The way he says interactions has me shifting in my seat.
His gaze is locked on me. He’s clearly waiting for me to respond, but I don’t know what to say, so I sit in silence, waiting for the discomfort to pass. After an awkward silence, he continues.
“As I’m sure you can imagine, someone with Alexander’s level of visibility brings a lot of attention and speculation with it.”
Shit. My body tenses and my gaze immediately darts to my laptop screen, prompting Paul to stop and follow the directionI’m looking. I let out a slight sigh when I see my screensaver staring back at me.
I don’t need Paul to think I’m adding to the problem.
I readjust myself in the chair and look down at the folder and back up at him.
“It’s my job, as his manager, to ensure that I protect him,” Paul says. He reaches for the folder as his eyes stay locked on mine. His stare is magnified by the lenses in his glasses.
“I see,” I say, nodding my head as he opens the folder.
My body relaxes slightly as I get a sense of where this is heading.
“If these interactions are to continue, we need some assurances that you will not disclose the details of those interactions to anyone.” He retrieves some of the papers inside, placing them down on the table.
Ah! I knew it. They’re trying to keep me silent.
I sit up in the chair and the power shifts in the room as I pull my shoulders backward and lift my head higher.
“And if the interactions were to stop?”
I have no intention of being Alexander’s plaything, either to appease his sexual curiosity or his urges whenever he’s horny and Rita Watson isn’t around.
“Then I will need you to agree to the terms set out in this document.” Paul reaches for a second document and neatly lines it up next to the other one.
I pause for a beat. My stomach lets out a gurgling sound, making me wince as I pick up the papers.
MNDA is spelled out at the top of both of them.
Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement.
I’ve heard about these things before. I even signed one once at work, promising not to reveal company secrets for one of our clients. But I’ve never had to sign one to cover a relationship that, frankly, doesn’t even exist.
As I make my way through the first document, Paul taps his fingers impatiently, as if that’s going to speed up the process. I try to make sense of each clause in the agreement and what is being asked of me.
I’m not sure they can even hold me accountable for half of the things in there. Certain points, like using a pseudonym to communicate, I’ve already broken.
My eyes widen as I get toward the end and see a statement that if I disclose the nature of our relationship to anyone, I’ll be held liable and will have to pay damages of ten million dollars.
My stomach knots up at the mere thought.
Thank God, I’ve already sworn Kelly and Daniel to secrecy.
The second agreement is a much shorter one-page document. Basically, it buys my silence if I immediately cease all communication with Alexander. The price? Twenty thousand dollars.
Once I’ve finally finished reading both, I look up and am greeted by an impatient look across Paul’s face.
“So….” he says, not beating around the bush.
“When do you need a decision by?” I place the papers back down on the table.
“Before I leave the room,” he says, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a pen. He sets it down, strategically, on the contract that buys my silence.
Like it’s a test.
