<b>Chapter </b><b>404 </b>
Mitabe <b>eyed </b><b>Collins </b><b>with </b><b>a </b><b>quizzical </b><b>expression </b>etched <b>on </b>her <b>delicate </b>features<b>. </b><b>“</b><b>What </b>
ad?
<b>Collins </b><b>was </b>taken <b>aback </b><b>by </b>her <b>ignorance </b><b>and </b><b>let </b><b>out </b><b>an </b>“Ah<b>‘ </b><b>before exining</b>, <b>“</b><b>Didn’t </b><b>your brother </b><b>mention </b><b>it</b><b>? </b><b>A </b><b>sports brand </b><b>wants </b><b>both </b><b>of </b><b>you </b><b>for </b><b>a </bmercial<b>. </b><b>You </b><b>don’t </b><b>even </b><b>have </b><b>to </b><b>show your </b>face<b>, </b><b>and </b>they’re offering <b>a </b>pretty <b>penny for </b>it.”
<b>The </b><b>only </b>thing Mirabe caught was the phrase<b>, </b><b>‘</b>They’re offering <b>a </b>pretty <b>penny</b><b>.’ </b>After a <b>brief </b>silence<b>, </b>she probed, “How much are we talking<b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>Collins </b>gestured with his hand, a five.
Half a mil? Could she just stand in front of a camera, face hidden<b>, </b>and earn half a mil<b>? </b>
Suddenly, Mirabe realized how lucrative showbiz could be. Snapping back to reality<b>, </b>she remembered Collins‘ earlier words, “So, the ad got turned down<b>?</b>”
Collins nodded, “Your brother said you wouldn’t be interested and it would be too much of a hassle, and he declined.” Shaking his head with a sigh, he added, “Five million in ad money, gone. Talk about capricious.”
Five million!
Mirabe felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Knife, please? She was ready to sever all ties of kinship right then and there!
“Mirabe, I’ve gotta head out. I got a flight to catch. You should get back to campus,” Collins waved at Mirabe and started to walk away.
Watching his retreating figure, she was consumed by one thought, Her five million couldn’t just disappear into thin air!
“Collins, wait,” she called out.
Collins paused and looked back at Mirabe. “Yeah? What’s up?”
“Is there any way to get the ad deal back on the table?” Mirabe asked with a dead<b>–</b>serious face.
Collins was momentarily taken aback but quickly got the gist. “You want to take the gig?”
“Absolutely!” she nodded firmly.
<b>“</b><b>I’ll </b>talk to the brand and see what I can do. I’ll let you know, okay<b>?</b><b>” </b>
8 2 F F 3 S
<b>“</b>Thanks, Collins.”
<b>“</b><b>No </b>problem. I’m off then<b>.</b><b>” </b>
<b>“</b>Sure<b>.” </b>
<b>10:28 </b>
Mirabe watched Collins disappear before turning on her heel and striding <b>lightly </b>back Into <b>the school</b><b>, </b>her <b>mood </b>significantly brighter than before.
As she <b>entered </b><b>the campus</b><b>, </b>she <b>hadn’t </b>walked far when an elderly figure, hair silvered with <b>age and </b>leaning on a <b>cane</b><b>, </b>shuffled towards her.
Mirabe spared the <b>old </b><b>man a </b><b>nce</b><b>, </b>then<b>, </b>as they drew closer, politely stepped aside to <b>let </b><b>him pass </b>first.
<b>The old </b><b>man’s </b>movements <b>were </b><b>painfully </b><b>slow</b>, and just as he was passing by Mirabe, <b>he suddenly </b>lurched <b>towards </b>her.
Mirabe’s eyes narrowed, and the words ‘con artist‘ shed through her mind. She thought <b>to </b>of stepping back, but noticing his hunched and hobbling figure, she still reached <b>out </b><b>to </b>steady him.
“<b>Old </b><b>man</b><b>, </b>just so you know<b>, </b>I’m just a student. I don’t have money,” Mirabe stated sternly.
Her message was clear. She was the wrong target for his scam.
The <b>old </b>man had been contemting a con, but now<i>… </i>he felt oddlypelled to go through with it. Thus, his cane ttered to the ground, and he let his body lean heavily towards Mirabe. “Ouch, my dear, you’ve bumped into me!”
<b>“</b><b>My </b>chest hurts, and I’m feeling dizzy. Oh no, I think my high blood pressure and heart disease have red up because of you..”