My Love... by My Side [COMPLETED]

6: Determination

"What?! Ten thousand dollars?!" Rae exclaimed, her shock evident in her voice.

"Yep, he won by ten thousand dollars," Joe confirmed, sitting on a sofa across from her.

"Don't you think that's an incredibly large amount, Joe?" Rae questioned, her eyebrows furrowing in disbelief.

"If it's for charity, it's not a big number. Besides, he specifically chose a shelter for the donation," Joe replied calmly, trying to ease her concerns.

"Which shelter did he choose?" Rae inquired, curious about the recipient of such a generous contribution.

"The Sunshine Orphanage," Joe revealed, just as someone approached the door. The person handed Joe a piece of paper before quickly leaving.

"I understand your concern for my safety, but I can assure you, he had good intentions. He even signed an agreement to prove it. So, there won't be any funny business," Joe assured Rae, handing her the agreement. She skimmed through it briefly before placing it on the table.

"I think I should attend the auction. At least I'll have the opportunity to meet him," Rae stated, still amazed by the tremendous amount of money he had bid. Last year, she had managed to raise only a few thousand dollars, which had already exceeded her expectations.

"Okay, so this is his request. Since he made a substantial contribution, we offered him some privileges within the boundaries of the agreement. He wants you to come to his house and perform household chores like cooking, cleaning, and so on for a week," Joe explained, providing her with more details. As this was an unusual situation, Rae needed some time to review all the terms and conditions before commencing her charitable work.

"So, it's basically a maid job?" Rae clarified, seeking confirmation.

"Don't worry, nothing inappropriate or extravagant..." Joe assured her.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Joe. I mean, last time it was a couple, but this time it's a single man," Rae expressed her concern, her fingers nervously fiddling with one another.

"It's okay. If you feel uneasy, you can bring Tay along," Joe suggested, acknowledging her apprehension. Having Taylor accompany her could provide an extra layer of security.

"So, it's a deal?" Joe asked, hopeful for her agreement. He smiled and handed her a piece of paper.

"This is the address. You can start tomorrow," he informed her.

"All of this trouble because of that painting. If you had let it go, maybe you wouldn't have needed to offer yourself in an auction," Joe casually remarked, trying to provoke a reaction from Rae.

"I'd rather be a maid for a week," Rae responded firmly before making her way to leave.

Joe could only sigh. Rae was indeed stubborn. But he was glad that he had done a good deed today.

Not just once, but twice...

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"Hello, Mr. Wu!" Mint greeted, entering the room. He was always one of the last students to leave. Youn smiled at him and began preparing his bag to go home.

"Hey, how's the practice going? Any trouble catching up?" Youn asked Mint, genuinely interested.

"I'm enjoying the practice, thank you," Mint replied politely.

Youn paused for a moment, setting aside his tasks and focusing on the particular student in front of him.

"Just say it, Mint. I know you have something on your mind," Youn encouraged. Mint bit his lips nervously, fidgeting with his hoodie.