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Homeless Girl Tells Millionaire 'I Can Fix Your Car' — Then They Laughed At Her

Homeless Girl Tells Millionaire 'I Can Fix Your Car' — Then They Laughed At Her

Chapter 8

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Eleanor gestured to the engine. "Walk me through it.""I'd rather work than talk, ma'am, if that's all right.""It is."Gregory Hastings arrived at 9:41. He had been on a phone call with Thomas Whitmore that he had barely survived. He walked into the bay, saw Faye standing by the front fender with Beans asleep on the folded blanket at her feet, and exhaled for what felt like the first time in a week.He addressed the room. "I want everyone here to hear me clearly. On camera. Claire, are you rolling?"Claire Donnelly, who had been allowed back on site that morning by Eleanor's personal request, nodded. The red light on her camera was already on."Good. Here are the terms: Ms. Carter has two hours, starting now, with full access to the Helix 1, a tool cart, and one engineer of her choice as an assistant. If she starts this engine and holds idle for sixty seconds, Arkwell is offering her a full-time position as senior diagnostic engineer, reporting directly to Eleanor, at market rate for the role in this market—which is $165,000, plus benefits, plus relocation, plus a signing bonus equal to three months' salary, paid in cash today. If the engine does not start, we thank her for her time, we buy her dinner, and we put her up in a hotel tonight. Are those terms acceptable to you, Ms. Carter?"Faye was silent for eight seconds. Every eye in the room waited. Beans shifted on the blanket and let out a long, sleepy sigh.Then she spoke. "Sir, I have one question. If I'm right, will you tell the truth about who figured it out? Or will someone else's name end up on the paperwork?"Gregory's jaw tightened. He had been asked a lot of hard questions in his career; most of them had been about money. This one was not."Your name on the paperwork. On the press release. On everything. You have my word.""Then yes, sir. The terms are acceptable."Eleanor walked to her. "Pick your assistant."Faye turned and scanned the room: twenty-three engineers, half of whom would not meet her eye. She looked at the woman standing near the back wall with a notebook and a flashlight already in her hand."Her. The one who was actually listening yesterday."
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Homeless Girl Tells Millionaire 'I Can Fix Your Car' — Then They Laughed At Her

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