Brute

8. Kalki

"Come on Kalki, I need answers!" Raymond exclaimed over the call.

"I'll be honest, the pay and perks are both much better than my current job." She sighed.

"Well, then the job is yours! See you in a few day-"

"Raymond! I didn't say I was accepting it, I still have to discuss about it with people in my life. Also, I have some terms..."

"We'll discuss them when you come to sign your contract with us tomorrow." He ended the call.

Kalki let out a chuckle, he was driving a hard bargain she was in two minds. Should she take up the challenge or go on working with the talent she was already looking after? She decided that she should talk to Kabir, he'd be able to help her out.

Kalki: Babe, can we get lunch together today?

Kabir: I'm at a shoot, I'll send you the location can you come? I'll arrange for us to have lunch there.

Kalki: Alright!

In a few minutes, she had the location. She informed the receptionist to direct any of her clients to the waiting room, she was clocking out for lunch. Kalki drove to the location, a set assistant led her to Kabir who was currently very engrossed in looking at the photos being touched up by the editor.

"You'll be able to fix the lighting right?"

"Yeah, definitely." She nodded directing her attention back to the monitor.

"Hi!" Kalki beamed.

"Ah! You're here. Come see what I did today!" Kabir invited her next to him.

Clearly, it wasn't just him there was an entire team. She wanted to point it out but knew that he would throw a fit about it so she just let it slide. They sat down for lunch, and so Kalki started with what was bothering her.

"So, after the Grand Prix apart from becoming a meme in that community some good did come out of it." She laughed.

"What's the good that came out of it?" He asked.

"Raymond Vermeulen contacted me, he's offering me a job at his firm." She beamed.

"Who's that?" He asked.

"One of the best managers in motorsport. He's looking to build a core team." She explained.

"That's great babe!"

"But I'm in a dilemma should I take it up?"

"Well, what do you have to do?"

"He wants me to work in his F1 division."

"Ooh! Fast cars! Silly little thing you enjoy." He laughed.

"So I'll be travelling a lot, I have to be present at every Grand Prix weekend as... Max Verstappen's schedule manager." She sighed.

"No." He shook his head.

"I know right why Max-"

"I can't have you travelling around every weekend, babe I simply won't allow it."

"Allow!?" Kalki's voice cracked with evident anger. "You won't allow me?"

"Well we're apart all the time-"

"Who THE FUCK are you to allow me!?" Her eyes widened with anger, "I've built my career myself and I'm a grown woman. You do not own me, I do not need your permission."

"No babe, you misunderstood-"

"Stop calling me babe." She glared at him. "I don't need your fucking permission, I only wanted your opinion."

"And my opinion is that you shouldn't take this job up." He crossed his arms. "I don't like it."

Kalki was enraged by the way he was treating this, he still hadn't apologised for what he said earlier. It meant he still believed she needed his permission for her career decisions, and she didn't like that one bit. She was blinded by rage, all she could think about the bad parts of their relationship and everything Neel had pointed out, maybe he was right.

"To hell with you and your nepo kid bullshit." Kalki huffed standing up, ready to leave this place.

"Excuse me-"

"Don't even bother defending yourself, we all know you wouldn't be a photographer if your uncle wasn't on the advisory board. I've built my own career and I don't need your permission for any decision I make." She gave him a peace of her mind. The gears in her brain were moving, moving a little too fast. She thought of taking up the job just out of spite.

"If you're not going to listen to me I don't want to be with you." He tried to shift the power play.

"Good then! Leave my stuff in a box by the door of your apartment." She walked away.

"Are you seriously ending everything we have?" He yelled.

"I think it ended a long time ago and I was just clutching onto some remains." She said.

It's when the cold air hit her she realised what she had done. Shit. They had fought in a room full of people they knew and worked with frequently, gossip was going to spread like wildfire.

She had to make moves fast. He may be a fool but he was powerful. Kabir was a dangerous idiot right now, he could get her blacklisted from every company in the industry. He could end her career.

She never returned to her office, Kalki headed home to think about her next move. She called up Raymond, who answered the call in a heartbeat.

"I wasn't expecting to hear so soon!" He laughed.

"Yet, here I am. What's the earliest I can come down to accept my new responsibilities?" She gulped nervously.

"Incredible! You've made the right decision! I'm on my way to the airport, I'll talk to some people get to the lounge as soon as you can let's confirm this before I head back to the Netherlands."

"Okay, I'll be there." She ended the call.

What. The. Heck. She took a seat on her sofa, never in a million years did she think a situation like this would arise. She quickly headed to the airport, Kalki was relieved that she had managed to save her career but at the cost of what?

Kalki found Raymond sitting by a giant window overlooking the runway at the lounge, she took a seat opposite to him and read through the paperwork as he explained the terms to her. They negotiated, argued and compromised until both of them were happy with it. And with that, Kalki signed the contract, it was official. She was now in charge of Max Verstappen's affairs- track side.

"What made you change your mind? Accept it despite your history with Max?" He asked.

"It's been an eventful day to say the least. I lost my cool, broke up with my boyfriend and I'm sure he's going to make sure I lose my job, so I wanted to make sure I accept what life has offered me and not cry over what I'm about to lose." She shrugged.

"The only person that's going to be crying is him. You've only got good days coming ahead." Raymond smiled.

"Thank you! But I still have one condition."

"What is it?"

"You've got to let me handle some kids who are doing Karting or junior series, I really want to understand the process."

"We've got a good roster of them! Also, I'll be delivering the news to Max as soon as I reach so don't worry about any of that, you focus on parting ways with your present employer in a tidy way." He instructed her.

"Thank you, I'll be on it right away. Have a safe trip!" She wished him.

"Thank you." Raymond smiled, it was time for him to board his flight.

Kalki let out a breath of relief, she had made the right choice. But now the real work started, she had to hand over her present talent to suitable managers, find a way to tell Anika about her decision and hope she wouldn't cry and above all, learn to be civil towards Max Emilian Verstappen.