Chapter 10 - The Visit (1/2)
”I need you,” the voice says. ”Right now.”
It takes a moment for Claire to respond. There's something surreal about the voice of someone you thought you're done with for today. ”Mr. Tan? Is it really you?”
”Don't be silly. Who else could be calling you at this hour except your boss with an urgent professional matter?” There's not a hint of irony in Mr. Tan's voice. ”Of course, it is me.”
”I'm sorry,” Claire still could regain her bearings. ”But is it way after my office hours?”
”Yes, I know, but I need you right now. And as my personal ȧssistant, you should attend to my personal needs.”
”Excuse me? Don't I have regular work hours, too?”
A pause. Then the voice, so confident and demanding, mutters, ”Attend to this tonight, and this adds a whole month's salary to what you stand to gain at the end of our deal.”
”What?”
”I said, this adds another month's salary.”
”For just tonight's work?”
”Yes. Or should I say it again a third time?” There's a hint of cold irritation.
Claire makes quick mental calculations. Is this serious? If this is, then I should see a document somewhere, an amendment to the Red Contract or something, that states exactly that—that I stand to gain a year and a month's salary after all this ends. Because the thing is, everything's currently verbal—what if this man's just drunk and would forget all about this in the morning?
The prospect of monetary gain is well and good, but Claire's tired. Wasn't she just enjoying her ”me time” a moment ago? How grateful she was that the day has ended, this long, tiring day of walking in her cheap shoes under the hot sun, and all that drama just for the coffee? She tries to ”sense” her level of energy right now, and weighs it against what she feels is Mr. Tan's requirement. Can she pull this off? Can she meet his expectations? Isn't she too tired right now with no energy for anything except maybe sleep?
”Uhh, sir…”
”And no, you don't have to walk ever again,” Mr. Tan says. ”Each time I send you to do something, a car will chauffeur you.”
”But…”
”Right now, I've sent a car to your place.”