CHAPTER 12:: Pinch Of Reality
1123 Words
Emily's POV
I was about to get up and leave the office when I decided to ask him one more time if this was real, if he was going to really do this for me. I couldn't believe he was going to spend that amount of money on someone had just met a few days ago and despite that he wouldn't ask for additional compensation because of what he was going to do for me.
I was more than shocked and even at this moment it still felt like a dream, a dream I was going to wake up from and feel angry about because it wasn't real. I pinched myself again to know if I would wake up in my bed at home, or in the waiting room at the hospital where my father was getting his treatment, but nothing happened.
Today was just getting better and better, because aside from this Steven had also gotten what he deserved. I never expected things would turn out this fine, considering the dire situation I'd found myself in not so long ago. I decided it was best to just go with the flow but just to be very sure about the promise he made, I couldn't help but ask about it again. I looked at him again, feeling hopeful and anxious at the same time. His eyes were calm and reassuring, but I was finding it very hard to shake off the doubt that I had in my mind. What if I really didn't mean it and was just joking.
"Do you really want to do this?" I asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper. I wanted to hear him say it one more time, so I could be certain that he was really very serious and it wasn't a joke at all. He smirked and looked at me for a while, as if he was about to break the news that he had been bluffing.
I felt my heart skip a beat at the thought which I pushed off immediately, willing myself not to think about it. He took his time before he replied. He smiled warmly, it was a smile that reached his eyes.
"Yes, Emily. You heard me right, I want to do it for you. When I heard about your situation, I knew I needed to help. Every life is precious and important. And I just don't want to help- I also want to make sure that you get the salary you deserve. Both of them are very important and there is no way I'm going to deny you that. Do you think it would be kind of me to just help you with the hospital bills and leave you to suffer while working?"
I didn't reply because I knew he wouldn't be doing the wrong thing if he did that. In fact, I was the one who was supposed to pay him back ten times for what he'd done. But since things were this way, I had no other option than to be happy and allow allow do his thing. I felt a glimmer of relief, but he wasn't finished yet. It seemed he had something important to announce.
"However," he continued with a serious tone in his voice. "I'm gonna need you to stay by my side at all times. This isn't just a regular job, Emily. You'll need to be with me constantly, if not every time."
I nodded slowly as I understood what he had just meant by that. I had no idea what he was trying to insinuate but I guessed I just had to wait and find out where this was going. He was a kind man and a good person, so I didn't think he would hurt me in any way. The idea of staying by his side at all times was daunting, but the alternative was much worse.
The alternative was nothing but a life of anguish and suffering. I couldn't even imagine the cancer slowly killing my father with me being unable to do anything about it. I couldn't even bring myself to think about it. I knew that sooner or later, I was going to have to ask him about it but at the moment, I just had to watch and see where things would lead me.
"And there's one more thing," he said, leaning forward slightly as he spoke.
"When you get home, pack your belongings immediately because someone will come by in the evening to pick you up. You will be staying at my place the whole time." Despite how happy I felt, I couldn't deny the way my heart skipped after he said that. I was coming to stay at his place, so soon? What about my father? Wasn't I going to see him first to know if he was doing okay. I needed to go and talk to him and see if he was doing okay. If he was really recovering like the doctor had promised.
I needed to be sure that he was well taken care of, and that was because of the fear that his treatment could be delayed and not taken seriously due to the fact that we weren't weren't rich families or higher ranks. I knew they wouldn't be expecting me to be able to come up with the huge amount of money within these few days.
The words hit me like a freight train, more like in the gut. That was the moment that the enormity of the situation gradually began to sink in. I'd known this was a big decision, but now it felt even bigger. I didn't even want to think about what he implied by "at all times."
Because were we going to stay in the same room until God knows when?
Gosh! I bit my fingers as the thoughts began to pour in, and that was the moment that the negative side of this contract I was about to sign began to get more clear.
Well, I had to ask him about it to see if it was something I was going to be really able to handle, or if I was going to give up my entire freedom because of the contract. I reminded myself about the alternative again and pushed the thought off my mind. I knew that I had to get my schedule right and get ready for whatever I was going to face after the contract was completed.
I also had to understand why this arrangement was necessary and what exactly he expected from me. I also needed to understand his true intentions and the reasons behind this unusual arrangement. Only then could I feel secure in this new unexpected
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