Chapter 2 · Knowing The Plot, I Struck It Rich

When I learned the plot, it felt like I'd just been fed a shit sandwich.

But hey, even if it tasted awful, I'd got no choice but to suck it up.

After all, I still need to cash in on the main couple's romantic drama.

*****

Downstairs at TM Inc., I stared up at the massive sign, and couldn't shake the feeling that Jonah, standing before me, had been played for a fool.

The name of the female lead's company wasn't picked at random.

It was made up of the first alphabets from Tabitha's name and from the second male lead, Malcolm Rosemond's name.

The meaning was obvious.

But Jonah, the so-called business genius, was totally clueless. He eagerly offered himself over to Tabitha without a second thought.

After Jonah made a call, it didn't take long for Tabitha to show up downstairs at TM Inc.

"Jonah, I told you I want to become the heiress by my own ability," Tabitha snapped as she grabbed the gift bag right out of his hands. "Don't send me things like this anymore."

I took a closer look. Damn, inside the bag was a contract, a gourmet lunch box, and a bank card.

Words flashed before my eyes again.

[Tabitha really is the female lead. She's so independent and strong, just the kind of badass woman I look up to.]

[Exactly. She could totally rely on a man, but she chooses to make it on her own.]

Jonah bit his lip and stayed quiet, eyes downcast.

Tabitha's expression softened a little.

"Since it's from you, I guess I shouldn't turn it down. Just this once, I'll accept it. Don't let it happen again, or I'll be pissed," she said.

I let out a cold laugh and snatched the gift bag right out of her hands.

I said, "Mr. Callahan, trust me, as a fellow woman, I totally get Miss Batton. How could you insult her by trying to buy her off?

"She's a real powerhouse, and totally independent."

Tabitha froze for a second, then pulled her hand back, giving up on grabbing the gift bag back.

I dragged Jonah away with me.

"Miss Batton, I chewed out Mr. Callahan for you. From now on, I'll keep him in line," I called out.

Tabitha shot me a glare, teeth clenched. "Gee, thanks."

I waved her off and got into the car. "No need to thank me."

As the car slowly pulled away, Tabitha's darkened face shrank into a tiny dot in the distance.

*****

Inside the car, Jonah looked totally lost.

"Did I mess up?" he asked, sounding unsure.

I nodded without hesitation. "You messed up from the very beginning. You shouldn't treat Tabitha like she's just another person.

"You gotta see her as your canary in a gilded cage.

"If she's your canary, you need to play hot and cold. Give her a hard time, then sweeten her up. Keep her guessing and never let her feel too secure."

Jonah seemed lost in thought.

I jumped at the chance to speak up.

"Mr. Callahan, about this gift bag of yours—" I started.

"It's yours," Jonah said, waving his hand dismissively.

My mouth went dry. "And the bank card?"

Jonah opened the car door and stepped out.

"There's 300 thousand dollars in the bank card. The PIN is 045521. It's all yours," he said.

"Alright, thank you," I said, grinning like a total suck-up as I watched him walk away, then couldn't wait to yank out the lunch box.

Right there on the lid was a blaring price tag of 20 thousand dollars.

Words appeared before my eyes again, full of envy.

[Is this what it's like to be loaded? Dropping 300 grand like pocket change, and a lunch that costs 20k? I swear, I'm coming for you rich folks!]

[Hey, random character, please let me join the cast.]

[Seriously, what are you all doing? Don't you realize how crucial that contract and the money on that bank card are for the female lead? Without those, how's she supposed to go up against Holly Batton, the legitimate daughter?]

[Exactly. Later on, the female lead uses that cash to invest in a smash-hit simulation game, pulling in 300k in revenue on launch day.]

My eye twitched. I instantly grabbed my phone and searched online, and sure enough, I found a simulation game that was about to shut down.

Without a second thought, I jumped in my Bentley and stormed straight into the game company.

I strode in, waved my hand like I owned the place, and declared, "I, Brenda Spates, is backing this project!"

Words appeared, totally stunned.

[Holy crap, does this random character have some kind of superpower? Can she actually see us?]

[No way! Hey, Brenda, that contract in your hand is pure gold. You could totally cash it in with Tabitha's rival and make a killing.]

My heart skipped a beat, and I didn't hesitate and did exactly that.

Before I knew it, 1.5 million dollars landed in my account.

When words appeared in front of me again, it was full of shock.

[Damn, this greedy girl just hit the jackpot. She's living the dream now.]

Back at the office, I was practically glowing.

I dropped into my desk, face beaming, and started watching soap operas.

Jonah, meanwhile, was frowning, totally lost in thought as he stared at the dark monitor.

Jonah frowned. "Miss Spates, any ideas on how I can keep Tabitha insecure?

An idea popped into my head.

I suggested, "You could tell her you're transferring money to her Miss Batton. But later you can tell her you accidentally transferred the money to the wrong person."

Jonah raised an eyebrow at me, looking skeptical. "Hold up, Miss Spates, is this just your way of pocketing all those money?"

I kept a straight face. "Of course not. Just think about it. That money was supposed to go to Miss Batton.

"How do you think she'll react if it went to someone else instead. She'll be left feeling insecure.

"Bet she'll be texting you first before you know it."

Words flashed by, full of praises for my idea.

Jonah looked unsure, but ended up doing exactly what I said.

"How much should I send, then?" he asked.

Chapter 2

When I learned the plot, it felt like I'd just been fed a shit sandwich.

But hey, even if it tasted awful, I'd got no choice but to suck it up.

After all, I still need to cash in on the main couple's romantic drama.

*****

Downstairs at TM Inc., I stared up at the massive sign, and couldn't shake the feeling that Jonah, standing before me, had been played for a fool.

The name of the female lead's company wasn't picked at random.

It was made up of the first alphabets from Tabitha's name and from the second male lead, Malcolm Rosemond's name.

The meaning was obvious.

But Jonah, the so-called business genius, was totally clueless. He eagerly offered himself over to Tabitha without a second thought.

After Jonah made a call, it didn't take long for Tabitha to show up downstairs at TM Inc.

"Jonah, I told you I want to become the heiress by my own ability," Tabitha snapped as she grabbed the gift bag right out of his hands. "Don't send me things like this anymore."

I took a closer look. Damn, inside the bag was a contract, a gourmet lunch box, and a bank card.

Words flashed before my eyes again.

[Tabitha really is the female lead. She's so independent and strong, just the kind of badass woman I look up to.]

[Exactly. She could totally rely on a man, but she chooses to make it on her own.]

Jonah bit his lip and stayed quiet, eyes downcast.

Tabitha's expression softened a little.

"Since it's from you, I guess I shouldn't turn it down. Just this once, I'll accept it. Don't let it happen again, or I'll be pissed," she said.

I let out a cold laugh and snatched the gift bag right out of her hands.

I said, "Mr. Callahan, trust me, as a fellow woman, I totally get Miss Batton. How could you insult her by trying to buy her off?

"She's a real powerhouse, and totally independent."

Tabitha froze for a second, then pulled her hand back, giving up on grabbing the gift bag back.

I dragged Jonah away with me.

"Miss Batton, I chewed out Mr. Callahan for you. From now on, I'll keep him in line," I called out.

Tabitha shot me a glare, teeth clenched. "Gee, thanks."

I waved her off and got into the car. "No need to thank me."

As the car slowly pulled away, Tabitha's darkened face shrank into a tiny dot in the distance.

*****

Inside the car, Jonah looked totally lost.

"Did I mess up?" he asked, sounding unsure.

I nodded without hesitation. "You messed up from the very beginning. You shouldn't treat Tabitha like she's just another person.

"You gotta see her as your canary in a gilded cage.

"If she's your canary, you need to play hot and cold. Give her a hard time, then sweeten her up. Keep her guessing and never let her feel too secure."

Jonah seemed lost in thought.

I jumped at the chance to speak up.

"Mr. Callahan, about this gift bag of yours—" I started.

"It's yours," Jonah said, waving his hand dismissively.

My mouth went dry. "And the bank card?"

Jonah opened the car door and stepped out.

"There's 300 thousand dollars in the bank card. The PIN is 045521. It's all yours," he said.

"Alright, thank you," I said, grinning like a total suck-up as I watched him walk away, then couldn't wait to yank out the lunch box.

Right there on the lid was a blaring price tag of 20 thousand dollars.

Words appeared before my eyes again, full of envy.

[Is this what it's like to be loaded? Dropping 300 grand like pocket change, and a lunch that costs 20k? I swear, I'm coming for you rich folks!]

[Hey, random character, please let me join the cast.]

[Exactly. Later on, the female lead uses that cash to invest in a smash-hit simulation game, pulling in 300k in revenue on launch day.]

My eye twitched. I instantly grabbed my phone and searched online, and sure enough, I found a simulation game that was about to shut down.

Without a second thought, I jumped in my Bentley and stormed straight into the game company.

I strode in, waved my hand like I owned the place, and declared, "I, Brenda Spates, is backing this project!"

Words appeared, totally stunned.

[Holy crap, does this random character have some kind of superpower? Can she actually see us?]

[No way! Hey, Brenda, that contract in your hand is pure gold. You could totally cash it in with Tabitha's rival and make a killing.]

My heart skipped a beat, and I didn't hesitate and did exactly that.

Before I knew it, 1.5 million dollars landed in my account.

When words appeared in front of me again, it was full of shock.

[Damn, this greedy girl just hit the jackpot. She's living the dream now.]

Back at the office, I was practically glowing.

I dropped into my desk, face beaming, and started watching soap operas.

Jonah, meanwhile, was frowning, totally lost in thought as he stared at the dark monitor.

Jonah frowned. "Miss Spates, any ideas on how I can keep Tabitha insecure?

An idea popped into my head.

I suggested, "You could tell her you're transferring money to her Miss Batton. But later you can tell her you accidentally transferred the money to the wrong person."

Jonah raised an eyebrow at me, looking skeptical. "Hold up, Miss Spates, is this just your way of pocketing all those money?"

I kept a straight face. "Of course not. Just think about it. That money was supposed to go to Miss Batton.

"How do you think she'll react if it went to someone else instead. She'll be left feeling insecure.

"Bet she'll be texting you first before you know it."

Words flashed by, full of praises for my idea.

Jonah looked unsure, but ended up doing exactly what I said.

"How much should I send, then?" he asked.