The Billionaire's Nerdy Secretary

Evelyn Thomas was sitting behind the counter reading the newspaper when the casino door was pushed open, allowing a bone-chilling wind to quickly fill the room. An unlucky patron, enraged, roared towards the outside, but upon seeing that the new arrival was Norman, the patron mumbled something under his breath and pretended to continue feeling his cards, no longer daring to shout.

Norman owned a service company that mainly handled 'security', turning protection fees into protection services. Everything seemed legal, and no one in the Tumessa area dared to cross him.

Today was New Year's Eve. The locals had finished their reunion dinners and, with nothing else to do, habitually came to indulge their gambling cravings. Norman also came to scratch his gambling itch. Upon entering, he fixed his gaze on the young woman behind the counter engrossed in her newspaper, smiling as he signaled his men to keep quiet. He took a few steps toward the counter, stretching his arm forward. Just as his fingers were about to touch the girl's cheek, the newspaper in front of her rustled, blocking his hand.

Only then did Evelyn look up, unsurprised, and smile, "Liam, you've arrived. Shall I open a table for you?"

Inside the casino, unlike the snowy world outside, the air conditioning units maintained at twenty-nine degrees Celsius the temperature. Smoke swirled around the card tables, casting a faint peach-colored hue on Evelyn's face. Her long black hair partially covered her collarbones, giving off a lazy and casual vibe. She wore a loose V-neck shirt, indifferent to the snowy conditions outside.

Norman felt his addiction growing stronger. He retracted his hand and, to avoid losing face in front of his men, jokingly said, "Open a table? Will you play with me?"

Evelyn chuckled softly, "Sadly, I've been working here for months and still haven't learned to play French-suited cards."

Evelyn had arrived in Tumessa at the end of summer. The casino was short-staffed and had just posted a job opening when she applied. Norman, not sitting in the private room, had Evelyn set up a table for him near the air conditioner. A television on the wall played a New Year's comedy show. This was the best spot, and Norman was pleased. He asked Evelyn, "A young girl like you, working on New Year's, doesn't your family say anything? Oh, right, where are you from?"

Evelyn poured tea into the cups and served them to the four men, smiling, "Working on New Year's means more bonuses; no one says no to money."

Norman liked money and enjoyed hearing such words, forgetting Evelyn's evasive answer. He then persuaded her to join his service company, offering top-notch salary and benefits. As he spoke, his phone rang inconveniently. Norman answered it angrily, but upon hearing the voice, he jumped up, nearly knocking his chair over. Not knowing who was on the other end, he rarely lowered his head so submissively, said a few words, and hurried out. Evelyn continued to smile as she poured tea for another table.

Norman stepped outside, shivering in the cold, his breath forming into clouds. This year, the city was unimaginably cold.

He was a bit annoyed. "What to do? Didn't they say it would be next week? Why are they here today?"

He walked a few steps, then remembered he should wait until the ignorant men left before rushing to the entrance of Tumessa. Standing in the icy wind for five minutes, he finally saw car lights in the distance and quickly approached, smiling obsequiously as he got into the first car, asking, "Boss, is your boss in the car behind?"

Nathan Lee, sitting alone in the car, glanced at him and said, "Lead the way!" Not another word was spoken. Norman cursed inwardly but kept his face pleasant, leading the way with two curtain-covered cars following closely behind.

Tumessa was remote, untouched by economic planning, with its architecture unchanged for decades. Rows of houses along the river were abandoned, with shops and residences mixed. Despite a significant population, property prices remained low, with no interest from buyers. The streets became wider and houses sparser as they went further, with no streetlights and silence all around. Finally, they arrived. The cars stopped outside a wall. Norman jumped out and opened the gate. A courtyard lit by bright lights revealed an ancient three-story building with white walls and black tiles, featuring a large open balcony on the third floor and a dense tree growing above it, its survival a mystery.

Norman welcomed all the curtain-covered cars into the small courtyard, which soon became crowded. He glanced at the cars while saying to Nathan, "I didn't know you were coming today. The house has been cleaned, and the furniture replaced, but the courtyard hasn't been tidied yet."

As he spoke, two men got out of the third car-one wearing glasses with a refined face, the other short and ordinary-looking. Norman wondered which one was the 'boss' until he saw the driver of the second car get out, slightly bowing as he opened the back door.

A shiny black leather shoe stepped out, followed by long trousers. Half a face appeared, clad in a black overcoat of fine material, with sharp lines. The figure stood tall, adjusting his coat. His powerful frame, tightly pressed lips, and prominent nose were immediately noticeable. As he straightened up, he slightly adjusted his coat and his towering figure loomed, with a sharp gaze sweeping past the dumbfounded Norman. He showed no expression, but his presence was imposing. Norman dared not look directly at him, quickly smiling ingratiatingly but nervously fumbling with the lock.

Nathan had inspected the place from top to bottom, carefully checking the main bedroom on the second floor. Finally, he felt satisfied as he found the bed linens and bedding neatly arranged in the wardrobe, free from any dust. Cutting off Norman's continuous chatter, Nathan said, "General Manager Smith likes peace and quiet. Your men are unnecessary, and keep this quiet!"

Norman said, "I know, I know. That's why I didn't let the guys follow me here. If there's anything else you need, just let me know, and I'll bring it tomorrow!"

As they descended the stairs, the man with glasses was fiddling with the TV, and the short man emerged from the kitchen, saying, "There's no food, so I just boiled some water!"

Nathan looked at Norman. "Do you have anything to eat?"