Chapter 5 Dignity Has No Price

"Thank you so much, Ms. Smith," Emily said, her voice noticeably animated.

Drew's efficiency was impressive. Emily had only submitted her resume that morning, and by afternoon, she'd received an interview invitation.

"Don't mention it," Drew replied with relaxed confidence. "This client is a senior engineer who needs a life assistant due to his busy schedule. Your main responsibilities would be housekeeping and preparing dinner daily. The workload is actually below the market average." She paused, her tone subtly shifting. "However, he mentioned having some personal requirements without specifying details. Make sure to clarify those during your interview."

Emily instinctively probed further. "These basic services could be handled by any housekeeper. Why specifically invite me for an interview?"

"The job may be straightforward, but the pay isn't modest—$8,000 per month," Drew explained, speaking faster. "He specifically emphasized wanting someone young, well-educated, and capable of engaging in conversation with him."

Emily nodded slightly. "I see. I understand now."

The following morning, Emily got ready and left her apartment. Wanting to appear professional, she wore no makeup, just a simple white t-shirt and jeans with her hair neatly pulled back.

The client lived in an upscale neighborhood in a private apartment. When Emily met him, she couldn't hide her surprise.

Drew had described the client as a senior engineer, so Emily had expected an older gentleman. Instead, she found a man who appeared to be only in his thirties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses with a refined demeanor.

When Mark saw Emily, a flash of undisguised admiration crossed his eyes.

Rather than accepting the house slippers he offered, Emily took disposable shoe covers from her bag, deftly slipped them on, and softly said, "Excuse me," before entering.

Mark nodded approvingly. Emily's appearance, figure, and demeanor were all excellent—exactly what he was looking for.

The living room featured a minimalist black and white color scheme, both simple and elegant. Emily's first impression of Mark was positive; both the apartment and its owner appeared clean and pleasant.

After they sat down, Emily gave a brief self-introduction, which Mark acknowledged with a satisfied nod.

"I'm Mark Randall," he said in a steady voice. "Ms. Smith must have already informed you about the daily responsibilities. My schedule is very regular—I'm rarely home during the day and return only in the evenings, so you'll have plenty of time to manage your tasks independently."

"Hello," Emily responded with a polite smile. "Ms. Smith told me about those duties, but she also mentioned you had some personal requirements. May I ask what those are?"

"Yes, I do have certain personal requirements," Mark said, looking Emily over from head to toe. "I need you to wear the uniform I provide while working. There are security cameras throughout the apartment, and I'll monitor your activities through them. Also, I'd like you to finish work only after having dinner with me each evening. Would that be acceptable?"

Emily's brow furrowed slightly. "Security cameras are standard safety measures—I have no objection to that. But what kind of uniform are you referring to?"

Mark cleared his throat, his voice betraying slight discomfort. "I have certain... personal preferences. I prefer women in maid uniforms. So I'd like you to wear the maid outfit I provide while working. Additionally, I'd appreciate if you could address me as Master in a cute voice while in the apartment."

"What?" Emily's spine straightened instantly. This outwardly refined senior engineer had preferences that completely contradicted his professional image, utterly overturning her perception of him.

Emily's mind raced with conflicting thoughts. The job seemed easy and well-paid, but Mark's requirements were bizarre. She'd never worn a maid outfit before, and calling someone "Master" felt impossible.

How many news stories had she seen about seemingly respectable professionals who abused women? Behind that veneer of education and high income could lurk twisted control and possessiveness.

After consideration, Emily decided she couldn't accept this position.

"Perhaps I wasn't clear enough? Let me—" Mark began awkwardly.

"That won't be necessary," Emily interrupted quickly, maintaining a professionally polite smile. "I completely understand your requirements, but I'm afraid I can't accept them. Perhaps Ms. Smith can find someone more suitable for you."

Mark's eyes reflected obvious disappointment. "That's truly unfortunate. I was quite satisfied with you. Are you certain you won't reconsider? If you accept, I could increase your salary to $10,000."

Ten thousand dollars—this figure caused a slight wavering in Emily's resolve.

Noticing her hesitation, Mark pressed his advantage. "Please be assured, I simply appreciate the aesthetic. I have absolutely no inappropriate intentions. I can guarantee that."

Emily's thoughts began to falter. The job's value proposition was undeniably tempting—generous pay, low workload, a decent employer appearance, and dinner included. If she could overlook those strange requirements, this was nearly perfect.

Just as she considered nodding, memories of dismemberment and rape cases she'd read about in the news flashed through her mind.

Safety always came first. Emily firmed her decision. "I'm sorry, but I really can't accept."

"That's truly regrettable," Mark said after a moment of silence, then ventured. "How about $20,000?"

Emily took a deep breath, still painfully declining. "Mr. Randall, this isn't about the money. I simply can't accept wearing a maid outfit or being treated like a servant by addressing you as 'Master.'"

"Okay, if that's your decision, I won't force you. Please see yourself out," Mark replied, visibly displeased as he essentially dismissed her.

After leaving the upscale neighborhood, Emily received a call from Drew. She sighed heavily, "I turned down the opportunity. Did you know about his personal requirements?"

"Tell me about it," Drew said curiously.

"He wanted me to wear a maid uniform while working and call him 'Master,'" Emily replied with disbelief in her voice. "He kept raising the salary trying to convince me."

"How perverted!" Drew's voice was filled with shock. "And I thought he was a legitimate client! Good thing you refused; no one knows what his real intentions were!"

"Exactly. Ms. Smith, please keep an eye out for more suitable clients for me."

Despite missing out on the high salary, Emily felt surprisingly calm. She'd faced more rejections than this when job hunting after graduation and still managed to find decent employment.

"Don't worry, plenty of people want to hire you! I'll screen them carefully before recommending any. Wait for my call."

"Thank you, Ms. Smith."

The next day, Drew sent her another interview opportunity; a young couple where the wife was pregnant and the husband wanted someone to help care for her. Emily thought dealing with a female employer would be easier, and there wouldn't be any strange requests.

Unfortunately, reality proved completely different from her expectations.