Chapter 5

Isabelle Campbell

“You didn’t come to work today,” he said. His deep voice as it vibrates in my chest. I felt my palm sweating, a sigh that I was nervous. I couldn’t understand why, so I rubbed my palm against my cloth and kept my fist balled.

“What are you doing here?” ignoring his question, I asked again.  He turns to look at me and puts his hands in his pocket.

“Is he the o-” I hushed Olivia when she whisper-asked me and let out a low whistle. I wished I could glare at her to behave.

When she sees a handsome man, she loses all sense of reasoning.

“You didn’t come to work” he repeated his earlier statement, which irritated me.

I walked toward him and pushed past him to open my front door, Olivia was right behind me when I entered.

“Can I come in?” he asked. I turned to look at him, my eyes firing daggers in his direction.

I was already provoked today and he might be at the receiving end of my anger if he says something stupid.

“Now you are being polite” I grit out clenched teeth.

He sighed. “I never meant to insult you yesterday”

“So, you’re sorry?” I inquired when I let him inside. he looked around my small living room and then turned to look at me.

I spotted Olivia dancing weirdly and making kissy gestures behind him while she wriggled her body. I threw her a glare which she reciprocated with a kiss before she entered the kitchen. That girl is something.

“My grandfather asked after you”

“That’s why you came here?” I crossed my arms.

“He thinks I did or said something to chase you away” he shrugged.

“And you didn’t?” I inquired with a raised eyebrow. He was seriously getting on my nerves and he hasn’t said anything stupid yet.

He lets out another sigh and rubs his face with both palms. “I know whatever I said to you yesterday was too sudden, seeing as we are both strangers to each other and my words weren’t very nice to your hearing. I apologize for that” he said. Although his face held no emotions, his tone wasn’t mocking when he apologized. “We both need each other in this stead, I did a little background check on you and saw that my offer will go a long way for you if you accept it” he explained.

“You were stalking me?” I inquired and walked past him to get a glass of water “Need something to drink?” I asked over my shoulder.

“I’m fine, thank you”

I came out of the kitchen with a full glass of water in my hand and sat on one of the stools by the counter to drink it up.

“I have to make sure you aren’t a spy or serial killer,” he said in a ‘matter of fact tone’ then continued “I need my grandfather to stop worrying about me getting married and who I end up with and you need to money to save your mother’s bakery. The money I will be paying will be really helpful for you”

I agree with him but I can’t accept when he talks like that to me. I don’t want to be in a relationship that I get insulted and apologized to all the time. Real or fake.

“I’m not interested in your offer” I crossed my arms and looked away from him. I need the money but I will never subject myself to such a thing. Never.

I heard him sigh again, then saw him put some paper documents on the counter beside the glass of water I put there.

“At least come back to work. My grandfather seems to have bonded with you already and it will make him sad if you don’t come tomorrow” he smiled a little then pointed at the paper. “That’s the agreement for the contract in case you change your mind”

I looked at him, thinking if I was doing the right thing by declining his offer. I wanted to tear the paper in front of him so he gets the message that I am not interested but that will be too much.

“Just think about it” he turns to leave and I watch him walk towards the door. He opened it and stopped then turned to face me “My grandfather will be expecting you tomorrow” I nodded my head in acknowledgment and he did the same then turned around to leave.

I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding then buried my face in my palm as I groaned. My eyes lingered on the papers beside me and pushed them away.

That’s a blank cheque sitting right in front of me. A check that can solve all my financial problems in one minute. I just have to sign it and it’s done.

“So, are you taking his offer?” Olivia asked in a timid tone.

I looked up at her and sighed in distress. “What I know is I still have a job to get to by tomorrow” I managed a smile and walked to the sofa. I let myself crash on it and let out a yelp when my side collided with the edge of the sofa.

Olivia sat beside me on the sofa and stared at me. “He’s hot,” she said in a ‘matter of fact’ tone. I was expecting this comment earlier than now.

“No denying” I shook my head.

“Do whatever you think is the best for you to do” she pats my hand “No pressure” she whispered.

“You’re the best friend ever” I smiled at her and this time it was genuine.

“Yes, child, yes” she pats my head lightly and I slapped her hand away.

“When are you leaving?” I asked the question I had been stopping myself from asking. It will hurt that I wouldn’t get to see my bestie for so long but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get to know when she leaves. I need to support her as much as she does for me. That’s what besties are for.

“This week,” she breathes out “Will you be fine without me”

I shrugged. “I try, right?” I tried to hide my pain with a laugh but Olivia knew better. She gestured for me to come in for a hug and I didn’t waste a second to let her engulf me in her warm hug.

I will really miss her.

“It will be fine. I wish I could stay to help but just hit me up when you need me and I will be there” I nod my head and let the tears fall.

“It will be fine” I whispered.

“That’s the spir-” she was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

I sat up and looked at her, wondering who was there. my mind went to Alessandro and wondered if he just didn’t get the hint. I hissed beneath my teeth and marched towards the door. I didn’t bother checking through the peephole and swung the door open.

One of the servicemen of the apartment gave me a letter saying the caretaker of the building asked to deliver it to me.

My heart pounded in my chest because I knew my rent would be due in the middle of the month and I hadn’t made any payment to extend it yet.

I’m so broke.

I closed the door and opened the letter with shaky hands. Olivia was beside me asking what the issue was since she saw the state I was in. I let out a cry when I read the notice, requesting that I vacate by the end of the week.

My day just got worse. I cried.