Chapter 2 — The Contract
1718 Words
The next morning, Clara was awake before sunrise.
She lay still for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling above her bed.
Then she remembered the ordeals of yesterday especially, her father’s face when they were thrown out.
Clara groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.
“Why did I open my mouth?”
She already knew the answer. Because she was Clara.
She had always spoken before thinking, especially when she felt someone was being unnecessarily rude.
But this time, her mouth might have cost her family their biggest customer.
She pushed the blanket away and sat up.
Outside, she could hear the chickens.
The farm was already awake.
She dressed quickly and went outside.
Her father was near the chicken coop, carrying a sack of feed over his shoulder.
“Good morning daddy,” Clara said.
He nodded.
“Morning.”
She watched him for a moment.
“Did you sleep?”
“A little.”
Clara knew what that meant.
He hadn’t slept much.
She picked up another sack.
“Let me help.”
They worked quietly for some minutes.
Usually, mornings on the farm were busy and noisy. Clara would complain about waking up early. Her father would shout at the chickens as though they understood him.
Today, nobody joked.
Eventually, Clara couldn’t take the silence anymore.
“Papa.”
“Yes?”
“About yesterday…”
He continued working.
“What about it?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“I really didn’t mean for them to throw us out.”
He stopped.
Then looked at her.
“I know you didn’t.”
Clara waited.
“But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t serious.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
Her father sighed.
“You have to understand something, Clara. We are not dealing with an ordinary customer.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
He placed the feed sack down.
“The Blackwell family can replace us tomorrow. They can buy from another farm and never think about us again.”
Clara looked down.
“But we’ve supplied them for six years.”
“And that is exactly why I’m worried.”
“Why?”
“Because we’ve become dependent on them.”
His words stayed with her.
Clara looked around the farm.
The old coop.
The faded storage shed.
The rusted water tank.
The chickens scratching at the ground.
Everything they had depended on that contract.
“I’ll find another customer,” she said.
Her father smiled sadly.
“It’s not that easy.”
“I’ll try.”
“I know.”
He picked up the feed sack again.
“Just don’t make things worse.”
Clara swallowed.
“I won’t.”
By late morning, her father had packed the next delivery.
Clara watched from the doorway as he loaded the trays into the truck.
She expected him to say something.
He didn’t.
Finally, she asked, “Are you going today?”
“Yes.”
“But it’s not the usual delivery day.”
“They called yesterday’s order short.”
Clara frowned.
“Did they?”
Her father nodded.
“They want the rest delivered this afternoon.”
Her stomach tightened.
“You’re going back there?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
He looked at her.
“It’s business.”
Clara didn’t know what to say.
She wanted to apologize again, but she knew he was tired of hearing it.
So she simply helped him load the final tray.
When he climbed into the driver’s seat, Clara stood beside the door.
“Papa.”
He looked at her.
“Be careful.”
He smiled faintly.
“I’m the one who has to worry about you.”
Then he drove away.
Clara watched the truck disappear down the road.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
She had expected the Blackwell family to cancel their contract after what happened.
But they hadn’t.
That didn’t make sense.
At the Blackwell mansion, Adrian was already in his study when Mrs. Collins entered.
“Your breakfast is ready.”
“Leave it.”
She placed the tray on the table.
“You haven’t eaten.”
“I said leave it.”
Mrs. Collins didn’t argue.
She had learned not to.
She turned toward the door.
“The Hayes delivery arrived.”
Adrian’s eyes remained on the documents in front of him.
“Okay.”
“Mr. Hayes came alone.”
Adrian’s hand stopped for a moment.
He looked up.
“Good.”
Mrs. Collins hesitated.
“He asked whether there was a problem with the contract.”
Adrian returned his attention to the document.
“There isn’t.”
“He will be relieved.”
“I don’t care.”
Mrs. Collins nodded.
She was about to leave when Adrian spoke again.
“Did the daughter come?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Mrs. Collins left.
Adrian leaned back in his chair.
He had told them Clara wasn’t to return.
He had no intention of dealing with her again.
The girl was reckless and too outspoken.
And completely unaware of the difference between honesty and disrespect.
He had no use for people like that.
His phone rang.
Adrian answered.
“Speak.”
“Sir, the board meeting has been moved to three.”
“Why?”
“Mr. Richard requested the change.”
“Put it back.”
“He said it was urgent.”
“Then tell him to wait.”
The assistant hesitated.
“Yes, sir.”
Adrian ended the call.
A knock came almost immediately.
His uncle entered without waiting for permission.
“You’ve been avoiding everyone.”
Adrian didn’t look up.
“I’ve been working.”
“You’re always working.”
“Yes.”
Richard walked closer.
“I heard about yesterday.”
Adrian continued reading.
“The egg delivery?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“You had them removed.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to.”
Richard stared at him.
“That’s your answer?”
“Yes.”
“What did the girl do?”
Adrian looked up.
“She was disrespectful.”
Richard frowned.
“And that was enough to risk a six year business relationship? I mean those people are diligent, if you cancel the contract I’m going to offer them another one”
“I didn’t cancel the contract.”
“Why not?”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Because I don’t make business decisions based on my temper.”
Richard gave him a long look.
“Could have fooled me.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“Are you finished?”
Richard smiled without humor.
“Not even close.”
He stepped closer to the desk.
“You can’t keep pushing everyone away.”
Adrian’s face went blank.
“Watch me.”
Richard sighed.
“Adrian.”
“Leave.”
“You need help.”
“I don’t.”
“You’ve fired four nurses in three months.”
“They weren’t competent.”
“You’ve refused physical therapy.”
“I don’t need it.”
“You’ve stopped attending family dinners.”
“I don’t like the food.”
Richard stared at him.
“You weren’t always like this.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Leave.”
Richard remained silent for several seconds.
Then he walked out.
Adrian waited until the door closed.
Only then did he look down at the photograph sitting inside his desk drawer.
Ethan.
He remembered every detail.
The night of the accident.
The rain. , headlights, the sound of metal crushing against metal.
Adrian shut the drawer.
He refused to think about it.
Two years.
Two years was long enough.
…………………………………………………………
At the Hayes farm, Clara was collecting eggs when her father returned.
She immediately noticed his expression.
“How did it go?”
He removed his cap.
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
“Yes.”
“They didn’t say anything about yesterday?”
“No.”
Clara stared at him.
“Really?”
Her father shook his head.
“They accepted the delivery.”
She felt some of the tension leave her body.
“So the contract is still okay?”
He nodded.
“For now.”
Clara smiled.
“That’s good.”
Her father sat down.
“They increased the order.”
“What?”
“The Blackwells want more eggs next week.”
Clara stared at him.
“After yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it on the table.
Clara picked it up.
The order was almost twice their normal quantity.
Her eyebrows rose.
“Are you sure this is correct?”
“Yes.”
“Did they say why?”
“No.”
Clara looked at the paper again.
Something about it bothered her.
If Adrian hated what happened enough to throw them out, why were they increasing their order?
Her father took the paper from her.
“Don’t overthink it.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Clara sighed.
“Okay.”
Her father stood.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Their instructions were very clear.”
Clara looked at him.
“What instructions?”
“They don’t want you accompanying me anymore.”
She froze.
For some reason, those words embarrassed her.
“Because of yesterday?”
“Probably.”
Clara nodded slowly.
“That makes sense.”
Her father looked at her.
“You’re not angry?”
“No.”
She looked away.
“Why would I be?”
“You’re the one who likes going everywhere with me.”
“Not there.”
Her father laughed for the first time since yesterday.
“Good.”
Clara smiled.
But later that night, when everyone had gone to bed, she found herself thinking about the Blackwell mansion again.
Not about Adrian.
At least, she told herself she wasn’t thinking about him.
She was thinking about the contract.
That was all.
The next few weeks would prove whether the Blackwell family truly intended to keep doing business with them.
And Clara had no idea that the answer would be far more complicated than either she or her father expected.
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