Times Three

Chapter 16

The sun rays wakes me up from deep slumber, as I remember how chaotic it is last night, my eyes wanted to shut on its own. Tomorrow is the much awaited concert before senior high and we can just relax the whole month anywhere we want. I should ask Annika where she plans to spend her vacation, but knowing her, she will fly to New York to bond with hee cousins.

My phone beeps so I reach it on my bed side table, it is just a notification that someone texted me. Anonymous number but the contents are creepy. I swallow hard when my intuition says that it is someone I know, he really is.

I slide the screen to unlock my phone and dial his number while my hands shakes. The person on the other line picks it up and his deep voice penetrates to my being just by saying my name, tense and my voice shakes as I call his name.

"Sean..."

A sinister laugh echoes in my ear when I confirm that it is indeed, Sean, who owns the anonymous number. He is really back with the hatred from the past. Everyone already moved on but he is still trapped from the day his mother died. 

"Looks like you have three boys protecting you and Annika, right now? But the sad thing is, they cannot protect you all the time."

"What do you want?"

"Your downfall."

I inhale deeply and ready to respond to his poisonous words when someone grabs my phone and ended the call. A pair of arms envelops me for an embrace, and a familiar perfume soothes away my terrified body. When I found myself calm despite of the storm coming, slightly pushing the man who comforted me.

He touch my cheeks with his left hand and his black smart watch is in line of my vision, I slowly raise my eyes and a sudden jolt of disappointment tickles my heart. I smiles at him and say thank you not wanting to meet his eyes. 

KID nods and tell me that breakfast is ready and we should start eating to finish the boxes of contract. Starting my morning without doing my usual routine, since work is waiting for me. I reach my headband and walks behind KID who waits for me at the door. He did not ask anything about the caller but I wonder how did he know that I am feeling edgy?

However, a polluted noise welcomes me when we went down the stairs. The remaining idiots as still here so I roam my eyes to the kitchen when Fash poke my waist, I look at him wearing his proud face.

They plan to hide the kitchen knife I used to throw at them but they did not know that I live in this house, so I can search for it the whole day. I just roll my eyes at him sits on the chair, and eat my potatoes peacefuly. Instead of wasting my time to these three, I will study the contracts seriously because I do not want my parents to be embarass that they have an incompetent daughter like me.

The morning went smooth even the unexpected caller a while ago, and this three are still here in my house playing jengga. A small smile appear in my lips when I see KID and Aspire playing like they are not enemies. I pull one of the boxes and it create a creak sound attracting their attention.

The boys pause from playing and help me analyze every contract. KID starts from showing the difference between a fraud contract and true contract, saying what is more beneficial for the company and its partners. Some businessman are blinded by the numbers written in the contract so they will invest right after seeing it, without even knowing the everything. 

So, we separate those we think are not beneficial to the company when a folder fell from the table. I pick it up and scan the contract, it was the contract that KID wanted me to sign. After much thought, I ask him why did he asks me to sign this fraud contract.

"I wanted to see how much knowledge do you have in running business."

From his statement, I almost doom our company from my impulsiveness. Eliminating that thought we continue to classify contracts, and the number of the contracts lessen to one box. I smile and jot down the tips KID told me.

Next is Fash, who gave me a sample document and give his insights. He asks me if there are any questions about the contract, I have not read the entire contract so I told him to give me a minute but he slams the table. Telling me that I do not read the entire contract since the client already gave the insights about it, and I can question some matters such as duration, benefits and others. 

Last is Aspire, I avoid his gaze because I am too ashame of what my mother did to their company. But here he is, giving me a lesson on how to deal with these paper. I wonder how he feels, helping his now enemy.

He teaches me to always look tough since this new world that I am facing is a cruel than politics. Everyone thinks the same in the name of money, some are dirty workers and others are plain thief.

I look down and bit my lower lip, the way he defines 'other' businessman is like how I throw the kitchen knife to them last night.

Dirty workers? Plain theif? 

Mother just did those things and we are now benefitting from it. The side of my lips rises out of annoyance but Fash taps my shoulder as if comforting me from. 

"How will you last from this industry when those words made you bow down your head?"

Am I suppose to be proud? 

I get one contract and signs it without hesitation, whatever happens I make that Lim Industries go back to Levefre. We do not need them in our business, the restaurants are doing well and its other subsidary. KID stops me from getting another contract with Lim Industries logo attach to the folder and told me that I cannot do anything if they choose to sign with us.

These three work together is like business? That is right! You need to separate fraud and identify which is benefical, then question other things. They did not face me as the representative of the company and now they want me to simply sign this contract? 

I open it and check some things that I seem to have a problem. If they want to sign us then they must follow the rules of our company. Just like what I did in my scratch paper, directly writing and solving in the contract. Then you will find how dirty and identifying who is the thief.

"Seems like you already understand the loopholes of the contract. But you did sign one of it, as a businessman your signature is as important as your life."

Aspire stated and arrange the remaining contracts, putting it on the side of fraud. I open the folder and scans it, until I see a loophole. Sarcastically laughing at my own mistake due to my impulsiveness. 

I look at the clock and see that I still have time to meet their representative regarding the contract. Aspire handed me a paper bag like he expected that this will happen, and the gaze of the other two stays at me. I took a quick shower and wear something formal, took my eight inches heels and walks to them who are wearing formal suits.

We ride to one of our restaurants and Fash always reminds me to always put the act of strong woman, to scare those clients and the list goes on. My grip on the folder tighten when we reach the restaurant, but the one I am waiting for is still not here. Seems like he is hiding huh?

I call my mother's secretary and ask her to locate the representative of Lim Industries. After a minute, a text message containing his address sent by the secretary came. How's that, mother?

You misjudge your client and now we are missing one million dollars in our bank account, as well as the Levefre and Robles. We just got scam and it is humiliating, since it is mother's fault. She sign a contracts between the two biggest company, and the result is not what she expected. 

Well, I did too but I notice lots of disadvantages in the contract.

Fash uses some connection to call Police and they are on the way to the location, but we arrive earlier. The scammer has a surprise look on his face but I told him that I am here because I need to talk about business with him. Fash suggested to talk about business to stall time until the Police came.

Lim Industries aim too high and now will suffer a great loss. This representative is into the contract that I sign, and the Police capture him.

"You cannot do this! I have the Levefre and Robles in my back!"

I snatch the contract in his hand and tear it into piecies, throwing it into the air. 

I turn my back to him and walk like I am in the runaway. The two idiots are smilling at me as if their child won the biggest award.