Chapter 10: Business Deal

"What kind of absurd nonsense is this? He wants me to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his father, or whenever needed? Is he kidding me?" Lana growled with flaring nostrils. Her eyes were flaring while she continued to read what was written next in the paper. [If you do not wish to agree with the said condition, then you are free to quit the Sy Law firm and find another law firm for your internship, IP, and also expect the notice of harassment on your doorstep soon.] "This is blackmail!" She was fueling. 'What a calculative sniffer!' she mused as she continued reading. Her crumpled face started to relax as she read the last sentence. The sniffer's last words for her. You started this and put me in a tight position with my father. Don't flatter yourself with any other kind of abstract thoughts because this is purely a business deal. No strings attached. You get what you came to the Law Firm for, and I get compensated for the damage you caused.] "Only these last lines in the papers are convincing enough to make me give a thought," Lana's lips pressed together as she analyzed the situation. She was confident about herself for taking it purely as a business deal, with no strings attached, but when she recalled how Liam behaved weirdly, sniffing her like a dog, hesitation started to build up in her mind… Then she gave a thought on Liam's reputation and realised he had no scandals till now. He was the only lawyer who was looked upon by even his seniors for his ethics and values. She suddenly recalled that the only scandal this famous lawyer had ever named was about him taking an interest in the same sex, the reason why he was unmarried until now. "Oh…yes!! Maybe I'm rather safe with him than…" Lana whispered as she tried to link the sniffing incident. "Maybe he wanted to identify the perfume and buy the same for his partner! But mine is a natural scent, and I don't use any perfume. Poor him, how disappointed he would be when he would realise that he won't be able to have it…" she sarcastically mumbled. "Is he homo? Hmm, probably that's the reason why he needs a fake girlfriend to show off to his family?" Lana murmured on her own. She started checking the profiles of the Sy Family on social media. Liam's father was said to be a strict man. Lana stared at Liam's photo and unconsciously commented, "He's a good-looking man, though I must say…" Her eyes rounded as she hit her mouth and shook her head for having such unnecessary, disturbing thoughts. "No, in fact, he is a very manipulative and scheming sniffing dog," she even added special adjectives to delete any single hint of appreciation for this male's beauty, because males... they were all wicked! That night, Lana was still undecided whether to start reporting at Liam's firm or try to contact a few of the other firms that could still accept her. Her thoughts were interrupted by a group call. She immediately answered the call, seeing it was Keira, Ma, and Drey. "Congratulations!" The three yelled together in the video. "We should celebrate!!! Celebrate!!! Celebrate!!!" Shouted Keira and the rest. Lana's face scrunched up as she murmured, "You all have complicated lives! How can we celebrate together, huh?!" She was too sulky because she wanted to add, "How dare you all leave me alone..." Well, she was just being melodramatic because they still got in touch as often as they could through video calls and chat. Everyone had their own families, and they were all too busy to hang out with her these days, so more often thannott she was the one visiting them at their homes. "I know that grumpy look!" May mumbled. Keira laughed and said, "How about you walk a little and open your door right now and let us in and get your new house dirty!!!" That instant, Lana grabbed the papers and hid them inside her closet. She ran out of her room and opened the main door. "Surprise!!!" shouted her crazy group of friends. Lana was teary-eyed seeing her friends with gifts, food, and drinks in their hands. "So, how does it feel? You've been dreaming of that ever since you started studying law. Sy Law Firm was like your main goal all those years, and now you are going to start with them!" Keira excitedly burst out. If Sereewasas was not pregnant, she would have jumped Lana and poked her a hundred times. Lana gave them reassuring and satisfying smiles. She couldn't let her friends find out what happened, no matter what. "So, when are you going to start?" May asked as she arranged the food on the table. "Tomorrow," Lana simply answered. "We are so proud of you, Lana… And because of that, there…" Drey said and handed her a box. "What's this?" Lana muttered as she opened the box. "Well, Sy Law Firm is one of the best worldwide, so you must wear more things like this…" Drey teased, and everyone laughed, seeing sharp, pointed stilettos inside. "Did you get a license for this, General Drey? Lana can use this for an instant blow to kill you, know!" Keira jested. "Do you now pity Lana's future workmates? I bet they will be the ones having a hard time with her and not the other way round," May commented because Lana was always a fighter, physically, mentally, a nd emotionally. No one could easily bully Lana Huang; that was why all of them believed that Lana's chosen profession matched her personality well. Lana laughed with her friend, and at the back of her head, she had already considered accepting Liam Sy's offer. She had goals to fulfil, and land it would be such a waste to let the opportunity slide by that easily. Her stomach was rumbling listening to the bantering of her friends. How she wished they could stay like this forever. She felt her mobile phone vibrate. She checked it and saw her mother's text message congratulating her for acceptance into the Sy Law Firm, though she still had attached that angry emoticon with it. Lana chuckled and looked back at her friends... Her friends were the best thing her life granted her, and her mother, of course. She was more than content with them being in her life…