Gray returned ho quickly afterward. He was carrying a bunch of folders; their weight was heavy on his arms.
Yesterday, he took ho a single folder that contained his agreent with Jonathan Lancaster. However, now he had a stack of them. They were neatly arranged and color-coded thanks to Marcus.
These were files about the grocery store’s operations, summaries of past quarterly sales, inventory logs, supplier lists, staff rosters, maintenance schedules, and a simple handbook of the store’s procedures and rules.
Marcus had handed all of them just before they parted ways that late afternoon.
Marcus told him that he should familiarize himself with everything before the handover in 2 days.
It seed impossible, but Gray agreed to it. He had to. He needed to understand what he was getting into. And Marcus was right on one thing. Reading this stuff beforehand could save him from a hundred awkward questions later.
With a tired sigh, Gray nudged the door open and stepped inside.
The living room was quiet except for the occasional muffled noise from Lily’s room. She was probably still working on her assignnts or playing so gas.
Gray dropped the folders gently on the kitchen table, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at them.
’Haaa... there’s too much.’ ’
But first, he needs to accomplish his mission.
He still hadn’t finished reading the contract.
The System had given him three days to complete the task, but it was better for him to do it as soon as possible.
He could have finished it yesterday, but the wall of formal text made him sleepy. Halfway through the file, his sensed slowly dulled until he found himself closing his eyes and passing out.
But not tonight.
Tonight, he’d finish it.
Gray stood in front of the kitchen table for a minute, then turned and headed toward the hallway.
He paused in front of Lily’s door.
It was slightly open, the warm light spilling out into the dim hallway. Quietly, he peeked inside to just check on her.
Lily was at her desk, her head bent over a worksheet. Lily had her brows furrowed in concentration as she scribbled sothing down with her pencil. A pair of earbuds hung loosely around her neck, and her feet swayed gently under the chair.
Gray watched for a few seconds, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
He gave a quiet nod, choosing not to disturb her.
’Good. She’s occupied. She’ll co out once she’s done with her howork.
Turning back to the kitchen, Gray rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He wasn’t in the mood to make anything complicated, but he still had to cook dinner for himself and his sister.
He opened the fridge, pulled out the leftover stir-fried pork from yesterday, then reached for the vegetables he bought earlier this week. They were frozen carrots and broccoli.
He opened their bag, then quickly chopped the broccoli into smaller bite size. The stear was already on the counter, and he set it up without thinking.
While the vegetables stead, he scooped out so uncooked rice and let it cook on the stove.
A few minutes later, he mixed the reheated pork with the freshly stead broccoli and carrots, tossed in a bit of sesa oil and soy sauce, and gave it a quick stir.
It was nothing fancy, but it was already a good dinner for the two of them.
He arranged the food neatly on a plate and set it on the table. Then he prepared a second plate that was smaller for Lily. He placed it across from his own, covered it with a lid to keep it warm, and filled her cup with water.
With the preparations for dinner done, Gray wiped his hands and took a long breath.
There was one thing left to do.
He turned away from the kitchen and made his way to his room. He was carrying the folders in his hand.
Gray entered his room and closed the door behind him with a quiet click.
He was so tempted to lie down but he didn’t. He knew himself too well. If he let his back touch the mattress of his bed, even for a second, the rest of his night would be over.
The folders would stay unread, and his mission would stay unfinished.
So instead, he went straight to his desk.
Gray placed the folders beside him before reaching for the contract.
It was the first on his list.
He pulled it open and flipped to the page where he had left off. He’d already gone through the first half last night. The sections covered the ownership terms, managing rights, and Jonathan’s holding share.
Now ca the second half. The one filled with all the things that were easier to skip but impossible to ignore.
He adjusted his chair and started reading.
The last half of the contract was more technical than the first, but Gray pushed through.
Financial Oversight
The contract states that Gray could manage the store’s daily operations, but there was a limit. He was allowed to approve additional expenses up to $20,000 a month. Anything more? He’d need approval from Lancaster Group.
’Not bad,’ Gray thought.
Monthly Reporting
This one was expected.
He had to submit a report every month with sales performance, expenses, staffing updates, and any notable incidents. There was even a built-in template provided for him.
Non-Compete Clause
In this clause, it talks about how he couldn’t own or open another grocery store within a five-kiloter radius for two years. This was supposed to protect the grocery’s sales.
Termination and Transfer
In here, it said he ever wanted out, he could do it, but he needed to inform Lancaster Group about it. He can sell his shares since it was his own. However, the managing rights should be returned to the Lancaster Group, as it was only given to him.
Well, it makes sense. Who would want a random person to suddenly just manage your business?
And the final clause was the Confidentiality Clause
This part was clear as day. Any internal information, such as finances, suppliers, vendor deals, and staff records, was confidential. Leaking anything would land him in legal trouble.
After that, there was one more page of paper. It was a short but formal note.
"This agreent reflects the trust and intention of both parties to ensure the smooth operation and long-term sustainability of the Riverside Branch."
At the bottom, the signatures of Jonathan and Gray appeared.
"I’m finally finished."
The mission window blinked to life before him.
[Mission Complete!]
[ 1 Influence Gained]
[ $2,000 has been added to your wealth]
A faint smile curved on his lips.
Finally, it was done.
Now, onto the rest.
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