The Quiet Contract

Furious Jennie

Lisa POV

When my assistant buzzed me, I thought it was just another routine update. Maybe a client email or a meeting adjustment. But no—this time, she had a surprise for me.

"Ms. Manoban, Ms. Kim is here to see you."

I froze mid-sip of my coffee. "Wait—Jennie? As in Jennie Kim?"

"Yes, she's on her way up."

I barely had time to set my cup down before my office door flew open. There she was, standing in the doorway, looking every bit like the powerhouse CEO she was known to be—sharp, poised, and radiating the kind of authority that made people scramble to attention.

Except... her expression wasn't the usual composed indifference I'd grown accustomed to. No, there was something else beneath the surface. Irritation? Determination?

"Jennie?" I managed to say, still trying to process the situation.

She stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind her. "You didn't text," she said flatly, her arms crossed.

I blinked. "What?"

"This morning," she clarified, her voice tight. "No breakfast, no good morning text, no anything."

Oh.

I stood there like an idiot, not knowing how to respond. Was she... mad? Over that?

"I—uh..." I stammered, scrambling for an explanation. "I thought we weren't doing breakfast today--"

"That's not the point," she interrupted, her tone cutting. "You always text. Even when you don't show up. Did you forget, or were you too busy with your best friend?"

Ah, there it was.

"Jennie, I—"

"Don't," she snapped, stepping closer. "You agreed to this arrangement. We have a routine. A system. And then suddenly, nothing? What am I supposed to think?"

I stared at her, completely taken aback. Was this the same Jennie who acted like she couldn't care less about my presence half the time? The same Jennie who insisted this was all for show and nothing more?

"I didn't mean to upset you," I said carefully, my voice soft. "I just didn't want to bother you on the weekend. And Rosé—"

"Rosé," she interrupted again, her tone sharper now. "Right. Of course. Your best friend."

I frowned, confused. "Jennie, what's this really about? Are you mad because I didn't text, or are you mad because I spent time with Rosé?"

Her jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought she might actually yell at me. But then she scoffed, shaking her head.

"This isn't about me," she said, though her voice wavered slightly. "It's about appearances. About the deal. You can't just disappear whenever you feel like it, Lisa. That's not how this works."

I nodded slowly, trying to piece together what was really going on. Jennie Kim was hard to read on a good day, but this... this felt like something else entirely.

"I'm sorry," I said finally. "You're right. I should've texted."

Her gaze lingered on me for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she huffed, crossing her arms again. "Good. Don't let it happen again."

I held back a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't storming out.

But as she turned to glance out the window, I couldn't help but wonder: was this really just about the arrangement? Or was there something else Jennie wasn't saying?