FK 1 [Fortune Killer] - Nevereverland
"Are they telling me to fly when there's a car standing in front of me? What a nasty temper."
It has already stopped for 10 minutes. That's only in this block. The rush hour in New York is such a terrible dead time that the word rush hour is not enough to explain it. Lain, who was annoyed by the honking sound everywhere, hurriedly raised the car window at the ringing of his cell phone and held the cell phone in his hand. The name Ricky was floating on the small blue screen. He checked the time above the name and it was time for the horse race to end.
"Yes."
[Antonia won!]
Lain replied curtly to the outburst.
"I suppose so."
[What kind of magic did you do? You're actually a psychic, aren't you?]
A middle-class guy suddenly wins the championship when he’s betting for the horse race, and as Ricky made a fuss about it, Lain looked at the car in front that just started and slowly took his foot off the brake pedal and grabbed the steering wheel with his right hand.
"Shut up and exchange the ticket with the bookmaker and bring it. If you spill something weird, you're dead?"
[Aha, what's wrong with you, buddy? Oh, but aren't you going to buy the next one? What should I buy? Huh?]
Lain, who was slowly stepping on the accelerator, spoke quietly as he was grinding his teeth due to Ricky's attitude that seemed to be interested in another bet.
"Just this once. I won't do it twice. So don't be ridiculous, take the money you're holding right now and go to Kelly. If you do something else, I'll kill you."
[Oh, okay. Alright. But why haven't you ever done a horse race before? Do you want to go to Las Vegas with me? You are a real Rainmaker! You rain on me during the money drought!]
From a long time ago, he was sick and tired of hearing it every time he won a lottery, a gamble, or a prize like this. But they only know one of the two sides of the story.
"No, it’s not Rain. It’s Lain. You said Lain, right? Not R, but L."
[Anyway, I like you more than our boss.]
"I envy you for having a boss."
[Oh, you got fired, didn't you?]
At those words that hit Lain on the forehead, an illusory crackling sound could be heard.
"Just take the money and give it to Kelly. She has to register by tomorrow."
As expected, he thought he was finally out of the block of hell, but the road here is stuck too. He sighed and was about to hit the brake when a black car in the next lane blinked its signal. It was exactly at that moment when he waited without braking thinking that it would not come into this narrow place.
There was a bang, and his body shook. He stepped on the brake momentarily, but it was already too late.
The cell phone fell to the floor and his head bounced off the seat's neck brace and stuck onto the steering wheel.
It wasn't a very big accident. Due to the traffic jam, the speed was barely 30km per hour, and the airbag did not burst because he managed to hit the brake. The problem is...
"Please…… I was fired from my law firm yesterday, and I heard this morning that my father had lost Kelly's college tuition fee in Las Vegas and I did a horse race that I said I would never do just to pay for Kelly's tuition. Please let it be a mid-sized car."
Lain, who had closed his eyes and prayed to a God he didn’t even believe, opened his eyes very slowly and looked up.
Apparently, Jaguar and Ferrari were running in the next lane. As soon as the traffic light fell, they went as fast as in a race. Lain, who looked up desperately hoping that the car that ran in front of him was not either of the two, gave up the moment he set his sights in front of him.
Jaguar XFR. This latest model was released in September this year. The car which he wondered if it had started selling while looking at the picture a few days ago, was right in front of him.
"Damn it."
Usually, he has always maintained the status of plus and minus zero, but recently, he felt like he was hitting a record low after a series of minus.
But should he be glad he didn't bump into it while it was running? If he had bumped into a 510-horsepower car with a monstrous speed of 363.188 kilometres per hour on a highway, he would have become powder with the car. It must have taken quite some time to sew up the body parts that fell here and there.
"I hate Jaguar and Limo drivers the most in the world during rush hour."
Why do you drive the expensive car out on the streets and at times when there is a high risk of accidents? It doesn't matter if it's a Ferrari scratching a Jaguar, but if it's a 96-year-old Mercedes-Benz S-Class that looks fine only on the outside then it's a big problem. He wondered if he could afford the bumper of that car even if he sold his whole car that has become a whole mess underneath.
"This is driving me crazy."
Lain, who was seriously thinking about how much that car's bumper cost, whether it was sold on the market or not, or whether it should be airborne from Germany, decided to call the insurance company for now. Although he did not have his own car insurance, he applied for insurance for the other car to be supported at a fairly high price in the event of an accident. Living in a city where the gap between rich and poor is extreme, the fear of cars is bound to reach its peak. Plus, fortunately, the insurance is still in effect. Insurance prices will rise slightly from next month, but there is insurance anyway. There is nothing more to ask for as long as you look at that Jaguar bumper.
Lain, who unfastened his seat belt after turning off the engine, first opened the car door and got off the driver's seat.
And at that moment, he saw the curious 'R' logo engraved on the bumper behind the black Jaguar he had hit. In the case of XFR, the bumper design was a little different, so it seemed right. Where do you even get that from?
<I'm f*cked.>
"No, it’s not Rain. It’s Lain. You said Lain, right? Not R, but L."
[Anyway, I like you more than our boss.]
"I envy you for having a boss."
[Oh, you got fired, didn't you?]
At those words that hit Lain on the forehead, an illusory crackling sound could be heard.
"Just take the money and give it to Kelly. She has to register by tomorrow."
As expected, he thought he was finally out of the block of hell, but the road here is stuck too. He sighed and was about to hit the brake when a black car in the next lane blinked its signal. It was exactly at that moment when he waited without braking thinking that it would not come into this narrow place.
There was a bang, and his body shook. He stepped on the brake momentarily, but it was already too late.
The cell phone fell to the floor and his head bounced off the seat's neck brace and stuck onto the steering wheel.
It wasn't a very big accident. Due to the traffic jam, the speed was barely 30km per hour, and the airbag did not burst because he managed to hit the brake. The problem is...
"Please…… I was fired from my law firm yesterday, and I heard this morning that my father had lost Kelly's college tuition fee in Las Vegas and I did a horse race that I said I would never do just to pay for Kelly's tuition. Please let it be a mid-sized car."
Lain, who had closed his eyes and prayed to a God he didn’t even believe, opened his eyes very slowly and looked up.
Apparently, Jaguar and Ferrari were running in the next lane. As soon as the traffic light fell, they went as fast as in a race. Lain, who looked up desperately hoping that the car that ran in front of him was not either of the two, gave up the moment he set his sights in front of him.
Jaguar XFR. This latest model was released in September this year. The car which he wondered if it had started selling while looking at the picture a few days ago, was right in front of him.
"Damn it."
Usually, he has always maintained the status of plus and minus zero, but recently, he felt like he was hitting a record low after a series of minus.
But should he be glad he didn't bump into it while it was running? If he had bumped into a 510-horsepower car with a monstrous speed of 363.188 kilometres per hour on a highway, he would have become powder with the car. It must have taken quite some time to sew up the body parts that fell here and there.
"I hate Jaguar and Limo drivers the most in the world during rush hour."
Why do you drive the expensive car out on the streets and at times when there is a high risk of accidents? It doesn't matter if it's a Ferrari scratching a Jaguar, but if it's a 96-year-old Mercedes-Benz S-Class that looks fine only on the outside then it's a big problem. He wondered if he could afford the bumper of that car even if he sold his whole car that has become a whole mess underneath.
"This is driving me crazy."
Lain, who was seriously thinking about how much that car's bumper cost, whether it was sold on the market or not, or whether it should be airborne from Germany, decided to call the insurance company for now. Although he did not have his own car insurance, he applied for insurance for the other car to be supported at a fairly high price in the event of an accident. Living in a city where the gap between rich and poor is extreme, the fear of cars is bound to reach its peak. Plus, fortunately, the insurance is still in effect. Insurance prices will rise slightly from next month, but there is insurance anyway. There is nothing more to ask for as long as you look at that Jaguar bumper.
Lain, who unfastened his seat belt after turning off the engine, first opened the car door and got off the driver's seat.
And at that moment, he saw the curious 'R' logo engraved on the bumper behind the black Jaguar he had hit. In the case of XFR, the bumper design was a little different, so it seemed right. Where do you even get that from?
<I'm f*cked.>
Lain, who checked the slightly scratched Jaguar's bumper, laughed as if he was dumbfounded. He’s been living in The United States for 13 years, but sometimes his curses come out in Korean.
"I'm going crazy.”
With a grim smile on his face, Lain first approached the driver's seat of the black Jaguar and knocked on the window. In the meantime, the horns began to ring in unison behind the stopped car. Even though they know that the signal is already on and it's no use honking the horn until the signal is released, their temper sure is nasty.
They were about to hit him if he delayed a little longer.
When he tapped the car window, which had been heavily tinted, thinking that it would be over if he gave his business card and contacted the insurance company, he first saw blond hair on the phone as the car window went down. And the voice of a man who seems like he has boiled a train firebox resonates loudly.
"Hey, you son of a bitch! Where did you run off trying to screw someone up? Call me as soon as you hear this! If you don't call me, you and I are done!"
While Lain flinched at the fierce man's voice, the man who cut off his cell phone roughly while looking at Lain through the narrow window exactly 10 centimetres down then asks.
"What are you?"
At the height of the man’s fearsomeness, Lain blinked in surprise and held out the business card he was holding to him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Here's my business card...….”
Lain politely passes his business card through the narrow car window and the man glances up and down at Lain. Then he shoots bluntly without receiving his business card.
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"Yes?"
"What do you want me to do with your business card? What are you, a stalker? From where did you come after me? He's not in this car right now! Why are you following me?"
"Huh? Uh, well, the car...….”
When Lain pointed to the back, the man looked back in the side mirror and spat out some swearing.
"I knew there was something suspicious about the car I just picked today feels shaking.….”
Lain thought that the word 'f*cked up' was used at times like this. The owner of the Jaguar apparently didn't even know there was a car accident.
No wonder the driver didn't go out of the car and went on a rampage on the road. I really f*cked up.
While Lain lamented about today's horoscope, the man's cell phone in the driver's seat rang again. The man who slightly bowed his head to check the number utters slight swearing and takes away his business card as if he was snatching it.
"All right, just go. It's Alex. Yeah, it's...….”
Lain, who was looking beyond the car window that had risen completely in an instant, stood looking at the car window with a puzzled look as if he had been hit. The blond and pretty beautiful man in the driver's seat was very fierce and rude. He thought all the bastards in these cars looked like this, so Lain first handed over his business card and decided to turn around. At any rate, dragging one's words into an accident like this will only be a loss to those who are stuck in it. If he doesn't show any interest over here, it's best to hand over your business card and run away.
"Yes, of course."
As soon as he turned around, Lain realized one very important fact. So he knocked on the car window again. At the signal, the man lowered the car window again, and Lain hurried to talk to the man before he could hurl the abuse.
"Well, call me on the cell phone in the back. I got fired from the company. I'll cover the insurance...….”
As soon as he tried to say politely, the man, who swung his hand as if he was kicking out a peddler, closed the car window again. He didn't seem to be interested in Lain at all now. And then tonight, he was worried that he might be freaking out at the bumper, but it was rush hour and Lain hurried back to his car and got into the driver's seat because he thought he'd be killed by the cars behind if he stopped any longer.
When he tried to fasten his seat belt and start the car again, his cell phone rang. As he lowered his head in search of the direction of the sound, he saw the cell phone that fell on the floor of the passenger seat. Lain, who had barely found his phone by bending his back, started the engine and uttered a little swearing.
"It's you this time."
The liquid crystal display of the small blue phone was completely broken. He was about to brake, vowing not to keep expensive things around today, but something rustled on the floor.
He had a bad feeling about it. Lain despaired as soon as he slowly took off his feet and looked down at his feet just in case.
"My iPod…….”
Come to think of it, it seemed like he stepped on something when he left the car after the accident, and it must have been the iPod. Lain, who was looking down at the smashed iPod, had a devastated look on his face, and when he saw the car in front of him moving, he hurriedly applied the brake and started the engine.
Then again, as the car moved, he saw the front bumper of his car slide down miserably and was dragged away. Maybe even without luck, you’re just so unlucky. As he was about to think that he was really unlucky, Lain hurried to change his mind.
“Think positive, think positive.”
This is pretty easy for a horse race winner. His life has been literally zero-sum. If he wins a 1,000-dollar lottery, he will have exactly a 1,000-dollar disaster.
For example, when an SUV was won by chance at an event in high school and ran wild, his mom’s SUV that she was driving suddenly stopped, costing thousands of dollars for repairs alone. So eventually her car was scrapped and the car prize that was shouting, "It's mine," became mom's.
And when he made $100,000 in one stock investment during college, his house was flooded by floods. Unfortunately, it didn't help much, although there was compensation and insurance for flood damage in the country. It cost exactly $100,000 to get the house back to its original state and buy new appliances that were broken.
In addition, it cost exactly $3,000 to buy back the things that a thief stole from the apartment he lived in when he won $3,000 in horse racing during college.
So there's no such thing as a free lunch in the world. At least it was to himself. His life itself was zero-sum.
Unearned income soon leads to an event that pays that price. So as soon as he earns it, that's how much he pays for it. As a matter of fact, there was a huge incident the day before yesterday. Someone gave him an expensive gift worth $100,000, which was found out the next day and he was fired from the company.
In fact, the gift itself is not a big deal. Whether it's expensive or not. But it matters if the expensive gift was a diamond ring and the meaning of the gift was a proposal, and the person who gave it was his client, Edward Clark.
"Darn you, son of a bitch. I'm gonna kill you one day.”
It's not even a long time ago. Just three days ago, after his wife, Edina, agreed to a divorce with an astronomical amount of money – of course, there was a pre-marital agreement, but it took a while because it was just a guideline and didn't have legal effect. But what is his intention of handing over the ring to him, the lawyer in charge?
He felt uneasy from the moment he took over that guy's matters. Of course, he was only a third-party lawyer, but since it was true that he worked with him, this was clearly a deviation from the lawyers' work ethic. And the moment that guy blabbed to his partner exactly 12 hours later, his neck was blown off, and his insurance and credit cards were in dire crisis.
The 10-year student loan repayment was still eight years away and his youngest sister was still a college student. Plus, his parents are still stuck in the middle of nowhere - Lain personally hated the word 'scholar'. He hates both 'schooling expenses' and 'scholar' – and his only younger brother is an engineer who he can't even confirm whether he is dead or alive. He managed to persuade him, a famous robotic engineer to set up their sister's college trust fund, but their parents caused an accident in the last semester.
Actually, that's not what's unfair. His parents are obviously capable people, and even his sworn enemy of a younger brother can easily pay for their younger sister's tuition. The problem is that these humans are too great that they are out of reach. A space engineer father, astrophysicist mother, and a brother who is a doctor of robotics. They’re very lucrative family members, but these humans never commercialized what they invented.
They give or donate unconditionally to society. In addition, they are so upright that they do not compromise with society. Once they start researching, he can't contact them for a year or two. If he doesn’t get a call from the lawyer, he had no choice but to believe they are well.
In that sense, Lain hated scholars very much. At least, his younger sister looked like him, and she was quick and clever, but his other family members were strange people who didn't pay taxes even if they had money. Because they have no economic perception at all. It means, they're at the bottom of their ability to live.
"Please let me go home as it is."
Lain stepped on the accelerator, hoping there would be no more accidents.
Lain didn't think the small accident of the day would bring him good luck and bad luck at the same time.
***
"Jane, I'm telling you. I'll be right there. I'm sorry. No, I'm going today. No, I'm telling the truth. If I don't arrive by tomorrow morning, I'll change my last name. No, I'm not the father. I have to die. Yes? I'll definitely go. I'm sorry. I'm serious. I'm telling you. I'll leave even if I have to resign. All right, all right? I love you."
Alex, who had barely calmed down his wife while sweating profusely, then stepped out of the car with a sigh as if ten years of his life was taken away. Today was the worst day of Alex Veaber's life. Of course, he’s been breaking the record of his ‘worst’ in recent years, but he indeed refreshed it again today. He’s scared to think that another worst will happen tomorrow.
"I should’ve abandoned that bastard a long time ago. What the hell am I doing?"
Sweat was dripping from his shoulders and back. Even the new car's excellent air conditioning performance couldn't cool off what had happened for several hours today.
First of all, Edan Blake disappeared this morning.
So, the world's best actor, Hollywood's best box office power ticket who had won Golden Globe Awards three times and the Academy Award's youngest actor, and the man who dominated Cannes this year, disappeared like smoke this morning.
At the same time as he was looking for him to death for the interview in the afternoon, the pressure began to come from his wife who had two days left before the birth date, and he was so worried that reporters would talk about that guy and that he might get cracked down by reporters.
Since his job is a manager, plus, the manager of Edan Blake, he's worried about revealing his private life, and Jane, who was in Seattle at her mother's home, was hospitalized today and began to make a fuss that he runs to her immediately.
If you don't come by today, a human like you is not this baby’s father, and as he soothed her who seems to want to rip all of his hair out right away, and then gently declining the request for the interview, a report came in saying that this friend or enemy appeared at a hotel in France.
"Just kill me."
He’s so eager to catch him and ask when and how the hell he went to France, but the top producer of the drama that was supposed to premiere this fall, threatened him to show up with him right away, while Luke Feltin, his Legal Advisor, was expelled from the Bar Association immediately for violating the confidentiality rights of one of his clients and his lawyer's license was revoked.
There was this case a few days ago, where Luke, who was in charge of defending several Hollywood stars, defended the allegation that the actress stole a necklace worth $10 million for a photoshoot. He worked hard defending the actress but in the end, the actress was arrested for making a mess of the lawsuit that almost won by revealing that the necklace was inside her bed pillow after a fight. He couldn't believe that Luke Feltin, who was called the best lawyer in New York, made that mistake, but it turned out that dementia was coming.
If you had dementia, you'd forget where you hid that necklace, why did you forget about the important confidentiality rights?
Since the illness was the cause, the Bar Association asked him to give a name of his illness, but Luke refused. Not only does he never believe that he has dementia, but he also insists that even if it is true, he can never reveal it. As soon as you reveal the fact that you have dementia, it's the same that you can't work anymore, so it's better to lose your license due to a moment's mistake.
He didn't understand what the hell was wrong with him, but Luke was eventually stripped of his license as of today. As he was searching for a new lawyer while feeling awkward that he has been working with him for a long time, even the newly picked Jaguar had an accident today.
If every day was like today, he thought it would be better to bite his tongue and die. Things are piled up and there's no time. Moreover, that one human being who is responsible for everything and have to deal with it suddenly disappeared to France. This is driving him crazy.
He should be waiting for his future daughter and holding his wife's hand at a Seattle hospital by now. This is not the time to bang your head in the corner of this gloomy parking lot and pray that someone will tear that maniac to death.
"Ah, I don't know either. I’ll just tell him to do whatever he wants now!"
It seems like a bomb is exploding one after another and he can’t do this anymore. At other times, he would have handled things one by one, but now he’s tired of bombs. And above all, he doesn’t have time. His heart wants to fly to Seattle right now, but he’s stuck with the damn Edan Blake. His temper is so nasty that all the managers he worked with quit their job, so he can't leave his post.
No, it’s none of his business. Now it's all or nothing. He'd rather quit his job than getting divorced. Alex, who finally made up his mind, was about to get out of the car and pack up and go straight to the airport when the door of the entrance leading to the building opened, and a familiar man was walking with a large box.
Looking at the man with dark brown hair and a high-quality suit, Alex hurriedly called his name, feeling as if his heart was sinking.
"Gale, what's going on?"
Walking fast, he smiles at Alex and approaches him. Then he put the box down on the floor first and held out three envelopes to Alex. In this sudden situation, Alex rolled his eyes and smiled with an awkward face and looked at him.
"Gale, what is this?"
"This is an automatic contract termination notice after my contract expires. And the rest is Vince’s and Kyle's notice."
"Huh?"
"As of yesterday, the one-year contract was completed, so I'm notifying you that the contract has been terminated. Okay, bye. It was fun. Let's not see each other again."
Gale smiled all over his face as if his bad tooth had fallen out, patted Alex on the shoulder, and walked toward his car with his luggage. Surprised by the sudden notice of termination, Alex looked at the envelope once and turned his eyes and looked down at the two remaining envelopes in his hand.
"I'm going crazy……"
He just wants to immediately fly to Jane in Seattle and three of the most reliable people submitted their resignations. No wonder Gale smiled brightly even after Edan disappeared this morning, it’s for this reason. He was tired of looking after Edan who was morbidly capricious.
Unable to overcome the sudden irritation, Alex kicked the car with his feet and cursed at the loud alarm as he turned it off.
"Motherf*cker, I shouldn't have been friends with Edan Blake!"
Alex, who turned off the alarm by spitting profanity that he did not usually say, realized that he had left his bag in the car and opened the car door again, clicking his tongue. And as soon as he opened the car door, he frowned when he saw a card that fell off. Business cards for business relationships are placed in the business card holder as soon as they are received. Alex, who had just picked up the business card and wondered why it dropped here, remembered the minor accident on his way.
"Lain Jang, Dustin & Crawford Law Firm. Dustin & Crawford?"
Alex, who looked at the back of the business card while tilting his head because he had heard the name somewhere, recalled that he said he had been fired and immediately checked the cell phone number written on the back.
"Lawyer? Oh! Dustin & Crawford!"
Dustin & Crawford is a recognized divorce law firm in New York City. Of course, they do other things too but most of the work involves divorce lawsuits, which cost astronomical sums. Their major customers were conglomerates, nouveau riche or celebrities, and their winning rate was pretty good. It was the best law firm in terms of divorce.
"A divorce lawyer...….”
He didn’t know why he was fired, but if he worked for Dustin & Crawford, it means he has skills. In addition, seeing that his family name is "Jang," he is either a Korean or Chinese but it’s good if he’s Korean. He could do Taekwondo. He can break the pine board, break the bricks and do some flying kicks too.
Plus, he’s a divorce lawyer, it was perfect.
Although he is not an expert in this area, the basis of a divorce lawsuit is to unconditionally protect and justify the client, tear and expose the other person, making the other person crazy by finding out even the smallest thing. So Alex personally thought divorce lawyers were as evil, vicious and mean as mafia lawyers.
At that moment, something flashed across Alex's head. The moment Alex thought about it, he approached the back of the car without hesitation. Then he kicked the slightly dented bumper. When the alarm went off again, he ignored the alarm and started kicking the bumper to his heart's content. He kicked the bumper with all his might as if to smash the face of the guy who is playing around in France right now.
That was the beginning.
***
[Isn't that crazy?]
"If he was in his right mind, would he have proposed to me?”
Back in the apartment, Lain opened a can of beer while talking to his best friend Ellie. Ellie bursts into laughter as Lain sighs for a long time while talking on his home phone because his cell phone's screen is broken.
[He must have been really interested in you. He blabbed to Sam right away after you refuse him. Hey, what are you gonna do?]
Somehow, her reaction that seemed to be having fun at his situation made Lain angry and he replied bluntly with a sip of beer.
"What?"
[It's hard for you to get a job at another law firm if you're rumoured to have a relationship with your client. How many lawyers are on the streets in this recession? What do you want to do?]
He called to see if he could be comforted because he was exhausted, but she just talked about annoying things. It's not like Lain is doing this because he doesn't know that.
"I know that. I know it best even if you don't remind me. Yeah?"
When Lain argues as if saying why must she touch his sore spot, Ellie quickly changes the subject.
[Did Edward say anything else?]
"I don't know. I threw the ring at his face because I was angry after being notified of my dismissal.”
Unsurprisingly, he was notified of his dismissal and the already returned ring that the guy gave him the day before yesterday was back in his pocket, and feeling angry, he threw it at Edward's face and packed out of his office. He stayed up all night and couldn't get enough sleep, regretting what he did yesterday’s afternoon.
He should have taken that ring.
[You're regretting not taking that ring, aren't you?]
At Ellie’s sharp comment, Lain kept his mouth shut. Then she burst into laughter again.
"Is this fun to you? My credit card will be suspended if I don’t pay it next month and my insurance will also stop! If I can't pay off my loan, my credit score will fall to the bottom, and if I can't pay my rent, I'll be kicked out of my apartment! But you are laughing?"
[It's not my business.]
At her voice which cut sharply, Lain suddenly touched his forehead at the feeling of a headache. Still, he called to complain since they’re friends, but this is what he heard instead. Maybe the fact that he expects something from a ‘heartless Ellie’, who has no blood or tears, is the problem.
"……let's hang up. I'm getting more upset talking to you on the phone."
[Haha, don't worry too much and remember it's been a long time since your last vacation. I'm sure it'll work out. You’re a lucky Lain after all.]
"You know what's coming after that luck? I did a horse race again today and I was about to crash into a Jaguar. My phone screen is cracked, my iPod is smashed, my car bumper is trashed, and you think that it'll work out somehow? I still have eight years left on my student loan!"
[Given the speed of your car, it’s just moving rather than speeding, so I think the Jaguar will be fine? And don't you have insurance?]
"I don't have my own car insurance.”
[……seems like you’re asking for it. I'll lend you the repair fee, so let me know when it's urgent.]
"It's okay. I'm going to try to do something about it. Oh, I got another call. I'm hanging up."
[Okay.]
Looking at his pathetic cell phone that just rang, Lain hurriedly pressed the accept call button after he hung up the phone with her. However, somehow the call button could not be pressed well, so when he pressed it three times, the ringtone finally stopped.
"Hello?"
[Oh, is this Mr Jang's cell phone?]
"Yes, that's right."
When he was waiting at the voice of the unfamiliar man, wondering if he was from the insurance company, the low voice of the man was heard a moment later.
[I'm the driver of the car you had an accident in the afternoon.]
It was the unlucky Jaguar. There was no contact from the insurance company but the Jaguar owner contacted him first. Well, he had to get an estimate anyway, so he had to call sooner or later, but looking at his attitude today, he wondered if that was the case.
"Oh, yes. Any estimate on the damage?"
[Before that, I'd like you to take a look at something.]
"What?"
[I'll send you the picture on your cell phone, so you can take a look first.]
At that, Lain shrugged his shoulders.
"My cell phone's screen is broken."
Even if it's not broken, he can't see any pictures on this old cell phone. He was still using the cell phone that only showed black and white characters. There are plenty of scientists in the house, but since they had lived without much connection to the achievement of civilization, he didn't change his cell phone because he thought it would be enough if he could text and call.
Due to the iPhone craze, everyone insisted on this cell phone when switching to the new generation of devices. Originally, there was a business PDA paid by the company, but it was taken away when he was fired. Because there are customers' personal information and contacts in it, even laptop that could be used to steal customers by other companies has been confiscated.
They really are like ruthless lawyers when they cut him off.
[Well, then, can I see you for a moment? I have something to tell you.]
"What's the matter?"
[Let's meet and talk. Oh, you know Delmonico's in William Street? How about 8 o'clock there?]
Lain could feel his heart throbs. Delmonico’s, he wondered if he could afford the price of dinner there. Even if that man paid for it, he will have to pay for his own meal, but it's absolutely unreasonable if it’s not because of the current situation.
"Oh, I... It's a little far. My car is out of order now."
[Then, where do you like it? Do as you feel comfortable.]
At the polite and respectful tone of the man, unlike when he was annoyed at him in the afternoon, Lain took a long sigh and named a nice restaurant nearby, and he agreed as if he knew it. After making an appointment with him, Lain let out a long sigh and hung up the phone.
The bills that will fly away from next week seemed to pass right in front of his eyes. He has lived his whole life regardless of unpaid overdue payments, but he thinks that he should do something he’s never done before.
At that moment, the face of a wily blond man flashed over the bills. Lain opened his eyes and gnashed his teeth at the face of the smiling devilish man.
"Edward Clark, I’m going to kill you someday."
He didn’t know how he can screw that human being, a Wall Street's favourite and a shipping tycoon…. but he will surely pay him back someday. He'll step on his foot, or he'll at least put salt in his coffee, mumbled Lain as he grinds his teeth.
Lain, who had come to a small restaurant where family people usually come –since he doesn’t need to make a reservation here - sat down and waited, and kept looking at the door, drinking only plain water. Obviously, the Jaguar was fine at the time of the accident. Although his car was smashed in the front, the driver of the Jaguar was so fine that he didn't even realize the accident. But suddenly wanting to meet and talk to each other, he began to have an ominous feeling. The money from the horse race was as much as $50,000.
With that amount, he will be able to live for three or four months with the remaining money after covering his sister's college tuition, dormitory fees, and living expenses for this semester. However, on the premise that such an accident does not occur.
As much as he knows his life well, honestly what he wanted right now was exactly his sister's college tuition and dormitory fees. He was nervous because he knew that there would be an accident as much as he earned that money anyway, but he couldn't realize what an accident worth $50,000 was.
His car has already been smashed, his iPod has been smashed, and his cell phone has also been smashed. That means all that is left now is the Jaguar's estimate and the house. No, the laptop could explode too. The regret of not leaving the laptop battery out before leaving flooded his mind. If it's not his laptop, it's his house. There could be an earthquake or a sudden flood.
"Lain?"
While worrying about whether it was his laptop or his house, a soft man's voice came from above. When he heard the sound, the blond man he saw a few hours ago was standing in front of him.
"Oh, welcome."
When he hurriedly gets up from his seat and asks for a handshake, he responds with a smile. Unlike in the afternoon, the man in front of him looked so pleasant and cheerful.
The change in impression was so rapid that he wondered if he was someone else. While looking at whether this person really is the one, he first sits down and greets Lain.
"Oh, I'm sorry about earlier. I've got some business to take care of. I don't usually do that, but my friend got into trouble and I was on edge. I'm sorry for being so rude."
"That's all right, it's my mistake."
When Lain nods his head as he understands the apology of the man who seems too polite, the man orders coffee from the waiter who approaches him and takes a silver business card holder from his suit pocket. Then he hands over a blue business card in it.
"My name is Alex Veaber."
"Oh, yes, I'm Lain Jang."
Once he accepted the business card, as he said, the name ‘Alex Veaber,’ an email address, and a cell phone number were written on it. However, there was no company name or his title anywhere. Business cards with high-end papers like this are mostly used by lawyers and analysts.
It was a fancy font designed with a particular script, the name was written in luxurious gold letters, and the contact and email address were printed in navy ink, which seemed to be a mixture of black and blue. And if the business card was added with a double coating on the border with a colourful pattern, the unit price of this business card would be quite high. A person who uses this level of business card is surely not in an ordinary position, but they never leave their company, job, or position out of their business card because they like to show it off.
When Lain looked at him with a slightly suspicious face, he smiled and began a sudden interrogation.
"Japanese? Oh, since your last name is Jang, are you Chinese?"
"I'm Korean."
"You're a lawyer by profession.”
"Yes."
"You're a divorce expert, aren't you?”
"Yes."
"How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-six."
"Do you know how to do Taekwondo?"
"……I learned a little bit when I was young. I immigrated when I was thirteen."
"I see. What about your family?"
"I have parents, a younger brother and a younger sister."
Something was getting weird about the conversation. Alex smiles as Lain looks at the person sitting in front of him suspiciously, wondering why he is conducting a census. Showing his white teeth and smiling pleasantly, it was literally a business smile, or a smile of Miss Korea, according to the Korean expression.
Lain frowned slightly at the awkward smile, which seemed to be hiding something inside. Because it was already engraved in his body that something bad always happened when another person smiled like that.
"Oh, don't be nervous. I doubt a lot of things because of the nature of my job."
"Are you a private detective?"
Asked by Lain, a divorce lawyer, Alex squinted and smiled.
"As expected, you're a lawyer since you think differently."
"Of course?"
"I'm not a private detective. I have something to show you."
The man rummaged through his pocket and took out his cell phone. The cell phone was the latest Samsung smartphone. It was the cell phone built-in with state-of-the-art programs and liquid crystal display large enough that it makes people open their mouths wide. As he looked at it with his eyes wide open, the man lightly touched the screen and held out the screen in front of him.
"Now this is the condition of my car."
As soon as he saw the picture on the screen that the man held out, Lain's eyes became dots like the character in the cartoon.
The bumper shown in the picture was horribly dented. The chassis itself was not in the scope of getting damaged, but this was too much for a dent. It was disastrous as if it had been hit mercilessly with a golf club or a baseball bat.
"I... It was definitely only slightly dented. So slight that you can't even see it."
Like this, and as Lain drew a nearly straight curve, Alex grinned.
"When I got home, it looked like this. There was no other accident on the way."
"I think there's something wrong with this…….”
"There’s nothing wrong. I thought it wasn't a big deal, so I didn't want to call you but seeing that the ‘new car’ that I just drove out of the store ‘today’ and the same ‘afternoon’ it was already like this, somehow it made me a little bit upset."
[Given the speed of your car, it’s just moving rather than speeding, so I think the Jaguar will be fine? And don't you have insurance?]
"I don't have my own car insurance.”
[……seems like you’re asking for it. I'll lend you the repair fee, so let me know when it's urgent.]
"It's okay. I'm going to try to do something about it. Oh, I got another call. I'm hanging up."
[Okay.]
Looking at his pathetic cell phone that just rang, Lain hurriedly pressed the accept call button after he hung up the phone with her. However, somehow the call button could not be pressed well, so when he pressed it three times, the ringtone finally stopped.
"Hello?"
[Oh, is this Mr Jang's cell phone?]
"Yes, that's right."
When he was waiting at the voice of the unfamiliar man, wondering if he was from the insurance company, the low voice of the man was heard a moment later.
[I'm the driver of the car you had an accident in the afternoon.]
It was the unlucky Jaguar. There was no contact from the insurance company but the Jaguar owner contacted him first. Well, he had to get an estimate anyway, so he had to call sooner or later, but looking at his attitude today, he wondered if that was the case.
"Oh, yes. Any estimate on the damage?"
[Before that, I'd like you to take a look at something.]
"What?"
[I'll send you the picture on your cell phone, so you can take a look first.]
At that, Lain shrugged his shoulders.
"My cell phone's screen is broken."
Even if it's not broken, he can't see any pictures on this old cell phone. He was still using the cell phone that only showed black and white characters. There are plenty of scientists in the house, but since they had lived without much connection to the achievement of civilization, he didn't change his cell phone because he thought it would be enough if he could text and call.
Due to the iPhone craze, everyone insisted on this cell phone when switching to the new generation of devices. Originally, there was a business PDA paid by the company, but it was taken away when he was fired. Because there are customers' personal information and contacts in it, even laptop that could be used to steal customers by other companies has been confiscated.
They really are like ruthless lawyers when they cut him off.
[Well, then, can I see you for a moment? I have something to tell you.]
"What's the matter?"
[Let's meet and talk. Oh, you know Delmonico's in William Street? How about 8 o'clock there?]
Lain could feel his heart throbs. Delmonico’s, he wondered if he could afford the price of dinner there. Even if that man paid for it, he will have to pay for his own meal, but it's absolutely unreasonable if it’s not because of the current situation.
"Oh, I... It's a little far. My car is out of order now."
[Then, where do you like it? Do as you feel comfortable.]
At the polite and respectful tone of the man, unlike when he was annoyed at him in the afternoon, Lain took a long sigh and named a nice restaurant nearby, and he agreed as if he knew it. After making an appointment with him, Lain let out a long sigh and hung up the phone.
The bills that will fly away from next week seemed to pass right in front of his eyes. He has lived his whole life regardless of unpaid overdue payments, but he thinks that he should do something he’s never done before.
At that moment, the face of a wily blond man flashed over the bills. Lain opened his eyes and gnashed his teeth at the face of the smiling devilish man.
"Edward Clark, I’m going to kill you someday."
He didn’t know how he can screw that human being, a Wall Street's favourite and a shipping tycoon…. but he will surely pay him back someday. He'll step on his foot, or he'll at least put salt in his coffee, mumbled Lain as he grinds his teeth.
Lain, who had come to a small restaurant where family people usually come –since he doesn’t need to make a reservation here - sat down and waited, and kept looking at the door, drinking only plain water. Obviously, the Jaguar was fine at the time of the accident. Although his car was smashed in the front, the driver of the Jaguar was so fine that he didn't even realize the accident. But suddenly wanting to meet and talk to each other, he began to have an ominous feeling. The money from the horse race was as much as $50,000.
With that amount, he will be able to live for three or four months with the remaining money after covering his sister's college tuition, dormitory fees, and living expenses for this semester. However, on the premise that such an accident does not occur.
As much as he knows his life well, honestly what he wanted right now was exactly his sister's college tuition and dormitory fees. He was nervous because he knew that there would be an accident as much as he earned that money anyway, but he couldn't realize what an accident worth $50,000 was.
His car has already been smashed, his iPod has been smashed, and his cell phone has also been smashed. That means all that is left now is the Jaguar's estimate and the house. No, the laptop could explode too. The regret of not leaving the laptop battery out before leaving flooded his mind. If it's not his laptop, it's his house. There could be an earthquake or a sudden flood.
"Lain?"
While worrying about whether it was his laptop or his house, a soft man's voice came from above. When he heard the sound, the blond man he saw a few hours ago was standing in front of him.
"Oh, welcome."
When he hurriedly gets up from his seat and asks for a handshake, he responds with a smile. Unlike in the afternoon, the man in front of him looked so pleasant and cheerful.
The change in impression was so rapid that he wondered if he was someone else. While looking at whether this person really is the one, he first sits down and greets Lain.
"Oh, I'm sorry about earlier. I've got some business to take care of. I don't usually do that, but my friend got into trouble and I was on edge. I'm sorry for being so rude."
"That's all right, it's my mistake."
When Lain nods his head as he understands the apology of the man who seems too polite, the man orders coffee from the waiter who approaches him and takes a silver business card holder from his suit pocket. Then he hands over a blue business card in it.
"My name is Alex Veaber."
"Oh, yes, I'm Lain Jang."
Once he accepted the business card, as he said, the name ‘Alex Veaber,’ an email address, and a cell phone number were written on it. However, there was no company name or his title anywhere. Business cards with high-end papers like this are mostly used by lawyers and analysts.
It was a fancy font designed with a particular script, the name was written in luxurious gold letters, and the contact and email address were printed in navy ink, which seemed to be a mixture of black and blue. And if the business card was added with a double coating on the border with a colourful pattern, the unit price of this business card would be quite high. A person who uses this level of business card is surely not in an ordinary position, but they never leave their company, job, or position out of their business card because they like to show it off.
When Lain looked at him with a slightly suspicious face, he smiled and began a sudden interrogation.
"Japanese? Oh, since your last name is Jang, are you Chinese?"
"I'm Korean."
"You're a lawyer by profession.”
"Yes."
"You're a divorce expert, aren't you?”
"Yes."
"How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-six."
"Do you know how to do Taekwondo?"
"……I learned a little bit when I was young. I immigrated when I was thirteen."
"I see. What about your family?"
"I have parents, a younger brother and a younger sister."
Something was getting weird about the conversation. Alex smiles as Lain looks at the person sitting in front of him suspiciously, wondering why he is conducting a census. Showing his white teeth and smiling pleasantly, it was literally a business smile, or a smile of Miss Korea, according to the Korean expression.
Lain frowned slightly at the awkward smile, which seemed to be hiding something inside. Because it was already engraved in his body that something bad always happened when another person smiled like that.
"Oh, don't be nervous. I doubt a lot of things because of the nature of my job."
"Are you a private detective?"
Asked by Lain, a divorce lawyer, Alex squinted and smiled.
"As expected, you're a lawyer since you think differently."
"Of course?"
"I'm not a private detective. I have something to show you."
The man rummaged through his pocket and took out his cell phone. The cell phone was the latest Samsung smartphone. It was the cell phone built-in with state-of-the-art programs and liquid crystal display large enough that it makes people open their mouths wide. As he looked at it with his eyes wide open, the man lightly touched the screen and held out the screen in front of him.
"Now this is the condition of my car."
As soon as he saw the picture on the screen that the man held out, Lain's eyes became dots like the character in the cartoon.
The bumper shown in the picture was horribly dented. The chassis itself was not in the scope of getting damaged, but this was too much for a dent. It was disastrous as if it had been hit mercilessly with a golf club or a baseball bat.
"I... It was definitely only slightly dented. So slight that you can't even see it."
Like this, and as Lain drew a nearly straight curve, Alex grinned.
"When I got home, it looked like this. There was no other accident on the way."
"I think there's something wrong with this…….”
"There’s nothing wrong. I thought it wasn't a big deal, so I didn't want to call you but seeing that the ‘new car’ that I just drove out of the store ‘today’ and the same ‘afternoon’ it was already like this, somehow it made me a little bit upset."
Alex's strong tone, which emphasized the term ‘new car,’ made Lain swallowed his saliva. It was because the thought of how much this car bumper cost crossed his head first. Of course, insurance will take care of everything...… but then the increase of insurance premium…….
The thought to just scrap his car passed through Lain's head.
"However, as I said, although it’s making me feel slight heartburn.… I'm a generous person on these issues. For the bumper, in fact, there is no need for you to airlift it from Germany, pay taxes and even repair costs. As you know, it's a new model that just came out this year, so the parts haven't even entered The U.S. yet. And I have to leave it to the Jaguar expert to repair it. Well, there are many other places, but as you know, if you take off what was originally attached to the machine and attach a new one, there will be problems. Oh, that car is not mine. To be exact, it's my friend's car, but he's a little picky. Maybe he’ll send it to Germany and have it repaired there."
"Well, the car is the car. I'm asking you to see me today for a different reason."
"……What's the matter?"
"You're unemployed, aren't you?”
"Yes, I am?"
"What if there's someone who wants to hire you as a private lawyer?"
"What?"
"I gave you my business card earlier, but I'm not a company worker. If I had to classify my jobs, I'd say self-employed or service industry?”
"So, a private detective...….”
"No."
Dustin & Crawford's clients are mostly recognized nouveau riche, so he became familiar with luxury goods, but this man was definitely either a millionaire or a nouveau riche. Then it doesn't matter if he's a private detective or whatever. He’s unemployed now and welcomes anyone who wants to employ him. Eight years of student loans are still waiting for him. Not just being homeless.
Lain, who quickly concluded, smiled and said, looking at the man sitting in front of him.
"Please say it, sir."
It was exactly 10 minutes. At Alex's kind explanation that lasted for 10 minutes, Lain stared at Alex with blinking eyes. Rather than wondering what a fortune this is, Lain was surprised that the Jaguar he hit was none other than Edan Blake's car.
"I mean, right now...… you’re telling me to be Edan Blake's lawyer and spokesperson?"
"Yes. However, on the condition that you stick to him 24 hours a day. The contract is for one year. How about $300,000 a year?"
Lain’s eyes were about to pop out as he was shocked under the exceptional conditions of $300,000. Of course, working 24 hours is a fair requirement for that, but he, who was still in his second year at the law firm, was not eligible for the salary. Even if two years of experience was recognized, it was an extraordinary amount to receive from only one client. Alex tilts his head slightly at the look on his face.
"Is it too little? Then half a million?"
"What?"
At Lain's shout, Alex was confused. Edan's movie appearance fee started at $15 million, and the appearance fee per drama episode was $400,000, which made him dull in terms of money. Come to think of it, Luke’s annual salary was a million dollars a year.
Thinking that he was such a goddamn money-sucker, Alex gnashed his teeth.
He desperately thought that if he knew this would happen, he would have used lawyers who were younger and cheaper than worn-out old people. Information on Lain Jang had already been collected just before he came here. After connecting with Dustin & Crawford Law Firm and acquaintances to investigate his work attitudes and educational background, he thought he was a good lawyer. His co-workers’ evaluation was also good. There is no reason to worry at all about the fact that the reason for his dismissal was simply because of a scandal with a client - that is also a male- right.
Because Edan hates men. And most of all, not only Gale, Vince, and Kyle, but also Luke, the most important lawyer, had quit. And above all, he doesn't have time now. If he can do Taekwondo, is affable, good at work, and diligent, he can be paid a million dollars in annual salary.
He has to fly to Seattle by 11 o'clock tonight. It's over if he gets divorced for being loyal to Edan. Jane is a woman who does what she wants. There is no such thing as a clumsy threat.
"As you know, being one of the people around Edan, you have to be a reticent person. It's stated in the contract, but I have to make it clear, basically, you should never mention Edan's private life not only during the contract but also after the contract, and also that you shouldn't write about it in whatever autobiography."
It was a legitimate code of ethics for lawyers. It is important not to have a personal relationship with the client, but also not to talk about the client's privacy. In the worst-case scenario, you may be deprived of your lawyer's license. Lain ended up just getting fired from the law firm was because a co-worker knew that Lain hated Edward Clark.
So, to clarify the facts, Lain was fired because of Edward Clark's influence rather than because of violating the work ethic. Since he also offended the big client of Dustin & Crawford Law Firm, they also had no reason to keep a new lawyer like him at the law firm. So, Edward Clark must be killed first, Lain once again vowed. He'd like to sue Dustin & Crawford too but if he does, he wouldn't be able to get his foot at the door of any New York law firm until he dies. The possibility of winning a civil lawsuit against Sam Dustin and Justin Crawford is close to zero, and no law firm will hire him to fight against them.
This world is not on the side of justice, it is on the side of the rich.
"Can I know specifically what I have to do?"
"What you're going to do is simple. As you know, Edan has a very clean private life for a Hollywood actor. He's far from drugs and drunk driving. He’s never even been late for a meeting.”
He’s never heard that there's going to be such a problem with the bumper, but Lain was already fed up with the already crushed bumper and couldn't even think of refuting it. If he had known this would happen, he would have become a lawyer specializing in traffic accidents instead and Lain was regretting it slightly.
"Well, the car is the car. I'm asking you to see me today for a different reason."
"……What's the matter?"
"You're unemployed, aren't you?”
"Yes, I am?"
"What if there's someone who wants to hire you as a private lawyer?"
"What?"
"I gave you my business card earlier, but I'm not a company worker. If I had to classify my jobs, I'd say self-employed or service industry?”
"So, a private detective...….”
"No."
Seeing Alex's face, who seemed a little irritated, Lain began to press the calculator in his head for a moment. He doesn’t know what the job is - it actually looks very suspicious - but the card he offered was very high-end and the suit was the finest. The man's watch is also a silver Patek Philippe.
Dustin & Crawford's clients are mostly recognized nouveau riche, so he became familiar with luxury goods, but this man was definitely either a millionaire or a nouveau riche. Then it doesn't matter if he's a private detective or whatever. He’s unemployed now and welcomes anyone who wants to employ him. Eight years of student loans are still waiting for him. Not just being homeless.
Lain, who quickly concluded, smiled and said, looking at the man sitting in front of him.
"Please say it, sir."
It was exactly 10 minutes. At Alex's kind explanation that lasted for 10 minutes, Lain stared at Alex with blinking eyes. Rather than wondering what a fortune this is, Lain was surprised that the Jaguar he hit was none other than Edan Blake's car.
"I mean, right now...… you’re telling me to be Edan Blake's lawyer and spokesperson?"
"Yes. However, on the condition that you stick to him 24 hours a day. The contract is for one year. How about $300,000 a year?"
Lain’s eyes were about to pop out as he was shocked under the exceptional conditions of $300,000. Of course, working 24 hours is a fair requirement for that, but he, who was still in his second year at the law firm, was not eligible for the salary. Even if two years of experience was recognized, it was an extraordinary amount to receive from only one client. Alex tilts his head slightly at the look on his face.
"Is it too little? Then half a million?"
"What?"
At Lain's shout, Alex was confused. Edan's movie appearance fee started at $15 million, and the appearance fee per drama episode was $400,000, which made him dull in terms of money. Come to think of it, Luke’s annual salary was a million dollars a year.
Thinking that he was such a goddamn money-sucker, Alex gnashed his teeth.
He desperately thought that if he knew this would happen, he would have used lawyers who were younger and cheaper than worn-out old people. Information on Lain Jang had already been collected just before he came here. After connecting with Dustin & Crawford Law Firm and acquaintances to investigate his work attitudes and educational background, he thought he was a good lawyer. His co-workers’ evaluation was also good. There is no reason to worry at all about the fact that the reason for his dismissal was simply because of a scandal with a client - that is also a male- right.
Because Edan hates men. And most of all, not only Gale, Vince, and Kyle, but also Luke, the most important lawyer, had quit. And above all, he doesn't have time now. If he can do Taekwondo, is affable, good at work, and diligent, he can be paid a million dollars in annual salary.
He has to fly to Seattle by 11 o'clock tonight. It's over if he gets divorced for being loyal to Edan. Jane is a woman who does what she wants. There is no such thing as a clumsy threat.
"As you know, being one of the people around Edan, you have to be a reticent person. It's stated in the contract, but I have to make it clear, basically, you should never mention Edan's private life not only during the contract but also after the contract, and also that you shouldn't write about it in whatever autobiography."
It was a legitimate code of ethics for lawyers. It is important not to have a personal relationship with the client, but also not to talk about the client's privacy. In the worst-case scenario, you may be deprived of your lawyer's license. Lain ended up just getting fired from the law firm was because a co-worker knew that Lain hated Edward Clark.
So, to clarify the facts, Lain was fired because of Edward Clark's influence rather than because of violating the work ethic. Since he also offended the big client of Dustin & Crawford Law Firm, they also had no reason to keep a new lawyer like him at the law firm. So, Edward Clark must be killed first, Lain once again vowed. He'd like to sue Dustin & Crawford too but if he does, he wouldn't be able to get his foot at the door of any New York law firm until he dies. The possibility of winning a civil lawsuit against Sam Dustin and Justin Crawford is close to zero, and no law firm will hire him to fight against them.
This world is not on the side of justice, it is on the side of the rich.
"Can I know specifically what I have to do?"
"What you're going to do is simple. As you know, Edan has a very clean private life for a Hollywood actor. He's far from drugs and drunk driving. He’s never even been late for a meeting.”
Of course, he’s never been late. He just didn’t come at all. When he starts working, he was never late for filming but just before signing the contract, he was a bully in many ways. However, it was only unknown because everyone couldn't speak openly since that would be an unofficial public relations work, but it was Edan's very bad habit to disappear and fly away all the time.
"Yes, I know that. As soon as I came to The United States, the first thing I saw after leaving the airport was Edan Blake's jeans advertisement in the sky.”
You know, that Ed Balloon's thing, and when Lain kindly explains, Alex gave a small exclamation.
"I knew it! You had a destiny with Edan.”
For a moment, Lain thought that this man is really good at talking. He's skilful at giving flattery. So 13 years ago - as it is now - Edan Blake's popularity was sky-high. At that time, the ratings of the drama he starred in continued to soar and he was nominated for the Best Actor for Golden Globe Awards at a young age, beating out prominent competitors and winning the trophy.
Since then, he has not handed over the top spot for more than 15 years while not causing any violent incidents like drugs, sex scandals, or drunk driving like other teenage stars.
Lain, who recalled the jaw-dropping memory of hearing that his performance fee is $3,000 per movie – including running guarantee, it’s $7,000 - who had already been a producer since the age of 20, was gradually finding it hard to believe the situation.
Perhaps this is too far-fetched.
"Well, wait for a minute. I think this is too shocking. First of all, I can't believe you're the manager of Edan Blake.”
As if he expects it, the man takes out his cell phone and shows another picture.
Lain, who received the man's cell phone, opened his eyes wide at the two shots of the man and Edan Blake.
"We've been friends since high school. At that time, Edan was already a star and I lived next door. Since then, we have always been together all the time and after graduating from high school, I have been working as Edan's manager without going to college. We're really close friends."
"Well, by the way…… Edan Blake's lawyer is clearly known as Luke Feltin?”
Luke Feltin was a legendary figure in the law firm industry. Of course, in a bad way. Lain was well aware of how vicious and brilliant he was. If a minnow like him steals that man's client, his future is over.
"Oh, don't worry about that. He’s been deprived of his lawyer's license since today."
"Why? Oh, that case."
Since they were in the same line of jobs, news travels fast. As expected, his license was revoked, and Lain nodded and asked again while looking at him.
"……but why did you choose me?”
"That's an excellent question. First of all, Luke has quit his job as of today and I have to fly to Seattle within tonight. And if I go there, I won't be able to work for the next month. Otherwise, I'm going to get divorced."
"But since it’s Edan Blake, wouldn’t it be easy to get an appointment from another lawyer?"
Lain was doubtful as a lawyer. Alex thought he was easy because his first impression of him was gentle and clumsy, but he was quite persistent and sharp. This is why Alex thought he hated the race of lawyers.
"Destined to do this? Or you’re just meant to be. There are many reasons, but to put it simply, it’s because I already got information about you before I came here and the people around you gave you good evaluations. You’re sincere and trustworthy, and in particular, you’re tight-lipped. As you know, it's hard for people who easily run off at the mouth to work with celebrities even if they have skills. Especially when it comes to Edan...… you got it? We both really think of each other as family and always protect each other. In that respect, I like Asians. They're faithful."
All his life, the Asians he knew were only Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, but Alex was making up a lot of nonsense.
In fact, the most urgent reason was that since the lawyer lost his license plus the bodyguard and the manager had quit, he needs a tough worker who could work in all weather conditions, and Lain, who bumped into his car today, just happened to be a lawyer and it could be said that he’s thinking of finishing everything in one shot.
And most of all, Edan Blake, unlike what is known, is so nasty and capricious that those who know him are so loath to be with him even in his private orbit that finding a worker for him is like plucking a star from the sky, and if they’re blinded by money then it is difficult to make sure that those who run away to keep their mouth shut. The most troublesome people are those who have worked with celebrities once or twice, saying that they are acquaintances and friends with them and then start talking nonsense to reporters.
"Wait. Oh, but this doesn't make sense."
"What do you mean?”
"So, I won money from the horse race today. So since I won $50,000, it's normal to lose that much amount of money too. It's not a plus-minus situation to be offered such a shocking job when it’s just my iPod smashed, my phone screen has broken and the Jaguar dented, right?”
"……Yes?"
"So…...."
Alex frowned slightly at Lain's face, who keeps rambling about money, luck, horse racing, lottery, etc.
He had no idea what Lain was talking about.
"Do you, by any chance, not like the conditions?"
Is there something more that you want, and when was asked Alex, Lain instantly put on a straight face.
"The conditions are good."
"Then what's the problem?"
"So, my luck is...….”
Lain, who was going to complain to Alex, closed his mouth thinking about what he was saying in front of someone he met for the first time. It’s not like he had any choice now. He has to change his cell phone right away.
"I'll do it.”
Alex smiled brightly as he looked at Lain, who threw his life into the mire with great ease.
"Well, let me show you the house first."
"What?"
"I'll introduce you to the house you'll stay in and the car you'll use in the future. And I have to explain all sorts of devices. I have to catch the 11 o'clock flight in a little while. Otherwise, my wife is going to pull out all of my hair."
At such a rapid turn of events, Lain stood up from his seat following Alex, cluelessentially. It was a strange feeling. He felt like he was dreaming, so he had no sense of reality about this.
Lain followed Alex first, having no idea how much trouble the life of the human being he is stepping into now will bring him.
"This is the dining area, and there's a kitchen inside. The housekeeper stops by once between 9 am and 12 pm and between 3 pm and 5 pm. You can use the kitchen as much as you want, and Edan's bedroom is in there, and this is the key to the bedroom."
As soon as he finished talking, Alex, who dragged Lain around Edan's villa, was explaining the approximate structure of the villa with his packed luggage. While looking at the marble-covered kitchen in the high-end villa, Lain looked back at Alex's explanation as if wondering.
"Did he install a lock in his bedroom?”
"He doesn’t like anyone going in. Now, this is an office PDA. And this is the elevator's card key to the underground parking lot, and this is the car key. Use the Jaguar this afternoon. Edan bought it for me, but I can use my old car."
Lain's eyes opened wide at the words. Alex grinned at his face as if saying what a fortune this is. For poor lambs, he can throw the Jaguar as bait. Moreover, it is not good to see Edan Blake's spokesperson driving around in a car on the verge of being scrapped. He was going to provide all the support he could, for now.
"You can use the guest room over there. Well, then, I’ll leave this in your care."
Alex, who handed over the keys to Lain in a package, smiled after asking the favour as if he was about to go on a long trip.
"Yes, I hope your wife has a safe delivery.”
"Thank you. Then please take care of Edan for the next month."
"Yes, well...."
"There is no big schedule for the next month, so you don't have to worry. And there are bodyguards, other managers, and stylists~ so you don't have to worry at all. If there is another schedule in the middle, he will take care of it, so don't worry, and just tell Edan that I hired you. You've already signed the contract with me, so there's no legal problem at all."
Checking the time as he approached him after finishing what he had to say, Alex looked at Lain with a look as if he had something more to say. Still, when Alex secretly urged him to go out together, as if he could not leave Lain alone in the high-end villa where Edan Blake lives, Lain quickly decided to follow him.
Although being a lawyer is a decent job, it was his first time to see such a magnificent villa, as Lain's apartment is just a two-room apartment located in downtown New York.
The villa, which started underground with an indoor swimming pool up to the flower bed, made his jaw drop simply because of the materials and furniture used in the building rather than the size itself. Each frame and material used on the floor and walls were luxurious. It was a house that would have cost tens of thousands of dollars per room. It was literally a house plastered with money. He could feel it with his eyes.
"The house is very modest and elegant."
Lain sincerely expressed his pure admiration for the elegant and cool interior design, but Alex took the meaning as this was too simple for the house where Edan Blake lives.
"Well, this one in New York is a bit normal. If you look at it, it's the longest place he stayed for the year, so there are some cosy decorations. But the mansion in Florida and France are lavishly decorated like real castles and he only goes during vacation. It cost him $7 million to repair the interior of the French mansion alone. When the mansion was auctioned off at the auction, the price was $5 million, but the renovation actually cost $7 million, which means the navel is bigger than the stomach. I really don't know what he's thinking. But he doesn’t use that mansion very often and just lends it to his friends. Because most of the time he stays in New York."
"I knew it! You had a destiny with Edan.”
For a moment, Lain thought that this man is really good at talking. He's skilful at giving flattery. So 13 years ago - as it is now - Edan Blake's popularity was sky-high. At that time, the ratings of the drama he starred in continued to soar and he was nominated for the Best Actor for Golden Globe Awards at a young age, beating out prominent competitors and winning the trophy.
Since then, he has not handed over the top spot for more than 15 years while not causing any violent incidents like drugs, sex scandals, or drunk driving like other teenage stars.
Lain, who recalled the jaw-dropping memory of hearing that his performance fee is $3,000 per movie – including running guarantee, it’s $7,000 - who had already been a producer since the age of 20, was gradually finding it hard to believe the situation.
Perhaps this is too far-fetched.
"Well, wait for a minute. I think this is too shocking. First of all, I can't believe you're the manager of Edan Blake.”
As if he expects it, the man takes out his cell phone and shows another picture.
Lain, who received the man's cell phone, opened his eyes wide at the two shots of the man and Edan Blake.
"We've been friends since high school. At that time, Edan was already a star and I lived next door. Since then, we have always been together all the time and after graduating from high school, I have been working as Edan's manager without going to college. We're really close friends."
"Well, by the way…… Edan Blake's lawyer is clearly known as Luke Feltin?”
Luke Feltin was a legendary figure in the law firm industry. Of course, in a bad way. Lain was well aware of how vicious and brilliant he was. If a minnow like him steals that man's client, his future is over.
"Oh, don't worry about that. He’s been deprived of his lawyer's license since today."
"Why? Oh, that case."
Since they were in the same line of jobs, news travels fast. As expected, his license was revoked, and Lain nodded and asked again while looking at him.
"……but why did you choose me?”
"That's an excellent question. First of all, Luke has quit his job as of today and I have to fly to Seattle within tonight. And if I go there, I won't be able to work for the next month. Otherwise, I'm going to get divorced."
"But since it’s Edan Blake, wouldn’t it be easy to get an appointment from another lawyer?"
Lain was doubtful as a lawyer. Alex thought he was easy because his first impression of him was gentle and clumsy, but he was quite persistent and sharp. This is why Alex thought he hated the race of lawyers.
"Destined to do this? Or you’re just meant to be. There are many reasons, but to put it simply, it’s because I already got information about you before I came here and the people around you gave you good evaluations. You’re sincere and trustworthy, and in particular, you’re tight-lipped. As you know, it's hard for people who easily run off at the mouth to work with celebrities even if they have skills. Especially when it comes to Edan...… you got it? We both really think of each other as family and always protect each other. In that respect, I like Asians. They're faithful."
All his life, the Asians he knew were only Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, but Alex was making up a lot of nonsense.
In fact, the most urgent reason was that since the lawyer lost his license plus the bodyguard and the manager had quit, he needs a tough worker who could work in all weather conditions, and Lain, who bumped into his car today, just happened to be a lawyer and it could be said that he’s thinking of finishing everything in one shot.
And most of all, Edan Blake, unlike what is known, is so nasty and capricious that those who know him are so loath to be with him even in his private orbit that finding a worker for him is like plucking a star from the sky, and if they’re blinded by money then it is difficult to make sure that those who run away to keep their mouth shut. The most troublesome people are those who have worked with celebrities once or twice, saying that they are acquaintances and friends with them and then start talking nonsense to reporters.
From the information collected over a short period of time, Lain was the
perfect worker Alex wanted. Edan needs a lawyer, manager, and bodyguard for at
least a month from now on. Lain is an earnest lawyer, and above all, he also
does Taekwondo. In addition, his credit rating was good. And actually, it
doesn't matter how he does it. He had to go to Seattle tonight no matter what,
and there was no one to leave his work to right away.
To put it simply, the dam has a hole, but there are no bricks and cement to repair it right away, so he will try to block the dam with the stone that he can see. It doesn't matter if Lain quits and runs off a month later. But he has to work at least for the next month. Whatever he does after that, it's none of his business. Edan also needs to realize how precious he is, and he needs to be taught a lesson for once.
He has maintained his image well so far despite his nasty temper and strange streak simply because of his terribly good luck, but he should suffer at least once.
"I understand what you're saying, but it's too unconventional for me."
"That's why it's a 24-hour shift. Of course, all you have to do is deal with legal issues, but...… well, this is top secret, but I'll tell you because you’re going to be a family member."
Alex smiled cunningly, even using the word ‘family’ as if Lain had already signed the contract.
"In fact, there is a drama that CBN is ambitiously preparing for next year. At the end of this year, they will start shooting the premier, air it next summer, and start airing the first season immediately during the autumn/winter seasons, and the drama is about lawyers. ‘Attorney at Law’ is precisely the story about prosecutors and lawyers. If I have to pick a genre, it’s a comedy human drama. Edan's role in there is as the main character who slowly gains humane quality from the dispassionate lawyer he is. The title is like that, but the drama itself can be considered to highlight Edan's superiority compared to others. Edan will take on the title role, and I thought it would be better if a lawyer of his age group could help. I'm asking you to work 24 hours because I think it would be better to come and go to the drama set together. Oh, but I'm subtracting the time Edan works during that 24-hour shift. So you just have to take care of Edan while he's not working."
It's certainly a plausible explanation, Lain thought. Lain was well aware of Edan Blake.
When he was a teenager, he already established himself as a high teen star through a sitcom and at the age of 17, he won the Golden Globe Awards' Best Actor for the movie Another Heaven with his role as a mentally unstable teenager, and has since won three Golden Globe Awards nominations and one Academy Award, and earned the title of a genius actor by participating in movie production and scriptwriting. From novel and unique independent movies to esoteric art movies and blockbusters. He was a true superstar who was loved by critics and audiences, showing his ironclad rule that he would never play a role that he already played across all genres twice.
But this is so weird.
To put it simply, the dam has a hole, but there are no bricks and cement to repair it right away, so he will try to block the dam with the stone that he can see. It doesn't matter if Lain quits and runs off a month later. But he has to work at least for the next month. Whatever he does after that, it's none of his business. Edan also needs to realize how precious he is, and he needs to be taught a lesson for once.
He has maintained his image well so far despite his nasty temper and strange streak simply because of his terribly good luck, but he should suffer at least once.
"I understand what you're saying, but it's too unconventional for me."
"That's why it's a 24-hour shift. Of course, all you have to do is deal with legal issues, but...… well, this is top secret, but I'll tell you because you’re going to be a family member."
Alex smiled cunningly, even using the word ‘family’ as if Lain had already signed the contract.
"In fact, there is a drama that CBN is ambitiously preparing for next year. At the end of this year, they will start shooting the premier, air it next summer, and start airing the first season immediately during the autumn/winter seasons, and the drama is about lawyers. ‘Attorney at Law’ is precisely the story about prosecutors and lawyers. If I have to pick a genre, it’s a comedy human drama. Edan's role in there is as the main character who slowly gains humane quality from the dispassionate lawyer he is. The title is like that, but the drama itself can be considered to highlight Edan's superiority compared to others. Edan will take on the title role, and I thought it would be better if a lawyer of his age group could help. I'm asking you to work 24 hours because I think it would be better to come and go to the drama set together. Oh, but I'm subtracting the time Edan works during that 24-hour shift. So you just have to take care of Edan while he's not working."
It's certainly a plausible explanation, Lain thought. Lain was well aware of Edan Blake.
When he was a teenager, he already established himself as a high teen star through a sitcom and at the age of 17, he won the Golden Globe Awards' Best Actor for the movie Another Heaven with his role as a mentally unstable teenager, and has since won three Golden Globe Awards nominations and one Academy Award, and earned the title of a genius actor by participating in movie production and scriptwriting. From novel and unique independent movies to esoteric art movies and blockbusters. He was a true superstar who was loved by critics and audiences, showing his ironclad rule that he would never play a role that he already played across all genres twice.
But this is so weird.
"Wait. Oh, but this doesn't make sense."
"What do you mean?”
"So, I won money from the horse race today. So since I won $50,000, it's normal to lose that much amount of money too. It's not a plus-minus situation to be offered such a shocking job when it’s just my iPod smashed, my phone screen has broken and the Jaguar dented, right?”
"……Yes?"
"So…...."
Alex frowned slightly at Lain's face, who keeps rambling about money, luck, horse racing, lottery, etc.
He had no idea what Lain was talking about.
"Do you, by any chance, not like the conditions?"
Is there something more that you want, and when was asked Alex, Lain instantly put on a straight face.
"The conditions are good."
"Then what's the problem?"
"So, my luck is...….”
Lain, who was going to complain to Alex, closed his mouth thinking about what he was saying in front of someone he met for the first time. It’s not like he had any choice now. He has to change his cell phone right away.
"I'll do it.”
Alex smiled brightly as he looked at Lain, who threw his life into the mire with great ease.
"Well, let me show you the house first."
"What?"
"I'll introduce you to the house you'll stay in and the car you'll use in the future. And I have to explain all sorts of devices. I have to catch the 11 o'clock flight in a little while. Otherwise, my wife is going to pull out all of my hair."
At such a rapid turn of events, Lain stood up from his seat following Alex, cluelessentially. It was a strange feeling. He felt like he was dreaming, so he had no sense of reality about this.
Lain followed Alex first, having no idea how much trouble the life of the human being he is stepping into now will bring him.
"This is the dining area, and there's a kitchen inside. The housekeeper stops by once between 9 am and 12 pm and between 3 pm and 5 pm. You can use the kitchen as much as you want, and Edan's bedroom is in there, and this is the key to the bedroom."
As soon as he finished talking, Alex, who dragged Lain around Edan's villa, was explaining the approximate structure of the villa with his packed luggage. While looking at the marble-covered kitchen in the high-end villa, Lain looked back at Alex's explanation as if wondering.
"Did he install a lock in his bedroom?”
"He doesn’t like anyone going in. Now, this is an office PDA. And this is the elevator's card key to the underground parking lot, and this is the car key. Use the Jaguar this afternoon. Edan bought it for me, but I can use my old car."
Lain's eyes opened wide at the words. Alex grinned at his face as if saying what a fortune this is. For poor lambs, he can throw the Jaguar as bait. Moreover, it is not good to see Edan Blake's spokesperson driving around in a car on the verge of being scrapped. He was going to provide all the support he could, for now.
"You can use the guest room over there. Well, then, I’ll leave this in your care."
Alex, who handed over the keys to Lain in a package, smiled after asking the favour as if he was about to go on a long trip.
"Yes, I hope your wife has a safe delivery.”
"Thank you. Then please take care of Edan for the next month."
"Yes, well...."
"There is no big schedule for the next month, so you don't have to worry. And there are bodyguards, other managers, and stylists~ so you don't have to worry at all. If there is another schedule in the middle, he will take care of it, so don't worry, and just tell Edan that I hired you. You've already signed the contract with me, so there's no legal problem at all."
Checking the time as he approached him after finishing what he had to say, Alex looked at Lain with a look as if he had something more to say. Still, when Alex secretly urged him to go out together, as if he could not leave Lain alone in the high-end villa where Edan Blake lives, Lain quickly decided to follow him.
Although being a lawyer is a decent job, it was his first time to see such a magnificent villa, as Lain's apartment is just a two-room apartment located in downtown New York.
The villa, which started underground with an indoor swimming pool up to the flower bed, made his jaw drop simply because of the materials and furniture used in the building rather than the size itself. Each frame and material used on the floor and walls were luxurious. It was a house that would have cost tens of thousands of dollars per room. It was literally a house plastered with money. He could feel it with his eyes.
"The house is very modest and elegant."
Lain sincerely expressed his pure admiration for the elegant and cool interior design, but Alex took the meaning as this was too simple for the house where Edan Blake lives.
"Well, this one in New York is a bit normal. If you look at it, it's the longest place he stayed for the year, so there are some cosy decorations. But the mansion in Florida and France are lavishly decorated like real castles and he only goes during vacation. It cost him $7 million to repair the interior of the French mansion alone. When the mansion was auctioned off at the auction, the price was $5 million, but the renovation actually cost $7 million, which means the navel is bigger than the stomach. I really don't know what he's thinking. But he doesn’t use that mansion very often and just lends it to his friends. Because most of the time he stays in New York."
"Did he go abroad often?"
"Except for working hours, most of the time he’s in the villa. But he only films one movie a year. Sometimes it's only once in two years. So people who work with him live upstairs and downstairs. Bodyguards, their families, housekeepers, managers and stylists. This whole villa is where people working for Edan live. And he's the owner of the villa.”
Alex, who left the entrance of the villa and got on the elevator, briefly explained and pressed the button to the second-floor basement.
"Oh, and one more thing. Any call will come to me, but the PDA I gave you earlier is kind of like Edan's official contact information. So the agency will contact you from time to time. Like if there’s a new movie scene or drama screenplay. That and the schedule for the film festival. I think that's all that you need to pay attention to. Of course, the primary contact will come to me, but as you know, I have to attend my wife's childbirth soon. I might turn off my cell phone since I don't know how long it will take because it's the first time. Then you'll probably get a call through the PDA. In that case, just say yes and tell them to send the screenplay later.”
He doesn’t know why a spokesperson should do such a thing, but Lain convinced himself that this is the way it is.
Lain still didn't realize that this was quite strange.
"Yes, I will."
"Well, I’m counting on you. Oh, you can use the car from now on. There's no time for me to give you a ride, so just drop me off anywhere in the middle and you can drive home. And you can come back to work starting tomorrow. If Edan is there when you go to work, don't be surprised and tell him to contact me. And if I don't answer the phone, please show him the contract you signed today."
Before he knew it, the elevator door that arrived underground opened.
As soon as he went out to the parking lot and saw the shiny Jaguar parked right in front of him, Lain's eyes began to glow. He started to think that this is really a dream.
"Wow."
Looking at it up close, it's even more powerful, and while Lain was looking at the Jaguar with a face that seemed to drool, Alex took a quick step toward the car as if it was no big deal. Seeing him waiting at the passenger's door, Lain hurried to unlock the car and get into the driver's seat.
His first time sitting on a Jaguar seat was so comfortable that it was beyond words. Rarely among the latest models, the car was started with a car key plugged in, so Lain, who started the car without much difficulty, slowly turned the steering wheel and left the underground parking lot.
He didn't know at that time.
It was unknown to Lain at that time that what he would repeat even in his dreams exactly one day later is not "Oh, it's Edan Blake!" but "F*cking Edan bastard."
"Except for working hours, most of the time he’s in the villa. But he only films one movie a year. Sometimes it's only once in two years. So people who work with him live upstairs and downstairs. Bodyguards, their families, housekeepers, managers and stylists. This whole villa is where people working for Edan live. And he's the owner of the villa.”
Alex, who left the entrance of the villa and got on the elevator, briefly explained and pressed the button to the second-floor basement.
"Oh, and one more thing. Any call will come to me, but the PDA I gave you earlier is kind of like Edan's official contact information. So the agency will contact you from time to time. Like if there’s a new movie scene or drama screenplay. That and the schedule for the film festival. I think that's all that you need to pay attention to. Of course, the primary contact will come to me, but as you know, I have to attend my wife's childbirth soon. I might turn off my cell phone since I don't know how long it will take because it's the first time. Then you'll probably get a call through the PDA. In that case, just say yes and tell them to send the screenplay later.”
He doesn’t know why a spokesperson should do such a thing, but Lain convinced himself that this is the way it is.
Lain still didn't realize that this was quite strange.
"Yes, I will."
"Well, I’m counting on you. Oh, you can use the car from now on. There's no time for me to give you a ride, so just drop me off anywhere in the middle and you can drive home. And you can come back to work starting tomorrow. If Edan is there when you go to work, don't be surprised and tell him to contact me. And if I don't answer the phone, please show him the contract you signed today."
Before he knew it, the elevator door that arrived underground opened.
As soon as he went out to the parking lot and saw the shiny Jaguar parked right in front of him, Lain's eyes began to glow. He started to think that this is really a dream.
"Wow."
Looking at it up close, it's even more powerful, and while Lain was looking at the Jaguar with a face that seemed to drool, Alex took a quick step toward the car as if it was no big deal. Seeing him waiting at the passenger's door, Lain hurried to unlock the car and get into the driver's seat.
His first time sitting on a Jaguar seat was so comfortable that it was beyond words. Rarely among the latest models, the car was started with a car key plugged in, so Lain, who started the car without much difficulty, slowly turned the steering wheel and left the underground parking lot.
He didn't know at that time.
It was unknown to Lain at that time that what he would repeat even in his dreams exactly one day later is not "Oh, it's Edan Blake!" but "F*cking Edan bastard."
I was a bit hesitant to read this at first, but it seems interesting. Since its showbiz related, it makes me remember about Kill the Lights. Looking forward to reading the future chapters. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading 🤗 and you're welcome 😎
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