Chapter 235 Chapter 235
“Girl, listen up, this is a golden opportunity falling into your lap.” Tania gestured excitedly as they walked back to campus. “Can't you see that the winds have finally changed in your favor? The almighty Linda sought you out right after you landed the role in Kleber Meirelles' series.” I was racking my brain trying to figure out how we were going to get you an agent, and the solution just flew down from São Paulo to have coffee with us!
Tania stopped, holding Caroline's shoulders. "Vox Talents is, without a doubt, the biggest and best management agency in the country. They have half of all the television award winners under contract. Even with StarColi's recent growth thanks to Edward's money, they still can't hold a candle to the Vox empire.
“Yes, I understand the weight of that,” Caroline nodded, her eyes shining with ambition. “If I sign with Vox, with the financial protection clause, it would be the perfect scenario.”
“So, are you going to call her tonight?”
“No need to rush.” Caroline smiled, a sly smile. “Let's wait a few days. I'm pretty sure Linda won't mind sweating a little if she's really interested in the deal. We can't show desperation.”
There were some legal issues and contractual clauses that Caroline needed to review carefully before putting her signature on any paper. Selling her career to a businesswoman thirsty for revenge required caution.
“Fair enough.” Tania agreed, resuming her walk. “It wouldn't hurt to play hard to get.”
But seriously, if her primary goal is to make you the queen of the industry just to get back at Claire and Edward... signing this contract is the masterstroke of the century.
...
Later, in the early afternoon.
Morning classes were over. Caroline arranged with Tania to have lunch at the university restaurant near campus, where they enjoyed a steaming bowl of spicy noodles.
As they walked down the stairs of the Performing Arts building, arm in arm, Caroline's cell phone vibrated in her pocket.
She took it out. The screen lit up with a message from Nicholas.
\[Mr. Wolf\]: Miss Ford, would you be available to have lunch with me today?
Caroline stopped abruptly in the middle of the step.
“Honey, what's wrong? Did you forget something in the classroom?” asked Tania, almost bumping into her.
“Um... Tania, I don't think I'll be able to have that noodle soup with you now.” Caroline bit her lower lip, trying to hide the smile that threatened to escape. “How about we leave it for tomorrow?”
Tania was puzzled for a moment, but when she saw the sparkle in her friend's eyes and the screen of her cell phone, she immediately solved the riddle.
She let go of Caroline's arm and took a step back, raising her hands in surrender. “Ah! Prince Charming invited you on a date in the middle of the workday? I get it. Have fun.”
Caroline pouted charmingly. “Why don't you come along? He can pay for lunch for both of us.”
“God forbid!” Tania shook her head vehemently. “I refuse to be the giant candle lighting up your romance. It's fine, go enjoy your billionaire.”
“Um, he's not here yet,” Caroline typed quickly on the screen.
“Then wait for him here. I'm going ahead to secure my table, I'm starving! Bye!”
Caroline stood near the staircase, watching her friend disappear into the crowd of students. Then she leaned against the wall and typed her reply, joining the game:
\[Caroline\]: Mr. Wolf, aren't you the president of a giant corporation? Why do you have free time to invite a college student to lunch on a Wednesday? Don't you have any important meetings or business lunches scheduled?
Nicholas, who was probably holding his phone and waiting anxiously, replied in the same second:
\[Mr. Wolf\]: Yes, I do.
Before Caroline could laugh at his dry honesty, another message arrived:
\[Mr. Wolf\]: I have a critical business lunch scheduled with President Johnson of Sulas International. But if you agree to meet with me, I will cancel the meeting with him immediately.
Caroline held her breath for a second, and then a radiant smile lit up her face.
The message was an adorable exaggeration. Cancel a meeting with an international CEO, which probably involved million-dollar contracts, just to take his wife (or rather, his “crush”) to lunch in Araraquara?
It showed how much she was the absolute priority in his life. He was willing to throw millions out the window just to make her happy.
She knew exactly what he was doing. He was playing the rules of courtship perfectly.
She felt a comforting warmth spread through her chest. The relentless cold of her past and the nasty rumors on the college forum suddenly seemed irrelevant when she had a man like Nicholas at her feet.
As she took a moment to respond, intoxicated by the feeling, Nicholas—clearly anxious—sent another message:
\[Mr. Wolf\]: Miss Ford, does your silence mean no? May I please come pick you up?
Caroline almost laughed out loud at the change in tone. The almighty Nicholas Wolf, begging for a “yes.”
All that “trial period” act she had jokingly invented the night before was proving to be the best idea she had ever had.
Suddenly, she realized she was addicted to this new dynamic. She actually felt the butterflies in her stomach from being courted. Any woman, being pursued so attentively and persistently by a man of that caliber, would feel on top of the world.
Feeling that he needed a quick answer before he ended up firing someone at Wolf Corporation out of nervousness, Caroline replied:
\[Caroline\]: Um. Okay. You can pick me up, then.
Nicholas replied at lightning speed:
\[Mr. Wolf\]: I'll be at the main gate of your campus in exactly 20 minutes. Think about what you want to eat, the menu is all yours.