Eric arrived at work earlier than anyone else. His punctual habits, honed during his ti under Sir Ramprandt's strict business regi, had followed him here despite the fact that this new job operated under a far less structured and unpredictable organisation. Unlike the orderly schedules and rigid expectations of his previous post, this place didn't exactly reward showing up ahead of ti.
Now, seated alone in the vacant room, he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.
His stomach soon reminded him of what he had neglected, breakfast. A low rumble echoed from his belly, and just then, a thought struck him. Didn't Marvelous pack sothing for ?
Fortunately, she had. Before leaving his place the previous night, Marvelous Kennedy had gone out of her way to prepare a al and store it neatly in a thermal flask. A quiet smile touched his lips as he retrieved it.
Eric settled into a chair, unscrewed the lid, and dug in. The aroma greeted him warmly, a thick porridge, rich with various cuts and ingredients that lted together in savoury harmony. It wasn't just nourishing; it was comforting.
On taste and presentation alone, she deserved every culinary accolade there was. How soone responsible for overseeing a multi-billion-dollar enterprise found the ti and energy to cook so excellently was beyond him.
"She's remarkable," he muttered between mouthfuls, savouring every bite.
And then, inevitably, ca the deeper question: Why?
Why was she doing all of this? The daily visits. The ho-cooked als. The conversations.
Marvelous had more on her plate than most people could ever handle, and yet sohow, she continued making ti for him. For a man who had nothing particularly dazzling to offer in return.
Was she trying to change his mind? Could this be her subtle way of nudging him toward her company? Trying to convince him that if he switched over, he wouldn't just be another employee but part of sothing more personal, like family?
That had to be it.
"Yeah… makes sense," he whispered to himself, staring into his flask as if it held all the answers. "But she should know I've already accepted this job. This isn't sothing you just walk away from."
He wasn't pulling shifts at a local diner or doing part-ti work at a convenience store. This role, whatever title it truly carried was tantamount to working for a governnt agency. Signing on ant commitnt. Lifelong, almost. Once you stepped into this kind of shadowy work, you didn't leave on your own terms.
Surely, Marvelous knew that.
Still… another possibility lingered at the back of his mind.
What if… she actually liked him?
The idea made his heart skip in surprise and scepticism.
'No… that's ridiculous," he thought. 'Marvelous Kennedy? Like ?'
She was a titan in the business world, commanding influence and wealth that spanned continents. A woman like her could choose from an elite pool of suitors, n who matched her power, prestige, and lifestyle. anwhile, he was just a man scraping to provide for his children, clinging to whatever purpose he could find in this strange, shifting world.
What could he possibly offer soone like her?
He chuckled to himself, shaking the thought out of his head. 'Don't get carried away. Don't feed yourself fantasies.'
"Whatever her reasons," he said aloud, "it's sothing I can stop if it crosses a line. I'm still in control."
But was he?
Eric paused, eyes narrowing as the thought lingered. He'd convinced himself he had a handle on it, but sowhere deep inside, a quiet doubt throbbed. He chose not to chase that feeling. Better to pretend the decision didn't exist.
Besides, Marvelous hadn't crossed any lines. If anything, her presence had been… pleasant. Even grounding.
If he really thought about it, her spending ti with him had done more good than harm.
Take yesterday, for example.
Back then, before she ca into the picture, he'd return ho exhausted, maybe shower off the day's gri, scavenge for instant noodles or fast food, and collapse onto the couch. He'd sit there, half-watching so random series while slowly drifting into sleep, alone and numb.
But yesterday was different.
He'd co ho to a hot al. A proper dinner, not junk. More than that, he hadn't been alone. Marvelous had stayed, talked with him, listened patiently while he unloaded his burdens. She'd offered real advice, like when Joseph told him to steer clear, and she helped him see things more clearly.
He hadn't realised it at the ti, but sothing had changed. The house didn't feel so empty. There had been laughter, conversation, warmth.
It reminded him of the old days when his kids were around, when their voices filled the space.
But they weren't here now.
Marvellous Kennedy was. And she had sohow brought that life back into his ho.
The significance of that realisation hit him unexpectedly.
His heart gave a hard, sudden thud louder than usual. His breath caught slightly. A strange warmth spread in his chest, almost like an ache, but not painful. It was as if sothing inside him had been stirred awake.
Again, his heart thudded, more insistent this ti.
He froze, spoon suspended midair.
"What… what's happening to ?" he murmured, puzzled by the sudden rush of emotion he couldn't quite define.
Then, the door swung open.
"Mister Aldaman! You're here early," said a voice that grounded him instantly.
Gerald stepped in, the second person to arrive.
His timing couldn't have been more perfect. Just like that, Eric's racing thoughts scattered, and his heartbeat settled into its usual rhythm.
"Good morning, Sir Gerald," Eric said quickly, rising to his feet in a respectful gesture.
"Let's drop the 'sir' nonsense," Gerald replied, waving a hand. "Call Gerald. Otherwise, we're going to have issues, you and I."
Eric gave a hesitant nod. "Ri~ght… Gerald."
"There we go," said Gerald, grinning. "Now we're getting sowhere. Stick with , and soon enough you'll pick up the usual bad habits of coming in late, ignoring a few protocols, maybe even developing a rebellious streak or two. You'll fit right in."
Eric gave a small chuckle at that, though he wasn't sure how serious Gerald was.
Still, there was no mistaking the hint of sarcasm in his tone. Working alongside people like Joseph and Xander had twisted Gerald's definition of what counted as 'normal behaviour.'
And just like that, the morning officially began, no longer quiet, no longer uncertain.
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