Chapter 11 - Truett’s Offer
Vada walked down the long, winding drive of the estate, her suitcase rolling smoothly behind her over the gravel. The autumn wind bit sharply at her cheeks, but for the first time in her life, she felt an overwhelming sense of lightness. She had no job lined up outside the estate, only her savings and her fierce intellect, but she was entirely beholden to no one.
As she reached the iron security gates at the edge of the property, a sleek black sedan was idling by the curb.
The rear passenger door opened automatically, and Truett Barlow stepped out onto the pavement, shielding his eyes slightly from the afternoon sun.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to pack your bags, Miss Kinnard," Truett said, offering a faint, respectful smile.
Vada stopped, raising an eyebrow in cautious surprise. "Were you waiting for me, Mr. Barlow?"
"Let's call it an investment in high-yield assets," Truett replied, gesturing toward the open car door. "I read through the digital partition of the ledger files you left open on your screen before I departed. Your financial models for restructuring distressed legacy properties are brilliant. Barlow Enterprises is currently acquiring three historical estates in the region, and my chief financial restructuring officer just resigned last week."
Vada stared at him, processing the sheer magnitude of the offer. "Are you offering me a corporate position?"
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"I am offering you a desk where your intelligence will be respected, your work will be compensated fairly, and your future will be entirely in your own hands," Truett said smoothly. "What do you say, Vada?"
Without a moment of hesitation, Vada smiled, stepped past the gates, and slid into the back of the sedan.
