Meeting the ultra-wealthy

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 gossiping about four humans who didn't know she existed. It wasn't like she would ever care about whatever shit will ever happen to them.

Well until now.

It was by this time a few weeks ago her boss had her running to his office and presenting an offer with a shiny bonus he knew she couldn't resist. Before she could take hold of time, she signed a contract and got the important necessities discussed and arranged within a matter of fourteen days. It turned out her new patient was a member of the famous family. And that was the only reason she found herself seizing her free time and reading up on the Stanleys' history, their achievements, and even their present lifestyle. She wouldn't want to go there now, would she?

Presently, she had answers to every Ted's question from two weeks ago and a well-versed knowledge of her patient. He wasn't an old man who was probably stuck in a wheelchair who did nothing but reading newspapers all day with a monocle fixed on his left eye. That wasn't true at all. If anything, according to the test results and endless sources on the internet, he was a young man who was barely older than her by about two years. Whoever he was, she was at the point of finding out, and she meant that literally.

Maria was standing on the sidewalk outside the street, where she had been told to wait for the car arranged to bring her to the Stanleys' household.

She would be lying to herself if she told any passer-by who cared to listen to her tale that she wasn't trying her best to calm her nerves. There was a sense of excitement yet anxiety inside her stomach which made it hard for her to breathe.

This was the first time she would be meeting ultra-wealthy people in person. They were nothing but the privileged class who grew up in one of the most luxurious houses in the world. They were better off than the president himself. On top of that, she was going to meet one or some of them personally in just a few minutes. And someone would blame her for being chicken-hearted?

Her gaze dropped down at her dress, and then, to the pair of heels she wore on her feet. They all made her wonder whether she should have worn something else. The fear of not looking presentable had her delving into her wardrobe the previous night before she could settle on the blue gown she was wearing today. To her, the other black dresses she had initially chosen looked too plain and boring but found the blue one a little fancier and the right color for the first appointment. Now, however, she was questioning her judgment and the urge to race back home to change clothes despite the distance filled her.

The moment she looked up, her sight discovered the dark vehicle parked a few feet away from her. It was shining like a diamond on the side of the road with the sun hitting it directly, its tinted windows prompting her to check her reflection in the glass.

Without thinking twice, Maria hurriedly moved closer to the mentioned compartment and found her face in its darkness. The first flaw she noticed was her cherry lipstick smudge. Her aroused fear died as soon as it came when she remembered the emergency makeup kit she always carried around.

She opened her bag without further hesitation and fumbled with the contents inside of it until her fingers landed on a red lipstick tube that she got out, took out some cotton swabs, and re-applied the cosmetic on her lips. She smacked her lips together with her eyes and breathed satisfactorily at her enhanced appearance.

Almost immediately, her improvised mirror descended suddenly in a single woosh, swallowing her reflection, and nearly giving her a heart attack.

Her directed gaze on the window was now fixed on a young man who was unexpectedly in the car. The corner of his lips rose into a small smirk when he caught her stare, his eyes watching her cautiously with a slight glint of mockery.

She could easily read his thoughts like an open book, his facial expression made her imagine him saying "Guess you didn't know I was here all along."

Her face flushed with embarrassment, the heat spreading over her cheeks and neck.

Maria screwed her eyes shut with her face flushed in embarrassment. She had been in a hurry to check her outfit and wipe off the smudge that appeared on her lip, and she hadn't considered there could be people behind the dark shades.

"Sorry," she muttered apologetically, her head turning to snap away from the window as she backed away from the car, hoping the distance would create a better impression than she had made earlier.

A beefy-looking man in a dark suit and sunglasses appeared from GOD KNOWS WHERE, and his presence reminded Maria of those broody bodyguards she saw in movies. His brown hair was cropped short on the sides, giving him a more rugged look, while his beard was thicker than those of most men. He turned towards the same black car she was staring at, and her attention followed his direction.

The large man appeared to be talking to the other young man in the passenger seat about something, the smug man who had caught her off guard. She couldn't hear their conversation but watched with eagerness as she hoped they were not discussing reporting her to their lawyer for property trespassing. She was sure people who looked like them had personal attorneys who were only a call away when they had even the most trivial matter.

The door, whose window she had peeked through, opened slowly, and the young man stepped out, in a similar black suit and sunglasses. He had long hair that she had not noticed before, the length and volume of it surprising her. It was a deep, glossy black, and she unconsciously stared at the color for a minute before she realized how strange it must have looked to anyone who happened to witness her staring at the man in silence.

Maria averted her gaze when the two men began slow strides toward her. At first, she thought that the scary-looking one was planning to seize her by force and throw her into the vehicle for her crime, but became relieved to see that it did not come to pass. They changed tracks, approaching a building that she had not noticed was standing behind all along. Right when the two fellows were about to disappear into the mentioned building, the one with long hair paused his steps and rolled his face till his eyes met hers.

Her brows squeezed with slight force as she stared back at the pair of dark shades. A feeling of uncertainty filled her mind, and she wondered whether she should move away from the spot or stay put until they left. His gaze lingered for a few more seconds before he decided to pass by her, but she didn't miss the small smile that played around his mouth as he walked away.

After he disappeared into the building, she turned towards the said structure with a sneer. "You think that was funny?" she asked the man that was already gone. Why was he making so much fuss about making use of his window a little bit? Yeah, she knew he uttered no word but his expression spoke wild volumes.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car passing by, causing her to glance up the road again. It was a red convertible, and Maria immediately stepped back, not wanting to replay the events that happened before this moment.

The driver's door pushed open and a middle-aged man emerged from the car, his brown hair blowing gently with the wind. He was dressed in a dark-blue shirt and pants, and his round, friendly face was accented by wrinkles and laugh lines. There was something endearing about him, perhaps because his hair was so perfectly trimmed, which made him appear younger than his actual age.

His frame circled the fancy car, and his gaze landed on her with a curious expression, his eyes twinkling with amusement. The man moved towards her at a leisurely pace, his steps light and easy. "Good morning. Maria Patterson, is it?" He questioned once close enough, not as one who was not sure but as though making an affirmation.

"Yes please," Maria returned, her voice sounding a bit shaky.

He pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. "My name is Mr. Eric Stanton. I will be your personal driver to and from Stanley's estate, every day." He smiled warmly.

She had already been told of the private chauffeur arranged for her to make her work more convenient, but she still felt a tad surprised and honored. "Thank you, I'm very grateful," she replied, her eyes still fixed on the man's card as if it was a treasure.

The man smiled some more at her politeness before moving back to the car. He opened the rear door, motioning for her to get inside. "Are you ready to go, ma'am?"

"Yes, thank you." Maria agreed before climbing up the plush seats and settling in, her gaze following the driver's movements.

The man closed the door, and the car took off with smooth acceleration, its engine rumbling under the hood.

***