Chapter Eighteen: Love in Disguise

Eliora's POV

Romans pulled his ocean blue Lexus car on the parking space and stopped the engine, I patiently waited for him to unlock the door automatically.

"Thank you." I managed to say.

"Your welcome." Romans said.

"Erhm.. the door..." I stuttered nervously.

"Oh!" Then he pressed the button which made a sharp sound beside me.

"Thanks." I pushed the door open and stepped out.

"Eliora," Romans called out and I turned.

"I also want to get some few things... Wait for me." Romans said nervously.

"Sure." I nodded.

Romans and I walked into the mall in silence, we steal glances of each other and walk around different racks, it was as if I have forgotten what to buy.

"What are you getting?" I asked awkwardly.

"Ropes... Tapes... " Romans struggles to speak.

"Are you killing somebody?" I asked.

I mean who would want to buy ropes and tapes...for what?

"Nope. It's for binding goods" Romans said and I nodded.

"How about you?" Romans asked.

"Chocolates, fruits, snacks, soft drinks, eggs... Nothing much" I said.

"Oh... Is your kitchen food-empty?" Romans asked in a sarcastic tone.

"What?" I laughed a bit and recoils.

"I mean... All these are what one must have at home but it seem you have none" Romans said.

"Well... It is as it is" I scrambled with words and he laughed.

We both reached for a packet of pasta at the same time and our hands grazed against each other, we turned and stare at ourselves in silence and I won't lie... My heart started thumping heavily and I was afraid it might jump out of my chest.

Romans eyes hasn't changed one bit, it was still beautiful, warm and good at making me frail...I couldn't take my gaze away from his.

Another patron pushed us aside annoyingly and takes the packet of pasta then we came back to reality.

"I'm....".

"I'm...".

We started the same time and stopped staring at each other with smile on our face.

"You first" I said.

"Ladies first" Romans said.

"I'm sorry" I said.

"I'm sorry" Romans said.

"Our carts are still empty" Romans teased.

"Oh" I sighed as we proceed deeper into the mall.

Jennifer's words were to drop me off but Romans shopped with me, paid the bills and brought me back home, he stopped the engine and turn to me.

"We're here" Romans said.

"Thank you so much for today" I said while arranging my shopping bags.

"I had a nice time with you" Romans smiled and I lift my gaze away from him.

"Goodnight" I said giving him signal to unlock the door.

"When are we meeting again?" Romans said as he pressed the unlock button.

"Why are we meeting? I mean... Do we have a reason to meet?" I asked annoyingly making him uncomfortable.

"No... No" Romans stutters and I smirked.

"Will you accept the job?" Romans asked me.

"It's attractive but I'll give your fiancee my reply" I said vividly and he nodded.

"Goodnight" Romans said as I alighted from the car.

I walked into the estate then I heard Romans starting the car engine, was he watching me go home safely as his girlfriend's friend or what?

I pushed the thought aside and walk deeper into the dark estate.

I wanted to knock on Jennifer's door but her inner lamp were turned off and it will be unethical to knock at this time. It was exactly 11:30pm almost midnight thus I went straight into my room.

The next morning, I woke up because of the hard bang I heard coming from my door.

Sluggishly I walked to the passage and open the door then I saw Jennifer.

"Good morning" I greeted.

"Babe. Why are you still sleeping?" Jennifer asked paranoid.

"Of course I'm tired" I left the door open and roughly sit on the living room armchair.

"Eliora, why being so undecided? It's your future you're joking with" Jennifer comes into the house and close the door.

"Jennifer, I'm sorry. I don't want this job" I said bluntly.

"But.. I really want you to work there" Jennifer plead sadly.

"I'm not ready to start waking up by 7:00am and working overtime and travelling on trips with boss... And" I rant in complaint but was cut off.

"I'll make sure my hubby doesn't overwork you" Jennifer hovers over.

"Must I work there? I can still get job somewhere else" I tried to convince her away from her decision.

"I want you to own a house and forget about about paying rent and all of it, I want you to be a first class citizen for some time" Jennifer said and I stared at her in silence.

"What?" Jennifer asked anxiously.

"What if I say.. I'm not comfortable with your hubby around?" I asked nervously.

"You will be working fifteen stairs away from him, you will hardly see my hubby" Jennifer informed happily.

"Hmmm... It seems you're not going to let me go" I sigh.

"Please girl" Jennifer nudges me and I smiled.

"Sure. I'll work there" I said.

"Good! Good!" Jennifer stands from the armchair.

"Pack your luggages, the company driver will come pick you up with your new ride soon" Jennifer said excitedly.

"New ride?" I asked anxiously.

"Yeah. You will have a cool car too" Jennifer said.

"Oh!" I nodded.

"See you at the office tomorrow" Jennifer smiled.

"Aren't you going to join me to my new place?" I asked.

"Nope. I'm going on a date with my baby" Jennifer chirped happily and I smile.

"Okay" I waved her hastily to leave and she did in a hurry, I laughed.

"Romans lady" I muttered mockingly and leaves to my room.

Dressed in a skimpy black gown, I walked out of the estate holding my travelling box which had America strip logo on it, the sun was indeed hot.

"Woa!" I exclaimed at the sight of the clean sparkling ride in front of me.

It was a neon blue Camry car with black tinted windows, the car definitely fits me. I stared at it happily as a young man highlighted from the driver's seat and approach me.

"Good afternoon ma'am" He bowed shortly.

"Hi" I waved.

"Can we go now?" He said.

"Sure but I'll ride" I said.

"Forgive me ma'am but Mr. Romans said I shouldn't let you ride since you're still learning" he said politely.

"Romans still remembers I can't ride... What does this means?" I sighed as the driver takes my boxes to the booth.

"Okay" I agreed and entered into the car.

The seat was cool, I tapped it twice with smile on my face as I turn to face the driver's space then I saw a small car iPad on the back of the driver's seat, the iPad was showing the morning news.

"Car with television.." I smirked.

"You're lucky Miss. Mr. Romans gave you the best car a staff would ever have... Including a designated driver" the driver said with soft smirk.

"He is also lucky to have a smart and beautiful staff" I bluffed.

The ride lasted for thirty minutes and the driver curbed the car into a spacious garage.

"Wow!" I exclaimed loudly while stepping out from the car.

"Holy shit!" I squealed in surprise.

Is this mine?" I asked.

In front of me was a giant mansion of about three storey building and the surrounding was loaded with beautiful flowers, at the middle of the surrounding were I stood had beautiful elephant waterfall. I didn't hesitate to rush into the mansion while the driver walks in with my boxes.

The first floor has a large living room and dining room with wide kitchen, guest room, the second floor has swimming pool, mini living room, an office, a lounge and mini theater, the last floor has an exercise hall with gymnastic equipments like weight lifting, running rail, punching bag, and so many, it has big master bedroom with a king size bed, mini living room, and guest room, the mansion was very big with extravagant furnitures and it operates with elevators.

I exhaled in exhaustion as I walk into the theatre room, the room has dim blue light but I changed the switch into something brighter so I could see clearly.

There was a big QNED Mini LED TV on the wall of the room. It was one of the biggest and most expensive television in U.S.A.

How come it's in my apartment? Does my salary worth this?

There was also a wide large center table with a flower vase on it, and around the table were beautiful sets of black armchairs.

I walked toward the DVD sets cabinet and I sort through the cassettes, I saw my favorite movies.

Did he purposely do all these for me? Because there is no way the company will know my favorite movies.

In the cabinet, I graze my hand on the body of the cassettes walking gradually. There's Korean dramas, Chinese dramas, latest Netflix movies... I saw Bridgeton, the movie I have been following, there was The Conjuring, The Business Proposal, All of Us Are Dead, My Dear Destiny... Plenty of my favorites... I remained speechless as tears slowly gather around my eyelids.

"Ma'am" a soft knock comes from the door and I quickly clean the tears away from my face.

"Yeah" I said through my sniffle.

"Are you okay ma'am?" the driver ask, concerned.

"Yeah I'm" I turned to him.

"Guess you've settled. The maids will be coming in soon" the driver said.

"Maid? I don't think I'll need maids" I declined leaving the theatre room with him.

"Then I'll send them back" the driver said.

"What about you, won't you be going back?" I asked.

"No. I'll be with you until you get use to this place and also learn how to drive" the driver said and I smirked.

"Get ready to stay here forever" I teased.

"It will be my pleasure" the driver bowed shortly and I laughed.

"Can you stop being overly courteous?" I snorted.

"Your box is in your room ma'am, I'll prepare diner" the driver said.

"Call me Eliora and secondly, I'll do the cooking... I'm not some teddy bear." I said and went into my room.

I think I've changed. The old me would love to have servants around but now... I saw them as ' waste of time'. Would I get used to my new life? And had I really changed or the real me was warming up?