scholarship.”
Daniel knew exactly what she meant.
The scholarship helped students who couldn't afford nursing school.
Claire had once received assistance from the same foundation.
Daniel nodded.
“I'll tell him.”
That afternoon, Victor's lawyer called.
The donation would be made.
One hundred thousand dollars.
In Naomi's name.
The news spread beyond the restaurant.
And then Henry Lin called Naomi.
“Congratulations.”
Naomi laughed.
“I didn't win anything.”
Henry replied, “You won the right to choose where his money went.”
Naomi was silent.
Henry continued.
“I'd like to offer you a job.”
She sat down.
“What kind of job?”
“Executive assistant.”
Naomi laughed.
“I have no experience.”
“You have experience listening.”
“That doesn't qualify me.”
“You understand people. You understand languages. You notice details.”
“I'm a waitress.”
“No.”
Henry's voice became serious.
“You are a woman who has spent six years being underestimated.”
Naomi said nothing.
“I want to know what happens when you aren't.”
The Offer
Henry invited Naomi to his office.
The building stood near the Embarcadero.
Its lobby was marble and glass.
Naomi felt uncomfortable the moment she entered.
A receptionist greeted her.
“Ms. Carter?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Lin is expecting you.”
Naomi rode the elevator to the thirty-first floor.
Henry's office was enormous.
But unlike Victor's office, it wasn't designed to intimidate.
There were books everywhere.
Photographs.
Old maps.
Family pictures.
Henry stood near the window.
“Thank you for coming.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
He pointed toward a chair.
“Sit.”
Naomi did.
“I meant what I said.”
“About the job?”
“Yes.”
“What would I do?”
“Work with international clients.”
“I don't have a business degree.”
“I don't care.”
Naomi smiled.
“Most companies do.”
“I am not most companies.”
He handed her a folder.
Inside was a salary offer.
Naomi stared at the number.
It was more than twice what she made.
“I can't accept this.”
“Why?”
“Because you don't know me.”
Henry smiled.
“I know enough.”
He paused.
“You noticed the black garlic sauce was too salty.”
Naomi laughed.
“That isn't a qualification.”
“It is if you're sitting across from someone deciding whether to invest nine hundred million dollars.”
She looked at him.
Henry continued.
“Businesses fail because people ignore small details.”
Naomi closed the folder.
“What happened to Victor's project?”
“His investors withdrew.”
She wasn't surprised.
“Is that because of me?”
“No.”
Henry's answer was immediate.
“The project had problems before you spoke.”
Naomi nodded.
“Then why hire me?”