She felt like her knees were shaking. Lee Jin Ho never retracted his gaze from her. PA Jin provided them the copy of the contract and told them to start reading it and let them know if they have questions or if they need something to rectify in the contract. Tan Ja Nin took one copy and has started reading it. The contract end date was 2 years from the date that the contract is signed. During the span of two years she wasn"t allowed to get any advertis.e.m.e.nt job from other electronics company. It was also written that she needs to attend all the events on which her appearance is needed to promote the product. She was offered a hefty amount of 10 million yuan. The amount was too large to be offered to someone who was just new in the industry and doesn"t have too much exposure yet. If this contract will be offered by someone she didn"t knew she could have signed it right away. Because she would believe that she was given the contract because of her capability to endorse the product. But because the offer came from Lee Jin Ho"s company she had a doubt that the reason why she got the offer was because she was Tan Ji Nan"s twin sister and it hurt her so bad. She took a deep breath before she made a statement.
"I"m grateful for the opportunity but I"m not going to accept the offer." She said in low voice.
Everyone in the room was startled and were caught a big surprise with her rejection except Lee Jin Ho who has never shown any emotions. Manager Mo tried to communicate to her but she doesn"t want to look at her.
"Ms. Tan, may we ask why you are rejecting the offer?" Atty. Lim politely asked.
"The amount was too hefty to be offered to a newbie like me."
Manager Mo was dumbfounded. She gave Tan Ji Nan a dagger"s look. She wanted to smack her face at that moment. Has she gone nuts. What was wrong with her?
"If we are going to lower the amount, are you going to give it a second thought?" PA Jin asked. He could not fathom why Tan Ja Nin has rejected their offer. Some artist would demand for a higher talent fee but this newbie was rejecting the offer because the offering price was too hefty?
Before Tan Ja Nin could open her mouth to answer PA Jin, a cold voice from the man who sitting beside PA Jin was heard.
"Aren"t you confident enough to know that this is how much you worth?"
Tan Ja Nin looked at Lee Jin Ho and she was greeted by his icy look.
"10 million yuan is a big amount. Are you going to gamble that money to get a newbie endorser who doesn"t have any track record of her successful endors.e.m.e.nt?"
"Tan Ja Nin..." Manager Mo tried to cut in
"I didn"t know that Ms Tan here was questioning our judgment on who is the best fit to endorse our product." Lee Jin Ho has started to loose his cool.
"Then why did you pick me instead of other celebrities who already established a name in the industry?" Tan Ja Nin asked with her voice on a high pitch tone.
"Why would I explain it to you if in the end you will still not accept our offer?" Lee Jin Ho said in a pit of rage.
Tan Ja Nin tried to hold her anger. He was right what"s the reason of explaining the reason if she already knew the answer.
"We have to take our leave now then. Thank you for considering me."
Tan Ja Nin left the meeting room hastily.
Lee Jin Ho slowly closed his hand and formed a fist.
....
"Are you out of your mind? Why did you reject the offer?" Manager Mo was furious and couldn"t wait to strangle her. She cannot raise her voice because they were still inside the Suns.h.i.+nati"s office.
Tan Ja Nin did not reply. She was furious too. She hurriedly strode off outside the office and in a minute she has reached the elevator. Manager Mo strode fast too.
Inside the elevator, Manager Mo continued to chided her. Tan Ja Nin was like deaf and she didn"t try to open her mouth to explain to Manager Mo. She kept silent even when they have reached the car park and she was already inside her manager"s car. Manager Mo decided to keep silent the whole journey too. She need to calm herself because she was already at the verge of dropping Tan Ja Nin and cut her ties with her as her manager. She did not try to talk to her again until she dropped her off to her apartment. She will deal with her after Tan Ja Nin returned to her senses again.
....
Lee Jin Ho was like a mad man when he reached his private office. He slammed all the things on his table with his hand then frustratedly sat on his swivel chair.
He didn"t know what to do with Tan Ja Nin. She was the most hardheaded woman he had ever met. He didn"t know why she had bluntly reject the offer. What was her reason? Because of the hefty amount? What was wrong with her mind? Most of the celebrities were desperate and will do everything just to be the endorser of their company but she rejected it?
Okay, she might not need the money because she was rich so it was so easy for her to let it go, but the opportunity, she just let it off just like that! Didn"t she know that it would be hard for her to get an offer from another company or advertising agency because she was just a newbie. He was just trying his best to help her.
Yes, he was just helping her but she doesn"t want it.
Why? Was it because she doesn"t want to have a debt of grat.i.tude from him? Was she afraid that because he has helped her he will ask something from her in return?
He ma.s.sage his temples and called Tan Ji Nan.
.....
"Really she rejected the endorser offer?" Tan Ji Nan could not believe what he just heard. "That twin sister of mine must be nuts! If it not us, who would help her anyway?"
Lee Jin Ho has suddenly realized something.
Did she reject the offer because she has mistaken it that she only got it because of her family"s connection? That he offered the endorser job to her because she was his friend twin sister?
He suddenly remember what she had said to him, when she took him out for lunch at their family"s hangout place. That she doesn"t need her family"s connection just to get a movie offer. That she wanted to do it on her own.
"Ji Nan, I"ve got to go! I think I know the reason why she rejected it. I"ll take care of it." Lee Jin Ho said and he ended the call.
He strode outside towards PA Jin.
"Clean the mess in my room. Cancel all my appointment for the remainder of the day!" He said and started to strode off toward the exit.
"Noted, President!" PA Jin said and looked at his retreating figure.
.....
Tan Ja Nin"s tears had finally fell down her cheeks when she reached her apartment.
She was pathetic. She was really nothing if it wasn"t for her family. She really wanted to do it on her own, but her family was always there to interfere. Lee Jin Ho wouldn"t helped her if it wasn"t because of her brother. If she wasn"t Tan Ji Nan"s sister, Lee Jin Ho would not invest on her. She had realized something, now she knew how hard it was for someone who doesn"t have any connection in the society. If someone has been successful without the ent.i.tlement of being a Young Mistress of a wealthy family, it was pure hardwork that really made her.
She laughed bitterly. She could never be that kind of woman, because even though she wanted to disa.s.sociate herself from the Tan"s powerful connection, she will always be entangled with them no matter what.
....
Lee Jin Ho"s car was parked in front of Tan Ja Nin"s apartment but he could not bring himself to get out of the car to talk to Tan Ja Nin. He doesn"t know how to explain everything to her. He cannot understand himself anymore. He was a man who always had confidence on everything he does, but he couldn"t get that confidence in front of Tan Ja Nin. He was like a scared dog who doesn"t have the courage to face his owner if he did something awful to her. He took a deep sigh. He must talk to her now or else there could be more misunderstanding between her and Tan Ja Nin and he doesn"t like that.
He dialled Tan Ja Nin"s number and was surprised when she picked it up after 3 rings.
"h.e.l.lo!"
Lee Jin Ho was startled. Was she crying?