Page 57 of Over My Dead Boss
Verna enters the office as well, cheerfully waving my way, careful not to interrupt our boss and drawing her wrath.
“I’m sure you must have been very busy these last couple of days with your big break-through.”
“And your dad,” Verna interjects just as carefully. “How is he doing?”
“Ah, right. That too!” Isabella proclaims loudly.
“He’s doing better,” I say before Isabella cuts me off.
“Great. Really, really great. So, about that deal we made,” Isabella continues and pushes me back down into my chair, “I have already prepared a new contract.” She snaps her fingers in Verna’s direction twice. “We want to buy the rights to everything you have written or will write in the future. Obviously, you will be compensated handsomely.”
Verna returns from her desk and hands Isabella some documents that are stapled together.
“See, here. We are prepared to pay $10.000 for the exclusive publishing rights to your Memorandom series. Clever title, by the way. My lawyers say we can’t sue you for copyright infringement. Oh, and I love the shifters and,” she waves her hand through the air, as if searching for the right words, “all the other creatures in it. Which is why we are offering another $10.000 advance for the book that you are currently working on. How does that sound?”
Too good to be true,I want to say, but only let out aHuh.
“Great!” Isabella declares, takes a pen from my desk and puts it in my hand. “You just have to sign… right here.” She flips to the last page of the document and nods encouragingly.
How does she know about my Memorandom series?
I put down the pen and rub my temple. A headache joins my belly ache and makes me feel properly sick.
“But of course,” Verna interjects, apparently sensing that something is wrong, “you don’t have to decide anything now. How about you take the day off, read all of this very thoroughly, and then decide what to do?”
Isabella shoots daggers her way and then forces a smile on her face. “Of course youcando that, but it is a time-sensitive matter. So how about we say you have until tomorrow? Take your time… until then.”
I nod, put the contract on top of the manuscript, and stuff both into my bag.
“I’ll walk you out,” Verna says, helps me up and we both wait for the elevator to come. When the door closes behind us, I already feel a little better.
“What just happened?” I ask, still thoroughly confused. “How do you have Phoenix’s manuscript and how does she know about my fan fiction?”
Verna looks at me, equally confused. “Didn’t you send us the manuscript? It was in the mail last Monday. We assumed you had shipped it here.”
Did Phoenix send it in himself? For me? To save my job?
“And, well, everyone knows about your Random series. When we announced we were going to release the last part of Phoenix’s Memorandum series, there was a lot of buzz about Phoenix Cyrus fan fiction online. And yours gained traction and just took off. Unsurprisingly. I have read it and it’s great. I knew you were writing fan fiction, but I didn’t know you were writing abouthim.”
“I knew I should have used a pen name.”
“Maybe. But then you might not have that offer to buy your work right now.” The elevator stops and we step out into the foyer. “Anyway, Olivia, it’s good seeing you again. Enjoy your day off.” She smiles and gives me a hug.
“Thank you, Verna.” I grab my phone and immediately open Ryker’s messages.
Olivia: I need a favor. A lawyerly favor and you cannot tell Phoenix. At least not until it’s a done deal.
Ryker: Sure thing. What you need?
Olivia: I would like to sign over the rights to my Memorandom series. Apparently it blew up and now Isabella wants to buy it for $10.000, but I don’t want her to have it. I was hoping you could use it for your new company.
Ryker: How much?
Olivia: Nothing. I just want him to have it.
Ryker: He’s going to kill me if he finds out that I took your work for free.
Olivia: My body of work, my choice.
