Chapter 4：Two Blankets for a Lonely Bed. (1/2)
Emily was returning home in high spirits. The get-togethers with Kelly went well. They recalled their school and student life, classmates, old acquaintances and new dreams. Ordinary female conversations about nothing, and about everything at once.
Emily tried hard to get her friend's details of how to behave in the workplace, information about colleagues, but Kelly brilliantly avoided answering. To all the questions she stated, ”You will see for yourself”, and ”Everything is like everywhere else.” The only person she mentioned was the senior manager.
Emily met this woman today when she was handing in her documents. Mrs. Parkinson looked about fifty, a strict pencil skirt slightly below the knees, her hair pulled back in a tight bun, and gold-framed glasses in front of her eyes.
Yes, the frame was gold. This Emily could not confuse. Since childhood, she herself wore glasses because of her myopia, and could immediately determine how much similar ones might cost. Such glasses would require the girl to spend three of her monthly salaries!
In general, the senior manager's appearance was so serious and frightening that Emily was afraid to even mentally joke about the surname of the woman which was begging to be commented on.
The girl got home safely and went straight to the bathroom. The hot water relaxed the body, which was already partially relaxed by the wine. Emily laid her head on the edge of the bathtub, closed her eyes, and smiled.
The long and busy day has come to an end. Tomorrow a new life in the publishing house would begin, where she had dreamed of working since school.
”Pharaoh” - even its name was giving goosebumps.
Emily almost fell asleep in fantasies when a cell phone caught her attention. The ringtone was standard, which meant an unknown number was ringing.
Who could need to talk to her at eleven o'clock at night?
The image of the morning stranger came to her mind. No way! He's not brazen enough to call an unknown girl at a time like this, is he? He will dare?
She stared at the display, expecting the caller to cancel the call, but the caller was persistent.
”Hello,” Emily replied and was embarrassed by her own voice. She was so relaxed that she could now resemble those who charge money for their nightly calls.
There was silence on the other end of the line. The girl straightened up in a more chaste position. The splash of water came out louder than she bargained for.
”Hmm, -hello?” she repeated in her normal voice.
”Wow, but I really thought I was in the wrong place. You have not cheated this time, Miss Hayes.” Yes, it was him. Emily rolled her eyes. Who would doubt that?
She ignored his comment and went straight to the point, ”How's your car, uh, Mister...?”
”Oh, the car is fine,” the show-off ignored Emily's obvious attempt at exchanging mutual greetings, ”It's like brand new again!”
”And how much do I owe you?” she asked the worst question.
The man announced the amount. For a moment it seemed to Emily that her bathroom door had opened straight to Antarctica, and everything would soon be covered with ice. With such a debt, she won't even have enough for water now, let alone the bread!
”What the f-”
”Yes, that's right, and I just wanted to say that too!” the man interrupted her objective assessment of the situation, ”You shouldn't have refused to marry me this morning. Well, at least I wanted it back then.”
Emily bit her lip to avoid repeating what she had nearly said earlier. Was he still joking? Thinks it's funny? Yes, she was ready to cry bloody tears!
”Don't you agree anymore?” she asked instead.
”Have mercy, Miss Hayes!” the man continued in his joking manner, ”Since then I've learned a lot about you. You are a liar who does not keep promises, you are a disgusting driver, and you also have huge debts. I'm afraid to think what problems would arise if we had to divide the property! No, I guess I won't risk it.”
”You see how great everything worked out.” Emily was getting angry. She really wanted to express all her new thoughts on his account, but the amount for the car with three zeros was a good deterrent. ”I just hope you are not one of those who will pursue your debtors with a gun in your hands? At the moment I do not have such an amount, but in the near future I will definitely transfer everything to the account that you will provide to me.”
Yes, that's right. She would rather take an extra part-time job, borrow money from her grandmother. Hell, she's even ready to go on a date with Kevin, just to get rid of the dependence on this tyke faster!
”Oh, Miss Hayes, common! I'm not some kind of maniac to pursue you! If I were like that, I would show up directly to your work! You know, public opinion and all that. Everyone would ask what connects you with such an attractive man. And I would have to tell everyone about how you left me, and now I have to be compensated for moral damage. If I were a maniac, I would do just that.”
If this bold face was right here now, Emily would drown him in the bathroom without a twinge of conscience!
”Mister, thank you for the information. It's late, I'll let you know when I have collected the required amount of money. Good night,” the girl replied coldly. No, she will not lead to his provocation.