Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
T he earth slipped from beneath my feet. Everything went dark as I collapsed into a void.
“Milly.”
…Neil?
His voice cut through the fog in my brain. The next thing I knew, his strong arms were around me, pulling me up, holding me to his chest. I felt his body behind me, his reassuring presence anchoring me to reality as the wind swirled around us. “I’ve got you,” he said. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
His voice was so raw and earnest, I believed him in the depth of my soul.
“I’m okay,” I said.
He clung to me like he was scared of letting me go. I didn’t resist, savouring the feeling of him against me. I let my head fall back against his shoulder and closed my eyes to stop the world from spinning.
The moment Neil loosened his grip, my legs gave out. He caught me again. “Let’s get you back downstairs. It was a mistake to ask you to come here. I’m sorry.”
I shook my head, still in a state of shock.
“I’m going to carry you,” he said. “Wrap your arms around my shoulders,”
I did as he instructed, feeling his solid warmth under my hands. In one fluid movement, he scooped me off the ground, cradling me in his arms. I nestled my face in the crook of his neck like it was a security blanket, relishing his familiar scent. His pulse quickened beneath my cheek.
He shuffled me as he opened the door to the stairwell, then I felt him descend the steps. He lowered me when we reached the landing by the door to the twentieth floor, my body sliding down his until my feet touched the ground.
“Can you walk?” he asked, keeping me steady with one hand on my waist.
“Yes. I think so.”
He stayed close to my side on our way to my office. As soon as we were inside, he closed the door, then guided me to the couch with a firm hand. “Sit down,” he said. “Take a breather.”
I obliged, still a little shaken and disorientated.
Neil made his way to the water cooler stationed in the far corner of the room. I heard the rustle of a cup being taken from the stack and placed under the dispenser. The tank gurgled as a steady stream of water gushed out.
When Neil returned, he sat beside me and passed me the cup. “Drink.”
I gulped it down, the cold water soothing my parched throat. “What happened?” I asked when I had finished.
Neil studied me with concern etched on his harsh features. “You fainted.”
“I… I…” My voice trailed off, the words catching in my throat.
“You don’t need to say anything.”
“I saw Alex fall.”
Neil looked stricken. “What?”
“On the day he died. I saw him through the window.”
Neil ran a hand down his face. “I should never have asked you to come to the roof. Forgive me.”
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”
“I should have known! Why didn’t I know?”
He had a pleading look in his eyes. I was lost in them as I grasped for words. “I would have told you… I thought I was over it, but I guess I’m more traumatised by his death than I thought I was. When I looked down… I saw Alex. No —I saw my—” A pain shot through my temple. “Agh!”
Neil placed his hand on my back as I keeled over with my palm pressed to the ache. We sat in silence until my ears pricked to a gentle tip-tapping. The pain subsided as I listened. “It’s raining,” I said.
“Hmm?” Neil tilted his head. “So it is.”
The sound intensified to a steady drumbeat. Neil got up and walked to the window. He opened it, letting the sound of the rain fill the room—the same thing I always did when it was raining. He must have caught on to my habit. I closed my eyes and let the sound wash over me, a sense of calm spreading through my body.
The couch dipped as Neil returned to my side. “How are you feeling now?”
“Better.”
“I think you should go home. I’ll ask Winston to give you a ride.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine now. I swear.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“If you say so. But take it easy. I’ll be in my office if you need me. If you change your mind and decide to go home, please go.”
He lingered for a second, as if expecting me to reconsider, but I said nothing. Going home wouldn’t solve anything. Working would help occupy my mind, and besides, I wanted to stay close to Neil—for my own selfish reasons.
Neil stood up and unlocked his office door with a sharp twist of his key. As he opened the door, the state of his office came into view. Little had changed since he tore it apart.
I leapt from the couch as if the incident on the roof had never happened. “Let me help you tidy up.”
Neil shook his head. “What did I just tell you? Take it easy today.”
“But tidying is like therapy for me. I enjoy it. It’s relaxing.”
Neil narrowed his eyes. “Is that why you’re a cleaner?”
“Yes.”
He walked me back to the couch and made me sit down. “I don’t want you to over-exert yourself. And I’m not sure if I made this clear last night, but you understand, don’t you? You can’t be my cleaner anymore.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because it’s inappropriate. My secretary at work shouldn’t be my personal cleaner at home.”
“I don’t mind. I want to keep doing it.”
“No. That’s final.”
He was serious. An income stream gone. Just like that.
“But I need the money!”
“Do I not pay you enough in this role?”
“You do. That’s not the reason?—”
“Then what is? Go on, tell me.”
I went silent. The weight of my situation bore down on me. My student loan. Having two months to move out of my apartment. The one-way ticket to London.
“Tell me, and I’ll be able to help you with whatever it is,” Neil said.
If I lied to him now, I’d be digging myself into an even deeper hole, and that was something I wasn’t prepared to do. I took a deep breath to loosen the knot in my stomach, then I let it all out. “I want to pay my student loan down as much as possible before the end of the year, and I need to find a short-term rental because I’m being kicked out of my current place.”
“Easily managed. But why short-term?”
I avoided his questioning gaze. This was it. The crux of the matter. My heart rate soared.
“Because—” I braced myself, “—I’m going to move overseas.”
Neil said nothing for a second.
I squirmed.
“When?” he asked at last, a hitch in his voice. “And for how long?”
“January. For at least a year. Longer, if I can make it work.”
“And when were you going to tell me this?”
“I don’t know. Soon, I guess.”
“Was it always your plan to leave?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say something back when I offered you the job?”
“Would you have hired me if you knew I was going to quit within a year?”
“No.”
“There’s your answer.”
Neil sighed, the weight of his disappointment palpable. “Perhaps it’s for the best.”
I lifted my chin. “Really?”
“I’m not sure this is working out.”
His words stung like a slap.
“In what way?”
He didn’t answer me.
My mind raced. Why didn’t he think it was working out? I thought we had been getting on tremendously, everything considered. Didn’t he think I was doing a good job? Didn’t he like me?
“Never mind,” Neil said. “I’d be a hypocrite to blame you for acting in self-interest. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. I’ll raise your salary to cover the lost income from cleaning, and I’ll make a contribution to your student loan upon the end of your employment.”
I struggled to process all he was saying. “That’s… that’s very generous.”
“As for your housing situation, I can help with that too. I know a place where you can stay.”
I gasped. “You do?”
“But I’m afraid there’s a catch.”
“I’m not in a position to be picky. What’s the catch?”
“I’ll be your landlord, and you’ll live in the same building as me.”
My stomach did somersaults as I stood in front of Neil’s apartment building, admiring its jutting form against the dark sky. It was my first time here without the context of cleaning Cat Dad’s apartment, and if everything went well, it wouldn’t be the last time.
The doorman greeted me as I stepped inside. I texted Neil to say I had arrived, then I sat on the bench by the lifts to wait for him to come down.
I jiggled my knee. Viewing the apartment was an intriguing prospect in itself, getting to spend more time with Neil outside our work bubble even more so.
I recalled our conversation on the roof, how he had denied that Veronica was his girlfriend. Not that it meant anything could happen between us . A relationship with my boss would be wildly inappropriate. Not to mention him disliking me—especially since I pulled the rug from under him regarding my move to London. Yet, I couldn’t help fantasising…
Neil would show me to the bedroom in the apartment. He would kiss me and throw me down on the bed. Just the thought of how his lips would feel on mine sent shivers coursing through my body.
The lift door opened, jettisoning me from my fantasy. Neil walked out, giving major dad vibes in dark-wash jeans and a half-zip sweater. My heart fluttered at the rare glimpse of him in casual mode. I got to my feet as he approached. His eyes flicked over me in a way that made me feel self-conscious, even though he wore the same inscrutable expression he always did. “Thanks for coming by so late,” he said. “I had to finish up a few things at work.”
I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s no trouble at all. Thanks for letting me view the apartment.”
I wasn’t sure how this potential arrangement would work out. An apartment in such a high-end building was going to be way out of my budget. Did Neil have something up his sleeve? I tried to keep my expectations tempered.
He showed me to an apartment on the fourth floor. He typed the code into the digital lock, and the door clicked open. I stared with wide eyes as the interior came into view. The open-plan living area was spacious and modern, furnished with pieces that looked like they came straight from the pages of a glossy catalogue. The kitchen was small but fully equipped with stainless-steel appliances. White marble countertops complemented the light oak cabinetry, and the kitchen island doubled as a dining table, with leather-upholstered bar stools tucked underneath.
The view of the harbour called to me. I rushed over to look out the window. The view was less magnificent than the one from Neil’s apartment, but it surpassed the blank concrete wall visible from my current residence. I watched the sea gently churn, dappled with reflected light sparkling on its choppy surface.
I felt Neil come up behind me, then his smooth, deep voice over my shoulder, so alluring that I shuddered. “What do you think?”
I turned to him, hands clasped together in excitement. “It’s perfect!”
He lifted an eyebrow. “That’s strong praise when you’ve yet to see everything.”
“R-right.”
I was so overwhelmed, I had forgotten there were more rooms to explore.
Neil gestured to the open door which led to the bedroom, and my recent fantasy flooded back to me in vivid detail. His hands gripping my hips. My back on the mattress. Those dark eyes burning with desire…
Neil flicked the light switch on. The sudden brightness chased my illicit thoughts away and revealed the comfy bedroom in front of me. A king-sized bed was the centrepiece, framed by two bedside tables and wall lamps. An armchair and a bookcase in the corner formed a little reading nook. I could imagine myself curling up with a book there before bed each night.
Neil kept his distance as I looked around. He observed me from the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms folded and a faint smile on his lips. I dared to test the firmness of the bed in front of him, sitting on the edge, then lying back with a sigh of contentment as the mattress yielded to me. When I snapped back onto my feet a few seconds later, I saw Neil averting his eyes, a hint of redness inching up his neck. I savoured the endearing little crack in his confident facade before it quickly disappeared without a trace.
Returning to the task at hand, I opened a door off the bedroom and discovered a large closet. The second door led to a small but luxurious bathroom with grey and white tiles on the walls and floors, a glass-encased shower, and a vanity made of shiny white porcelain. From the bathroom, another door led back to the living room.
The final room was a laundry and utility space, functional yet beautiful. The big washer and dryer had me excited for the prospect of laundry, and the shelves had tons of space to store my collection of cleaning supplies.
Will I actually get to live here?
I regrouped with Neil in the living room, buzzing with hope, yet nervous that it was too good to be true.
“Well?” he asked. “If it’s unsuitable, I might be able to find another option?—”
“I stand by my original opinion.”
“I figured you’d want something furnished so you can sell your current furniture before you leave, and this is the best furnished apartment I have available for your size requirements, but I’m sure I could rustle up an alternative if need be?—”
“I already told you, it’s perfect. How many apartments in this building do you own, anyway?”
“All of them.”
I just about choked on my breath. “Excuse me?”
“I own all of them. I own this building.”
I gawped at him. “The entire building? But this place must be worth tens of millions of dollars!”
“One hundred million, give or take.”
I knew Neil was rich, but I didn’t know just how rich. The income he earned from the rent alone must be insane. I was speechless.
“Most of the apartments are already tenanted,” Neil said. “I think this is the best one I can offer you. It’s yours if you want it for short-term accommodation until you leave, but I understand if you don’t. It might be uncomfortable living in the same building as me, and having me as your landlord as well as your boss. I know it’s far from ideal.”
I shook my head. “It is ideal. The thing is… how much are you expecting for rent? I don’t think I’ll be able to afford it.”
“How much are you paying now?”
“Four hundred a week. Utilities extra.”
“You can have this place for the same.”
I gaped. “Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“But you could make so much more by renting it to someone else.”
“Your stability and security are of far greater value to me.”
My heart stirred. I just about wanted to cry.
Concern washed over Neil’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing. It’s just… this is so generous. It’s almost too much. I feel so bad for letting you down, for not telling you about my plan to go overseas.”
Neil looked into my eyes, his softness intensifying to such a degree that I felt weak at the knees. “I’m not mad at you for that. It took me off guard, but you were just looking out for yourself, and that’s something I fully understand.”
“Neil—”
“Yes?”
“If you didn’t want me to go, I think I’d be willing to keep working for you.”
My spontaneous confession surprised me. I wanted to retract my words and ponder them, but it was too late. They were out in the open. My real feelings laid bare.
Neil studied me through narrowed eyes, his jaw flexing. He took his time to pick his words. The wait was agonising. “That is a tempting offer,” he said at last, “but I think you should go. You are young. The world is full of opportunities. I wouldn’t want to stand in your way.”
I appreciated his support, but it somehow felt like a blow. A part of me must have been hoping he’d ask me to stay by his side.
“Besides, I don’t know how long I will be needed at Luxmore, and with the situation in Singapore… You should go. It’s for the best.”
It’s for the best. He had said those words before. Something else occurred to me, and I spoke up once again. “Neil, what did you mean the other day when you said ‘this isn’t working out’?”
His eyes widened, and his voice seemed caught in his throat. “Ah. Forgive me.”
“If my performance is?—”
“Your performance is not the issue.”
“Then what is?”
Neil turned serious, his demeanour stiffening and straightening. “It’s my problem, not yours. Will you take the apartment?” he asked, changing the subject.
I brightened at the reminder I’d get to call this place home. “Of course I will!”
“I have a property manager in charge, but for you, it would be simpler if we engaged directly.”
“That makes sense.”
“And I’ll have to inform HR we’ll be living in the same building, or people might get the wrong idea…”
“Ah. Good thinking. So, when can I move in?”
“As soon as you’re ready. I imagine you’ll need to discuss a leaving date with your current landlord. Just one thing. You’ll be busy during the fourth week of September.”
I racked my brain. What was happening then? The annual Zelthia shareholder meeting was the only thing I could think of—but that wasn’t something I thought I’d be involved in. “What’s happening then?“ I asked.
“We’ll be in Singapore.”