Twenty thousand dollars was no small sum. It was enough to deter any sensible guy.
James's intention behind this gift was to minimize unwanted attention for her.
As for why he didn't buy a $200,000 watch,
a young girl wearing such an expensive watch would be too flashy and dangerous.
James didn't want to hear about her getting robbed.
After purchasing the distinctive Cartier watch,
James took the two ladies for a stroll around the Grand Gateway 66.
The mall was filled with luxury brands,
mostly selling clothes, bags, and the like.
Shirley Taylor didn't seem too interested in these things.
She couldn't understand why an ordinary T-shirt could be so expensive.
However, she had a soft spot for jewelry.
The group went to Van Cleef & Arpels,
where James picked out an Alhambra necklace in 18k yellow gold and mother-of-pearl for her.
The four-leaf clover design, resting on her fair neck, looked elegant yet playful and cute.
This was also priced at over twenty thousand dollars.
After buying it, James could sense Shirley Taylor's growing affection for him.
The look in her eyes, filled with love, said it all.
On the way back to her school,
James activated the privacy glass's fogging function between the front and back seats.
The electric sunshades were drawn.
The 6mm double-layered soundproofing material ensured that the driver in the front couldn't hear anything in the back.
Seeing that they were alone, James whispered sweet nothings to her.
Shirley Taylor's face turned as red as a ripe apple.
...
Ten minutes later.
Looking at the obedient and docile girl, James felt a surge of guilt.
He couldn't help but pull her into his embrace and said tenderly,
"In the future, you have the right to refuse me when it comes to these tiring tasks."
"It's... it's not tiring," Shirley Taylor whispered, burying her face in James's chest, her voice barely audible.
James wrapped his arms around her waist and said softly,
"I want you to be happier."
"I'm already very happy being with you, brother," Shirley Taylor replied softly.
James felt a little tipsy.
He'd intended to sweet-talk her to increase her favorability,
but instead, he found himself falling for her even more.
Shirley Taylor had now overtaken Tailsa in James's heart and was closing in on Amanda's position.
Sincerity was indeed the ultimate weapon,
for both men and women.
Inhaling her sweet scent, James said emotionally,
"Baby, how can you be so adorable? At this rate, I won't be able to live without you."
Shirley Taylor didn't reply, just looked at James shyly.
Her eyes, filled with a starry glow, were even more beautiful than the car's starlight headliner.
Faced with such a look, James felt his defenses crumble.
He almost blurted out that he wanted to marry her right then and there.
Fortunately, his innate fear of marriage,
coupled with a lingering bit of self-doubt, made him swallow those words. Instead, he asked a soul-searching question,
"Shirley, if one day I suddenly lost all my money, would you still stay with me?"
Even though he knew the answer, he still asked.
Perhaps this was a common affliction among the suddenly wealthy.
James looked up at the starlight headliner, waited a few seconds, but didn't hear an unhesitating "yes."
Instead, she answered with a firm voice,
"Brother won't lose all his money. I gave some of your money to my family, and I still have $1.28 million left. I'll keep this money safe for you."
James sighed deeply. This girl's naivety continued to astound him.
He had to increase the intensity of his interrogation.
"What if I'm up to my neck in debt?"
"Then... then does all of this have to be used to pay off the debt?" Shirley Taylor asked weakly.
She looked so pitiful.
James had planned to trick her into saying yes.
But those words were too difficult to utter.
It felt like he would be struck by lightning if he said them.
The words caught in his throat, and he ended up saying with a smile,
"Of course... not. What I gave you is yours."
Shirley Taylor patted her ample bosom, breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled,
"Then Shirley will support you in the future. But you can't be so extravagant and wasteful anymore."
She thought of the $40,000-per-night hotel room and her heart ached.
Hearing the girl's comforting words, James felt a strange mix of emotions.
He was defeated by Shirley Taylor's innocence and kindness.
This girl was actually planning to use the money he gave her to support him?
How little did she think of him?
James felt an urge to transfer several hundred million dollars to her account.
Several hundred million in cold, hard cash.
Just to show her what her "brother" was capable of.
But transferring too much at once might raise red flags.
James was worried that she wouldn't be able to handle it, and he hesitated.
Shirley Taylor, seeing his silence, thought he really was in debt. She comforted him softly,
"Don't worry, brother. I can work and help you pay off the debt in the future."
"..."
What kind of naive sweetheart was this? She was already thinking about helping her husband pay off debts before they were even married?
Seeing the worried look in her eyes, James couldn't help but laugh.
"What salary are you expecting?"
"Huh?" Shirley Taylor was confused.
"What's your ideal salary?" James asked again.
Shirley Taylor hesitated and said, "Probably $200,000 or $300,000 a year."
She had researched the average salaries of her seniors. It was quite easy to earn over $10,000 a month at a large company. With a little effort, she should be able to reach that level.
"I'll give you ten million for 20 years of your time. How about you just spend your time eating, drinking, playing, and enjoying life with me?"
James's tempting smile was like that of a man trying to lure a child with candy.
"Huh?"
Shirley Taylor was dumbfounded.
Having a job had always been a part of her life plan.
Now someone was telling her not to work, just to enjoy life.
This undoubtedly challenged her life philosophy.
"You should go increase the limit on your bank card tomorrow, or open a Standard Chartered account. They require a minimum deposit of one million, which you happen to have," James instructed her.
"Aren't you in debt, brother?" Shirley Taylor asked, bewildered.
"I am," James said, playfully flicking her nose. "Didn't I just go ten million into debt to you?"
Shirley Taylor was at a loss.
She felt like she hadn't done anything, just massaged his legs a little, and now he was giving her ten million dollars.
It felt surreal.
"Are you serious, brother?" Her voice was full of disbelief, and her gaze started to drift, as if she might faint at any moment.
"Yes, take a picture of your new card for me tomorrow, okay?"
James liked her dazed look; it made her seem even more adorable.
"I... I don't need that much money," Shirley Taylor stammered.
"Whether you need it or not, just go and open the account tomorrow. Got it?" James had to assert his authority as her "master."
Shirley Taylor finally believed that James was serious.
Ten million dollars.
That was a huge amount of money, just casually placed in front of her.
Shirley Taylor was completely stunned.
It would take at least thirty years of work to earn that much money.
Subtracting childhood and old age, a person only had about thirty to forty years of working life.
This was equivalent to giving her all the money she would earn in her entire life.
Didn't that mean she wouldn't have to worry about money for the rest of her life? She could even continue her studies, pursue a master's and a doctorate, and fulfill her dream of becoming a professor...
The thought of being able to teach and educate others filled Shirley Taylor with longing.
Suddenly,
she thought of something.
Her expression became awkward, and she hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.
Finally, she said shyly,
"Brother, can I use this ten million to buy something?"
James was taken aback. "What do you want to buy?"
"I want to buy you a house," Shirley Taylor said, lowering her head in embarrassment. "So we can have a home."