Novel Full Chapter 162: A Drop in the Desert
Chapter 162: A Drop in the Desert
This wasn’t the first time Maya had asked him this.
If Lucas remembered correctly... it was already the second.
That alone was enough to make him pause.
Normally, Maya wasn’t someone who liked troubling other people. She was independent, proud, and rarely asked anyone for help.
Yet today, she had brought up the subject again. Lucas couldn’t help feeling curious. Just how serious was the situation she was facing?
---
What Lucas didn’t know was that Maya had spent several sleepless nights mentally preparing herself before finding the courage to ask him this question.
Every word she had spoken had been rehearsed countless times in her mind.
She understood better than anyone that asking someone to teach them how to make money was an extremely presumptuous request.
After all... investment strategies weren’t something people casually shared.
They were built through years of experience, failures, risks, and opportunities.
To many successful investors, those methods were no different from trade secrets.
If it had been anyone else... Maya would’ve never asked.
But now... she simply didn’t have much time left.
Tonight... during the Reid Family’s banquet... Malrik was planning to publicly announce their engagement.
Once those words were spoken before so many influential guests... everything would become irreversible.
Even if she refused afterward... it would no longer remain a private matter between two families. It would become a public humiliation.
Breaking off an engagement after it had been officially announced would undoubtedly damage the Reid Family’s reputation, and someone like Malrik would never quietly swallow such humiliation.
More importantly... the Laurent Family couldn’t afford the consequences.
Their company had already reached the brink of collapse.
Cash flow had almost completely dried up. Several projects had been suspended. Banks were refusing additional loans.
Employees were gradually losing confidence. Every single day felt like they were walking along the edge of a cliff.
If they lost the Reid Family’s promised financial support now... the Laurent Group would almost certainly go bankrupt. Even worse... if Malrik chose to retaliate out of anger... the Laurent Family wouldn’t simply lose an investor.
They would gain a powerful enemy.
That was something Maya absolutely couldn’t allow to happen.
The only chance she still had... was before tonight.
Right now... the engagement existed only as rumors circulating among high society. Nothing had been officially announced.
If she could somehow solve the Laurent Family’s financial crisis before the banquet... she could privately refuse the marriage.
At that point... neither family would lose face, and everything could still end peacefully.
But the cruel reality remained...
The Laurent Family no longer possessed the capital to refuse.
Unless...
She herself could find another way to save her family.
That was precisely why... after thinking it over countless times, Maya had finally swallowed her pride and come to Lucas.
---
When Lucas heard that Maya’s problem was related to money... he quietly let out a breath of relief.
For a moment... he had assumed something terrible had happened.
He never expected...
It was simply money.
To him... money was probably the easiest problem in the world to solve now. Not only could he help Maya... the System would almost certainly reward him with another cashback.
It was practically a win-win situation.
Without thinking too much, Lucas smiled.
"Maya... just tell me. How much do you need? I can transfer it to you right now."
To his surprise... Maya immediately shook her head.
"No."
"Lucas... you misunderstood."
Her voice became noticeably softer.
"I’m not asking you to give me money."
"I don’t want charity."
"I want to earn it myself."
She looked down at her hands before continuing.
"I’ve studied investment before. Only the basics... but I know enough to understand how difficult it really is."
She slowly raised her head again, her beautiful eyes filled with both hope and hesitation.
"I know you’re very good at it."
"So... I was hoping..."
"You could teach me."
"I want to rely on my own ability."
"I want to earn enough money..."
"...to solve my family’s problems."
After saying those words... Maya lowered her head once more. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the corner of her skirt.
"I know..."
"This request is a little selfish."
"And maybe..."
"...a little rude."
"But I really..."
"...really want to learn."
Seeing the determination hidden behind her nervous expression... Lucas finally understood.
This wasn’t about pride.
Nor was it simple stubbornness.
She genuinely wanted to stand on her own feet.
Even when he had just offered her a large amount of money without hesitation... her first instinct wasn’t to accept it.
It was to refuse.
Lucas couldn’t help smiling inwardly.
That really was...
Exactly the kind of person Maya was.
Since simply handing her money wasn’t something she could accept...
Then perhaps...
He needed to think of another way.
A way that could solve her problem...
Without hurting her pride.
---
Lucas thought quietly for a moment before an idea suddenly appeared in his mind.
Instead of simply giving Maya money...
Why not give her an opportunity?
He looked at her with a smile.
"How about this?"
"We’re graduating very soon anyway."
"And before long..."
"We’ll both be entering the working world."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"I actually have a company."
"To be honest..."
"I’m usually too busy to personally manage everything."
"I’ve been thinking about finding someone I can genuinely trust."
His eyes met hers.
"If you’re willing..."
"I’d like to officially hire you."
"As my assistant."
Maya blinked in surprise.
"...Your assistant?"
Lucas nodded.
"That’s right."
"You’ll help me manage certain matters, organize schedules, and learn how the company operates."
"As for investing..."
"You’ll naturally be exposed to all of that while working beside me."
"If you’re interested..."
"I’ll teach you everything I know."
Then he smiled.
"As for your salary..."
He thought for a second before calmly saying,
"Let’s start with an annual salary of five million."
Lucas deliberately chose a number that wasn’t outrageously high. He knew Maya’s personality. If he offered something like fifty million a year... she would immediately suspect he was simply trying to help her financially out of pity.
Five million, however...
Although exceptionally generous for a fresh graduate...
Was still believable for someone serving as the personal assistant to the chairman of a major company.
It sounded professional.
Not charitable.
He hoped that would make it easier for her to accept.
---
Maya stood there completely stunned.
She had expected many possible answers.
She had expected rejection.
She had expected polite excuses.
She had even prepared herself for Lucas to laugh and tell her she was asking for too much.
But...
She never imagined he would offer her a job instead.
And not just any job.
His personal assistant.
With an annual salary...
Of five million dollars.
That salary alone was already something countless graduates could only dream about.
Her first reaction wasn’t excitement.
It was gratitude.
Deep, genuine gratitude.
She knew Lucas wasn’t simply offering her employment.
He was giving her trust.
Giving her an opportunity.
Giving her a chance to change her future through her own efforts.
Anyone else would’ve been moved beyond words.
Unfortunately...
Maya’s circumstances were different.
A complicated bitterness quietly spread through her heart.
Five million dollars...
Was indeed an incredible salary.
For an ordinary family... it could completely transform their lives.
For her... it would’ve solved almost every personal financial problem she could imagine.
But...
For the Laurent Family...
It was still far from enough.
The company’s crisis had already reached a critical point.
Outstanding debts...
Delayed supplier payments...
Frozen projects...
Bank pressure...
Everything was piling up at once.
To survive the immediate crisis alone... the Laurent Family needed at least five hundred million dollars in fresh working capital.
Even then...
That would only buy them time.
It wouldn’t truly revive the company.
To completely pull Laurent Group back from the edge of collapse... they would require an even greater amount of capital.
Compared to that...
Five million...
Really was nothing more than a single drop of water falling into a burning desert.
Maya lowered her gaze as disappointment quietly flickered across her beautiful eyes.
She misunderstood Lucas’s intentions.
In her mind... this job offer was simply his gentle way of refusing her request to personally teach her investment.
Perhaps...
He simply didn’t want to reveal his investment methods.
And honestly...
She couldn’t blame him.
Investment knowledge was priceless.
No successful person would casually hand over the skills that made them wealthy.
Especially when the amount of money her family needed was so unimaginably large.
Even if Lucas genuinely wanted to help...
No ordinary person could casually fill a financial gap worth hundreds of millions.
Thinking of that...
Maya forced a faint smile onto her face.
Although grateful...
Her heart slowly sank.
It seemed...
After all this...
She still couldn’t escape her fate.
Tonight...
She would probably have no choice but to attend the banquet.
And when Malrik publicly announced their engagement...
She would simply have to accept it.