All Chapters of Contract Over: You're Free to Go: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Teresa looked over at Carlton, the man standing beside her. He always looked like he had everything under control."I owe you a huge favor for your help this evening," she said quietly. "If you hadn't shown up, the South District project would've fallen through.""Why are you keeping score with me like that?" Chuckling, Carlton sat down on the steps and lit up a cigarette. "Since Seek Capital is joining the foray, I can't possibly let you do all the dirty work while I sit back and do nothing, right?"He let out a puff of smoke, which swirled under the dim lights."But Teresa…" He used his cigarette to point at her, his tone turning serious and concerned. "Look at the state you're in now. You drank so much that you can barely stand upright now, just to settle a simple approval. Aren't you tired of having to shoulder the responsibility of running TRS Group all by yourself?"Leaning against the pillar, Teresa chuckled bitterly. "I'm the CEO. If I don't do it, what's going to happen t

Silas didn't even take off his windbreaker. The chills from the fever had left his hands and feet feeling ice-cold.He walked straight into the kitchen. A sick adult didn't have anyone to take care of them, but he still had to take his medication and eat something.His throat was hurting so badly that he couldn't swallow anything solid. He opened the fridge, grabbed the pumpkin he'd chopped up beforehand, and tossed together a simple pumpkin soup.By the time he finished, he barely had the strength to remain standing. He brought the bowl of pumpkin soup out. He wanted to wait until it cooled a bit before eating it, and then take his medicine after. But once he got to the couch, his legs gave out. His body succumbed to his exhaustion.He collapsed onto the wide couch, wrapping himself tightly in the black windbreaker, and soon fell into a heavy, restless sleep.…At 9:30 pm, the front door opened, and Teresa came in.The contract for the South District project had been signed wit

It took three days before Silas' fever cleared up for good. It was Friday night, and Dex's Barbecue out in the old district was bustling with a crowd of customers. The chaotic atmosphere along the street lined with affordable food outlets was a stark contrast to the cold air of refinement that permeated the city center.By the time Silas arrived, William Hahn had already finished half a pitcher of beer alone.The sharp-tongued, elite lawyer who always showed up in court all suited up had loosened his tie. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and he frowned as he took a bite of grilled meat."If you hadn't shown up after ten more minutes, I would've seriously considered filing a missing person's report," William said, spitting out a piece of bone as he studied Silas, who'd just taken a seat."Oh, my god. You look pale enough that someone might think you're a reanimated corpse from the morgue. Has Teresa stopped feeding you now?""I had a pretty bad cold a few days ago. I

Silas stood in the entryway, one hand still resting on the doorknob. He was frozen in place, forgetting what he was supposed to be doing.The scene felt too unreal, enough for him to wonder if his fever had never fully gone away. Was he hallucinating this?When was the last time Teresa had sat in the living room at this hour in loungewear, watching television? Was it a year and a half ago? Or maybe two years?Swallowing hard, he hummed in acknowledgment before changing into his house slippers and entering the apartment. "Why are you back so early today?""Well, we've secured the South District project. I've left the acquisitions department in charge of handling the follow-up work, so I don't need to work overtime today," Teresa replied before pointing toward the kitchen island."I checked the kitchen and noticed some beef stew. Your appetite has been a little off lately, so I reheated it in the microwave for you. It's on the table now. Have it while it's still hot."Silas' gaze f

There was some logic to the male lead's perspective.He was working himself to the bone, forced to humble himself in an attempt to curry favor with the right people, putting himself through endless humiliation just to make money for their future. Why couldn't she just be a little more understanding?But after repeated cycles of waiting around and being disappointed, the female lead did not scream at him or start a fight. She simply, on an ordinary morning, packed her belongings and calmly left the house filled with expensive furniture.The movie ended with a scene showing the female lead disappearing into the crowd with her suitcase. The soundtrack switched to a soft, melancholic hum.In the theater, faint sniffles could be heard from a few of the young women.Silas sat there with his eyes fixed on the screen, but his fingers were subconsciously picking at the edge of the armrest in the dark.The plot was too familiar to him, so familiar that every frame felt like a slap on the f