Chapter 2

Hearing this, Logan immediately knelt on one knee in front of my chair, looking up at me.

"Vivian, you're jealous, aren't you?"

"The company has rules, Logan."

I gently reached out to brush a piece of party confetti from his hair. My voice was calm but leaving no room for argument.

My eyes, however, caught a cheap red string bracelet on his wrist. I narrowed my eyes slightly.

Logan took my hand, pressing it against his cheek. His eyes sparkled, seemingly thrilled that he had finally provoked an emotional reaction from me.

But my mind was on his face—a face that had been meticulously pampered with my money for the past three years.

After staring at him for a few seconds, I pulled my hand back, my voice turning icy.

"Logan, never forget why I chose you in the first place."

His face drained of color. From day one of our arrangement, I had made the terms crystal clear. He had nodded obediently back then.

It seemed three years of luxury had made him forget where he came from.

I patted his pale cheek gently and took a final sip of my coffee.

He stood frozen for a long moment before finally stepping back, bowing his head respectfully.

It’s hard to go back to being poor once you've tasted wealth.

With me, he had enjoyed three years of absolute luxury. He had gone from a broke college kid to a highly respected executive.

"I understand, Ms. Thorne."

I stood up and patted his shoulder.

"Good boy. Come home tonight. I expect to see the results of the new interviews."

With that, I grabbed my bag and stepped into the elevator.

The moment the elevator doors slid shut, I saw him frantically calling HR on Snapchat, demanding the resumes of the new applicants.

Once I left the building, I drove straight to Logan's alma mater.

He wasn't the only one who needed to recruit. I did, too.

Since my current toy boy was starting to misbehave, it was time to find a replacement.

By evening, I returned to the office with my assistant.

Logan was already waiting for me. This time, he was alone.

"Vivian, these are the candidates I filtered out this afternoon."

He handed me several resumes. Kneeling beside my chair, he walked me through each candidate's strengths, their background checks, and which positions they would suit.

I nodded half-heartedly, enjoying the sight of the sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Even after he finished presenting the last candidate, I didn't tell him to stop. He could only swallow hard, his throat dry.

"Drink some water. You did well," I said, pushing a glass of water toward him. It had already gone cold.

A flash of genuine delight appeared in Logan's eyes. It was the same look he had years ago when he first started, back when I praised him for completing his first minor project.

Over the years, he had grown sophisticated, learning to mask his feelings with a polite, reserved smile.

"Vivian, this wasn't actually a punishment, was it?" he asked softly. "I know you were just teaching me a lesson. I promise I won't disappoint you again!"

His eyes were clear, filled with gratitude.

I didn't answer. I just had my assistant escort him out.

Once he was gone, Mia, the HR recruiter who had tipped me off earlier, knocked and entered.

"Ms. Thorne, are you really giving him another chance?" she asked, looking frustrated.

I burst out laughing at her annoyed expression.

"I’ve invested too much in him to throw him away without getting my return on investment first," I replied. "Besides, someone is doing your job for you while you still get paid. Why aren't you happy?"

Mia stuck her tongue out, looking embarrassed.

Then she slapped her forehead and handed me a leather folder.

"Right! As per your instructions, we've scouted seventeen college seniors who meet your exact criteria. Take a look and see if any of them catch your eye."

I glanced down at the photos and pointed at one randomly.

"Set it up. Let's start with this one."