The Contract

Luckily, her name is not Jasmine. Her name isn't really that important.

Her job is, however.

So, it is a very good thing that she didn't let her opinion affects me or the company.

The receptionist did call my office in the morning. This is proven in the phone records down.

I wasn't in my office at the time as I was preparing my manuscripts in the adjacent rooms. The printers and scanners are very noisy. It isn't like those machines are built to the standard of the 21st century.

After playing with Antigone for a little bit and putting her to sleep, I was in several long meetings with several departments, including members of Hydra.

In fact, I wasn't in my office for most of the day.

I was a very busy man.

Thus, all the receptionist could do is tell Halle to wait in the lobby until I am available. Even so, I decide to have a seminar about this matter as Henry might be subconsciously racist.

It is not strange to me that all my employees in Terra Entertainment are white. This didn't mean that Asian or Black are incapable. It just means that Henry had prioritized employing white over another race. It either his doing or those working directly under him.

I had also noticed that the staffs at Oxford Hotel is the same. The only blacks or Asians I have seen are the cleaning staffs. I didn't make anything at the time since I have something else on mind.

Instead of telling Halle to come to my office, I went downstairs to get her personally. To have the chief executive officer (CEO) and chairman of your company greet a no-name in person creates a powerful impression.

"I am really sorry for making you wait all day, Miss Halle Berry. It is not my intention. Please, come this way. We have much to discuss about your contact the upcoming schedule. I wish to be the first person to congratulate you on joining our company as its first inhouse actress."

I apologize and cast a warning glance at the receptionist. She is utterly shocked, just like the employees in the lobby.

They will have something to gossip about tomorrow.

"Ah… no. It's… it's fine, Mr. Maxwell. I don't mind waiting."

Halle responses shyly. She didn't want to be here, as it is outside her comfort zone. She prefers to be on the street as she has been for most of her life. That will have to change. I will mold her into what I needed as an image for the company.

Halle follows me to the elevator and we both head to the top floor.

"Are you hungry?"

I ask when I am back in my office and in my seat. Halle did wait all day for me. And from the surveillance camera in the lobby, she had never left the building.

"No. I am used to it."

Halle answer. There are days that she didn't have anything in her stomach.

"Is that so? Please do to remember to have at least 3 meals a day. I will assign an agent to you, making sure you maintain a healthy weight and… hygiene. You are very important to the company, even if you do not know it yet. Come, sit down and let me talk about your contract."

Once Halle takes a seat across the desk from me, I place a stack of paper in front of her.

This is her contract – about an inch thick.

I might have gone too far in crafting it. I want to address all the possible situations and circumstances as humanly possible.

It is a standard contract for all actors and actresses working under me and for Terra Entertainment. It is unlike any contact available for those looking to become a star in the film industry.

In the current state of things in the filming industry and under the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), actors and actresses required agents to find them work. They could do it themselves, but it is very difficult without proper connection.

Once the actors or actresses have been casted in a movie and finished filming, they would be required to look for work once more. The cycle continues until they could no longer be marketable.

I do not like that model. I prefer a fulltime actors or actresses than a contracted one.

It also speeds things up for everything I have in mind. I really don't need to have an audition each time I needed something to be filmed, movies or otherwise.

The actors and actresses will also be the spokesperson for the company.

"Have a read of the contract carefully in your spare time. Sign it and give it back to me whenever. It is not really that important whether you sign it or not, right Miss Berry?"

Berry flinches as her mind recalls the terrifying memory. She feels so small in her seat.

"Don't worry. The contract does not force you to do anything you don't want to do. It outlines all your rights while working for me and my company, Terra Entertainment."

I speak calmly as I show her the section regarding her personal right.

"In short, as part of the company, you are not allowed to take on any other jobs without an expressed permission from myself or the head of the production department. This is to prevent, amongst other things, scheduling conflict. In return, we will ensure that you star in at least one movie or a television show each year."

I point out and flip several pages.

Halle tries to read, but I am moving way too fast for her.

"In the time that you are not filming or preparing to film, you are required to attend your training and seminar from 8am to 5pm every weekday. Once your skills reach appropriate levels, we will have you lecture and teach those that are aspiring to be contracted by the company. Weekends are your days off just like every other employee in the company. We generally do not care about your personal life if it does not affect the company and its policy. In other word, what you do in your own time is your own business."

I flip to another page.

"We have prepared an adequate salary package for you. As our fulltime employee and prized actress, your salary is $100,000 annually, before taxes and other expenses. It will be paid into your dedicated bank account at Chrono Reverses at the beginning of each financial years. You get bonuses for other contributions such as working overtime and so on."

I tap at one of the dot points on the page.

"If you star in one of the movies or television shows, you will get a percentage of the preceding on top of your annual salary. How much of a percentage is completely up the company at the time or prior to the time of the production – it could be anywhere between 1% to 10%. For example, if you star in a blockbuster hit movie that earns 200 million after all expenses, you will likely get a bonus of 2 million for your contributions."

Halle is lost for word.

It is an incredibly insane offer, considering that even the highest-grossing movie star does not always share in the revenue. It is rarely that actors or actresses do.

To give her that much while she hadn't really acted a day in her life is just absurd.

However, I have seen the future and I know that she will do very well.

Halle is a hard worker. She diligently attended all her training sections, vastly improving her acting and communication skills. She is the face of the company and many of its products.

I continue to guide her through the contract until the very last page, where her signature is required. Although we can go on verbal agreement, it is better on the legal side of things that she does sign the contract.

"The contract is for 25 years. You can renew the contract at any time during the 25 years. Although there are no penalties for breaking the contract on paper. You will just have an unfortunate accident or something similar."

I tell Halle casually. The last line makes her tense up.

"Do understand that the company cannot have those it spends millions of dollar nurturing to work for another company in the future, Miss Berry. I don't like wasting my valuable time on people like that. I cannot say that I am fair, but I am not completely heartless. Do your job and you will find that working for me have its benefits and many advantageous."

I give her a smile and lean back against my chair.

"Also, have you found a place to live yet? If not, Terra Entertainment will provide a place for you. We will also provide security details to ensure no one bother our actresses with their obsession. It is also to keep you in line, huh. These are free of charge."

I tell her as it is. The security details are provided by Shield Security. She can choose which of the men or women to protect her. I don't mind that at all if it makes her any more comfortable.

Halle asks about somethings she didn't understand. I answer her to best of my ability. There is no need to hide anything from her in relation to her contract since she already known what I can do.

"It is getting late. Come and join me and my daughter for a warm dinner. It is also a toast to your new job at our company. I know of a wonderful restaurant."

I request when the clock hits 8pm. I should have left the office around 5pm, but the first few days are always the busiest.

Antigone should be waking up soon due to her hunger. She eats like 6 times a day.

Halle is surprised at my request.

"You have a daughter, Mr. Maxwell?"