Elsa Miles smiles at me, revealing her so much perfect teeth. She looks too young for her forty seven years. Actually, I admit that she's more beautiful than how she's depicted by most of her photos. She's in a very healthy situation and seems to be very simple. I remember the saying that never judge a book by its cover. She shows me to sit and she on the other side of the table but she does not sit in her chair.
" I have heard a lot about you, Carloy and it seems to me that you are one ambitious fellow," Elsa says, looking at me interestingly
" Thank you," I reply.
" I like the story behind your success. Your books have got best selling and two of them have been filmed. Teddy made the right choice for me....."
Elsa continues making acknowledgement about me I start feeling uneasy. Am not used to praise and from a big person, it feels too much. It's as if she has me investigated on. More so, her gaze is too direct that I feel like she's seeing through me. She finally takes her seat.
" Do you do this to all the people you want to work for you?" I ask.
" Yes, I mean I do it to those am going to work directly with," she replies confidently.
" What do you mean by working directly with?" I ask , my job instincts kicking in.
" Those who will hold my confidential information," she says, stressing her statement.
Elsa Miles happens to be free to talk to and I am glad because this will make my working with her easier. From what she has told me, I tell her that she sounds too insecure with people getting to know her.
" I wouldn't call it being insecure," she replies.
" You fear people fear people knowing about you. That's why you've kept yourself away from the media," I say, feeling proud of the research on human behavior I took.
" You seem very good at this thing. Indeed, you're the right person for me to work with on this," she interpolates.
" You are trying to avoid talking about you being insecure," I reply, bringing back the subject matter.
" Like I said , am not insecure. Like why should I even be insecure? Insecurity is for people who are not certain about themselves.," she says proudly. " It's just too hard for me to trust people easily."
" And what makes you think am worth your trust? Moreover your most hidden secrets," I say.
I notice the surprise in her eyes. I am also surprised by my question. I am being very careless with my words. But if am to help her with her biography, those are the questions am supposed to be asking her. I can tell she's struggling to find an answer to what I have just said. I regret asking her that.
" I know you need my trust," she says softly, and this time am the one who receives the shock. " You will benefit from writing the information am going to give to."
" Why do you say so? You're the one who wants to have your biography exposed. I don't see how to benefit a lot from it," I say , confused by her statement.
Elsa Miles tells me that she's certain once her biography is out, it is a sure high sale. This is not news and of course she'll make a lot of money from it. Then suddenly I remember a question I had for her.
I ask her why she has decided to make her biography just after her announcing that she has leukemia. She makes me think she's preparing her death.
" Everyone will die at one time sooner or later. I might die of this blood cancer, or something else. You will never know when you'll leave the world. But surprisingly my decision to write about my life is not connected to my death," she tells me.
" Then what is it about? People should get to know the main reason behind you making a biography. More so now that they know about your dire life situation," I reply .
" I think you're diverting a lot from today's reason for your coming. We have not reached any agreement and so the issues concerning the book you're going to write will be discussed in our next meeting, " Elsa tells me.
" I am sorry. It's just too exciting to know about you, " I confess.
" You should try to avoid the excitement as long as I work with you," she says, and her voice and expression turn serious.
Elsa Miles looks more stunning when she turns all business like. She tells me that she's going to be my boss during the time I write her biography. Something that I think is irrelevant to say because I think it's pretty obvious. She continues that since she's the boss, I should follow what she wants and help her bring out what she wants in the best way. I should say she sounds bossy but I believe I will manage.
" All the money from the information you will get from me will be yours to have. But I want you to promise me that you will give part of it to the charity organizations," Elsal says, making me look at her wide-eyed.
" What do you mean by the money will be mine? I ask, confused. I didn't see this coming.
" Exactly that, the money will be yours. It is your payment for writing the information am going to give you."
I tell Elsa Miles that the money that will be obtained from her biography will be too much to be payment for my work. Even if am to donate it to the charity organizations as per her request, it's still too much and I can't accept it. It will make me feel like I have taken free money.
" That's the only payment that I have for you," she says.
" I am sorry, but I can't take all that money for the simple job am going to make."
" Keep all the courtesy to yourself, Carloy. It's not going to be as simple as you already imagine. I want a perfect work from you," she adds on," and do you really think the world will look at it the way you do right now? And am sure at that time you'll also have no option because you will realize you're the only one best suited to achieve the money."
" But still, it's too much for me. I am satisfied even by having the opportunity to be the one authoring your life," I say.
" I know that very well. Your CV and career will reach greater heights after you writing my life. But I never make people work for free. I have enough money to pay for the people who work for me . And for your case, it's my only way of expressing my gratitude for the work you'll have done because I failed to do it myself despite all the other achievements I have made. And plus, trust me I consider it as one of my biggest projects because it has taken me too much of myself conscience to finally decide to reveal myself to the world. So the only payment I can guarantee is the money out of the book you'll make about my life."
" Am sorry, but it still is your money to take because am just going to help you make the book," I reply defiantly.
" You're very stubborn, Carloy. But you will get to know why am giving you the money in our next meeting."
" I will not take the money," I say, trying to sound serious.
" You either accept the offer or give up working on this project," she says in a stern voice.
I look at Elsa Miles unbelievingly. It's then that I realize how serious she is with the issue. She has put me in the middle of a deep ocean. I can't accept either of the options she has put up. She's sounding too bossy right now.
" You can't be serious," I say, exasperated.
" Do I look like am playing games?" she asks.
" You sound dictatorial."
" That's me and you'd better get used. Inset conditions for what I want and surprisingly I always get it," she replies proudly.
Right now I want to push the hell of arrogance out of her. I wonder if this is how she deals with all her employees and associates. Then I see how she has come to be successful for all this time. She has a way of always getting what she wants. She puts you in a situation where the best option is for you to accept her offer.
In my situation, I need to write the biography and I can't just let this golden opportunity slide throughy fingers. I now understand why she said I would benefit more from writing her biography. My career will grow big. I can't lose this.
" I accept your offer," I say relentlessly.
" I knew you wouldn't fail me. We've got an agreement then. You'll be meeting me at my home in the course of next week such that we begin on the project. Your job is to listen to what I have to say and help me achieve the main aim of what you'll write," she says, already turning to the main issue.
" What's the main aim of your biography?" I ask.
" You will know that on Saturday when we meet. Right now, just go and look for the questions about my life that will help to answer all curiosity about me. You should have that by Saturday. The real task will begin on Monday," she tells me.
" I understand," I reply.
With that, Elsa Miles wishes me a very good day. I say my goodbye to Jane as I leave, as if we know each other very well. As expected, Teddy is curious about how my meeting with Elsa Miles has gone.