Chapter 8: Decision of a Lifetime

Soft bells rang from the wind chime on Café Loctart's front door.

A garden mural painted the walls. Small black and white tiles glazed the floor, creating a checkered pattern. Mahogany round tables littered the place in various heights. The sofa chairs livened the place with their colorful coatings.

At the back, the long white counter featured pastries in their food display. Their best seller occupied three rows. Tarts of different flavors filled them—mainly: fruits, chocolates and custards. Servers walked around to take orders and deliver them.

Eve halted in her steps. Her oversized white shirt and jeans seemed out of place. She swept her gaze around the place. Customers crowded the tables. Among them, she searched for a familiar black hair with blue undertones.

Avery spotted her first.

She waved her hand, helping the secretary locate her.

No words could describe her joy. Energy surged in her veins. They flowed into her nerves. Her face could split apart from how wide her smile was. The situation didn't seem as helpless anymore.

The dating site could actually succeed.

Weaving her way between tables, Eve reached her destination.

She bowed her head. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Hathaway."

Avery stood up to greet her. She took a step forward and embraced the young woman. Her arms squeezed tight. Tears pooled behind her closed violet eyes. Oh, how much this moment mattered to her. She hoped her gratefulness came through.

Eve froze in place. She hadn't expected this kind of welcome. Her hands hovered in the air, unsure of what to do. A flashback of Avery's pleading face flashed in her head. She cleared her throat and patted the older woman's back gently. Sympathy swelled in her chest.

An ominous feeling pricked her spine.

After a while, she broke the silence, "Um, Mrs. Hathaway. I haven't quite accepted the offer yet. I'm here to know more about its details. I'll make my decision after."

Avery released Eve from her hold. She gestured to an empty seat. "Oh, dear. I'm sorry, Eve. We're outside of your workplace. Please call me, Avery."

"I'm afraid not, Mrs. Hathaway." Eve smiled to soften the rejection. She sat down and folded her hands over the table.

"What would you like to drink?" Avery asked, sitting back on her chair. "It's my treat."

"That's not—"

She pushed the buzzer button before Eve could say more. A waiter walked up to their table. He smiled down gently. "What can I help you with, mademoiselles?"

"We'd like to order the assorted tart platter. I'd also like another cup of ginger tea. Have you decided yet, Eve?"

When the waiter turned to her, Eve hesitated. A lump formed in her throat. Both pairs of eyes on her waited with pleasant anticipation. If she refused, they'd either insist or become disappointed. She recalled the list of cafe drinks behind the counter.

Then, she returned the waiter's smile and said, "I'll have an… iced caramel macchiato."

"Coming right away." He nodded in reply, leaving the scene.

Another cloud of silence encircled the table. Faint conversations from nearby tables floated in their direction. They consisted of casual topics and small talks. None of them held the same seriousness as their upcoming business transaction.

Eve fixed her posture, exhaling sharply. She came here for a purpose. She should proceed with it. Her brown eyes focused on the woman across from her. "Mrs. Hathaway, I'd like to inquire about the details of this plan."

"I understand." Avery pulled out a long folder from her side. She handed it to Eve. "Have a look. I had a contract prepared for this meeting. Read through it and if you have any questions, I will address them to the best of my ability."

At the sight of the folder, Eve raised her eyebrows. She opened it and saw the legal documents. She began to read it through before she even realized. The waiter came back with their table's order as she flipped to the second page. The scowl on her forehead deepened.

It was just as she feared.

Mrs. Hathaway wanted her to undergo a new identity.

"I don't think I can do this," Eve breathed out.

Avery choked on her ginger tea. She set the cup back on its saucer. Then, she wiped the corners of her lips with a paper napkin. A frown appeared on her face.

"Is something wrong with the terms? If you have another financial problem, I am more than willing to offer further assistance."

Eve shook her head, closing the folder. "That's not my concern, Mrs. Hathaway. You're asking me to lie to your son."

The gears clicked in Avery's head. She immediately understood what Eve meant. She took a deep breath and prepared a suitable answer. "It's not an entire lie, Eve. It's actually quite common for people to use pseudonyms on the internet."

"But you listed out the things that would appear in my profile," Eve countered. Her finger trailed the paragraph's lines, reading them aloud. "The career, the address, the history… none of these are mine."

It was like a role for a movie. She had the basic information of the character's background. It left her speechless. Although, she commended Mrs. Hathaway for the thorough layout of the plan. The documents covered a wide range, including things she hadn't thought about.

The madam would even step in if she ever faced conflicts between her two identities.

"Those can be compromised," Avery explained, "I hadn't pried into your private life. I wanted your consent before I did that. I could also not do it if you'd be willing to share. If you happen to be chosen by my son, I don't want to stray the fabricated documents too much from the truth. I only require two things to be completely changed."

She held up two fingers.

Her other hand pointed on each fingertip as she enumerated them.

"Your appearance and your career," she continued to elaborate on the reasons, "These two are the ones my son knows most about you. They are your most distinct attributes. Also, Yan demanded that the photos to be used were real pictures of the women."

"Pictures?" Eve blinked.

"You won't need to worry about that." Avery waved her hand, brushing off Eve's worry. She backed up her claim with a list of notable features. "You have slender legs. You have a small waist. You have fair skin. You have a heart-shaped face. You have round eyes. I see this quite a lot in the industry. That is why I know you'd do well as a model for your career."

Eve frowned. "You mean I could look like a model?"

"I mean, you CAN be a model." Avery leaned above the table. She stared directly in Eve's eyes. Her head shook lightly, admiring the woman's beauty. "I am not just about to fake your documents, Eve. I will make them a reality. You think I'd just write that you're a model at the website without you becoming one? That's not how I work."

Surprise after surprise tumbled over Eve. From what she understood, Mrs. Hathaway's solution for the lies was to not make them untruthful. She admitted that cushioned the idea a bit.

Upon second thought, a million questions raced in her mind. Appearance? And a model? That meant she'd have to actually attend photoshoots or runaways. How much would be demanded of her?

"What about work then?"

"I have two close friends that could help us. They'll enroll you as a rookie model. Since you're new, your number of projects are low. You won't need to worry about juggling between two jobs," Avery answered.

She sipped a bit of her tea. "The future is uncertain. If my son picks a different woman, you're free. Neither of us would worry about progressing your modelling career for this plan. If he chooses you, we'll arrange more small projects whenever you're free."

Eve stayed quiet. If she did a calculation, the amount of money offered now made sense. She was asked to do a lot more than dating her boss. Entering show business shouldn't be taken mildly. It wouldn't take long before others noticed her—for better or for worse.

Once that possibility sank in, Eve underwent more realizations.

The contract also summarized her boss' end of the bargain. It listed out conditions such as publicly dating. If she became part of it, she wouldn't be in the shadows anymore. She'd have to face everything she avoided up to now. More criticisms would pave their way towards her.

Panic thundered in her chest. Her breathing hyperventilated.

"Eve?"

…

…

…

…

…

Yet, those were only possibilities.

Realistically, she wouldn't even pass the first stage.

Rationally, she didn't need to worry about it now.

Her main priority consisted of the high school education fund.

That offer relied on her decision…

… right now...

… at this moment...

... in this café.

Snapping out of her daze, Eve gave her answer.

"I'll do it."

Determination flared in her brown eyes. She already made a commitment even before she wrote her on the contract. There were no take backs now. She had established her choice.

She would see it through until the end.

"You're not worried?" Avery questioned. The silence had her wonder if the terms were too much. She cleared out the clog in her throat. "I mean, modelling is not as simple as it sounds."

Eve tapped the end of the folder on the table. Her expression hardened as she spoke. "I promise I'd give you my 110%, Mrs. Hathaway. I don't have the experience to be a model but I am willing to mold myself into one. As long as I have guidance, I don't see how that should be worrisome."

Avery sat astonished.

Confidence and conviction radiated off Eve's aura. She marvelled at the sight of it. She thought if anyone could survive the modelling industry, it would be this young woman before her. She truly chose the right person.

That left only one thing to address.

Avery picked up a tart. She prayed that the next part of the discussion wouldn't scare the young woman away. "There is just one important condition for you to receive the money."

"What is that, Mrs. Hathaway?"

"You can't back out." She declared. "There are only two ways that you can get out of it. One, if Yan himself breaks it off and, two, if the 9 months are up. Whichever comes first."