[KARRIN]
It has been two weeks since my accident, and my brother finally let me off the hook. So, here I am, ready to sign that cursed contract. Believe me, it must be cursed because every time I try to sign it, something happens. Anyway, I'm sitting in a cozy café, waiting for Party B to arrive, with my agent, Emile, sitting beside me.
"When will they arrive?" I asked, tapping my fingers impatiently on the table. The café was bustling with activity, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the scent of pastries.
"Umm, they say they are almost here," Emile answered, glancing at her phone. She looked impeccable as always, her auburn hair styled in loose waves, and her outfit—a tailored blazer and pencil skirt—exuded professionalism.
"Good for them," I said with a sigh, feeling the weight of the past few weeks pressing down on me. I adjusted my sunglasses, hoping they hid the dark circles under my eyes from the sleepless nights. My brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, a few loose strands framing my face. Despite the casual hairstyle, I wore a chic ensemble—a soft cashmere sweater paired with designer jeans and sleek heels. The outfit was casual yet intriguing, perfectly balancing comfort and style.
"Have patience," she said, trying to soothe my nerves. "Did you check your official Instagram page?"
"Nah, I've been quite busy, especially this month," I replied, thinking about the whirlwind of events that had kept me occupied. My reflection in the café window showed a tired but determined woman, her branded clothes and confident posture making her look effortlessly beautiful.
"Well, you should see it. Your followers increased by 10 million since last week and..."
"And?" I prompted, curious despite myself.
"And I don't understand why you are trending again."
"Am I?" I asked, biting into a cookie. "I shouldn't be. I haven't started a new project in a long time."
"Hmm, let me see… someone claimed they saw you at the hospital. Another one uploaded a picture of you leaving the hospital. So, everyone is talking about whether you are ill or not. Were you ill by any chance?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with concern.
"Not yet," I lied without an ounce of guilt, trying to keep my tone light.
"So, what were you doing in the hospital?" she pressed, not letting it go.
"I?" I said, stalling for time. "Well, I was…"
"Hello, Ms. Karrin?" I was interrupted by a deep voice.
Emile quickly stood up and shook the man's hand. "Mr. Harry? I am sorry, we were too absorbed in our conversation and failed to notice you."
"No problem at all, please sit," he said with a polite smile.
I was already sitting, so Emile sat down, and Mr. Harry also took a seat across from us. He was a tall man in his early 40s, with a commanding presence. His dark hair was neatly combed back, showing a few strands of gray that added to his distinguished look. His sharp suit spoke volumes about his meticulous nature, and his eyes, a piercing blue, seemed to take in everything at once.
"Wasn't the chairman and his secretary supposed to come?" I whispered to Emile, feeling a bit thrown off.
"Nah, they informed me. I forgot to tell you," she whispered back, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Good for you," I muttered under my breath, then smiled at Mr. Harry.
He cleared his throat. "If you allow me, Ms. Karrin, I would like to officially introduce myself."
I nodded for him to continue.
"I am Harryson Everwood Lycaris, but I go by Harry. I am the Head of Talent Acquisition and Contracts at L&P."
I nodded again, trying to keep my expression neutral.
"Well, according to your status, the chairman and his assistant were supposed to meet you for the contract signing, but due to certain circumstances, they couldn't make it. So, here I am. Please look through the contract, and if you want any alterations, let me know."
He passed the contract to me. It looked fine, which was strange. Usually, Party B tries to sneak in some condition or clause, but it looked totally fine… wait a second...
"There is no clause for my penalty for breaking the contract," I said, looking directly at Mr. Harry. I would be honestly surprised if that was just a mistake on their part.
"Oh, about that," Mr. Harry said, removing his glasses and leaning forward slightly. "We would like to remove that clause and add a few extra benefits in…"
He stopped.
"In exchange for?" I asked sharply.
"In exchange for a contract with Evan Group," he concluded.
Ahhh… that's a good move…
"Show me the other clauses," I said.
He passed over another document. I read all the clauses… and they were no doubt bewitching… and I would want them for my other tasks…
I closed the document. Let's ask my brother.
"Excuse me, please," I said, leaving the table and stepping out of the café. I called my brother.
"Hello?" he said.
"Hi, brother," I said.
"Is everything okay, Karrin? Aren't you supposed to sign the contract this time?" he said.
"I am fine… you are really keeping tabs on me, huh?" I asked, looking around for my brother's men. And there they were, trying to hide from me despite their outfits and Evan's badge.
"No, I am not," he said.
"Don't lie, I just caught your men," I said.
"Ummm… well, what happened?" he said, changing the topic.
"L&P said they will remove the penalty for me and also add some additional benefits if I can give them a contract from our company."
"And what do you think?" my brother asked.
"Well, you are the president… but it would be beneficial for Evan's Group too, wouldn't it? After all, L&P is one of the top companies in the country," I said.
"Hmmm… that's right too," he said.
"So?" I asked.
"Okay… tell them if the contracts contain no wrong terms, we will sign it," he said.
"Alright… okay, bye. We will meet at home to discuss this stalling by your men."
"Umm, bye. Take care," he said hesitantly.
"Take care," I cut off the call and looked at his men. I shook my head in disbelief and entered the café.
I sat down in my seat and said, "Alright, if the contract contains no wrong clauses, we will sign the contract between both our companies tomorrow."
"Okay," Mr. Harry said. "What about your contract? Do you want to sign it now or…"
"Tomorrow, after the other contract," I cut in.
"Okay then… Ms. Karrin, please allow me to leave," he said.
I stood up with him and shook his hand. "Of course, Mr. Harry, it was a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure was all mine… until next time, Ms. Karrin. Take care."
I nodded, and then he left. I sat down.
After some minutes, I stepped out of the café with Emile.
"So in the end," Emile sighed, "we still didn't sign the contract."
"This contract is really cursed," I muttered under my breath as I successfully wasted another day of my beautiful youth.