"Like a Nanny...?" Maria slowly pronounced, still not comprehending fully what her boss meant.
He was amused by her interpretation, but concealed his emotions well, remaining professional. "Well, something similar, but much more advanced. You will be saving him from himself. Saving him from self-destruction." he explained, his tone becoming firm as he spoke.
"How does that work?" Maria ventured, trying to understand the idea.
"It's simple." The chairman nodded again and gestured for her to grab the next document he had been referring to. "You will be assigned to him full-time. You will be the closest person to him, in the sense that you will be with him every single day, monitoring his condition and keeping him company. In addition, you will be responsible for making sure he doesn't hurt himself or others by doing things that will eventually deteriorate his mental health and state of mind." He concluded, his fingers tracing the lines of the paper in front of him as he watched her read through the contents.
Maria felt like a boulder had landed on her chest, crushing her lungs and breath into pieces as she looked down at the words written across the page. The implication of the terms made her stomach churn. She felt like a prisoner awaiting execution, with no chance to plead for mercy from her jailers.
"Finally," Desmond sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It would be a home service, meaning that you will be visiting him daily if you agree to the task."
The entire explanation took less than five minutes, leaving Maria's mind reeling. The professor wanted to assign her to a man who needed constant supervision, someone whose mind had been beaten into submission by his experiences and was hanging on a thread. It was an honor to be chosen by the chairman himself, but she did feel she was ready for this kind of responsibility.
"Wow..." She muttered breathlessly, dropping the papers to the table. "I'm honored, Professor."
Desmond gave her a warm smile, one that she hadn't seen in years. "Thank you." He said sincerely. "Now, I know you have many questions regarding your new job, so let us discuss those first--"
"But I don't think I am a good fit," Maria interjected, cutting off the professor's sentence politely before he could continue.
"What?" Desmond's expression grew stern, and the corners of his mouth curled downward. "Why do you think so?" He questioned her, clearly unhappy with the news.
Maria swallowed thickly, looking down at the table for a moment. There was a reason why she was hesitant to accept this opportunity, yet she did not know why. "There are a lot of reasons." She started, fruitlessly looking for a place to begin, feeling her confidence waver under the professor's gaze. "Firstly, I don't think I can help him. His case is too extreme, and he needs somebody else." She admitted, hating the fact that she couldn't seem to convince herself. "If I may ask, why did you assign me to this job? There are more qualified doctors here, after all."
His eyes narrowed at her question, his expression never faltering. "That's the only problem you have, miss Patterson." He shook his head with clear disappointment and finished his drink with one long swig of his drink. "Your ability to see beyond the physical and emotional problems of your patients allows you to diagnose them accurately and treat them accordingly, Miss Patterson. However, your only flaw is underestimating yourself, not recognizing your capabilities." He finished, his firm expression never faltering.
She blinked a few times, and her face warmed up by degrees. This was the closest Desmond had ever come to complimenting her abilities. She never expected to receive such praise from him, especially when she thought of him as nothing more than a hard-to-please figure who wouldn't spare anyone any slack.
"You asked me why I chose you?" He continued, and she nodded slowly. "Because I believe in you, simple. It would be such a shame if I have to assign someone else to this task, simply because you doubt your worth." He added, his tone conveying his thoughts. "But if that's how you feel, the job will be given--"
"I will do it, professor." She interrupted him with an honest declaration, her eyes closed for a second as she savored the sensation of acceptance from her mentor. "I want to help the patient," she added and opened her eyes to look at him again.
The room fell silent, save for the quiet moment Desmond sat staring at her, trying to gauge if she was being sincere or not. After observing the determination filling her blue gaze, her decision was met by a soft smile and nod of approval from the elderly man. "Very well, you made the right choice." The man acknowledged and reached out to shake her hand, a gesture that startled her.
"Thank you, sir, I will do my best." She responded immediately, returning his warm handshake.
Desmond broke the contact quickly, and his brows rose as a thought crossed his mind. "By the way, I almost forgot to mention this new appointment comes with double pay," he revealed, so airily and casually as if he didn't just give away a piece of huge news capable of altering her life.
He waited for her reaction, and Maria stared at him blankly for a few seconds before realizing what he had implied. Her lashes flickered, and her eyes widened as her mind tried to process the unexpected information. "Do-double pay?" She stammered, finally comprehending the professor's intentions, her voice low and barely audible.
"Yes, Miss Patterson. You heard correctly." Desmond nodded, his glasses glimmering with each swift movement.
"Professor!" Maria exclaimed, flinching from her seat and nearly falling over her chair. Her mouth was parted loosely with wonderment, and she lifted a shaking hand to touch her chest, where her heart pounded rapidly. "That's an incredible amount of money, it's twice my current salary." She squeaked, unable to hold back her astonishment.
"Of course." Desmond agreed with a knowing smile, almost chuckling, and leaned forward to take a piece of his cookie.
"Sir." She grabbed the edge of the table, her tone becoming urgent and purposeful. Her free palm dived up to rest against her chest, like a soldier pledging for his country. "I am more than ready. I am ready to work. l am ready for this job. Ready for this challenge." Her eyes blazed with zeal and her tone sounded like a presidential candidate making a speech on how he plans to solve the economic crisis if elected into office.
The professor was amused by her uncaged enthusiasm and sat back in his chair, watching as Maria shifted eagerly and then settled down. "Then, welcome abroad, Miss Patterson. Let's start by discussing the contracts and other pertinent information regarding the patient."
"Definitely sir," she responded, nodding energetically as she picked up the document once again.
***
It was her favorite place in the world. A place that solved all her hunger issues, fatigue, and whatever term that fitted the category of negative emotions that could irritate someone's soul. It was a planet of food that welcomed her nostrils with the rich aroma of delicious delicacy.No matter the condition of her stomach, it always roared into her life each time she stepped into the restaurant. It was not any kind of restaurant. The place was special to her and her view of the word special was quite distinguished from that of a common man. It wasn't lavishly decorated and customers wouldn't find a group of bands possessing the atmosphere with tasteful music. No grand artwork and beautiful flowers were gracing the walls the way it was done in those fancy restaurants.It was a simple and cozy eatery that offered different varieties of rich meals that would leave a customer looking forward to his next visit. It was her place of comfort and was owned by her best friend. The bo
Stanley.It was a name she had heard before, seen severally on screens, and came across in books. The name loomed in the air like it was oxygen. It was a popular name and many people in the world went by it. But that wasn't the reason why the name was always alive on every lip. A mere combination of seven letters of the English alphabet wasn't sufficient enough to attract such fame.It was because of the influential and prosperous family recognized by the name. A well-to-do family of four who was recognized as the richest family in America and only someone living under a rock wouldn't have heard of them. There were only two categories of people who talked and debated about them. The first category was the majority group who held nothing but pure adoration and the opposite group was the minorities who were prejudiced about their wealthy lifestyles.Maria had never been in any of those categories. There were many other things in her life to handle than while away her tight schedule goss
The home of the Stanleys' was the exact paradise she had envisaged as a dream home. It grandly occupied two hundred acres of land and stood out like an oasis in the middle of the desert, because there were no other houses near it. The charm of the place gave her a royal-world vibe and she felt like she was in a period movie or novel. The manor's white walls contrasted with its dark green trim, making it look more like a castle than a building. It was a sprawling structure, with a long front lawn and manicured gardens stretching away from the house to either side. The main entrance was guarded by a pair of stone lions that sat at attention in front of an arched door flanked by several rows of columns. A large fountain dominated one corner of the grounds, surrounded by tall flowers and shrubbery. A few other fountains dotted the area around the house, adding splashing sounds to the atmosphere. The wrought-iron gates were shut by the security as they drove inside and it t
Mrs. Stanley started with a knock before pushing the double leaf doors and exposing Maria's vision to another regal part of the extraordinary home.Delia had made mentioned that her patient never left his room most of the time, to avoid people. However, upon their arrival, Maria discovered it wasn't a typical bedroom. The place looked like another home dwelling in the mansion. It basically had all the necessities of life, and there was no wonder her son was locking himself comfortably in the place. However, It bothered her to see what the Stanleys referred to as rooms. Her room back at home was not even as large as half of the place."Follow me, doctor," Delia stated, walking past her, and leading the way into the massive space.Maria's eyes searched the room, and that was the action she had been doing most ever since she encountered the estate. It was large as already mentioned with tall ceilings and there was another high-arched door leading to a balcony that overlooked th
Maria fixed her gaze on Jayden again, who seemed intent on ignoring her. His back was facing her, but his body language was enough to tell her he didn't want any interaction with her. How was she going to start a conversation with a guy that would not even talk to his mother?She decided to risk it anyway, and turned her attention back to the room, taking a brief scan of the area to regain her composure and prepare herself for whatever was coming before walking forward to stand before him."Good morning, Mr. Stanley," she began, stopping in his front so she could speak clearly and loudly to be heard. Her greeting sounded out clearly in the silent room, and there was no response. Not even a twitch. She cleared her throat, hoping to catch his attention, but the man remained quiet and unmoving like a stone statue. "I am sorry if I have disturbed your privacy, but am your new doctor assigned to handle your medical cases, Maria Pat---" Her words were silenced by a low growl that
Maria swallowed, her mind still reeling from the unexpected event, and tried to return focus to the conversation. She cleared her throat and spoke again, this time more confidently. "I can't leave yet," She asserted with a deep breath. "I promised myself, my boss, and your mother that I will do my best in making you feel better. You have to stop taking me as an enemy but as a friend. I am here to help you, Mr. Stan--""And who said I need any fucking help from white robe people like you?" He sliced in once again, anger creeping into every part of his voice and it was evident he was holding himself back from yelling at her.Her mouth hung open in surprise. Her eyes lowered to the table, and she could see his fists clenching tight and his knuckles turning white. His whole body was tensed and his lips were pursed together, forming a thin line as if he was fighting to keep his emotions in check. "You don't want to be helped?" She questioned, her voice trembling as she struggled
His mind was hazy and his vision blurred. The world around him was spinning and he could not focus on anything. A headache was forming behind his temples and his whole body was throbbing. Jayden knew something was wrong yet he wanted to ignore the sensations. He needed to concentrate on getting rid of the doctor and not create reasons for her to stay. But he knew it was too late when the lady by the door turned her attention toward him. He averted his eyes quickly, hiding the agony he felt inside. He could not afford to show weakness or vulnerability to anyone. Not even to her. His frame managed to move with a few steps, targeting the sofa for a seat but failed when the dizziness became unbearable. The next moment, he found himself collapsing onto the floor, unable to support his weight. "Mr. Stanley!" The loud cry of the doctor was what he heard next, followed by her footsteps running toward his side. Her figure was quick to find his on the floor as she squatted right
"I am not hungry," He stated flatly, his voice low and cold. His eyes remained fixed on the container, refusing to look at her.For several seconds, all she could do was stare at him in bewilderment. Her pride was hurt, no one had ever made her feel so insignificant before. Right, she agreed they belonged to a different caliber but he didn't have to spell it out to her face.But she was not ready to let him win this battle. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you. But you're going to eat." She declared, her voice firm.Jayden rolled his face away, his shoulders stiffening. "Get lost." He grumbled, his tone harsh and uncompromising.Her chest rose heavily as she contained all her exasperation into a deep sigh. She remembered her earlier conversation with his mother, realizing how completely wrong when she thought Jayden could never be any worse than the most difficult patient she ever encountered. He was not only worse, he was beyond terrible and unbearable. However, her promise t