Chapter 1
A woman sits in front of a large desk, and a lawyer sits next to her. Another gentleman is across the room, swiping and scrolling on his phone. The woman is looking over some paperwork she has been given. Glancing at the lawyer, who is reading over the paperwork, he also gives her a nod.
“It’s not a bad idea for your career. I’m sure they can also help get your massage license swapped over to California. I know you don’t want to move, though. It would certainly give you collaboration experience and allow you to do more events,” he says, lowering his set of papers to rest on his lap.
The woman glares silently at the lawyer; he’s not wrong, not one bit. She’s frustrated that she would have to leave behind her family and friends who have helped her succeed. She doesn't need big-name projects—she loves having her small sponsors and friends because she enjoys them so much more than some of these people who are tremendously successful and fake it for the media.
“Are you sure? You know I like the smaller and more comfortable things here. Like doing my skits with my grandma or my siblings, even my friends. I won’t be able to do that. And my audience would be introduced to new people, which would be so weird for them,” she remarks, the big picture being that she is a happy person here and doesn’t want to leave it behind.
The man behind the desk watches the two look over the contract and chuckles. “We as a company know that you’ve been very against moving since you’re a pillar in your family, but to bring in more via sponsorships and promotions, we would have to have you in our territory to do that, essentially moving you,” he says. She fidgets at the mention of moving again and feels unsettled after being tossed around so much. “Honestly, it can help you make better connections. We also know of your side hustle in massage, and we would love for that to be part of your content. We could also have you come to company events and be a valued asset to make clients more comfortable. You would be paid generously for your patience. We can add that to the agreement if your lawyer wants to pen down that note for us. We’re not asking you to sign your life away with this. We want you to think about your career as we see you doing wonders in it now,” he speaks clearly.
The much younger man across the room is reading something on his phone but is listening intently to their conversation. He is one of the reasons the company has reached out to her. He saw her potential, and she is a pretty face being wasted in such a small area. He is very business-savvy and has been told by a few people in their group about her. She seems forward with her views and loves helping minorities succeed, even in small victories.
Violet, the female content creator and editor, rolls her eyes, spots him, and jumps a bit. She had not noticed he was in the room with them. “Who is that? What is he doing here? I thought this was a private discussion between us!” she snaps at the man behind the desk.
Derek Styles, a representative attorney from the LA-based company, glances over and sighs. “That is Ramone Cruz. He’s one of the reasons we want to form a formal contract with you. He has briefly looked at your content and sees you have a lot of potential. He likes to see people succeed. He manages/works with another group of gentlemen who do the same thing you do,” he explains.
At the mention of his name, Ramone looks up grim his phone and smiles at her. “Hi! Nice to meet you!” he chirps in her direction.
She raises an eyebrow, feeling her blood warm up in some form of frustration. “I’ll think about it, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll sign. I appreciate the confidence and consideration you’ve had with me, but I do have responsibilities in my family. I’ll have to do some hard thinking and pondering,” she responds, a deep sigh leaving her.
Ramone and Derek both nod. “If there are any ideas or modifications we can make aside from the moving, of course, we’ll do our best to accommodate. Even if that means constantly traveling back and forth. You could always have that as an option. We do understand it’s not an easy decision for you,” Derek adds, hoping this will help her consider.
With that, Violet and her lawyer walk out after shaking hands with both of them. As they walk, they discuss the contract and what she is thinking already. She lets him know her normal changes and other details, hoping the process will come along quickly instead of slowly. She stops walking as she hears something and looks over her shoulder, and there she sees Ramone running down the hallway with something in his hands.
Ramone runs after her to give her sweater back. “Ms. Ayres, you left your sweater,” he calls, hoping to catch her attention before she gets to the elevator.
She turns and scurries quickly, grabbing it and bowing as a thanks. “I also wanted to ask if you’d like to go to lunch. I know you have a long drive, so why not talk a bit more and maybe get to know me?” he offers. She glances at her lawyer, and he shrugs. She doesn’t often come to the city for things and usually tries to avoid it as much as possible.
“Sure, maybe you can tell me about your experiences with the company,” she adds, giving him a genuine smile. It feels like one of the few in the last few weeks, given the stress of her family life.
Ramone smiles back and walks ahead of her. “Follow me, then. I have a car we can take, and I’ll bring you back after so you can head home and think things over,” he explains, taking long strides down the hall to the elevator. She quickly follows after him, her lawyer long since having left her, as he is from the area and has more important office work to do, like verifying the info in the contract for his beloved client. The two walk out of the building, going to his rental car for his stay here in Oklahoma. Ramone is making small talk with her as he opens her door and she gets in gently, “So tell me what is a good place to eat around here? Anything in particular that you enjoy?” he asks, giving her his best smile.
She grins at his blatant charm, “Well, for up here I’m not sure. Back home, there are a few nice restaurants, but I don’t travel this way much. Anything is good; I’m not picky,” she laughs a bit, giving him a playful side-eye.
He nods, looks at his phone, and starts to look for a well-rated place to get something to eat. Fast food would not be on the list, but it’s the top in the area of all things. A few places pop up and have decent reviews; he shows her one, and she nods, looking over the menu options in advance so as not to cause delay, “So you're into anything, huh?” he asks.
“It’s honestly true; I don’t mind ever. I'm always able to find something on a menu that I’d eat,” she replies, looking out the window as he drives to the restaurant, following his GPS app. She keeps wondering how this event occurred. It is a bit mind-boggling.
He nods as he sees her in thought, “What made you come with a stranger for a late lunch? I mean, you hardly know me,” he asks, rather curious about the reasoning.
That pulls her from looking outside the car window and back to him as he is still looking at her, “With my profession, I meet new people daily; I’m used to it. As to why I came with you, it’s because I’m rather curious as to why your company wants me, and I feel like you can give me a better answer than your little company representative would,” she answers honestly.
Ramone thinks about that for a minute and nods; she was right on that mark for the company. They won’t disclose the details and information even if they really should about some things, and the fact she came with a lawyer of her own to read through the contract means she has been through this many times before with a company that wants her to join and grow her into something more.
He stops and is about to speak when he pulls into the restaurant parking lot, “I’ll give you some more information and maybe tell you why you’ve been asked to come if I can explain. It’s kind of a long story for me,” he says thoughtfully.
She accepts that answer and gets out, almost falling as if she were a clumsy person. Ramone watches her almost face-plant but luckily catches herself on the door. She flushes red, thankful her makeup hides it, and laughs at her own mistake. She hurries to catch up as he chuckles from the scene.
Ramone walks in, takes Violet by the arm, and guides her through, trying to follow a hostess who is guiding them both. The hostess sets down menus and asks, “What to drink?”
Violet smiles and answers, “Coke.”
Ramone supplies, “Water, please,” to which Violet raises an eyebrow and then shrugs.
“So what made you pick this place?” she asks, grinning because it was a popular place in most areas. She knew thet but he couldn’t have.
He raises his head from the menu and looks at her grin, “It seemed like a pretty good place with the reviews and ratings, amongst the others on the list. Like you, I’m not particular in terms of food,” he says.
She laughs, placing her menu down. She already knew what she wanted. She always ate at this place; it was a chain restaurant across the Midwest of America. The waitress/hostess came back and brought their drinks, “Did you guys decide what you’d like?” she asks in a pleasant tone.
Ramone nods and rattles off his order, and she does the same. They laugh as they order similar dishes, and the waitress smiles and walks off, mumbling how cute they are for a first-time date, shuffling her menus back in her hold.
Violet shakes her head as she laughs and looks at him, “We’re both pretty simple people, it looks like,” she remarks.
She feels her phone buzz and apologizes before looking at it; it’s her lawyer summarizing the contract for her and explaining it isn’t as bad as some of the others and has more wiggle room for her to have some freedom and liberties. He pens down her normal changes aside from the moving and submits them to them for approval or denial. He presses his concern with the situation and gratitude for her having him look it over.
She replies with simple words that she is thankful for his work and support as he has been the man who has helped her through more than just contracts as being a family attorney for them. After sending the text, she looks a smile more so on her face, “So the contract is better thought out than others thrown my way, that’s impressive; my attorney has seen many of those, and he is impressed too, minor adjustments and the company got me,” she says, looking at her lunch date.
Ramone looks at her wide-eyed and smiles, “I guess they did want you after he recommended you,” he supplies. This, though, causes her head to tilt and look at him with a confused smile. Another person had recommended her. That was not what she was expecting to hear.
She is still confused as she stares at him for a minute, “So someone recommended me based on my content? Or is there another reason? Like someone met me and realized I was a real human and not another fake influencer?” she questions, thinking of more reasons why someone would want her as a contract employee.
He sighs and hits himself for even speaking as he had, “I mean yes, he’s met you and seen your content grow, he’s a bit younger than you but finds you to be very kind and caring; you’ve always been a gentle personality. So he says. Today I saw that you are, but you have this nagging guilty feeling towards your family like you owe them something,” he answers; those words speak volumes to her.
She kind of stops for a moment and thinks back to any events she did and when a younger guy spoke to her or something along those lines. She glances at her phone and looks up with a scrunched expression from the deep thought process; Ramone is watching her struggle to remember. He finds the whole situation hilarious and videos a snippet of it, sending it to the member who she has met before he responds with laughing emojis and a video of him busting up over her confusion. He then sends another message about how cute she is all confused.
While this happens, food is placed between the two, and they both thank the waitress. They look at each other, “I guess we can eat now and talk about something else,” Ramone laughs.
She shrugs and nods, “Guess so,” she replies, sitting a bit more comfortably. Her eyes glance back though and see his phone going off and him ignoring it, “Aren’t you going to see what’s going on?” she asks.
He shakes his head, “Nah, just the others asking about how it is and how they miss me being so bossy to them about getting stuff done; they slack off while I’m gone normally,” he answers, putting the phone away as she takes a bite of her food.
As she hears him, she puts hers away also, “Well, that’s something, so I wonder would I be managed like them, or would it just be me being responsible for myself?” she asks, looking up at him. After speaking, she continues to eat her food so as not to be slowed down and make someone wait.
Mid-chew, Ramone has to think about this one because it could be offered that he does her scheduling and stuff as well, especially since it was one of the boys who asked about her, “I mean, I think that’s more an up-to-you question than me, but I assume they will ask if you want one and give you a list of the associated managers they have available; if I’m there, you can pick me or if you find a woman who meets your criteria, go for it. I’m friends with many of them, and they are pretty nice. Also, most are upfront about the job duties for them; some are more willing to help than others,” he responds thoughtfully.
Violet nods and takes that with a grain of salt. She takes her drink and sips it, looking down for a moment to think over those words; if she could pick, for sure it would be a good thing due to the nature of some of her content choices. She starts tapping her fingers on the table and her nails click as she does so. This draws Ramone's attention as he watches her still eating. She continues to think over the options.
“I wouldn’t hate that, personally. I may have to let my lawyer know that’s something that would be a good term. I mean, I do so many different types of content that it would be extremely important to trust the person helping me keep it all together, especially if I am editing and doing the content too,” she notes, still pondering the thoughts running through her mind.
“So tell me, what exactly does it look like from both sides of the contract? Like for you dealing with the company, to working with the influencers doing their thing? What are some of the pros and cons that you’ve seen along this path?” she asks, looking a bit to the window they are sitting beside, looking out at the graying skies as it looks to be about to rain.
This was something he more so expected her to ask; he had more answers and responses for these kinds of things; it was a common question to have among the crowd, “So from my end, it isn’t too bad; it just depends on the demeanor of the influencer. Personally, most of the guys are very hard-working, doing more than just the run-of-the-mill TikTok videos; they do their best to keep up with trends, and being of ethnicity also gives them that quirkiness. K-pop, gaming, just in general streaming, and the like. They also do music and our media team is very good with what they do for them to keep them all on camera. But the boys have also taken to filming for themselves depending on their video idea,” he assures her, and she continues to listen in understanding and processing what he is saying. “There aren’t any particular restrictions on them for the stuff they do unless they have rules they put in place like the main group channel, which is semi-clean with their words; the content is semi-clean also when they do their stuff; some drink and curse, many other things too; some of them have been doing it a while even before the contracts,” he finishes his answer, hoping this gives some thought for the pros.
“Some of the cons though are they do have a strict schedule they have to adhere to. Especially for the group things, but this will not be the same for you as you are a solo creator. You’ll probably have to make your setup and stuff, which is a drawback sometimes. But you for sure can do that when you're more settled if you sign with them. I’m sure they would also give you some kind of break before you officially start due to moving and stuff like that; another con though is depending on what you do, you’ll have to be very steady, and if you want a break, you’ll have filmed a lot ahead to keep up with the schedule that you want to be uploading at, unless a break in uploading has been discussed previously. From our end, it’s been an okay time doing that, and traveling is easier when this is done,” she eyes him curiously when he mentions travelers; she should know by now she hates leaving her home. “Some other things to look out for are they may ask you to dress a certain way and act a certain way, as you know for professionalism. Also, with your other work qualifications, they will use however they can. It’s not always bad, but for sure try to set boundaries with them about your free time,” he adds on the cons for her to understand. Though there are many differences between the parties, this should give her a firm idea of the company’s policies and protocols for some things that they have encountered while being signed to them.
While he is speaking, she has been taking some notes, keeping to what he is telling her. She is also eating while doing so, as she is trying not to let her meal get cold. She stops writing and smiles, “That was something I needed; I’ll have to take these all into account, and I’ll give the notes to my attorney; with that, we may be able to strike up a deal,” she says with a laugh. She sees him smiling back and nods her head.
After that, they just eat and make small talk, and even have a drink or two together, laughing and enjoying the company of each other. Ramone, though, is mentally taking notes so he can report back to the members. This he is sure will make them somewhat happy to know that their youngest would see one of his favorite girl influencers.
Once they are finished, Ramone attempts to pay the full check, and she tries to stop him. She asks for them to split the bill, and he remarks, “Think of this as a gift from us to you, for even considering signing with them.”
She raises an eyebrow, shakes her head, and sighs, “Fine, I’ll accept it this time, but I don’t normally let this happen,” she says with a slight frown; this makes him laugh as he walks them out the door. As they exit, he goes ahead and leads her to the car, opens the door for her, and closes it once she gets in. She feels a little nervous about all the actions as she hasn’t been treated this way very much in any of her past experiences with others.
Ramone gives a smile, and she just smiles back nervously, trying not to clench her hands holding onto her purse handle with white knuckles; she doesn’t want to seem that bothered. She has to drive, so she doesn’t want to be panicking while driving; that’s never a good time either. She takes a few deep breaths, hoping he doesn’t notice she might be panicking. She needs to get a grip on this as she’s 25 already, almost 26. Not a teenager.
He looks over out of his peripheral vision and notices her trying to calm down while she’s seated in the car, her face flushed a prominent red shade. He watches her take deep, controlled breaths as she has a more private space to cool off. He follows after once he sees she’s much more relaxed, noticeably less tense.
The drive is very peaceful, the two remain silent the entire way back to the company building. She gets out of the car and bows, then waves at him. She turns, digging in her bag for her car keys. Pulling them out, she unlocks the door and hops in. She quickly starts her car, waving at Ty again as he walks back into the building, waving at her.
Watching her drive away, Ty quickly turns around and goes back to the office the representative was using. “I think I may have convinced her if we can keep her going back and forth. Her family is her weak spot. She’s held back by being a provider for them,” he reports back. Derek glances up from the desk where he is looking over some documents.
“Her attorney is a very wise one. He made it very clear in all her modifications that they are non-negotiable. Her family is highly important, and they require her help on occasion. She’s the go-to for her elderly family. She also mentioned being a financial support. She helps ensure no one in her close family is in debt. I can see she is a very talented influencer, but I’m curious what made him want to bring her into the company,” he remarks, still looking over the email and paper in hand.
Ramone shrugs his shoulders. “Once he sees someone he likes, he’s pretty forward about getting them to work with him. I’m sure it’s just a phase. But by then, she’ll be knee-deep in a contract with you if she takes it. If not, he’ll be sad about it for a while and get over her like his last ‘female friend,’ as he likes to put it. Though I doubt Violet would consider dating him with his spotty track record,” he supplies, offering more of a clue into why the member likes her. If anything, she would go for one of the older guys—more her type, from what her record shows. Though she’s never stated otherwise in the media about her preference.
“ He’s determined to bring her into the fold, he has a good sense for people, and it’s not just about numbers or metrics for him. It’s about character, and she has that in spades. She’s real and grounded, and that’s hard to find in this industry. He probably sees a lot of potential in her to grow in a way that aligns with the company’s value, all while still keeping her authenticity,” Ramone explains thoughtfully.
Derek leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. “That makes sense. We don’t want someone who’s just chasing trends or playing a persona. People like Violet are a rarity because they’re genuine, and that’s what connects with audiences. But still… It's tricky. Moving her could break that connection with her family and her roots.”
Ramone nods, still pondering how to handle this delicate situation. “I think the key here is flexibility. If we can allow her to go back and forth, and make her feel supported in her personal life as well as her career, it could work. The family aspect is her foundation. We pull her out of that too hard or too fast, and we’ll lose her.”
Derek smiles, appreciating his insight. “You’ve got a good handle on this. Let’s push for that flexibility in her contract. We can maybe sweeten the deal with extra travel allowances or some kind of support network for her family back home.”
Ramone stands, stretching slightly. “That could work. I’ll talk to her again in a few days. Maybe I’ll swing by her home and get a feel for how she’s doing outside of all the negotiations.”
Derek raises an eyebrow. “Just be careful. We don’t want her feeling pressured.”
Ramone smirks. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
As he walks out of the office, he can’t help but feel a sense of responsibility. He has spent enough time in this industry to know how fragile the balance between career growth and personal life can be. Violet is someone who values that balance deeply, and if they don’t approach this right, they could lose her before she even starts.
-
As Violet drives him, she sneezes multiple times and starts cursing. She pulls into her attorney’s office and smiles a bit. “Okay, let’s see what he’s got for me now,” she prepares herself.
She walks into the building and immediately b-lines for the elevator, knowing exactly where she’s going. She smiles and waves at the associates she knows in the office as she makes her way through the crowd. Once in the elevator, she sighs. She almost slides down the back wall but catches herself, knowing this is still a high-traffic area for people going up and down between the floors. Her brain is filled with many thoughts, mostly that she is a recommendation. Who the hell would recommend her for a contract? Was the guy a nut? The only new thing she brings in is beauty and maybe her massage work, but that’s it.
Once the doors open, she looks up to check the floor and sees it’s her selection. She stands back up from her laid-back position and walks out through the metal way, immediately going to an office she’s been to many times over the last few years. Opening the door to her attorney’s office, she knocks before entering and looks at the man behind the desk. “So, I assume you’ve done all the assessments and stuff that are required for me to sign a contract?” she asks.
The man looks up, laughs, and shakes his head. “Yes, and even added the ones from your lunch date with their manager. It seems like they’re really after you and even offered more money distribution for you, with some of the traveling being compensated. They must have had an eye on you for a while if they’re coming back this strong.” At the mention of travel and money again, she fidgets a bit and looks at him with a dark look. “You might like this too; it would be good for you to actually see what they want first and then gauge the idea of it. Mostly, from the looks of it, they want you to be a spontaneous person and experience things you haven’t before and do more PR events for brands they don’t normally associate with while you have some. You bring beauty, and the others are just musicians. That does change their perspective and what they can do,” he remarks, watching her figure twitch more with each jab at her displeasure.
She’s not someone to go out and do those things on her own. Most companies just want a video of her talking about their products. Nothing else; some want an appearance at an event, but she’s so far away they take what they can get normally.
If that changes, though, she could for sure make more money and get some extremely important connections. Also, meeting with other like-minded influencers. Thinking about it all, though, brings out her anxiety that she has yet to fix. It takes her back to the first contract she was shown. She hadn’t liked anything about it, but these guys are making it hard for her to say no. They offer all the things she could need and make her life a bit easier. Plus, she always has an opportunity to communicate with them. She isn’t just left without.
“Fine, I’ll sign the damn thing if that’s all you want!” she shouts, frustrated with all the nagging benefits. “But find loopholes in case I need an out. I’d hate to pay for this because it’s not going well for me,” she says with a sigh, glaring at him, calming down a bit. He laughs and nods, he’ll do anything for his big-name influencer.
“You got it, Ms. Influencer. I’ll get on it. We’ll have a sit-down singing together probably later this week sometime,” he responds, still laughing.
Violet slumps back into the chair, rubbing her temples in frustration. This deal is everything she’d been avoiding for years—more appearances, more travel, and stepping out of her comfort zone. The anxiety that has been gnawing at her since the offer first came up threatens to overwhelm her again, but deep down, she knows this is an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up.
She forces herself to breathe, trying to center her racing thoughts. “Okay,” she mutters, more to herself than to her attorney. “This is good for me, right? More exposure, more connections. Just… new things.”
Her attorney leans back in his chair, watching her wrestle with the decision. “You’ve always played it safe, Violet. But this is your chance to grow, to take your career to the next level. Besides,” he adds with a grin, “I’ll make sure you’ve got those loopholes. If anything goes south, you’ll have a way out.”
She lets out a nervous laugh, feeling slightly more at ease. “Thanks. I don’t want to be stuck in something I’ll hate.”
“You won’t. Not with me on your side,” he replies confidently.
Violet nods, still anxious but starting to see the potential. “Alright. Let’s do it then.” Her voice is steadier now, a bit of determination shining through. “I’ll sign the contract. But,” she adds, pointing a finger at him, “if I end up hating this, you’re going to hear about it every day.”
Her attorney chuckles, scribbling a few notes on the document. “Deal.”
As she leaves his office, Violet feels a strange mix of relief and dread. The decision is made, and there’s no turning back now. But for the first time in a while, a spark of excitement flickers in her chest. This might be terrifying, but maybe it’s exactly what she needs.
Stepping outside, she takes a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs. “New chapter, here we go,” she whispers to herself as she heads toward her car, feeling just a little bit lighter.
