"Read it and if there are no more complaints, sign it," Elias said, handing her the newly printed contract.
Isabelle made sure to read through it carefully and saw that the last clause had been added according to her wishes.
It was good like this.
But then, she came to realize how big a deal this was.
Though she had been so nonchalant about it earlier, proud even, since it felt like she had the upper hand against this man, now that she was clear-headed and thinking from different angles, she felt a bit uncomfortable.
Twice the amount of a managerial salary every month, yes she needed it, but was it okay for him to give her that much?
He wouldn't just be giving her his salary, he would be paying an additional amount from his own pocket.
She had already guessed he was from a wealthy family and probably had a lot of money, but...
She worried that she had been overly ambitious and her ambition made her selfish and blind to the surface.
If anything, it was her hate that moved her.
Isabelle looked up at Elias, her eyes squinted and her lips twisted behind the paper.
'I really wanted to get my revenge, so I'll just take it that it's been evened out with this,' she sighed and finally signed it.
She handed the contract back to him and watched as he signed it himself.
She looked at his signature and thought, 'Even his signature looks rich.'
Once they had both signed, Elias began to laminate the contract in the laminating machine, giving it a protective film.
As she watched him, a few things crossed her mind and she decided to make it all clear by asking him up front.
"What are you, anyway?"
Elias had been expecting her to ask that question for a while now, so it did not take him by surprise. Rather, he wondered what took her so long to ask.
"You seem very human to me. And those ears and tail... Are you a gumiho?" She asked. "You know, like the fantasy tales about nine-tailed fox and whatnot."
She was skeptical, but there was no need since she had seen it for herself.
If this were being said to her with no evidence, she would've never believed it. It was crazy, at best.
Even listening to herself, she felt she had become a little bit delusional but she also felt she had the right to know.
"I've signed the contract," she said. "...and promised secrecy. So shouldn't you at least explain things to me so I don't end up drowning in my own speculation?"
"Yes, you're right," Elias said. "You have the right to know, now that you have signed the contract."
Isabelle watched him, her gaze and presence sharp as she prepared herself to listen to what would seem like a fantasy novel.
"Before that, won't you take a seat?" He asked and she tilted her head.
What was he thinking, trying to act like a gentleman now?
He wasn't smiling. He held that calm and cold expression on his face, but something felt different. He didn't seem distant anymore.
In fact, it felt like he was being... Kind?
It was hard to put her finger into it but she could feel the difference.
'Did he let his guard down?' she wondered.
Now that they were on the same boat, it would seem he no longer kept his guard up and acted distant. She wanted to take this as a good sign since they would be spending most of their time together from now on, so there was no need to refuse his hospitality.
Even if she did find his actions suspicious, she had nothing to worry about... That is, she didn't worry that he would harm her in any way because it was stated in the contract that he would ensure her safety.
Isabelle sat down, and Elias pulled his chair from behind his desk, positioned it in front of her, and then sat down.
"Doesn't it feel like we're having a proper conversation now?" He asked. "We're on equal footing now, Ms Han."
"I suppose so," Isabelle said. "I will abide by the terms of the contract, but that doesn't mean we're close."
She was swift to draw the line, thinking it would be safer this way but little did she know that before she drew that line, Elias had already stepped into her range. So, there was no 'crossing the line' for him.
She should've drawn the line sooner.
Thinking of this, a little grin suddenly played on his lips but he quickly brushed it off before Isabelle would notice.
But when he raised his head, he found her staring, stunned.
"Did you... Just laugh?" She asked but he kept his expression straight and sighed.
"It seems you've overworked yourself once again." He said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked but he did not say more. This made her frown.
She was sure of what she saw, but he was brushing it off as if it had never happened. Or... Did she really imagine it?
She had a lot of coffee earlier so it was possible.
She couldn't even imagine Elias with a smile, so it could've been the case.
"Forget it." She said. "Now, tell me. What are you?"
"Half gumiho," Elias said. "I can't go into too much detail, but I was born to a human father and a gumiho mother. And then I was born as a half gumiho with three tails."
Isabelle went silent.
She knew it.
She knew what she was going to hear was going to be no different from a plot in a fantasy novel.
Ah, she only heard the beginning but she was already having a hard time processing it. This world... There were so many secrets hiding around.
There must be many like him.
She covered her face for a bit.
"Was that too much?" Elias asked, but she shook her head.
"No, it's nothing." She said, dropping her hand from her face. "Can you fly?" She suddenly asked, remembering a movie she watched about foxes. "Or use wind magic? Can you turn into a fox?"