The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 506

Meanwhile, Damien had already moved on.

His attention settled on a nearby display featuring smart watches.

"What's the difference between these models?"

The associate immediately stepped forward.

For the next several minutes, he carefully explained the available options.

Damien listened intently, giving the sales associate his full attention as though he were presenting a multi-billion-dollar proposal rather than explaining consumer electronics.

Battery life.

Durability.

Health tracking.

Compatibility with other devices.

By the end of the explanation, he pointed to two of the newest models.

"I'll take those as well."

The associate's smile became noticeably brighter.

"Certainly, Sir."

Then, as he had undoubtedly been trained to do, he added, "Would you also be interested in additional bands? Many of our customers enjoy having different options to match different occasions."

Damien's gaze shifted toward the display.

The standard bands arranged on the shelves failed to hold his interest for more than a second. Most were simple silicone, fabric, or rubber designs intended for everyday use.

Then his attention settled on a separate display positioned behind glass.

Unlike the others, these bands were showcased individually beneath focused lighting. Crafted from premium leather with meticulous stitching and polished hardware, they had clearly been designed for a more discerning clientele.

Several had been created in collaboration with one of the world's most prestigious luxury fashion houses.

The difference in craftsmanship was immediately obvious.

"How many colors are available?"

The associate promptly listed the options.

By the time he finished, Damien had already made his decision. "I'll take one of each."

For a brief moment, the associate looked caught off guard before his professional training reasserted itself.

"Of course, Sir."

Another note was added to the rapidly growing order list.

A few feet away, James stared at the display.

Some of the premium bands cost more than the device they were designed to accompany.

The purchase made absolutely no sense.

Then again, neither did buying multiple pairs of headphones that performed essentially the same function.

At this point, James was beginning to suspect that logic had quietly left the building several purchases ago.

James thought that would be it, but the moment he looked back, Damien was already several displays away and had stopped again.

"What does this do?"

The associate followed his gaze toward a set of small tracking devices.

"Those are item trackers, Sir. They can be attached to keys, bags, luggage, or other personal belongings and located through a mobile device."

Damien considered that for a moment.

"Useful. I'll take those. Give me ten sets."

The associate blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Ten, Sir?"

Damien turned his head slightly, his expression remaining perfectly neutral-which only made the associate's sudden tension more obvious.

"Is there a problem?"

The associate's professional composure fractured for a split second, his eyes widening as he registered the cold, authoritative weight of Damien's gaze.

He straightened instantly, swallowing hard.

"Ah-no, of course not, Sir. I'll get them ready for you immediately."

The shopping list didn't stop with the tracker tags.

After the trackers came the additional charging accessories.

Then portable power banks.

Then several protective cases. At one point, Damien spent nearly five minutes comparing different tablet folios.

James stared.

His boss had negotiated multi-billion-dollar acquisitions faster than this.

Yet somehow he was now carefully evaluating tablet case options.

All for Maya.

The realization was both amusing and slightly alarming, especially since the spree showed no signs of stopping.

Only Maya possessed the ability to make Damien Blackwood spend time shopping for things he would normally purchase in less than thirty seconds.

By now, the manager had discreetly summoned a second associate to help keep track of the expanding order.

Several employees stole curious glances toward the growing collection of items being assembled near the counter.

The pile seemed to increase every time they looked away.

The original order had only consisted of a laptop, a tablet, and a few essentials-reasonable, practical, and efficient.

That situation had deteriorated rapidly.

James glanced toward the crowded pickup area, then back at Damien, who was now examining a high-end stylus with the intensity of a man studying a blueprint.

A faint sense of dread settled over him.

Not because of the cost.

The total could easily reach six figures and Damien wouldn't even register it-to him, it was chump change.

No.

What concerned him was the fact that his boss appeared to be discovering new things Maya might like every few minutes.

It was a problem with no obvious upper limit.

James realized he had to intervene. If he didn't, his boss was going to end up buying the entire store. While the sheer volume and cost were irrelevant to Damien, he knew Maya.

This was way, way overboard-excessive by any standard.

He didn't need another misunderstanding between the couple, and he certainly didn't need a repeat of the company-wide chaos that followed one of their spats. If Damien ended up in a sour mood, he would be the one paying the price.

He stepped forward, closing the distance to his boss, and lowered his voice to a discreet, urgent whisper.

"Excuse me, Sir."

Damien didn't look up from the tablet folio he was inspecting. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I'm sorry, Sir, I just wanted to remind you of the time. It's... um.. it's almost 8:00 PM."

Damien didn't even look up. "And?"

James didn't hesitate. "The Bean & Barrel closes at 8:30 PM. Given the traffic this time of evening, we should probably be heading out now to ensure you arrive on time."

Damien immediately snapped his head toward him, his expression sharpening into one of pure irritation. "Why didn't you say so earlier! Call them and tell them to wait-also, settle everything here. Make it fast!" He shoved the tablet folio he'd been holding into James's chest. "Take this, too."

Then, without another word, Damien strode toward the exit.

James remained standing in the aisle, a leather tablet folio still clutched against his chest.

For several seconds, he simply stared at his boss's rapidly retreating figure.

What exactly had just happened?

More importantly...

How had this somehow become his fault?