The One

Unexpected Agreement

 Susan stood frozen, speechless, her mind racing as she continued to beam at her, patting the chair beside her in a welcoming gesture.

"Don't just stand there; come and sit down."

All three swallowed hard, the tension thick as she made room for Susan, who stuttered in terror, "H-h-how do you know? How do you know my name?"

"Let's eat, shall we, before our food grows cold? It wouldn't taste good otherwise."

Karol, with an air of nonchalance that bordered on audacious, sliced through her lamb burger, a morsel sanctified by her casual grace. As she savoured the bite, her three companions were frozen, grappling with the absurdity of the situation that lay before them—an ill-prepared feast amidst swirling shadows of uncertainty.

"Eat before I get angry," she quipped, her smile disarming yet insidious as the words dripped with a playful menace. With the threat hanging in the air like a storm cloud, Jake and Brian abandoned any notions of culinary appreciation, shoving their food down with the desperation of men on a sinking ship.

Her gaze flitted over them as they descended into a comical frenzy, food flying from forks and burgers crumbling under pressure, each morsel a testament to their discomfort. She chuckled softly, shaking her head, and continued her meal with an almost theatrical flair. In less than thirty minutes, the once bustling diner fell eerily silent, the clatter of cutlery replaced by an unsettling emptiness.

Now, it was just the four of them sitting like ghosts in an abandoned diner, nursing their meals in thickening tension. Then, as if breaking a spell, Susan dared to shatter the silence, her voice trembling: "Tell me, how do you know me?"

Without turning her gaze from her food, she couldn't resist a taunt, her tone light but laced with mischief. "I see, you've inherited her delightful attitude, haven't you, Brian?" she remarked, sipping her cola as if she were casually discussing the weather.

Brian, simmering silently in frustration, finally snapped, "How the hell do you know my name?!" His annoyance crackled like static, an electricity that sparked in the tense atmosphere as she feigned indifference.

"Are we done with your tantrum?" she asked mockingly, casually swigging from her cola, her eyes glinting with mischief as she regarded his indignation.

"Right, let's get down to business, shall we?" Karol's tone shifted, wielding authority like a sword as she surveyed the trio, their anxious eyes locked onto her with an intensity that momentarily stilled their breaths.

"I know exactly who you three are. Well, not every intricate detail, but I grasp the overall picture. You're family—come here three years ago, fleeing shadows of the past," she continued, each sentence an arrow aimed straight for the heart of their intrigue. "And here we are, circling around the very reason that binds us today."

"Are you keeping up?" she teased the glimmer of challenge in her eyes.

"Ah, I've shattered you three into oblivion," she quipped, temporarily breaking her intensity as she fished her phone from her pocket, tossing it aside with dramatic flair.

"What do you want from us? Are you my ex-husband's people?" Susan blurted out, the absurdity causing Karol to erupt in laughter, her mirth shifting into a bone-chilling mockery that sent chills down their spines.

"Hahaha! Am I that ancient codger's entourage? Now that's truly offensive! What I seek, my dear souls is a simple arrangement—a mere two things," she declared, summoning an iPad from her belongings as if it were a wand of power.

"What is it that you want?" Jake ventured, his voice wavering under the weight of curiosity and dread.

"Don't be frightened, I promise not to bite! Instead, I present you with an offer," she said, a wicked smile curving her lips.

"Considering your comportment, who wouldn't quake in their boots?" Brian muttered, incredulous.

"Let's keep it simple," she said, pointing directly at Brian. "I want him. For now."

"Why me?" he fired back, bewilderment etched across his face, echoed by Susan and Jake, each voicing their confusion in unison.

"He's a contractor, am I correct? Just as he is now?" she inquired, earning nods from the trio like puppets on strings. "I want him as my head contractor for my company at Theodulf. But it comes with a catch—a year away from you lot."

"Why a year off?" Jake ventured apprehensively.

"Ah, that's my little secret, dear Jake. But no need for worry, because after one year, I'll be turning my attention to you," she declared, her finger pointing decisively at Jake.

Beneath the weight of her statement, Susan stammered, "W-wh-why?"

"Why? The answer is simple—he's a designer," she stated matter-of-factly, her gaze locking onto Jake's, who now fell into a guilty silence, humbled beneath his mother's watchful eye.

"You didn't know, did you? It's rather shocking for a mother not to notice. Jake, your designs aren't quite up to snuff for my company's standards, so I want you to focus on your studies and drop the rest," she continued, the weight of her words pressing down like an anvil.

Jake blinked, surprised, casting a fleeting glance at his mother before succumbing to despair. "I'll support you through your academic years, and in exchange, you'll work for me," she stated, a devilish grin breaking her previously composed façade.

Shifting her attention to Susan, she added, "Oh, and of course, we can't leave you out, Mdm Susan, or your daughter Sarah. You both have a choice: retain this diner or move into our employees' quarters, expressly designed for families just like yours."

Without skipping a beat, she commanded, "Cathy, the documents please!" and Cathy swept towards them, impeccably attired in a tailored suit, brandishing black files as if she were an executioner sealing fates with ceremonial precision.

"There are four sets of agreements prepared for the four of you, and of course, little Sarah requires her mother's approval, but I still need her thumbprint to seal this deal," she declared, her innocent smile juxtaposed with a threatening edge as she polished off her cola. "I don't expect you to decide right at this moment, but I demand answers by tomorrow afternoon—no later than 2 pm. If you fail to respond, I will seek another alternative."

Another silence enveloped the gathering, thick and uneasy, until Cathy, breaking the tension, ventured, "Karol, do you want a refill?" glancing at the empty cup before her.

"No thank you, Cathy. You enjoy your short vacation, and do send my regards to the others," she replied, dismissing her with a wave.

Cathy flashed a genuine smile at her boss before shedding her jacket and departing, leaving Karol to pick up her car keys, iPad, and phone. "If there's nothing more to discuss, let's head home. You have twelve to fourteen hours remaining to decide on the agreement," she announced, standing up and leaving the trio, speechless and bewildered, in her wake.

As she exited the diner and slipped into her car, she drove off into the encroaching night.