THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

"How many pages?" Zachary inquired after receiving the contract document from Emily.

"Don't worry," Emily replied, smiling. "It's just sixteen pages and much simpler in context than your contract with Rosenborg. So, you can even read it in less than an hour. That's, of course, if you manage to concentrate."

"And we can complete the signing of this contract as soon as I finish reading it, even if it's today morning?" Zachary queried, taking a quick scan through the pages of the document. "Is that right?"

"Yes, that's true," Emily replied. "Susanne has already promised that we can get in touch and complete procedures right after you finish going through the terms. So, if you wish to receive millions of money quickly, you better get to reading."

"When there are millions at stake, I can even fly a rocket," Zachary said, grinning. "So, give me a few minutes to read through the terms. I'll be lightning fast."

"But please make sure you understand everything," Emily advised. "If you don't, please ask me. We do want you to sign anything you don't understand either now or in the future."

"Don't worry, I'll do that," Zachary concurred before concentrating on reading through the contract document.

Like Emily had said, it was a much simpler version compared to his contract with Rosenborg. It had clauses that allowed Audi to utilize Zachary's name for advertising purposes in both Norway and the rest of the world—if there was a need.

Additionally, it specified the amount of annual income Zachary would get and the commitments he needed to fulfill while under contract as the brand ambassador. It also outlined the conditions under which he could apply and receive wage increments from Audi during the contract period.

A soft smile grew on his face as he continued reading through the document. In addition to the favorable annual income, there were more detailed provisions to factor in his growth potential. If he made any achievements in his football career during the three years under contract, he would get more monetary benefits from Audi. For instance, if he managed to become the top scorer or the best player in the Tippeligaen, his annual income from the German car brand would more than double.

Zachary was quite contented since all he had to do was drive an Audi model, take part in the production of a few ads—and then, he would get millions at the end of each year. He was satisfied with every clause of the contract and had yet to find any reason to reject it.

"I've finished reading," He announced after reading all the paragraphs in the document a few minutes later.

"You're done?" Emily exclaimed, her eyes widening. "It has only been a little over twenty minutes. Did you understand everything?"

"Since you had already explained most of the clauses, I managed to understand them without much effort," Zachary responded, smiling at her. "The only thing I don't understand is the section about    Force Majeure. There's no explanation for it throughout the whole document." He drawled a little, trying to pronounce the last word.

"Oh, Force Majeure!" Emily intoned, nodding. "That section solely explains what would happen if an unforeseeable catastrophe that is natural or unavoidable interrupted the expected course of events and prevented you or Audi from fulfilling obligations in the contract. It removes liability for such an event for which not a single party is the cause—and thus, no party in the contract can be held accountable. For instance, if you get into an accident—both on and off the pitch—and fail to meet obligations, then there's no way Audi can hold you accountable."

"But remember that events that constitute Force Majeure must be unforeseeable, external to the parties of the contract, and unavoidable," Emily continued explaining with a slow but steady voice. "For instance, if you get into an accident while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, then you'll still face the consequences of breaching the contract. That's because your actions are the cause of the very accident that stopped you from fulfilling the terms of your agreement with Audi. Is my explanation clear enough?"

"Yes, I understand now," Zachary replied, smiling. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Emily said, beaming back at him. "Anything else you haven't understood in the contract? Don't feel pressured into making a choice. A slight delay on our side won't affect the deal that much. So we've got until Monday to make a decision."

"I don't have any problems with any of the clauses," Zachary responded right away. "So, you can go ahead and contact the Audi representatives. Let's complete this deal so that I can get back to training and you can also travel back to England. I'm guessing you've got a lot of responsibilities there. Isn't that right?"

"Don't worry about me," Emily said, brushing off his question. "This is my job, and I have to do it well, no matter how long it takes. Moreover, I've already freed up my entire schedule this month so that I can negotiate your deals without any distractions. So, I'm still in Trondheim until the beginning of June."

"Then, I'm glad," Zachary said, flashing her a smile. "I enjoy having you around. I rarely get bored when you're around—in Trondheim."

"Oh," Emily said, the corners of her mouth lifting into a charming smile. "But don't fall for me. You're my client and somewhat like a younger brother to me." She added humorously.

"Cut it out," Zachary said, shaking his head. "And to be honest, I think you're not my type. So, you would be dreaming if you ever find yourself thinking that I'll make a pass at you."

"Ouch, that hurt," Emily said, her deep blue eyes crinkling at the corners. "And what is this type of yours? Camilla, that hot neighbor of yours, or the mature Susanne?" She chuckled, her pretty face slowly morphing into a smirk.

"That, I can't tell you," Zachary countered, wondering how Emily even knew about his neighbor. He was pretty sure that he'd never talked to her about Kristin.

"Why?" She queried, pouting a bit.

"It's a secret," Zachary replied, glancing at his watch. "Anyways, can you try calling the Audi representatives? It's already 10:08 AM. If you intend for us to meet them before the day ends, you'd better act now."

"Okay, then," Emily intoned, her voice taking on a formal tone once more. "Give me a moment to call Susanne. I'm pretty sure that she'll want us to complete the deal today. She seems like someone that moves very fast while doing business."

"Okay," Zachary said. "Please go ahead. I can't wait to swim in dollars."

Emily chuckled at that before fishing out her phone and starting to make the call. Zachary left her to her work and beckoned a waitress over to their table. He ordered two more cappuccinos, one for himself and another for Emily, before leaning back in his seat to await the news from the Audi representatives.

He didn't have to wait long, though. A minute or two later, Emily ended the call and placed her phone down on the table before smiling at Zachary.

"Well, what did Susanne say?" Zachary probed, not masking his enthusiasm.

"Susanne agreed to meet us at two in the afternoon to complete the deal," Emily replied, smiling. "She seemed quite pleased by how fast we had responded to the offer."

"That's great, then," Zachary intoned, also smiling. "So, I guess I should go put in some few hours of practice to pass the time before the meeting. We can then link up at around 1:00 PM and head to the Audi outlet together."

"Don't you have a day off today?" Emily queried, lifting a brow.

"Well, officially, yes," Zachary answered. "But since I didn't get to play yesterday, I've got fresh legs and can put in a few hours of training."

"But aren't you forgetting that we have to finish up something before you leave?" Emily inquired.

"We have to finish up something!" Zachary probed as he was momentarily at a loss of what she was implying.

"Twitter," Emily whispered, grinning.

"Oh, that," Zachary said, sighing.

"Yes," Emily said. "Let's register that account for you right now. It'll give you a platform to connect on an individual level with your fans. They'll soon become heavily invested and loyal and get a chance to see that you're actually human and relatable by getting a glimpse into you as a person. That'll make them closer to you than ever before. And I can promise that you'll be able to reap both monetary and non-monetary benefits out of the account. If it gets too much for you to handle, we can get someone to manage the account for you. So, please take out your phone."

"Well, I do hope that opening this account will be worth it," Zachary said, fishing his Motorola G-phone from the side pocket of his trouser. Even in his previous life, he'd not been a technically savvy person. He didn't like sharing information about himself on the internet. But since his agent had assured him that the account had the potential to make him money, he, of course, had to give it a try.

"Do you need some help?" Emily queried from across the table.

"No need, I can handle this myself," Zachary replied, his eyes still focused on his Motorola Moto-G phone. He then typed the word "Twitter" into his Google play search bar to look up the app.