Free Web NovelChapter 32: The Investment
Nothing changes a person faster than having someone who depends on them.
~ Rebel Beast
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It was nearly midnight by the time the girls finally went to bed.
At least they had come up with a plan. Since there was only one kitchen in the house, they would wake up by five and prepare breakfast before everyone else. The others could fight over space and ingredients afterwards.
Except while Brittney, Alek, and Trisha slept, Aria remained awake. Not because the new bed was uncomfortable, but because she still needed to go through the contract Eniola had sent her.
The glow from her device illuminated her face as she sat cross-legged on her bed, carefully reading through every clause. She wasn’t about to let some billionaire scientist outsmart her with legal nonsense.
Although Davina still hadn’t responded to any of her messages, which worried her more than she cared to admit, it didn’t mean she had given up on moving her sister out of Westmoor Province.
Eniola was right, after what happened during their arrival, life was not guaranteed here. While she would do everything in her power to survive, it still wasn’t enough anymore. She needed insurance.
Insurance that if something happened to her, Davina would still have a real future. Not the kind where their mother kept setting them back every few years with another terrible choice of man, nor the kind people in Westmoor spent their entire lives dreaming about and never reached.
Aria could not afford a lawyer, so she had to go through the contract painstakingly, one clause at a time. Good thing her new phone came with all sorts of fancy upgrades and didn’t lag. At least it saved her time switching between the contract, the internet, and the dictionary.
The first few pages were exactly what she expected. Legal jargon. Corporate jargon. And more legal jargon. Aria was convinced lawyers deliberately made contracts difficult to read so ordinary people would give up halfway through.
Then she reached the section that mattered.
ARTICLE 2: PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1 The Participant agrees to provide periodic observations regarding social, political, cultural, and academic developments occurring within Bestiaris Academy.
2.2 Such observations may include, but are not limited to, student interactions, institutional practices, inter-species relations, cultural customs, and unusual incidents.
2.3 The Participant shall make reasonable efforts to ensure information provided is accurate to the best of their knowledge.
"Information gathering my ass," Aria scoffed.
This was spying. But leave it to Eniola to turn spying into a respectable profession.
Aria continued reading. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
ARTICLE 3: CONFIDENTIALITY
3.1 The existence of this agreement shall remain confidential.
3.2 The Participant shall not disclose the existence of this agreement to academy officials, beast citizens, government representatives, or other candidates.
The next section finally caught her attention.
ARTICLE 4: EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS
4.1 Upon successful completion of the program, the Sponsor agrees to provide educational assistance to Davina Aspen.
4.2 Said assistance may include full academic tuition, housing, healthcare coverage, professional mentorship, and career placement opportunities.
4.3 Educational tuition and housing assistance shall become permanent upon execution of this agreement and shall not be revoked except in cases of fraud or deliberate misrepresentation by the Participant. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Aria slowed down and reread the section a second time. Good thing tuition and housing were permanent. She had worried that if she somehow quit, then the new life her sister and mother would enjoy could suddenly be taken away from them.
Just like that, some of the tension Aria had been carrying all day eased from her shoulders. If Davina could get an education and a roof over her head in Nova City, then she should be able to figure out the rest herself.
At least that was what Aria hoped.
4.4 PERFORMANCE CONTINGENCY
Should the Participant voluntarily terminate this agreement before completion of seventy percent (70%) of assigned objectives, the Sponsor reserves the right to suspend professional mentorship, internship placements, career sponsorships, and other supplementary advancement opportunities.
And there it was.
Aria knew Eniola Moore had not built an empire by handing out free favors. Still, she couldn’t exactly call the clause unfair. The essentials remained protected while the extras had to be earned.That was business.
The next section made her sit up straighter.
ARTICLE 6: TASK ASSIGNMENTS
6.1 The Participant shall periodically receive assignments relevant to the objectives of this agreement.
6.2 Assignments may include observational reports, information gathering, cultural documentation, social assessments, and other tasks deemed appropriate by the Sponsor.
6.3 Certain assignments may contain completion deadlines.
6.4 Failure to complete assignments shall not affect educational assistance guaranteed under Article 4.3 but may impact performance evaluations and supplemental benefits.
Aria frowned. Assignments?
That sounded like a very corporate way of saying Eniola would be giving her potentially dangerous homework. The woman had conveniently forgotten to mention that part during their meeting.
But it wasn’t like Aria hadn’t seen it coming.
Her eyes continued moving down the page.
ARTICLE 7: PERFORMANCE TRACKING
7.1 Progress under this agreement shall be measured through objective completion and contribution assessments.
7.2 The Participant shall be informed periodically of their current completion percentage.
7.3 The Participant reserves the right to terminate this agreement at any time and for any reason without penalty to benefits guaranteed under Article 4.3.
A small smile tugged at Aria’s lips. On the bright side, she wasn’t signing away her life completely.
But on the other hand, Aria could see how tempting this arrangement was. While she technically had the freedom to leave, she could easily become consumed by the desire to give Davina everything and never walk away.
That was probably the entire point. Eniola Moore wasn’t forcing her to stay, she was making her want to.
Aria took a deep breath. She just had to not get carried away.
If Eniola Moore wanted a spy, very well, she’d be that well-paid spy. After all, if the beasts were keeping secrets, she wanted to know them too.
So, Aria put down her signature in the signing section.
It was done.
