"Who said I wouldn't come back?" Evan asked.
"You'll really come again?" Aria sounded surprised.
"And you? Will you be back?" Evan didn't answer her directly. He threw the question back at her.
"I think so. If there's another event like this." Aria nodded.
"Then I'll come too." Evan replied.
Aria turned her head to look at the vice president. She was a little shocked. But she quickly looked away. Her ears turned even redder.
Some people shouldn't be looked at too much. Once you start, you get hooked. You get poisoned.
Aria thought the vice president was exactly that kind of person.
Once she got in the car, Aria buckled her seatbelt without being told. Then she asked, "Mr. Sterling, where do you live?"
"Want to come over?" Evan turned to look at her. He deliberately twisted her words.
"No, no. I meant you can drop me off anywhere near my apartment on your way home." Aria explained awkwardly.
"Sure." Evan replied.
He started the engine. He pulled out of the parking spot and headed toward Aria's apartment.
Aria had eaten too much. She felt sleepy. She kept telling herself she was in the vice president's car. She couldn't fall asleep.
So she kept shifting in her seat. She tried to stay alert.
"What's wrong?" Evan glanced at her.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Aria answered stiffly. She didn't dare move anymore.
After what felt like a long time, Aria heard Evan say, "Aria, we're here."
"Oh." Aria turned and looked out the window. She realized they were already at the entrance of her apartment building. "Mr. Sterling, you drove me all the way back!"
"It's on my way."
"Really?" Aria asked in surprise.
Evan just looked at her and smiled. He didn't say a word.
Aria suddenly understood. The vice president had always driven her home. He was just teasing her.
"Thank you, Mr. Sterling. I'll head up now."
"Oh, I haven't paid you back yet!" Aria had just unbuckled her seatbelt when she remembered she still owed him money.
"Forget it. You treated me to dinner tonight, didn't you?" Evan answered with a smile.
"But that only cost a few bucks!" Aria replied. She took her wallet out of her bag.
"Don't be so precise. If you feel bad about it, I don't mind if you treat me to a few more meals."
"I can only afford street food. I can't pay for a fancy dinner." Aria answered awkwardly.
"That's fine. Tonight's street food was great."
"I'm glad you liked it, Mr. Sterling. But I still need to pay you back. It's no trouble to treat you to street food another day." Aria said. She pulled a stack of cash from her wallet. She counted it. "I'm not sure how much we spent tonight. If you won't tell me, I'll just give you five hundred for the buffet."
"Aria, do you want us both to be two hundred and fifty?" Evan didn't take the money. He just looked at her and asked.
"Huh?" Aria stared at him in confusion.
"Two five-hundreds. That's two hundred and fifty each, isn't it?"
"..." Aria was stunned for a second. Then she burst out laughing. She shook her head and explained, "I didn't mean it that way. I just thought five hundred was a nice round number."
"Put the money away. Just treat me to a snack. If word gets out that I took money from you, I won't be able to show my face in the Sterling family." Evan answered, half joking.
"But you didn't invite me tonight. I invited you." Aria argued.
"No reward without merit."
"No, Mr. Sterling. You saved me yesterday." Aria said seriously.
"Then maybe you can find another way to repay me."
"..." Aria stared at the vice president blankly.
An uncontrollable thought popped into her head—
If you want money, you'll have to die for it.
Or I'll have to give myself to you.
The next second, she quickly shook that terrible idea out of her mind.
"Can't think of another way?"
"Well, if you insist on paying for tonight's supper..."
"I'll give you the receipt." Evan finished speaking. He unbuckled his seatbelt. He pressed the overhead light. He took out his wallet.
From his wallet, he pulled out a receipt and handed it to Aria.
Aria took the receipt. She looked at the amount on it. She almost fainted.
"Mr. Sterling, we spent over five thousand dollars on street food?"
"After the discount. The original price was probably over six thousand." Evan nodded.
Aria looked at all the cash in her wallet. It added up to less than fifteen hundred.
Then she asked awkwardly, "Can I pay in installments? I don't have that much money right now."
"Sure. How do you want to split it?"
"A thousand a month... Oh, no. Five hundred a month. I'll pay it off in a year?"
"Fine. Whatever makes you happy." Evan replied.
"Mr. Sterling, do you need me to write an IOU?"
"No. Just remember."
"Then I'll pay you five hundred for this month first."
"Okay."
So Aria counted out five hundred dollars and handed it to the vice president.
"Just put it there." Evan glanced at the space beside him.
Aria folded the five hundred dollars and placed them there.
Then she put her wallet away. She thanked the vice president again. "Mr. Sterling, thank you for driving me back."
"You're welcome. By the way, do you need to pay the fare for the ride?" Evan deliberately teased her.
"No, no. Just the meal money." As soon as Aria said it, she wanted to slap herself. "I mean, it's rare that I get to treat you. You're welcome."
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
"Please don't, Mr. Sterling. I'll go up now. Bye."
"Good night."
Aria opened the door and got out.
As she walked upstairs, she was still calculating. Five hundred a month. How long would it take her to pay off the money she owed the vice president?
She really shouldn't go out to eat with rich people.
They ate food. But she was swallowing gold.
She hadn't even gotten her first paycheck from the company yet. And she already owed the vice president a huge debt.
Just thinking about it made her heart bleed.
Aria trudged back to her apartment, dejected.
Savannah wasn't home yet. She was probably out having fun with her colleagues.
Aria went back to her bedroom. She took a shower first.
After a busy day, plus all the excitement tonight, and the scare she just had, she felt completely drained now that she was back in her apartment.
After her shower, Aria walked out of the bathroom. She was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. But her hair was still wet.
While drying her hair, she picked up her phone from her bag. She saw a missed call from Maya.
Aria looked at the time. She hesitated for a moment. Then she called back.
She wasn't sure if Maya was already asleep.
"Didn't you say you'd call me back?" Maya answered the phone, complaining.
"I just got home." Aria replied with a smile.
"Your company event went that late?" Maya sounded surprised.