I didn't have time to put out resumes and wait weeks to hear back, then more weeks to get an interview, then more weeks to actually start working and receiving a paycheck. From the time I started applying to jobs to the time I got paid when I started working for Pam was nearly three months. These companies assumed that everyone in finance was somehow rich.
I didn't have enough of a savings account to spend three months without making any money. I needed income, even if it wasn't what I was making before. My phone began to ring, and I glanced at the screen. It was my mother, calling me on what she assumed was my lunch hour, probably to see how my week was going. She was so proud of me for landing a cushy job in finance. Little did she know that I was about to have to go back to working a blue collar job while I searched for another firm to hire me.
I tuned the phone over, ignoring the call. There was no way I was telling my family that I got fired. None of them were in the financial situation to help me, and it would do nothing but worry and disappoint them.
I was dejected when I opened my laptop and settled in on the couch, pulling up the local help wanted ads. It was going to hurt having to go back to working some menial job, but I needed to be able to stretch my savings, and I needed to start collecting a paycheck again immediately. I opened a notepad and began copying down the phone numbers from help wanted ads. Surely someone would pay me to do something.
2
Alec
"I'm not going to do this anymore, Mr. Alec."
I looked up to see my maid, Miss Sophia, standing in the doorway of my lounge where I was relaxing and nursing a hangover from the night before. I had gone out to the club and hadn't gotten home until around four in the morning. Sophia looked pissed, one hand on her hip. She was middle aged, hefty but strong. She had worked for me for nearly a decade, and treated me more like a wayward child than an employer at times.
"Do what?" I asked innocently.
"You know what I mean. I am an honest woman, a good woman! You know me! I refuse to stay around in a house where this…filth goes on at all hours."
"This is about last night, isn't it?" I said. "I can explain."
"Explain?" Sophia exploded. "There is nothing to explain to me. I am not a child. I know how men like you are, I know what you do! But to have to see it with my own eyes? I am a religious lady, and I will not be around while you bring your orgies home to have in front of me."
I had to stifle my laughter. Hearing stoic Miss Sophia say the word "orgy" was hilarious to me. "Now, you aren't being fair, I was in my bedroom," I countered.
"With the door open. And I could hear your whore screaming all through the house. Why do you think it is that I woke up to begin with? Disgusting!"
"They weren't disgusting. You saw them." I had brought home two very beautiful women from the club last night, and they were anything but disgusting."
"You think this is a joke but I am serious Alec. I am done. I will not stay around these things. I quit! Done! Goodbye!" Her voice was raised and I noticed the genuinely outraged expression on her face as she untied her apron.
I really didn't want to deal with something like this today. Last night had been great, and Sophia was being a major buzzkill. Her shrill voice wasn't doing my headache any favors either.
"Wait, Sophia. Come on, now. You're not really leaving me, are you? You know I pay you well enough to-"
"To what? To put my morals on the line? I think not!" She retorted.
"Do you want a raise?" I offered.
"You're offering to buy my morality? No, Alec. You don't understand. I want away from… from all this," she wove her hand around in the air frantically.
I sighed. "What am I going to do without you?"
"I don't know. Clean up after yourself?" She suggested haughtily.
That didn't sound like too appealing of an idea.
"If you're really quitting, will you at least promise me not to tell anyone about anything you have seen here? I mean, I have a reputation to keep up." I scratched the back of my head. Damn this headache.
She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "Do you really think all of this is a secret anymore?"
Her words stung a little, but I brushed it off. So what if I liked to have fun?
She continued, "Alec, all you do is party. With you, it is always booze and women and parties and sex! You are twenty-nine years old. When my father was your age, he’d already had four children and a stable job. What do you do? You think because your father has money that you have a right to be this way? That you can do whatever you please? Your lifestyle has got to come to an end. You have to start acting like a man, like someone who can be relied upon."
She scolded me.
I had heard it all before. From my brothers, my father. They all thought that just because they had settled down and started a family by the time they were my age, that I should too. I liked the lifestyle I had. What was so wrong with having fun before I died? I was young, I looked good and I was fit. Oh, and I was rich. Why not take advantage of the blessings I had?
"Fine. Maybe you have a point," I said, just to appease her. I still had one thing to ask of her. "If you're going to quit, I have to respect that. But could you do me a big favor and interview for your replacement? I promise after you do that you'll never hear from me again. Please, just this one thing?" I pleaded.
"Alec, I know you," she wagged her finger at me. "I know you think that I old and out of touch, and that you also think I just blow hot air at you. But mark my words, you are going to regret your actions one day, if not sooner, then later. You can't expect to sleep with all these women, and then one day, when a nice one comes along, one that you really want to spend your life with, you will lose her. She will find out about your ways and she will run for the hills. I guarantee it. I want to see you as a happy man one day. I don't think you are a happy man, Alec. I think this is all to cover up whatever it is that you don't want to think about. But you can't run forever."
I was really starting to get tired of being lectured. By this time, I was ready for her to just go, but I really didn't want to have to deal with managing the house on my own. That would totally cut into my partying time. And my leisurely time. And my basketball time. I needed a replacement if she really was going.
"Alright, alright. I hear you. Look, it's not so easy to change overnight, okay? This is who I am."
"Which is why I am leaving this depraved place you call a home," she sighed and shook her head sadly.
"But you'll interview your replacement, right?" I asked hopefully.
Sophia threw her hands up in the air. "I guess so. I will find someone by the end of the week, but only because I like you. And then, I am gone. Don't try to change my mind, my eyes cannot take another sight like I saw last night."
She stalked off down the hall, leaving me alone with the image she reminded me of - a blonde and a redhead on either side of me in bed. Last night was so good. There was no way I was giving that up. Sophia was a conservative woman, and I had to respect that, I guess. I wish she'd stay, she did an amazing job with the house. I never had to worry that anything was out of place when I brought ladies home. But at least she would find me a new housekeeper.
With all of that out of the way, I rested my pounding head in my hands. I needed to shake this hangover. I eyed the small bar in the corner of the room and made my way over to pour myself a scotch. Just a small glass, enough to take the edge off so I could maybe lay down and get a nap and just start this day fresh. Maybe I'd feel good enough to even go out again tonight.
With Sophia gone, at least I wouldn't be getting lectured about how I chose to live my life. I was twenty-nine years old. I thought I would be accepted for who I was already. I’d always been the black sheep of my family. Both of my brothers were straight as arrows, doing the whole life script thing almost to a T.
My phone dinged with a text and I eagerly pulled it up, thinking it would be one of my new friends from last night, hopefully interested in an ins
tant replay in my bed. I didn't ever let women come back home with me more than once. If I did they had a tendency to start getting possessive and clingy and I wasn't into that at all, but I did take a certain pleasure in turning them down when they tried. I was never rude about it, but every time I had the opportunity I always relished in the simple pleasure of telling a gorgeous woman that she wasn't welcome for another round because there were so many more just like her. My hobby was the conquest of newness. I didn't like going down the same trail twice. At least, I never had yet.
Instead of reading a text from my last one night stand, though, I found myself reading a message from my father. Great. First Sophia and now him - I wasn't going to get a break today.
I'd like to meet all of you for dinner tonight. At my apartment. Six o'clock. I have an important announcement to make, and I need all of you boys there. Even you, Alec. See you soon.
I realized it was a group text with my two brothers. I smirked as I read "Even you, Alec." I could almost be certain that whatever announcement he had would hardly concern me, but I knew better than to try to get out of this. After all, I was a part of his company, and I had to pretend to care about whatever boring new thing that he wanted to implement.
I don't think I had even been to the headquarters in over two weeks now. This wasn't how I wanted to spend my day. I finished my glass of scotch and then typed back.
I'll be there. See you all this evening.
I thought about making a snide remark in response to the little stab that he had made at me, but I didn't have the energy.
Riding the elevator up to my father' s penthouse, I had a few minutes to check my phone and let my friend know that I wasn't going to make it out tonight until much later. He replied immediately.
Good, more for me.
Yeah, he wishes, I thought.
I knocked on the door to my father's home and was greeted by his housekeeper, Anna. She never smiled, just pointed me into the living room where my brothers and father were sitting already. I was on time, but of course, they were all early.
"Alec," my father said. "Glad you could join us."
"Of course," I said. "You said this was important, I know how to read."
"Of course you do, but you don't always follow instructions, do you?"
My brothers laughed. I rolled my eyes and took a seat on the couch, next to my oldest brother, Carter. Marcus, my next eldest brother sat in an armchair across from us, looking at me with amusement but not saying anything.
Carter greeted me stoically, as if I weren't his brother at all, but another business associate of his that he only saw in the most formal of settings. Carter, Marcus, and my father were all cut from the same mold. My father had been a hard worker all his life. He built his real estate empire up from scratch, buying small fixer uppers when he turned eighteen until he had enough to start a full-fledged investment company and never pick up a hammer again. He had always pushed all of us to succeed, at all costs. My father didn't adhere to the work now, play later philosophy. Instead he was more of a 'work now so you can free up time to do more work later'. He was mostly retired now, able to sit back and collect the money from the business he had built, and he did have a lot to show for it. But, I always knew that he was disappointed in me for not having the same work ethic as he did. It wasn't that I was lazy, I just happened to have a zest for life that I felt he lacked.
Carter and Marcus were never outright hostile to me, and neither was my father, but I wasn't one of them and they all knew it. Even growing up, I was always the odd one out. It never bothered me and I’d always been happy to march to the beat of my own drum. The only one who understood me and encouraged me in this family was my mother. She passed when I was only seventeen, though, and I’d missed her dearly ever since.
"So, thank you all for coming," my father said, as Anna set down a tray with apéritifs for each of us. When she left the room, my father's face turned grim. "I don't quite know how to say what it is I brought you here to tell you all, so I am just going to have to be blunt. I know you will all excuse me for my inability to come up with a soft way of saying this…"
My brothers and I exchanged a glance. This was odd. Our father was never one to stumble over his words. He was the most confident, well-spoken man I had ever known.
"I have recently been diagnosed with lung cancer and I don't have much more time. There, I said it."
Shockwaves passed through the room, my brothers and I all too stunned to make any noise. My father sat there, in his armchair in front of the fireplace and sipped from his crystal glass. His face was expressionless. "Since you all have gone catatonic on me, I guess I will explain a bit more. The outlook for treatment isn't good, and I have chosen to forego it in lieu of enjoying my last days independently. I have less than a year, I was told."
"Dad, that's awful news," Carter broke in.
"Dad, I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say. You've always been healthy as a horse, are you sure about this? Have you had a second opinion?" I asked.
He nodded. "Yes, Alec, my doctor knows what he is doing, and he is certain about the diagnosis. I have made my peace with it beforehand, and I am in a place of acceptance. I expect each of you to join me at that place at your earliest ability. I don't wish any of us to mope about. Is that understood?"
We all nodded.
Marcus looked scared, "Dad, whatever we can do for you, you know you just have to ask."
My father nodded stoically. "I know you boys will do well by me. This is not the only reason I have brought you here tonight." He turned to me. "Alec, the rest of this meeting pertains to the business aspect of things, so you are free to go. I'm sure you have plans tonight and I don't want to keep you. Life is precious, after all."
I felt like he had just slapped me. "What do you mean, Dad? I'm part of the business, too. Why would I leave? I want to be here. You aren't keeping me from anything."
Dad smiled. "We're all family here. We don't have secrets from each other, right? Let's not pretend, shall we? We all know that you have greater interests in your life than running this business. I won't have my empire come crumbling down under your management. I have decided to leave the business to your older brothers. They may call you in for help as they see fit, but Alec, you haven't been to the office in how long?"
I shrugged, stunned that my father was cutting me out.
"I can change," I sputtered, feeling like I was a teenager again. "I deserve to be a part of this. I am a part of this family!"
My brothers looked uncomfortable, but they weren't coming to my aid. They knew my father was right.
"I've heard this before, Alec."
"No, I won't let you leave this world thinking one of your sons was not up to the challenge of keeping your legacy alive," I insisted.
"I wish more than anything to see you change your ways, Alec, but I have accepted that you are your own person and there is no changing you, so I have stopped trying."
"Give me one month," I said, my face feeling hot. "One month, and I will prove to you just how hard working and productive I can be."
My father looked pained, but nodded. "Very well, then. I’ll give you what you ask for. I hope you change my mind. Nothing would please me more than to see the three of you on the same page for once."
"I won't let you down."
My brothers exchanged a look of skepticism.
3
Myra
Being unemployed wasn't doing my self-esteem, or my bank account any favors at all. Just as I had suspected, I wasn't getting any calls back for another finance job and my savings account was being depleted before my eyes.
I pulled out the notebook where I’d been jotting down the phone numbers of anyone that was hiring, and I just stared at it, feeling dejected. I couldn't believe I was going back to blue collar work after everything I had worked so hard to achieve. It was either this, or get evicted from my home and start hitting up the food bank, though.
My parents still didn't kno
w that I was struggling, and I still didn’t plan on telling them. Maybe if I just called some of these numbers, I could earn enough to tide me over. The very first ad on my list was for a private housekeeping position. Anyone who could afford a private housekeeper daily probably would at least pay well. Maybe they were even well connected in the business world and could get me another job in finance. That was a long shot, but…
I was procrastinating on making the call by daydreaming. I sighed. It was eight in the morning. I needed to get started. Not only was I getter poorer by the day, but I was also starting to go stir crazy sitting in the house all the time.
I dialed the number and a woman with a heavy accent that told me she wasn't from California answered the phone.
"Hello," I said pleasantly. "My name is Myra, and I am calling in response to the help wanted ad that was posted a couple of days ago."
"For the housekeeping position?" the lady asked.
"Yes, that's the one," I said, cringing. "I am interested in applying."
"Ah, there is no paper application. Just come to the house for an interview. Can you come today?"
"Today?" I echoed. "Sure, I can come today." I needed a job, but I wasn't prepared for things to move so quickly. This must be a real shit job if she was so eager to get someone so fast.
"Great, Myra." She gave me an address, which I jotted down, and told me to come by in two hours. Once I ended the call, I felt triumphant about scoring an interview so quickly. Maybe this would be doable. It would certainly be better than running out of money, no matter how terrible the job might be. I typed in the address to my mapping app to see where it was, and then I pulled up a satellite image of the house.
It was huge. An actual mansion. I wondered if the woman who had answered the phone was the owner of the home. Something told me she wasn't. She seemed like such a sweet lady, not like someone who would own a house like this and hire someone else to take care of it.
Forbidden Neighbor: A Contemporary Romance Boxset (Forbidden Saga Book 2) Page 17
