The Secret Life of a Billionaire

Grace Li decided it was the perfect moment to call Aiden Thompson. If Evelyn Garcia was still trying to keep him tied up, this call could also give him a convenient excuse to make his exit. She pulled out her phone and dialed his number. The phone barely rang before Aiden picked up.

Trying to sound casual, Grace said, "Hey, Aiden, you better hurry back. My parking spot is on a time limit, and I can't stay here forever."

Aiden's reply was quick and unexpected: "Look to your left."

Startled, Grace turned her head and saw Aiden standing right outside the driver's side window. She instinctively hit the button to roll down the window, giving him a quick once-over before asking, "You okay?"

He raised an eyebrow, his tone light. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Feeling a bit awkward, Grace scratched her nose. "Just making sure."

Aiden tilted his head slightly. "Want me to drive?"

Grace shook her head quickly. "I've got it. Get in."

Aiden walked around to the front of the car and slid into the passenger seat. Grace pulled out of the parking spot, but curiosity was gnawing at her. Why had it taken him so long to come back? She decided to ask, keeping her tone neutral. "So, what took you so long?"

"Evelyn wasn't feeling well all of a sudden," Aiden explained. "I took her upstairs to make sure she was okay."

Took her upstairs? Grace couldn't help but think that Aiden must have understood Evelyn's intentions. He wasn't naive—far from it. Surely, he could've found a polite way to excuse himself. After all, Evelyn Garcia was a businesswoman. If Aiden made it clear he wasn't interested, she likely wouldn't push further.

Aiden added, "She's really interested in the 'N Perspective' project. She's planning to visit the site next Tuesday to meet with the team."

Grace immediately understood. Evelyn's unusually friendly attitude today had little to do with her and everything to do with Aiden. She wasn't thrilled about it but responded with a simple, "Got it." Deep down, she knew Evelyn would likely leverage this as an opportunity to get closer to Aiden under the guise of collaboration.

While some leaders might turn a blind eye to this kind of dynamic, Grace found it distasteful. She felt the need to make her stance clear to Aiden, especially since he was new to the team. "Aiden," she began, "I want to be upfront about something. I'm not a fan of maintaining business relationships by crossing professional boundaries. I don't think anyone should feel like they have to compromise themselves to keep a partnership."

Aiden let out a soft laugh, clearly amused. "Crossing boundaries? You mean me?"

Not wanting to bruise his ego, Grace clarified, "I'm not pointing fingers at you specifically. It's just my general approach. Like Ryan, for example. He's not exactly conventionally attractive, but even he had a female client cross the line. I told him the same thing: don't ever feel pressured to put up with it."

Aiden's smile widened, and he leaned back against the car window, his posture relaxed. "You really are an impressive leader, Grace. Not everyone in your position would bother to say that."

The compliment made Grace a little self-conscious, but she appreciated it. After a brief pause, she said, "It's not far to Brook Village from here. I'll drop you off on my way."

"Thanks," Aiden replied simply.

Just then, Grace's phone rang, its Bluetooth connection announcing the caller's name: Daniel Chou. Her heart skipped a beat. It had been a long time since they'd last spoken. Why was he calling now? Taking a deep breath, she tapped her earpiece to answer.

Daniel's familiar voice came through the speakers. "Grace, hope I'm not catching you at a bad time. I just wrapped up some work this afternoon."

In Europe, it was late afternoon—four or five o'clock, given the time difference. "What's up?" she asked.

"I heard Ming Crown is going public. Is it true?" he asked. "Ming Crown" was a project they'd worked on together three years ago. After Daniel had been reassigned to Europe to focus on that market, they'd only occasionally touched base about it. For venture capitalists like him, an IPO meant a significant payday.

Grace confirmed, "Yeah, that's the plan."

"Congratulations," Daniel said sincerely.

As she navigated the road ahead, Grace asked, "When are you coming back to the States?"

"Soon—probably late December."

"Let me know your schedule. I'll pick you up from the airport," Grace offered.

"We'll see. I've got a few loose ends to tie up here first. See you when I'm back."

"Okay. Talk then." Grace ended the call just as the car slowed to a stop at a red light.

The thought of seeing Daniel again didn't exactly fill her with excitement. If anything, it left her feeling uneasy. The silence in the car was palpable. Aiden, having overheard the voice from the call, broke it with a curious question: "Boyfriend?"

Grace laughed lightly at the assumption. "Not quite."

"Not quite?" Aiden pressed, clearly intrigued.

Grace glanced at him and decided to humor his curiosity. "We're closer than just friends, but not quite at the boyfriend-girlfriend stage."

Aiden's smile faltered slightly, though he quickly recovered, his tone light again. "Got it."

The conversation faded, leaving them in a comfortable, if slightly contemplative, silence as they continued down the road.

Grace Li was driving toward Brook Village when she spotted something unusual on the George Washington Bridge. A girl in pale yellow loungewear was sitting on the railing, wiping tears from her face.

"Aiden, look out the window! Is that girl about to jump?" Grace said urgently.

Aiden Thompson turned to look. Sure enough, there was a girl perched dangerously on the edge. One wrong move, and she'd fall straight into the dark, swirling waters of the Hudson River below.

Before Aiden could respond, Grace had already pulled into the emergency lane. Aiden started to protest, "Grace, you can't just park here—" but she was already shutting off the engine and unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Call 911!" she ordered.

Aiden grabbed his phone and dialed. When the operator picked up, he kept his voice steady. "This is the George Washington Bridge. There's a girl sitting on the railing. She looks like she might jump. She's really upset, and we're trying to talk to her. Please send someone quickly."

After hanging up, he got out of the car and followed Grace, who was cautiously approaching the girl. Her steps were slow and deliberate, her expression full of concern.

"Hey, sweetie, what's going on?" Grace asked gently.

The girl glanced at her, tears streaming down her face, but didn't reply.

"It's really dangerous up there," Grace continued. "Why don't you come down, and we can talk?"

"Leave me alone!" the girl snapped, her voice cracking. "I don't want to live anymore."

"Why not? Maybe if you tell me, I can help," Grace said, keeping her tone soft.

The girl shook her head. "You can't help me. No one can."

A gust of wind swept across the bridge, tossing the girl's hair around her face. Grace stopped about fifteen feet away, raising her hands to show she meant no harm. "Okay, okay, I won't come any closer. Let's just talk, alright?"

The girl didn't respond.

Aiden stepped up beside Grace and whispered, "The cops are on their way. They should be here soon."

Grace nodded but kept her focus on the girl. "Look, I know things feel hopeless right now, but you're so young. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Think about your family—how would they feel if something happened to you?"

"They don't care!" the girl shouted, her voice rising with anger. "They'd probably be glad I'm gone!"

"That can't be true," Grace said softly.

The girl wiped her face with her sleeve, her voice trembling. "I've been busting my ass at work for years, hoping for a promotion. Then I took maternity leave, and when I came back, my boss basically told me I missed my shot. He gave it to someone else and said it's just 'how things work.'"

She sniffled, her words tumbling out faster now. "And at home? My husband's glued to his video games. He doesn't lift a finger to help with the baby or the house. When I bring it up, he yells at me, says I don't make as much money as he does, so I should just deal with it. I'm exhausted. Nothing I do matters. I can't keep living like this."

Grace's heart ached. "I hear you, I really do. But these problems? They're not the end of the line. Work stuff can change. Relationships can get better. You just need time and support."

The girl shook her head violently. "I've tried! It doesn't work. I'm done trying."

"No, you're not," Grace said firmly. "You're just overwhelmed. It's okay to feel that way. But trust me, this isn't how your story has to end. You're in a dark place right now, but things can get better."

The girl looked down at the river, her voice barely a whisper. "No one cares about me. If I disappear, it won't matter."

Her fingers loosened on the railing. "Maybe next time, I'll have better luck."

Grace's breath caught. "Wait! Don't do it!" she shouted.

Just then, Aiden stepped forward. His voice was calm, steady. "You really think jumping is the answer?"

The girl hesitated, glancing at him.

"You think it's all over if you jump, but it's not. Your body's gonna hit that water hard. If the impact doesn't kill you, the river will. And after that?" Aiden paused, letting the words sink in. "Your body's gonna be in that water for days, maybe weeks. You'll bloat, you'll rot, fish will start eating you. You ever heard of something called 'giant's view'?"

The girl blinked, confused. "What?"

"It's what happens when bodies decompose in water. If you want, I can show you pictures." He pulled out his phone and started scrolling.

Grace shot him a look. What the hell are you doing?

"I'm serious," Aiden said, holding up the phone. "Want me to come closer so you can see?"

The girl flinched, her voice shaky. "No! I don't want to see that!"

"Why not? Afraid of what you'll look like?" Aiden pressed. "If you're scared of that, then it means you care. You don't want this."

The girl froze, her body trembling.

"You're not thinking clearly right now," Aiden said. "But as long as you're alive, there's hope. You've got options—real ones. We can help you find them. Lawyers, counselors, whatever you need. You don't have to face this alone."

The girl's eyes darted between Aiden and Grace. Finally, she whispered, "You'd really help me?"

"Absolutely," Grace said, her voice steady and sincere.