Chapter 87. Familiar To You

Chapter 87: Chapter 87. Familiar To You

Chapter 87. Familiar To You

"Shall we?" Mrs. Lee said, gesturing toward the office door.

Mrs. Lee didn’t hesitate. She didn’t wait for Rosa to even begin to move. Turning on her heel, she walked through the open space at the far end of the expansive living room, vanishing into a broad, marble-tiled, empty corridor.

Rosa stood a few paces back, staring at the entryway as if it were the end of her world—her death sentence. She glanced behind her to find Mia watching with a raised eyebrow. Mia offered an encouraging smile, giving her a reassuring nod. Rosa exhaled slowly before turning back around.

Her eyes accidentally caught Mac sitting at the large dining table. He pretended to be absorbed in his phone, but his gaze was planted squarely on her. Their eyes met for a split second before he quickly blinked and looked away, burying his face back in his screen. Rosa watched him for a moment, skeptical and baffled. I really don’t understand this guy, she thought, before turning and following Mrs. Lee down the hall.

She walked down the long corridor, flanked by several closed doors on either side, moving deeper into what felt like a hidden wing of the residence. At the far end, Mrs. Lee stopped in front of a heavy door. She tapped a passcode into an electronic keypad, and with a soft click, the lock disengaged. She turned the knob, pushed the door open, and stepped inside, leaving it swinging open behind her.

Rosa breathed in and out, her jaw tight. Relax, girl, she told herself. You can do this.

She stepped closer, pushed the door wider, and slipped inside. Once she had quietly shut the door behind her, she looked up. Mrs. Lee was standing beside her desk with her arms folded and her eyes narrowed, watching her every move.

It felt like stepping straight into a tiger’s den.

Mrs. Lee chuckled softly, gesturing toward the visitor chair across from her desk. "Take a seat," she said quietly.

Her tone was calm, but the smile on her face was anything but natural. It possessed an eerie aura that made the anxious ticking in Rosa’s chest tighten even more, like a countdown to her doom. Jaw set, Rosa took a tentative step forward, her hands tightly balled together.

She took a quick glance around the office. The space was immaculate and imposing, exuding every bit of the power and prestige associated with the Lee family name. While designed with warm elements to give it a relaxed, residential feel, its grand scale made it feel like an executive boardroom.

Rosa exhaled and stepped up to the visitor chair, but remained standing.

Mrs. Lee raised an eyebrow.

Is this woman trying to play mind games with me? Rosa wondered, watching her closely.

"I’m sorry, ma’am," Rosa said, keeping her voice as steady as she could, "but I can’t sit down until you do."

Mrs. Lee scrutinized Rosa for a long moment, then chuckled—not with anger, but with cool amusement. She slowly moved around her desk and took her seat, leaning forward against the polished wood with her palms clasped. She cataloged every detail of Rosa’s movements as Rosa finally sat down.

Rosa let out a quiet breath, fighting to maintain her composure. She tightly clasped her hands beneath the desk, keeping her face neutral as she forced herself to maintain direct eye contact.

Mrs. Lee stared at her intensely, her eyes squinted in deep scrutiny. It was exactly as Mia had warned: she was dissecting her every breath, hunting for any flicker of weakness or nervousness—a crack in her armor she could exploit as leverage to overpower whatever Rosa said next.

Good Lord, why doesn’t she just talk and get this over with already? Rosa thought, her internal frustration rising.

She closed her eyes briefly and exhaled. "Is this seriously what you plan to do all day, Mrs. Lee?" she blurted out, her voice fueled by the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Mrs. Lee raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You said you wanted to talk to me, but you’ve sat there for almost a minute just staring. Is that what you want to do?" Rosa asked.

Mrs. Lee chuckled and tilted her head to the side in slight surprise. She shook her head, leaning back against her high-backed chair and folding her arms.

"Okay, Rosa," she said smoothly. "Since you are so impatient, let’s get straight to the point. We are definitely going to get straight to the point."

She rested her arms against the desk, her sharp gaze fixed on Rosa. "So what’s the plan? What do you want to hear?"

Rosa blinked, genuine confusion replacing her irritation. "I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean," she replied.

Mrs. Lee chuckled, brushing past Rosa’s response. "Have you made a decision?"

Rosa bit her bottom lip, remembering Mia’s advice. "Well, I would like to know what you want me to do for you before I make my decision," she stated.

Mrs. Lee raised an eyebrow. "Getting bold, aren’t we?"

Rosa offered a thin, sarcastic smile. "It’s only fair for me to know what I’m getting into before making a decision, right? At the end of the day, it’s still my choice to make."

Mrs. Lee smirked coldly. "And at the end of the day, it is still your school fees on the line."

The room fell dead silent. Rosa’s mouth clamped shut.

Mrs. Lee’s smirk widened, her eyes narrowing further. "I suggest you think very wisely," she added softly. "Sometimes the decisions that seem like the best and the wisest are the exact ones that lead good people to their doom."

Rosa clenched her teeth, glaring at her. Mrs. Lee settled back into her seat, keeping her arms folded.

"I’m waiting," she murmured. "We don’t need to drag this out. No matter the outcome, even if I tell you what I want from you, the result will be the same. All the power rests in my hands."

Rosa looked away, biting her lip. Good Lord, she thought bitterly. Do I really have no choice in this?

She turned back to Mrs. Lee, opening her mouth to speak, but Mrs. Lee held up a hand and chuckled dismissively.

"You know what? I don’t even think we should be arguing about this. By now, you ought to realize your hands are tied. You can’t seriously be considering refusing my offer when I hold all the cards." She smiled wickedly. "Let me get straight to the point. I will let you know what my offer is, and then we finalize everything. Before tomorrow’s deadline, I will send off your school fees, and everyone can go on with their happy lives. Sounds like a wise plan, doesn’t it?"

Rosa saw the triumphant gleam in her eyes. Beneath the desk, she squeezed her hands tight, fighting with everything in her not to react.

How on earth did I end up tangled up with such a devious woman? How were these people ever my parents’ friends? None of it made sense. Nothing added up. Had her parents done something to offend them so deeply that Mrs. Lee was taking out her full aggression on her now?

Mr. Lee isn’t like this, Rosa thought, exhaling slowly. But Mrs. Lee has been cold from the very moment I set foot in this house.

Mrs. Lee slid a folder across the polished desk toward her.

Rosa blinked, looking down at the paper before glancing back up. "What’s this?"

"It’s a contract," Mrs. Lee said with a light chuckle. "I want you to look through the details carefully and get back to me as soon as possible."

"How soon?" Rosa asked.

"Oh, by soon, I mean right now," Mrs. Lee stated flatly.

Rosa’s expression faltered. A contract? For what possible reason? Taking a deep, grounding breath to calm her racing pulse, she raised a trembling hand from her lap and took the document. She squinted as her eyes scanned down to the bold header at the top:

CONTRACT OF A BINDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LIN FAMILY AND THE LEE FAMILY

Rosa’s breath caught in her throat. Her lips parted in utter disbelief, her eyes glued to the words on the page. Her throat felt as though it had suddenly constricted shut.

She let out a nervous, breathless laugh. "I’m sorry... um, what is this?"

Mrs. Lee smirked wickedly. "Oh, you don’t know? I thought it would be familiar to you."