THE CONTRACT MISTAKE

"Elara! I said I don't want to meet with anyone, Shawn yelled at the door, his brows creased into a large frown.

"I am sorry sir but...

"Shawn open up, I need to talk to you ," Mr Dylan Harrington baritone voice boomed at the other end of the door.

Shawn groaned inwardly, knowing fully well what his grandfather's visit meant.

He tapped the button on his desk and the door opened. A man of age 70 walked in an elegant and domineering manner. His Grey hair and beards complements his white skin, his black tuxedo and leather shoes gives him a sophisticated business look. After all he was a Harrington, descendant of the most prestigious lineage, From the kindred of Royalty. The wealthiest family, more like endorsement In all of California .

"What are you doing here". came Shawn 's uninterested voice.

"Is it now a crime to visit my Grandson ," Mr Dylan said icily, faking the smile plastered on his face, as he took a seat on the vacant chair .

Shawn wondered why he was trying his best to smile when he hated it so much, his grandfather loathed the thing called 'smile', he referred to it as an unnecessary punishment.

"Quit smiling". Shawn grumbled in sheer disgust.

Mr Donald's face became hard as rock, he quit smiling and gave his usual expression which still creeps the people around him including Shawn.

"You haven't been home in a week. Wait, have you been trying to avoid? Me ? Do you think hiding in that crib you call a house will keep you away from me?". Mr Dylan asked Shawn who kept silent, staring around his office like he was there for the first time.

"I have been busy lately, I had places to be and people to ". Shawn said but one glance from his grandfather meant he wasn't buying his story.

"Do you want me to have that piece of shit destroyed for the uptenth time ? ...... Speak up Shawn, cause I guess you enjoy it when I crush every cottage you build in the middle of a fucking forest right? Mr Dylan chukled his lips not moving at the slightest.

"I got those buildings with my hard earned money, you can't keep ruining them because you have the power to, I work tirelessly and with my efforts". Shawn gritted out glaring at his grandfather.

"I also worked hard for my money Shawn, I inherited and still worked hard, you are in this position because of me, so what do you have to say about that". Mr Dylan asked in a mocking tone.

"That I never asked you for this position, you forced me to be here. I have my own profession and I don't need all of this. " Shawn stated clenching and unclenching his fist.

" You call that trash a profession. What is it again? Oh yes Music, For Goodness sake Shawn, you are a Harrington ....A Harrington". Mr Dylan half yelled.

Shawn kept mute, gritting his teeth inwardly, how much he hated the man seated in his midst right now.

"I thought you loved your Grandmother so much Shawn, why are you finding it so difficult to fulfill her dying wish". Mr Dylan asked, his voice hard as ever yet calmer than how he had spoken earlier.

Shawn sighs, staring out the windows rather than at his grandfather, it was yet another moment of threats and emotional blackmail.

"I am working towards it". Shawn simply replied to his Grandfather.

"For how long Shawn, you are 30 for crying out loud, how long do I have to wait, when I get to my death bed right? That would be the perfect time, won't it? Mr Dylan asked in disbelief.

"Finding someone isn't as easy as it sounds, I need time, it isn't as easy as you think". Shawn deadpanned, earning a glare from his grandfather.

"72 hours Shawn, you have 3 days to present your fiance before me or consider "The Loyals" the Gonners". Mr Dylan said and for the first time since their meeting started fear crept into Shawn's eyes.

"Grandpa !" Shawn called but Mr Dylan shut him up just by raising his hand in the air.

"71 hours, 59 minutes and 10 seconds, the countdown has already begun, see you in 3 days ," Mr Dylan said, standing up from where he sat and storming out of Shawn's office.

Shawn groaned angrily, taking in deep breaths to calm his nerves down but it was a big fail.

He was clearly fuming in rage and couldn't control it, everything close to him went flying in the air crashing on the tiled floor, breaking into pieces and turning his magnificent office into a disaster.

"Why me! Why me!" Shawn growled, slamming his fists onto his polished mahogany desk. The sound reverberated through his sleek, modern office. His voice, usually smooth and collected, cracked with frustration as his irritation spilled out in waves.

"Can't the old man just leave me alone? Can't he let me focus on my music career for once?" His hands tugged at his neatly styled hair, messing up the perfect waves he had spent time perfecting that morning.

His gaze darted to the framed records hanging on the wall, glinting under the soft, ambient lighting. They were his pride, his passion, a testament to the career he tried to build, passionately. Yet, all of that seemed insignificant now, buried under the weight of his grandfather's relentless demands.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Shawn let out a guttural scream as though the sheer force of it could ease the pains he felt. The sound was raw, primal and loud. He doubled over, resting his hands on the desk, his breath coming in uneven gasps.

The weight of his grandfather's expectations loomed over him like a storm cloud, threatening to drown him in responsibilities he neither wanted nor asked for. Running the family business? Where would he get a bride from when he had no interest in women? It wasn't him. It never had been.

Elara heard the commotion and rushed into Shawn's office in a bid to apologize for her mistake.

"Sir...

"You are fired ! Shawn wasted no second to declare it.

"B–But sir ....

"Get the Fuck out now". Shawn yelled at the top of his voice which felt like the building had gone into a brief earthquake.

Elara scurried out in fear almost immediately, tears messing her once pretty makeup.

"Dear diary, it's May 05 again, which means another year has been added to the fire accident that happened 14 years ago, well 15 now. I know it's not such a pleasant incident to remember but it's on my list of unforgettable memories."

Alone in the storeroom, Ava reminded herself of a past incident from 15 years ago, sharing details with her pink unicorn diary, her first-ever best friend.

Patiently waiting for her extra work shift, Ava Arden decided to spend some alone time with her diary, sharing how eventful her day had been, giving details to the book as if it had questioned her.

"Dear diary, is it really true that I sulk when it comes to dressing up? 'Cause I don't think I sulk. I mean, I don't look that bad. Besides, I don't even have enough money to buy new clothes, so why should I worry about what people think? None of them have ever deemed it fit to tip a hardworking waitress like me. I mean, it's not fair, is it?" Ava wondered, resting her head on her palm, pouting and getting lost in her thoughts, oblivious to the moment Julia Ellis, her second-best friend, walked into the storeroom, relieved to find Ava, whom she had been looking for.

"Dear diary, I hope Ava knows the more she sits idle on that chair, sharing whatever it is with you, the higher the chances of her losing this job," Julia's corky voice jolted Ava out of her daze.

"Oh, shit," Ava cursed, coming back to her senses as she glanced at her wristwatch indicating a minute after five. She was a minute late for her extra shift.

She closed up her book and tossed it into her apron pocket.

"You could have just said, 'Hey Ava, your shift just started, and you are running out of time.'" Ava's sarcasm accompanied her dusting off her faded blue jeans to get rid of the dirt caused by the filthy chair she sat on.

Julia stared, amused at her friend and laughed softly.

"Sorry, Your Highness. I had no idea I could actually make it clear to you in some other way," Julia replied, circling her hand around Ava's shoulder. They both giggled at Julia's reply, returning to the kitchen.

Ava happened to be a waitress and cook at a small coffee shop, just to get a ten percent bonus on her pay. Money had never been as important as it was in Ava's life. If working meant money, then she was more than just ready to work her whole life.

Unfortunately, being a high school dropout in San Francisco, California, meant there wasn't any hope for a better job application. So doing the extra timing served as an assistant in the little she got from her salary.

"Look who's back. It's dummy brain. Thought I would never see you again," Aurora Lee, Ava's colleague and worst nightmare, demeaned, not hiding her disregard for both ladies.

Not surprised by Aurora's gesture, Ava simply rolled her eyes and ignored the glare directed towards her. Instead, she focused on her work, getting her equipment in order of arrangement.

Just like every other day, Ava worked harder than required to financially support her family of two: her mother Sierra Arden and her younger brother Brent Arden.

"Ava! Here is table ten's order. It's two minutes late! Hurry up! I can't handle Mrs. Jenna's tantrum this beautiful evening," Julia groaned tiredly, slamming the piece of paper on the counter and gently rubbing her temples.

"Two cups of espresso and two bowls of soup..." Ava stared at Julia frantically, getting the customers' written order ready. She thought about the times her younger brother, Brent, returned home from school each day, rubbing his temples in the exact same way and a month later she found out he was diagnosed with kidney stones.

"Migraine again, isn't it? You should see a doctor, Julia. I keep telling you this. You never know how serious it might turn out," Ava shared her concern, carefully picking up the plastic tray filled with the table's complete order.

"It's nothing. Besides, I already got some drugs. Be back in a minute," Julia replied lazily, leaving the kitchen.

"Yeah, sure, a minute indeed," Ava thought, chuckling as she exited the kitchen and found her way to table ten.

Passing a bright smile to the lovely teenage couple occupying the table, she arranged their order and began a countdown of 20 seconds.

The average time being the seconds she had to wait to get a tip and not look awkward.

The young teenage boy paid up his bill and placed a total of 10 cents extra and Ava's smile grew wider.

"Thank you for the tip, enjoy your meal this beautiful evening and drop by Happiness Cafe next time," she said in the sweetest voice she could muster and left with the empty tray.

Subjecting the tip into her jean pocket, she handed the rest of the money to Hart Irish, the cashier, before returning to the kitchen.

"Oh, you're back. Did you get a tip?" Julia asked, causing Ava to place her hands over her friend's loud mouth.

"Pipe it down, baby girl. I am not losing this one today," Ava whispered into Julia's ear.

Julia tried to reply to her but her speech was muffled by Ava's hands which took Ava seconds to realize.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, taking her hands off Julia's mouth.

"No need to apologize. I am sorry I forgot about the walls having ears. Just excited that Aurora's shift is over, babe," Julia said in a happy voice and both ladies giggled happily.

"Now we can really work in perfect peace and harmony," Ava sighed.

They both returned to work but a popped-in notification alarm distracted Julia. She took out her phone from her skirt and went through it, a smile crawling up on her face. The sudden excitement on Julia's face grabbed Ava's attention, who stared curiously at her friend.

"What is it? 'Cause that's kind of a really bright smile. Last time I remembered, BTS's new music release always leaves you this way. Don't tell me it's another release," Ava said, her curiosity shooting up.

Likewise, her best friend Julia, she was also a big fan of the band and would go crazy the very day she meets them but she just couldn't imagine how crazier Julia would go, maybe psycho.

"No, it's not them, silly. It's Shawn Harrington, the pop musician. He just released a new single. Isn't it just wonderful? Here I come, Apple Music," Julia giggled excitedly, typing fast on her phone.

"Yeah, Shawn... whatever. I don't get why you are so excited about that crap of a musician. He sings basically nothing in my opinion," Ava scoffed, losing her interest immediately.

"Babes, you have got to let go of that dislike for Shawn. Come on! He's Shawn Harrington, a Grammy award-winning star and the fucking CEO of Harrington Fashion Corporation. Jeez! Just a one-night stand would change my entire life, and you're kidding me right now with all this," Julia replied, amused by the hate Ava could abhor for a celebrity sweetheart like Shawn.

"Yeah, he's rich and all but seriously, what else? Seems to me like you don't have ears. The Harrington or whatever are like the cruelest humans on the face of the earth. Proud arrogant peacocks, that's how all rich people are arrogant and rude, treating the less privileged like we don't matter," Ava spat out venom, a scowl replacing her once-happy face.

"Take it easy, babe. These might just be rumors, you know. We can't just judge them by what we hear now, can we? I mean, not all rich folks are that bad. It's why we have charity organizations and philanthropists and so much more. Those are rich folks using their money for the good of all and Shawn Harrington is one of them."

Julia tried to make Ava understand but she just scoffed and took a seat on a stool.

"Don't try to change my perspectives of the rich, Julia. To me, they will forever remain the same," Ava deadpanned.

"So when you become rich, you would do the exact same thing, right?" Julia asked, which caused Ava to keep mute.

"When I become rich and famous, then I can change my perspectives and that of others too, but for now, it's not going to change that easily," Ava replied stubbornly.

"If you say so, babe," Julia simply replied and returned to her phone.

**Two hours later**

The cold night wind blew in Ava's direction as she walked back home after bidding Julia goodbye. She trailed the pedestrian route to her street a few miles away. Cars sped by her.but she didn't mind due to her absent mind.

Sadly, she made a little amount of money from the day's tip despite working an extra shift. Life can be cruel to the poor but to her and her family, it was more cruel.

She couldn't make up to a hundred bucks today, despite having a budget of twenty thousand dollars for Brent's surgery. Her savings weren't even up to a thousand dollars. Banks refused loans, selling one-third of their properties only bore peanuts, which were later spent on Brent's medication. Each path she turned to proved futile even when she chose to be a stripper, she was kicked out of the club that very day.

That memory brought a small smile to Ava's face. Soon, she got to her tiny apartment, which she shared with her mother and brother. The door was open, and that made Ava pause in her tracks. Her heart began racing in her chest.and she subconsciously picked up her pace, running into the house like she was being chased.

Her small handbag dropped on the floor, and so did the brown cafe bag. Ava's face instantly turned pale at the sight of what she witnessed.

"Brent!!!" Ava screamed the moment she saw her brother lying lifeless on the rug, spewing a whitish foamy substance out of his mouth.

Her world stopped at that moment and she became lost in her pain and agony.

"Brent!" She ran to him, dropping to her knees. She picked him up, frantically checking his pulse to confirm if he was still alive.

Fortunately, there was a pulse but it was as weak as her dying brother. Relieved by the faint rhythm, Ava raced out of the house to get a cab. Luckily, she found one within minutes and hurried back inside to get Brent.

The cab driver assisted her in placing Brent into the vehicle before returning to his seat.

"City hospital! Please hurry!"

Ava's voice trembled, her fear palpable. The cab driver nodded and sped off as fast as he dared, cautious not to fall into the hands of the road safety cops.

"Please, I beg you faster!" Ava pleaded, her eyes darting between the driver and Brent. His pulse grew weaker with every second, heightening her terror. Each tick of the clock tightened her chest and tensed her shoulders.

Thirty agonizing minutes later, the cab pulled up at the hospital's entrance. The driver jumped out to help Ava carry Brent as she dashed ahead to alert the nurses.

She returned moments later with two nurses and a stretcher. Brent was gently placed on it and wheeled into the emergency ward.

"Ma'am, my payment," the cab driver reminded Ava softly.

"Oh, yes! I'm so sorry," she stammered. Digging into her jeans pocket, she pulled out a couple of notes and handed them over.

"Thank you, ma'am. And please, stay calm for your brother. I'll pray for his recovery," the driver said kindly.

"Thank you!" Ava replied with heartfelt gratitude, managing a small smile.

The driver left, leaving Ava alone in the stark, cold hallway. She began pacing back and forth, her body trembling not from the chill in the air but from the fear of losing Brent. She couldn't afford to lose him not after the promise she'd made to her dying father.

He would be fine, she told herself. He had to be fine. This wasn't the first attack but it was worse than any before. The image of the substance leaving his mouth sent shivers down her spine and prickled her skin, even now.

The doctor had warned them to be watchful. How did it come to this? Ava thought, gripping her head as a headache began to form. Exhausted, she slumped into one of the waiting chairs.

A nurse approached her with a blue booklet of files. Ava stared at it, berating herself for being so distracted.

"I'm sorry, it slipped my mind," she said, giving the nurse an apologetic look as she accepted the files. They were Brent's medical records still held by the hospital because Ava hadn't paid the bills to take them home.

"It's alright, ma'am. I didn't see your mother here. She was here a week ago but left without the files because she didn't have the money". the nurse said. Ava winced, realizing her mother's absence.

"She's on her way. I'll arrange the money soon but please you have to save my brother. I can't lose him," Ava pleaded through her tears.

After signing the necessary forms, Ava returned the files to the nurse, who left quickly.

Mom! Where are you? How could you leave Brent alone? Ava thought in frustration. She pulled out her phone, realizing she hadn't even called her mother yet.

"Mom," she said the moment the call connected.

"Ava, are you home already? Sorry I stayed out late. Mrs. Pascal asked me to wait for freshly baked bread; she'd run out when I got there. How's Brent? He looked weak when he got home but he didn't say anything. I left to get some money from Mr. Grams. Don't worry, I'll be home soon."

"Mom, why did you leave the house? You could have called me," Ava said, her voice breaking under the weight of her emotions.

"I didn't want to bother you, my dear. You already have so much on your shoulders. I couldn't add to your burden."

Tears spilled from Ava's eyes, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.

"M-Mom..."

"Ava, what's wrong? Are you crying? Did something happen at work? Were you fired? Tell me, you're scaring me."

"I-It's B-Brent," Ava choked. "He had another attack. We're at the hospital."

"What?! How? I gave him his medication before I left. When did this happen? Hold on, I'm on my way." The line went dead.

An hour later, Ava's mother arrived, her hair disheveled and her dress streaked with mud.

"Mom, what happened to you?" Ava asked, alarmed.

"Where's Brent? Is he alright? Where's the doctor? I want to see him!" her mother demanded, ignoring the question.

"The doctor hasn't said anything yet, but Brent will be fine. Please sit down-you look exhausted." Ava guided her mother to a chair and stood nearby, waiting anxiously.

The emergency ward doors opened, and the doctor stepped out.

"Miss Arden, I need to speak with you in private," he said gravely.

"Doctor, how's my son?" Mrs. Sierra asked, her voice shaking.

"He's out of danger for now. The nurses will move him to another ward, and you'll be able to see him soon. For now, I need to speak with your daughter."

Ava followed the doctor, her heart pounding. What could he want if Brent was out of danger?

In his office, she barely sat before blurting out, "I know this is about the surgery. I swear I'm working on it, just a little more time!"

The doctor sighed. "Miss Arden, I've been patient but this is beyond me now. After running tests... I'm sorry but Brent has less than a month to live."

"W-What?" Ava whispered, her body shaking.

"I'm sorry. Surgery is his only hope. Without it, his days are numbered." He handed her the test results.

Ava stumbled out, collapsing onto the cold tile floor.

Her brother's days were numbered. She had nothing; no job, no savings, no hope. For the first time, she truly felt like a failure.