Fifteen

HENRY'S POV 

I shot a curious glance at my boss in the backseat and quickly looked away. I had just brought the luxury car to a stop outside the house that he frequented nowadays. 

I couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what he was up to. Especially as he removed his designer suit and pulled on a shabby jacket over his shirt.

I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, wondering whether to ask the questions in my mind or not. I didn't want to cross any boundaries, but this was beyond astonishing, and I couldn't help the curiosity. Besides, I wasn't getting paid to stick my nose into my boss's personal business…In fact, sticking it where it wasn't wanted would be a sure way of losing my pay.

After changing into the jacket, Morgan went ahead to remove his Italian leather dress shoes and replaced them with work boots.

My attention went back to the neighborhood outside. Surely this car looks out of place in such a place, and especially outside the shabby home Morgan was using.

“Come get me at the same time tomorrow”. Morgan said to me as he fixed his jacket. 

"Not a moment earlier". He added.

"Yes boss" I agreed. 

This was another weird thing going on with my boss lately. He had instructed me to pick him up later than usual...it was as if he was purposely avoiding something.

I cleared my throat, my curiosity finally winning over me.

 "Why do you come to this house nowadays?", i asked.

His hooded gaze met my eyes in the rearview mirror. I squirmed on my seat. 

"l mean..it doesn't look like somewhere you would live".

I still remembered the interior from that one morning I had delivered breakfast, only to find out that he had already eaten. 

Since that day, I had been trying to figure out exactly why my wealthy boss was living in such a house, but I was none the wiser.

"That is none of your business, Henry" he told me. 

“If you want to keep your job, l would advise you to stay out of my personal affairs". he warned.

I swallowed hard and gave a quick nod. 

"Of course, boss. I understand. I apologise".

At least all I got was a warning.

He left the car and headed into the house in his alternate set of clothing.

MORGAN'S POV 

 I had thought deeply about how to convince my wife that I wasn't well-off, and dressing this way was part of the plan. After all, it would be hard to make one believe that you are short of money, when you are dressed in designer suits and shoes, which can only be found in luxury brand stores.

Besides, I couldn't keep using the ‘borrowing’ excuse forever. As far as Eve was concerned, I had hired expensive outfits on our wedding day and to her parents house to make a good impression. It would make no sense to wear like that on days when I was apparently out working blue collar jobs.

When I walked into the house, Eve was lying on the sofa, reading a book. But that wasn't what really caught my eyes. Besides reading, she was also bathing her feet in a basin placed on the floor. And, she was wearing a pair of shorts that left her thighs and legs exposed. 

My eyes lingered on her soft creamy skin, and slowly went down her legs..

Shaking my head, I drew my eyes from her naked limbs and walked forward. Reaching for a throw blanket on the sofa, I unfolded it and placed it carefully on her naked thighs. 

She looked up at me, her eyes curious, but I ignored the question in them. I wasn't about to admit that her sitting there with her creamy thighs on display would make it hard for me to focus on anything else.

Clearing my throat, I took a seat next to her, leaving some space between us. 

"How did the interview go?", I asked.

Early this morning, I had woken up to the sight of her rushing around the house, getting dressed to leave for another interview at the Edwards Group.

She had told me excitedly about how she had received an apology mail from the company and is been invited for another interview.

 Of course, I had known about it all, and even now, I knew what happened after she went back to the company. Still, I wanted to hear the details from her.

She closed her book and placed it on the coffee table. Sighing, she leaned back on the sofa and gave me a wide smile.

 "It was crazy, but everything went well in the end"

"Yeah? Did they tell you why they had rejected you before?"

"I was right about Ella" she told me. 

"She made up lies about my reputation and convinced the other interviewers to reject my application. If the vice president didn't call me back, I never would have known what happened. I have no idea how he figured out Ella was lying, given that she had already convinced the others, but whatever happened, I'm grateful."

"What kind of lies did she tell?" I asked, fully immersed in her story. 

I could hear in her voice that she was no longer worried, and I liked that. It was the complete opposite of the previous evening when she had been down with resignation after being rejected.

She nibbled on her bottom lip and looked away. 

"Oh, you know. Just lies that made it seem like I didn't deserve the job."

"Like?"

She gave me an hesitant look. Perhaps she hadn't expected that I would be so interested in what had happened at the Edwards Group. 

I was looking at her expectantly, as if I couldn't wait to hear the details of everything that happened.

"Well, she accused me of stealing another student's design while we were in college."

My brow creased.

 "That's a serious accusation."

She nodded. 

"Yes, and it was more than enough to have me rejected. But it's a lie, you know. I never stole anyone's design. In fact, the opposite is the truth. Anyway, I made it clear to the vice president that if he checked with the college, he would find out the truth. But later on Ella eventually admitted to lying, so there's no need for that now".

"She must be still bitter about you beating her to the scholarship," I commented.

"Oh, she still is" she agreed. 

"This was her idea of revenge. In the end, she got fired, so it backfired on her. She's a stupid bitch”.

"They fired her?"

“Yea. Her accusations were damaging, and besides she broke that company's rules. You know, I am so happy to know that the company takes such matters seriously”,

I nodded.

 "They did well. I would have fired her as well. When such employees are allowed to stain the company with such unscrupulous actions, it doesn't bode well for the business. The Edwards Group would have been disadvantaged to lose a designer like you on account of her unprofessionalism"

EVE'S POV 

My smile widened at his words. He not only agreed with Ella's fate, but also praised my skills. I felt that he was reliable-just like he had been the previous night when I had been feeling down due to the rejection.

Now that I was no longer absorbed in the book I was reading, I took notice of his appearance. I took in his shabby work jacket and how weary he appeared, just the same as he had been the previous night. Since he was interested in my job and how my day had been, I figured it was safe to ask him about his.

"What job do you do?" I asked.

With the sudden expression on his face, it looked like he hadn't expected me to ask about his job, but he should have seen it coming after showing so much interest in mine. 

"I work as a part-time sanitation worker”. He said.

MORGAN'S POV 

Well, I knew the a sanitation worker was a kind of work most prideful wealthy people would look down on and I couldn't help but anticipate Eve's response.

Not only was I posing as a sanitation worker, but also as a part-time employee. I must have sounded like one hell of an unreliable partner to a wealthy heiress..

"I hope you don't mind... wish I had a stable job, but that's all I have for now" I added as she seemed to say nothing.

She gently shook her head instantly.

 "No, it's okay. I don't have a problem with that”.

My heart swelled at her warm words. Was there anything that could throw her off?

"We are just a couple on paper, anyway. So it shouldn't matter. Don't feel pressured to impress me" she added.

Just as fast as my heart had swelled, it crashed.

Huh. So that was it, she just didn't care. Why had I expected her to give a damn, anyway?. After all we were just a nominal couple. 

Of course she didn't have a problem with me being a part-time sanitation worker. It was simply none of her business.

Turning my face away from her, I rested back on the sofa and fell silent. Did this mean that nothing about me left an impression on her, just because we were a nominal couple?.

I clenched my teeth in displeasure. After all the interest I had shown in her personal life.

EVE'S POV 

 I didnt miss the sudden change in his demeanour. I struggled to figure out what I had said that could be offending, but I couldn't figure it out.

I didn't mind his line of work or the fact that he was a part-time worker. And, I wished he wouldn't beat himself up about it. 

I wasn't going to be like my mother and sister who expected him to be a wealthy man, forcing him to borrow outfits and gifts.

I had thought reassuring him to not pressure himself would be a good idea, but he didn't look relieved at all. He really is so hard to read.