Single dad missed his big interview to help a stranger, she was a CEO who changed everything…

And you figured this out by just looking at it? Noah’s voice was steady. I’ve spent most of my adult life figuring out how to keep things running with half the parts and no time. This isn’t magic, it’s pattern recognition.

Claire leaned back, watching him with an expression that made his stomach flip. Part curiosity, part challenge, not… Show me. Noah rolled up his sleeves, stepping to one of the laptops.

His fingers moved quickly over the keyboard, pulling up diagnostic logs, bypassing layers of flashy UI to get to the raw data. The room went silent, except for the clicking keys. He was in his element now, focused, methodical, almost forgetting where he was until the large screen’s angry red warning blinked out.

In its place, system restored. The gray-haired man exhaled in disbelief. How? That should have taken days.

It took 40 minutes, Noah said, closing the laptop. You were looking for the problem in the wrong place. Claire’s lips curved into a small, approving smile.

Mr. Carter, I think you just saved us a fortune. The tension in the room evaporated almost instantly, replaced by a hum of astonished murmurs. One executive shook Noah’s hand like he’d just pulled them out of a burning building.

Another muttered, We need him on payroll. Yesterday. Claire didn’t say anything at first.

She simply stood, collected the folder from the table, and gestured for Noah to follow her out of the conference room. They stepped into her private office. Floor-to-ceiling glass, a polished oak desk, and a view of the city that made him feel like he was standing in another world entirely.

She closed the door behind them. Noah broke the silence first. Look, I didn’t mean to step on your team’s toes.

I just hate seeing something broken when I know how to fix it. Claire set the folder down with deliberate care. And that’s exactly why I want you here…