Chapter 3
Hailey couldn’t have been more thrilled even with her back towards Natalie. “Did you know Natalie scored her grades in college by buttering up a professor Rumor is, he even wrote her thesis for her.
“That pretty face works wonders, the receptionist chimed in.
“Pretty my foot! She’s a slut who only knows how to trap men,” Hailey retorted.
“Well, that’s a talent. And don’t forget her arm candy. That guy is hot. Was he your classmate too?” the receptionist probed
Hailey puffed up with pride. “Samuel! Oh, he’s with me now”
“Really? So, Natalie got dumped? The receptionist seemed stirred.
“Are you excited about me getting dumped?” Natalie’s voice cut through their chatter, taking them by surprise
“Natalie, you sneak. You frightened me. Hailey rolled her eyes at Natalie.
“Why don’t you focus more on Samuel instead of spinning tales, Hailey? Your paycheck might not be enough to cover his spendthrift habits”
Natalie shot back.
While they were once classmates. Natalie now held the position of the financial department head, whereas Hailey was still stuck at the cashier’s desk. Natalie even juggled two part–time gigs–from handing out leaflets to weekend ad modeling to keep up with Samuel’s high–flying lifestyle. Things like his gaming addiction, luxury shopping sprees, and nightly bar–crawls weren’t a secret to Natalie, though she didn’t let Hailey in on these
details
Hailey took Natalies quip for jealousy and smirked. “Worry about your own worries. Samuel’s landing an interview with Foronix Group. Ring any bells! Top–rank business. We’re talking a cool 20,000 dollars a month Wagging her fingers at Natalie, Halley taunted, “Jealous much!”
“Crow up” Natalic shot back, brushing past Hailey towards her office. That’s when she spotted a pile of paperwork that wasn’t hers on her desk “Why is this cashier’s work on my desk!” she questioned her assistant.
“Mr. Xanders said you’re covering for Hailey since she’s unwell,” was the response.
“Again?” Natalie angrily smashed the paperwork on her desk. The repetitive incidents showed Hailey’s manipulations. Natalie once thought of Hailey as a friend, but now she felt like a fool
Plunged into work, Natalie barely had time for a bite all day.
Back home at night, she prepared a quick box of mac and cheese for dinner. Following that, the called her grandmother, Nadine. Skirting around Nadine’s cancer, she led her grandmother to believe it was not as severe and urged her to focus on recuperation and not worry about costs. Sensing Natalie’s stress, Nadine even asked her not to worry too much.
Natalie wanted to confess about her hasty marriage, but she struggled to form the words.
The next day, Natalie fell ill and called in sick. By the afternoon, she felt better and began prepping for her move to the Scott household. The idea of sharing a house with a strange man overwhelmed her.
As evening approached, Natalie found herself in a maze of lanes seeking 88 Jameson Alley, dragging her suitcase behind her. The alley was nestled in an older residential area, with narrow streets flanking her path. Her journey got smoother, streets widened, and private garages now lined the pavements. Pulling her suitcase, the wondered, “Where is number 88? She asked around, but the elusive number 88 remained a mystery. All the responses were the same–Keep going ahead.
Annoyance and desperation prompted Natalie to try reaching out to Martin again but only to find his phone still turned off. What’s his deal? she thought irritably,
He’d insisted on her moving in tonight, but now he went missing. Feeling lost and angered, Natalie took a seat on some steps and waited. A sudden glow from a car’s headlights snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to find Martin exiting from the car.
Attempting to rise, Natalie lost her footing and nearly fell, a sharp ache creeping up her leg. Thankfully, Martin was quick on his feet and caught
Thanks, Natalie mumbled, slightly embarrassed
“Why are you sitting outside?” Martin questioned.
“I can’t find number 88 anywhere, Natalie admitted
“You tried calling me? Martin had been in an important meeting with several senior executives when his phone rang, which led him to turn off his phone.
Yeah. You couldn’t pick up?” Natalie questioned, feeling irritated.
2:19 PM ·
Chapter 3
“Let’s go in.” Without explaining. Martin simply led the way to a house across the street.
There it was, number 88, obscured behind an overgrown branch.
As Martin opened the door, they were greeted by a woman in her 30s. “Charlotte, is Grandpa asleep?” Martin asked.
Charlotte Larson replied, “Not yet. He said he would wait for you.”
Martin went ahead. Natalie was grappling with her luggage on the steps until a hand reached out to help her. The small act of kindness struck Natalie. It reminded her of Samuel, who was often more focused on his games than on helping her out, even during a move. Samuel even complained that she wouldn’t promptly tidy the house and order takeouts.
“Coming in?” Martin’s voice, slightly miffed, interrupted Natalie’s musing.
Inside, the yard wasn’t much to look at but was clean and nicely arranged with plants. Natalie was so engrossed scanning her surroundings that she nearly tripped over a cobblestone. Her exclamation had Martin’s head turning towards her. Feeling awkward, Natalie said, “I’m fine.”
Martin kicked the cobblestone to the side and offered his hand to Natalie. His hand, calloused from physical activity, felt strangely comforting. Natalie was confused when Martin took her hand in his with a smile. The warmth spreading through his palm stirred feelings she wasn’t quite accustomed to.
After giving Natalie’s luggage to Charlotte, Martin guided her towards Timothy’s room.
