Chapter 5

“Cassie” Alex and Aaron say in unison, before a smirk forms on Aarons lips and the usual cold stern look takes over Alex’s face concealing his initial look of excitement. Both men run their eyes over her body.

“What are you two doing here?” Cassie asks them, totally forgetting the reason she was here, for a moment

“Work Cassie, work” Alex declares, stating the obvious.

“Hello” Mr. Park says, bringing the three out of the awkward silence that was lingering. Cassie had to deal with the reason she came here first and then ask all the questions she needed to ask later, right now, she had to hand over these papers to Mr. Park. She had to bring back her A game

“Hi Mr. Park, my name is Cassie Adams, I’m so sorry for the invasion” Cassie spills, making him nod with a smile as he walks out of the elevator, helping Cassie take her attention off the men and focusing it on him

“Nice to meet you Cassie, to what do I owe this pleasurable visit?” he asks

Mr. Park was a short, robust pot-bellied man and half his hair had vanished thanks to age and time. He smelt like newly bought books and wore a smile on his face all the time. He had opened his publishing firm well over ten years ago and it had published more than half a million great novels since then. Getting to publish with his firm was borderline difficult especially without extra connections, and meeting him was a near impossible task. He was never in town, so getting appointments were hellish and exhausting.

Cassie’s dad had offered a few times to help with hunting him down and booking an appointment with him, but she wanted to handle this particular task herself, which he had immediately respected

“I’m a writer and I’ve spent months trying to get to you, Cassie remarks. Your office said you hardly have time to check your mail and advised I see you in person, which has been mostly complicated, until now. She smiles softly. My friend spotted you earlier and told me, so I dashed here as fast as I could. I was really hoping you could take a look at my work”

She had to show him that she was confident about her work and make him take her serious. From interacting with a few people around her who had met him in person, Mr. Park was quite friendly especially when it concerned things that weren’t work related, but he had this nasty and bumptious side when work came into the picture. So, Cassie knew she had to match his energy if she was going to stand a chance and utilize the opportunity.

“Well, I’m sorry about that Cassie, work never really lets me stay in one place. Now, about your wok, is it edited? I’ve had people giving in an unedited work and to be honest, I throw it straight into the bin”

“It is sir, thoroughly, you would not have a problem” Cassie assures him confidently, feeling proud of herself for being a step ahead of him with that one

“Good. What the genre?” he asks, extending his hand to receive the papers she is holding. He skims through the pages and she takes a quick glance at the two men behind Mr. Park, who have their eyes fixed on her all through the conversation like they were watching some sort of movie and they couldn’t just look away. She wondered how long they had been staring and if they didn’t have any other thing to do. They did say they were working here; didn’t their boss need them or something, or didn’t they have something to work on? She gets lost in her thoughts for a brief moment.

“Miss Cassie?” Mr. Parks voice calls, bringing her out of the nasty thoughts that circled around her step brothers and the elevator behind them

“Yes, I’m here, sorry, it’s basically a romance, thriller and erotica” she replies, taking a quick peak at the boys as she mentions erotica. Aaron smirks at the remark and Alex gives a nod of approval

“I see, I will take a look at it and let you know what I think, but I can’t promise you anything Miss Cassie. I’m telling you this because you seem like a nice young lady” he says. His words crushing her.

She had been to many other publishing firms and she knew exactly what that statement meant, she couldn’t help it but let her shoulders drop, her smile somehow danced away from her lips and all the adrenaline faded away. This was definitely not what she had hoped to hear

“Give it a try first Andrew, she has potential, take it from me” Alex’s voice cuts in. Cassie lifts her head up and stares at him surprised

She had potential? His words echoed in her head continuously, like it was the first time she was hearing it. And he had just called Mr. Park by his first name?

“She looks it, but…” Mr. Park tries to defend

“I’ve seen the draft; you do not want to say no” Aaron adds.

Well, that’s a lie, he definitely had not seen the draft. It was a weird feeling for Cassie, she wouldn’t normally allow them talk for her or she would get angry that they had to lie to him for her to get a chance, but right now, that didn’t matter, she needed Mr. Park to give her something positive to work with, she really needed that right now

“Alright then, I trust you two. So, Cassie, I’ll be in back into town sometime next month, let’s see then, is that okay?” Mr. Park enquires

What!? Next month? He was asking if that was okay? This man was either crazy or blind. Of course, it was okay, it was perfect even, she was this close to leaping for joy and jumping on him to give him a hug, before Alex interrupts

“That’s far” he says

Wait what?

“no, its…” she tried to say but is cut short again, this time by Aaron

“She’ll come with us to Korea next weekend, so spare a day for her own meeting or you could have both ours and hers on the same day if you have a tight schedule” Aaron says

Wait, what!?

“That sounds perfect, I’ll have your meeting on Friday and hers on Thursday, sounds good?” Mr. Park asks with a smile

“Sounds perfect, thank you so much for your time” Aaron says, extending his hands in a shake, which Mr. Park returns. He does the same with Alex

“It was nice meeting you Miss Cassie, can’t wait to get started with your novel” Mr. Park says extending Cassie a handshake as well

“I’m grateful, see you soon” she replies, still in utter confusion and shock as she watches him walk away towards the parking lot

“Let’s go” Aaron says with a commanding tone and Alex turns to follow, leaving Cassie standing there in utter disbelief

“That means you two Cassie” Alex says, turning to look at her.

She is too shocked to utter a word or hesitate, so she just nods her head and follows, entering the elevator with both Alex and Aaron.